Read Online Only Forever by Linda Lael Miller - Free Book Online

a long evening for Vanessa, spent with the nervous expectation that Nick would either call or drop by, demanding an explanation for her decision. As it happened, neither the telephone nor the doorbell rang once.
    The rest of the week and following weekend was peaceful, too.
    On Monday morning, Margie complained about the shadows under Vanessa’s eyes as she applied her makeup. “Keep losing sleep like this, kid,” the cosmetologist warned, “and you’re going to look like Rodney Dangerfield.”
    Despite everything, Vanessa laughed. “The beginning of another lovely day,” she said.
    Just then, Oliver Richards dashed in and switched the channel on the monitor from the Midas Network to a popular national talk show. Vanessa stiffened in her chair as she saw the handsome face of her ex-husband fill the screen. She’d forgotten all about Parker’s guest spot.
    The program had obviously been in progress for a few minutes, and Parker was smiling boyishly at the applause of the predominantly female audience. “I’m happy to say that Van and I are getting back together,” he said. “This time I’m going to be the best husband any woman ever had.”
    The paper cup in Vanessa’s hand dropped to the floor, coffee and all.
    “Tell us a little about your ex-wife,” the program’s famous host prompted, watching Parker with a certain speculation in her eyes.
    “It’s all in the book,” Parker answered proudly, and, to Vanessa’s abject horror, he held up a copy for the whole world to see.
    Vanessa hadn’t expected the book to be published for weeks, so her first shock was compounded by a second. “Oh, no!” she cried.
    Oliver, standing beside her chair, was wipingVan’s coffee from his pants legs with a wad of tissue.
    Parker looked directly into the camera, a besotted expression on his face. “I will say this—I love you, Vanessa. And I forgive you for all the times you’ve…hurt me.”
    Vanessa could bear no more. She lunged for the monitor’s Off button and then covered her face with both hands and groaned in helpless despair.
    “Congratulations on the reconciliation, Van,” Oliver boomed. “Does this mean we’ll be forced to get along without you here at the old network?”
    Vanessa glared at him, pointedly ignoring his remark, and stormed out.
    That stint on camera was the most difficult of Vanessa’s brief career, and when it was over she had to sit through a long meeting with the buyers. The products that would be featured for the next few days were demonstrated in detail, and price lists were passed out.
    When she got home, the cleaning lady was there, and the living room was filled to the rafters with flowers. If Rodney had been around, Vanessa reflected ruefully, he’d have thought he was back at the funeral parlor.
    As she’d expected, the carnations, roses and daisies were all from Parker, who thought surely he’d won her heart by forgiving her on national television. A headache pulsed under Vanessa’s left temple, and she snapped at the cleaning lady when the doorbell rang.
    “Shut that vacuum cleaner off!”
    Looking wounded, Marita kicked the switch and stomped off into the kitchen. Vanessa opened the door, expecting another shipment of flowers, and found Nick standing there instead of a delivery man.
    His jawline looked like granite. “When did you make the decision not to see me anymore, Vanessa?” he demanded, pushing past her when she didn’t invite him inside. “Before or after you came to my apartment and let me make love to you? Before or after you decided to go back to Lawrence?”
    Vanessa shoved her hands into her hair. “You didn’t make love to me,” she said lamely. It was a moot point, but she was desperate. “And I don’t have any intention of reconciling with Parker. He made the whole thing up to sell books.”
    Nick was visibly relieved, but only for a moment. “Just how firm is this decision that we shouldn’t see each other again?” he asked quietly,facing