Read Online Return to Me by Robin Lee Hatcher - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Robin Lee Hatcher
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remained the same as when her mother was alive. Potted plants were every- where. The furniture was upholstered in floral chintz in shades of green and pink, the white coffee and end tables feminine, delicate. The tranquil sound of flowing water in a decorative stone fountain filled the air.
They sat in two chairs, facing each other. Her father took one of her hands between both of his, leaned forward at the waist, and looked into her eyes.
“Roxanne, you can tell me as much or as little as you like about the years you were away. You can do it now or later or never. It’s up to you.”
She lowered her gaze to their joined hands. What could she say to him? What should she say? She came home out of desperation.
Did he want to hear that? She came home because she hated what she’d become more than she dreaded his judgment.
“It might help you to talk about it, Roxy, but I won’t pressure you. That’s a promise. I’ll never pressure you about it.”
She drew a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, Dad.” For so many things. Countless things. Sorry for the hateful words she said to him before she left Boise. Sorry for never taking his calls, for ignoring his mes- sages. Sorry for rejecting the values he and her grandmother tried to instill in her as a child. Sorry for wanting things without work- ing for them. Sorry for sleeping with men she didn’t love and who didn’t love her. “I’m so sorry.”
“I forgive you, honey.”
She shook her head. “I was foolish. I wasted the money Grandma left me.”
“It was your money to spend as you wished.”
“I wasted my chance in Nashville too. I didn’t want to pay my dues. I said I was going to be a star, but I didn’t even try because I wasn’t willing to start at the bottom like everybody else. I failed anybody who tried to help me or give me good advice.”
“God isn’t through with you yet. You’re young. You have a lifetime of chances still before you.”
“Oh, Dad. Look at me.” She lifted her gaze to meet his. “I’m pathetic. I’m thirty-two, without a penny to my name, without a home or a car, without any job skills except waiting tables, and I was pretty lousy at that, to be honest.” She released a humorless laugh.
Her father lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her fingers. “Everything I have is yours, Roxy. You aren’t homeless or penniless. And if it’s a job you’re looking for, I’m not opposed to exercising a bit of nepotism.” He smiled. “What good is owning a business if I can’t hire my family?”
She was on the verge of a crying jag. She didn’t deserve his kindness or his forgiveness.
“Elena is due back from San Diego tomorrow. Maybe the next day, you and she can go on a shopping spree. You’re in need of a new wardrobe, and she’s in need of a trousseau.”
“That’s right.” Roxy blinked away her tears, glad for the distraction. “Fortuna said Elena is engaged. When’s she getting married?”
“June. You came back just in time.”
“I hope I get to meet her fiancé soon.”
A strange look crossed her father’s face. He cleared his throat, then said, “You already know him, Roxy.”
“I do? Who is it?” “Wyatt Baldini.”
This page is intentionally left blank
Eight
Seated at the kitchen table, Wyatt closed his Bible. It was useless to continue. He’d read for twenty minutes and not retained a word.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the image of Roxy when she arrived at her father’s house two nights before. There was a hollow hopelessness in her eyes that broke his heart. He could imagine what put that hopelessness there.
Because he’d played a part in it.
He and Roxy shared a troubled, turbulent past. They’d loved and fought with equal passion. They’d believed sex was a natural part of any relationship, one small step beyond a kiss, an intimate act that could still be casual and without consequences.
That same upside-down thinking was sold to people in
They sat in two chairs, facing each other. Her father took one of her hands between both of his, leaned forward at the waist, and looked into her eyes.
“Roxanne, you can tell me as much or as little as you like about the years you were away. You can do it now or later or never. It’s up to you.”
She lowered her gaze to their joined hands. What could she say to him? What should she say? She came home out of desperation.
Did he want to hear that? She came home because she hated what she’d become more than she dreaded his judgment.
“It might help you to talk about it, Roxy, but I won’t pressure you. That’s a promise. I’ll never pressure you about it.”
She drew a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, Dad.” For so many things. Countless things. Sorry for the hateful words she said to him before she left Boise. Sorry for never taking his calls, for ignoring his mes- sages. Sorry for rejecting the values he and her grandmother tried to instill in her as a child. Sorry for wanting things without work- ing for them. Sorry for sleeping with men she didn’t love and who didn’t love her. “I’m so sorry.”
“I forgive you, honey.”
She shook her head. “I was foolish. I wasted the money Grandma left me.”
“It was your money to spend as you wished.”
“I wasted my chance in Nashville too. I didn’t want to pay my dues. I said I was going to be a star, but I didn’t even try because I wasn’t willing to start at the bottom like everybody else. I failed anybody who tried to help me or give me good advice.”
“God isn’t through with you yet. You’re young. You have a lifetime of chances still before you.”
“Oh, Dad. Look at me.” She lifted her gaze to meet his. “I’m pathetic. I’m thirty-two, without a penny to my name, without a home or a car, without any job skills except waiting tables, and I was pretty lousy at that, to be honest.” She released a humorless laugh.
Her father lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her fingers. “Everything I have is yours, Roxy. You aren’t homeless or penniless. And if it’s a job you’re looking for, I’m not opposed to exercising a bit of nepotism.” He smiled. “What good is owning a business if I can’t hire my family?”
She was on the verge of a crying jag. She didn’t deserve his kindness or his forgiveness.
“Elena is due back from San Diego tomorrow. Maybe the next day, you and she can go on a shopping spree. You’re in need of a new wardrobe, and she’s in need of a trousseau.”
“That’s right.” Roxy blinked away her tears, glad for the distraction. “Fortuna said Elena is engaged. When’s she getting married?”
“June. You came back just in time.”
“I hope I get to meet her fiancé soon.”
A strange look crossed her father’s face. He cleared his throat, then said, “You already know him, Roxy.”
“I do? Who is it?” “Wyatt Baldini.”
This page is intentionally left blank
Eight
Seated at the kitchen table, Wyatt closed his Bible. It was useless to continue. He’d read for twenty minutes and not retained a word.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the image of Roxy when she arrived at her father’s house two nights before. There was a hollow hopelessness in her eyes that broke his heart. He could imagine what put that hopelessness there.
Because he’d played a part in it.
He and Roxy shared a troubled, turbulent past. They’d loved and fought with equal passion. They’d believed sex was a natural part of any relationship, one small step beyond a kiss, an intimate act that could still be casual and without consequences.
That same upside-down thinking was sold to people in
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