Read Online Coming To Reason (A Long Road to Love) by Liza O'Connor - Free Book Online

precious
grandbabies received the scold. “I want to hear the one phone message Carrie
had last night and then we need to erase it.”
    Destiny tensed and crossed her arms.
    “Problem?” He hoped his daughter could do this because he
didn’t want anyone else involved.
    “Do you have reason to believe Carrie has committed a
crime?”
    “No.”
    “Then you wish to invade her privacy for your curiosity?”
    And this is what happens when you teach your child to
question and not do something just because someone tells her to or because
everyone else is doing it.
    He leaned forward and met her eyes. “Yes, I wish to invade
her privacy so I can decide the best step forward.”
    Her brow remained furrowed. “Sounds nice, but I’ll need more
specifics.”
    He rose and walked to the wall of windows, looking out at
the traffic below. “Carrie believes she’s still engaged to Trent and, I’m
assuming, she thinks their relationship is monogamous.”
    “And some of it’s not true?” Destiny asked.
    “None of it’s true. So I need to understand what part is
delusion on her side and what part is Trent playing games.”
    “Oh God, she’s going to be devastated! And how am I going
to look at her without bursting into tears? I wish you wouldn’t have told me!”
    “You kind of forced me,”
    “I did. I thought you’d become stalkerish on someone you
like who loves someone else.”
    “I do like her. But you don’t have to worry about me
becoming a stalker. I don’t fall for women involved in other relationships, and
I don’t do rebounds.”
    “One of those is a really good rule. Any reason you didn’t share it with me?” The
angst in her voice came through loud and clear.
    He turned around and came to her, pulling her from the
chair and into his arms. “God. Am I so blind I didn’t see your pain?”
    She shook her head, still holding him tight. “I’ve purpose ly hid it from
you.”
    “Why?”
    “So you wouldn’t look at me with those sad brown eyes. It
breaks my heart when you’re unhappy.” She pushed away from him. “Besides, I
knew better than getting involved with a married man.”
    “Destiny!” He’d pictured a young boy her age, not someone
old enough to be married! “Who?”
    “Nothing happened.”
    “Destiny, I want his name!”
    “You may want it, but you aren’t getting it. Nothing
happened. He didn’t even realize I’d fallen for him until I blurted it out one
day, and he stared at me in horror. He evident ly thought me the most hideous
woman in the world.”
    Dan gathered her in his arms again. “I’m sorry your heart got
broken, but I’m very glad this guy had the decency and willpower to refuse
you.”
    “He didn’t have a problem rejecting me, Daddy,” she
muttered into his shirt.
    “Destiny, you are a beautiful young lady. If the guy looked
horrified, he’s either gay or frightened a temptress wanted to tear his
marriage apart. He did the right thing, sweetheart. Good men do not fall to
temptation, no matter how delightful and beautiful.”
    Destiny hugged him tight. “I love you.”
    “And you’re my whole world.”
    She stepped back and smiled at him, wiping her eyes dry
with the tail of her headband. “I’ll make you a copy of the phone message with
Trent and then erase it.”
    “Can you do this without listening to it?”
    She nodded.
    “I don’t want you to hear it. It might damage your trust in
men forever, and I’m pretty sure it gets pornographic at the end. Promise me
you won’t listen.”
    She smiled and took his hand. “I promise. I’m sorry I know
what I do now.”
    Satisfied Destiny wouldn’t be tempted, he kissed her on her
forehead and sent her out. When she opened the door, he heard Helen scolding
someone. “What is wrong with you? Were you raised by wolves? Such language is
never necessary, and certain ly not with me. You may stop calling here, because I will
never allow you to speak to Mr. Marshal. You have stepped beyond the line,
young