Read Online Stuck Together (Trouble in Texas Book #3) by Mary Connealy - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mary Connealy
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Vince feel like a brute.
Eyes brimming, Mother came toward Vince, with the young lady at her side steadying her.
A tiny place in Vince’s heart died as his mother rushed for him, thinking he was Father. It had been better when Mother had thought he was a stranger and been scared of him, because Father was exactly who Vince never wanted to be.
Shoving aside the hurt, Vince hurried forward and swept her into his arms with the gentle skill of a man used to being a foot taller than his favorite woman in the world. She’d loved him in a negligent kind of way . . . before she’d forgotten his name.
He pulled her close and looked past her to his father, whose eyes were razor sharp. Those eyes could cut Vince to ribbons and had done so regularly. The lines in Father’s face showed his age as much as the white hair. And yet that hard, ruthless intelligence was still there.
Nothing on his father’s face said, It’s good to see you, son.
“If we can’t get you home, then we’ll have to come here to see you. Even if it does nearly kill Virginia Belle. The time has come for you to help with her care, Vincent. I’ll not allow you to shirk any longer.”
“What? You mean you’re here to stay?”
Mother’s tears spilled over and she began crying softly. Through her sobs, she said, “I’ve missed you so.” Mother’s accent was thicker, far more Southern than when Vince had gone home after the war, even though she’d lived in the North for thirty years. “My dahlin’ Julius, why did you leave me?”
Julius. His father’s name.
A movement drew Vince’s gaze to the young woman who’d accompanied his parents.
“Vincent,” Father said in a voice so cold it made Vince want to hunt up a thicker coat, “I’d like to introduce your sister, Melissa Yates.”
Vince didn’t bother to look at his father. There was no point. Melissa Yates, his sister. His father had found companionship outside his marriage, and Melissa was the result. Vince wondered if there were other “results” around. And now Mother, already so fragile, was forced to live with the proof of Father’s infidelity.
“Hello, Melissa.”
At the sound of Vince’s voice, Mother pulled back so suddenly she’d have fallen if Vince hadn’t caught her arms. “Missy, you’re here, finally!”
The surprise sister came up to slide an arm around Mother’s waist. With a glance at Vince that revealed an embarrassed flush on her cheeks, Melissa said, “I’ll see to her.”
Mother leaned on Melissa’s arm with a bright, if vacant,smile. Vince knew Mother wasn’t well. He knew it wasn’t personal. She couldn’t help that she didn’t love him enough to remember him.
“We need a place to rest, don’t we, Virginia Belle?” Melissa murmured.
“Bless your heart, Missy.” The tears forgotten, Mother produced a lacy fan from her reticule and, disregarding the chilly Texas breeze, fluttered it flirtatiously. She spoke with the genteel drawl of a Southern belle. “I would dearly love to rest, honey child.”
Melissa turned to Vince. “Perhaps you have room?”
A direct question was about all Vince was capable of answering. “There is only one bedroom where I live.” He jabbed a thumb at the small building where he practiced law, then made a grand gesture to the south end of town. “You’ll have to get a room in Asa’s boardinghouse.” It was easily the nicest house in town. Asa called it a boardinghouse, but there was no food available. Asa thought calling it a hotel was too high and mighty, and he saw himself as a humble man. So he called it a boardinghouse without quite realizing it made him sound not so much humble as stupid. “We’ll get rooms for you all. Follow me.”
Father made a sound of disgust. As if he’d expected Vince to have a twenty-room mansion available, with servants to quickly see to unexpected guests.
Vince wanted to tell his father uninvited guests had no right to expect a welcome, but he didn’t. That would
Eyes brimming, Mother came toward Vince, with the young lady at her side steadying her.
A tiny place in Vince’s heart died as his mother rushed for him, thinking he was Father. It had been better when Mother had thought he was a stranger and been scared of him, because Father was exactly who Vince never wanted to be.
Shoving aside the hurt, Vince hurried forward and swept her into his arms with the gentle skill of a man used to being a foot taller than his favorite woman in the world. She’d loved him in a negligent kind of way . . . before she’d forgotten his name.
He pulled her close and looked past her to his father, whose eyes were razor sharp. Those eyes could cut Vince to ribbons and had done so regularly. The lines in Father’s face showed his age as much as the white hair. And yet that hard, ruthless intelligence was still there.
Nothing on his father’s face said, It’s good to see you, son.
“If we can’t get you home, then we’ll have to come here to see you. Even if it does nearly kill Virginia Belle. The time has come for you to help with her care, Vincent. I’ll not allow you to shirk any longer.”
“What? You mean you’re here to stay?”
Mother’s tears spilled over and she began crying softly. Through her sobs, she said, “I’ve missed you so.” Mother’s accent was thicker, far more Southern than when Vince had gone home after the war, even though she’d lived in the North for thirty years. “My dahlin’ Julius, why did you leave me?”
Julius. His father’s name.
A movement drew Vince’s gaze to the young woman who’d accompanied his parents.
“Vincent,” Father said in a voice so cold it made Vince want to hunt up a thicker coat, “I’d like to introduce your sister, Melissa Yates.”
Vince didn’t bother to look at his father. There was no point. Melissa Yates, his sister. His father had found companionship outside his marriage, and Melissa was the result. Vince wondered if there were other “results” around. And now Mother, already so fragile, was forced to live with the proof of Father’s infidelity.
“Hello, Melissa.”
At the sound of Vince’s voice, Mother pulled back so suddenly she’d have fallen if Vince hadn’t caught her arms. “Missy, you’re here, finally!”
The surprise sister came up to slide an arm around Mother’s waist. With a glance at Vince that revealed an embarrassed flush on her cheeks, Melissa said, “I’ll see to her.”
Mother leaned on Melissa’s arm with a bright, if vacant,smile. Vince knew Mother wasn’t well. He knew it wasn’t personal. She couldn’t help that she didn’t love him enough to remember him.
“We need a place to rest, don’t we, Virginia Belle?” Melissa murmured.
“Bless your heart, Missy.” The tears forgotten, Mother produced a lacy fan from her reticule and, disregarding the chilly Texas breeze, fluttered it flirtatiously. She spoke with the genteel drawl of a Southern belle. “I would dearly love to rest, honey child.”
Melissa turned to Vince. “Perhaps you have room?”
A direct question was about all Vince was capable of answering. “There is only one bedroom where I live.” He jabbed a thumb at the small building where he practiced law, then made a grand gesture to the south end of town. “You’ll have to get a room in Asa’s boardinghouse.” It was easily the nicest house in town. Asa called it a boardinghouse, but there was no food available. Asa thought calling it a hotel was too high and mighty, and he saw himself as a humble man. So he called it a boardinghouse without quite realizing it made him sound not so much humble as stupid. “We’ll get rooms for you all. Follow me.”
Father made a sound of disgust. As if he’d expected Vince to have a twenty-room mansion available, with servants to quickly see to unexpected guests.
Vince wanted to tell his father uninvited guests had no right to expect a welcome, but he didn’t. That would
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