who got me pregnant was a transient tourist from Texas who gave me a fake name, plied me with alcohol, and took advantage of my poor naïve teenaged self.”
“So when I asked where my daughter was—”
“You outed me.” Suddenly exhausted, Sarah took a seat on the bench opposite Cam.
He scowled. “I guess I could have handled this better.”
“Ya think?”
“I didn’t set out to cause a scene.”
“I hate to think of what might have happened had you tried. Pauline Roosevelt was about to wet her pants, she was so excited at her front-row seat.”
His mouth quirked in a sheepish grin that made Sarah do a double take. She remembered that grin. Once upon a time, it had made her melt.
Shoot, it still made her melt.
Now that her temper had waned and her panic subsided, she was able to see past the haze of emotion to view him clearly. She almost wished she was still in a lather. The man was too darn sexy by half. It wasn’t fair. He should have lost his hair or found a beer gut or had his nose broken or his teeth knocked out in a fight. When he shoved his fingers through his hair once again, she recalled how much she’d enjoyed running her fingers through his hair while they cuddled after making love up at Lover’s Leap. Get a grip, Reese .
“Damn.” He winced, shaking his head. “I walk back into this town and first thing I do is let my temper get the better of me. That’s something I don’t do anymore. But today … the way people looked at me and the way I reacted, the last twenty years might never have happened. I’m still the punk troublemaker.”
“Well, you’ve certainly caused trouble for me,” she grumbled. “Why have you come here, Cam?”
He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. “I want to meet Lori and get to know her.”
“Why now?”
He hesitated before saying, “Because I’m haunted by my past. Seeing you in March made me face it. It made me want answers to some questions I have.” His tone rueful, he added, “Although now that I’ve had a taste of the answers, I’m not sure I want them.”
Sensing that he referred to her “worthless” remark, Sarah regretted the choice of words. She searched for a way to explain something she wasn’t at all sure of herself. “Seeing you was such a shock. We weren’t ready. Lori wasn’t ready.”
“Why not?” His jaw hardened, but he kept his voice neutral. “What have you told her about me?”
Sarah straightened her spine. “I didn’t bad-mouth you, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“When she heard my name, she looked at me as if I’d killed her dog.”
“I can’t help what other people said about you, Cam. Lori’s always been a curious girl with an interest in Eternity Springs’s history. When she started asking about you, people around town didn’t think twice about it, or hesitate to give her their views. You still have quite a reputation in town.”
“I figured that out myself five minutes after I hit town. I take it you didn’t defend me to her?”
Sarah let silence speak for her.
“I guess I can’t blame you.” He studied her for a long moment, then rolled to his feet and moved to the center of the gazebo. There, he waited for her to meet his gaze before saying, “I am sorry, Sarah. I’m sorry I pushed you away after I put Andrew Cook into the hospital. I’m sorry I turned my back on you and our child when you came to me, looking for help.”
Again, pesky tears stung her eyes. She was glad to hear a sincere apology, but at the same time, it stirred the coals of her anger. Apparently “I’m sorry” couldn’t wipe away years of heartache.
He put his hands into his pants pockets and rocked on his heels. “Is Lori her first name or her middle name?”
“First. She’s Lori Elizabeth. Lori Elizabeth Reese .”
His smile was sad. “That’s a beautiful name. She’s a beautiful young woman. I’m anxious to meet her.”
“Well, that isn’t going to happen anytime soon.
“So when I asked where my daughter was—”
“You outed me.” Suddenly exhausted, Sarah took a seat on the bench opposite Cam.
He scowled. “I guess I could have handled this better.”
“Ya think?”
“I didn’t set out to cause a scene.”
“I hate to think of what might have happened had you tried. Pauline Roosevelt was about to wet her pants, she was so excited at her front-row seat.”
His mouth quirked in a sheepish grin that made Sarah do a double take. She remembered that grin. Once upon a time, it had made her melt.
Shoot, it still made her melt.
Now that her temper had waned and her panic subsided, she was able to see past the haze of emotion to view him clearly. She almost wished she was still in a lather. The man was too darn sexy by half. It wasn’t fair. He should have lost his hair or found a beer gut or had his nose broken or his teeth knocked out in a fight. When he shoved his fingers through his hair once again, she recalled how much she’d enjoyed running her fingers through his hair while they cuddled after making love up at Lover’s Leap. Get a grip, Reese .
“Damn.” He winced, shaking his head. “I walk back into this town and first thing I do is let my temper get the better of me. That’s something I don’t do anymore. But today … the way people looked at me and the way I reacted, the last twenty years might never have happened. I’m still the punk troublemaker.”
“Well, you’ve certainly caused trouble for me,” she grumbled. “Why have you come here, Cam?”
He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. “I want to meet Lori and get to know her.”
“Why now?”
He hesitated before saying, “Because I’m haunted by my past. Seeing you in March made me face it. It made me want answers to some questions I have.” His tone rueful, he added, “Although now that I’ve had a taste of the answers, I’m not sure I want them.”
Sensing that he referred to her “worthless” remark, Sarah regretted the choice of words. She searched for a way to explain something she wasn’t at all sure of herself. “Seeing you was such a shock. We weren’t ready. Lori wasn’t ready.”
“Why not?” His jaw hardened, but he kept his voice neutral. “What have you told her about me?”
Sarah straightened her spine. “I didn’t bad-mouth you, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“When she heard my name, she looked at me as if I’d killed her dog.”
“I can’t help what other people said about you, Cam. Lori’s always been a curious girl with an interest in Eternity Springs’s history. When she started asking about you, people around town didn’t think twice about it, or hesitate to give her their views. You still have quite a reputation in town.”
“I figured that out myself five minutes after I hit town. I take it you didn’t defend me to her?”
Sarah let silence speak for her.
“I guess I can’t blame you.” He studied her for a long moment, then rolled to his feet and moved to the center of the gazebo. There, he waited for her to meet his gaze before saying, “I am sorry, Sarah. I’m sorry I pushed you away after I put Andrew Cook into the hospital. I’m sorry I turned my back on you and our child when you came to me, looking for help.”
Again, pesky tears stung her eyes. She was glad to hear a sincere apology, but at the same time, it stirred the coals of her anger. Apparently “I’m sorry” couldn’t wipe away years of heartache.
He put his hands into his pants pockets and rocked on his heels. “Is Lori her first name or her middle name?”
“First. She’s Lori Elizabeth. Lori Elizabeth Reese .”
His smile was sad. “That’s a beautiful name. She’s a beautiful young woman. I’m anxious to meet her.”
“Well, that isn’t going to happen anytime soon.
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