Read Online The Wedding Garden by Linda Goodnight - Free Book Online
Authors: Linda Goodnight
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attend the upcoming wedding of Cheyenne Rhodes and the local vet, Trace Bowman, but after these last few days, Annie had her doubts.
“I’m not sure you should try to go Saturday.”
She adjusted her patient’s lap robe, fussing with it more than was necessary. Annie had come to love this woman when she was a child and she loved her even more now that theywere together every day. The idea of losing her grew more and more difficult to accept. She could only imagine how Sloan was feeling.
Lydia patted her hand. “I’ll be fine, honey. Stop worrying. Sloan promised to take me.”
“He did?”
Lydia’s chuckle turned to a cough, and another minute passed before she could speak again. “He’s a good man, Annie. I think you know that in your heart. Don’t be afraid of him.” She nodded toward the window. “Just look out there.”
Annie had resisted watching Sloan with Justin, but now she did. The lacy white curtains were drawn to the sides in a swoop, giving a full view of the backyard through the large double windows. As she observed, a lump in her throat, Sloan fired a fast grounder toward Justin. Her son crouched low, scooped up the ball and fired it back. Sloan said something and grinned. Justin’s laugh seeped through the walls of the house and into Annie’s soul. When was the last time she’d heard her little boy laugh with real joy?
“But why hasn’t Sloan been here for you before now, Lydia? Why did he leave you alone all this time?” And why did he run out on me when I would have stood by him no matter what he’d done?
“Oh, honey, Sloan has always been here for me.”
Annie turned from the window. “Then why haven’t I seen him? Is he the invisible man?”
Lydia chuckled. “Just because he wasn’t here in person doesn’t mean he wasn’t in contact. Who do you think took me to Italy and France and all those other places? Who do you think paid for the repairs on this old house and anything else I need? Coming home was too hard, but Sloan has never forgotten his old auntie.” Lydia stopped for air, the sound ragged and harsh in the quiet room. “Now, don’t you tell him I saida word. He’s funny about that. Never wants credit for anything good he does.”
The revelation stunned Annie. She looked out at the scene in the backyard, felt that clutching again in her chest, and wondered what else she didn’t know about Sloan Hawkins.
“If you have something to tell him, Annie, don’t wait too long. Time has a way of slipping by.”
Annie jerked her attention from the window to Lydia, pulse bumping. “What do you mean?”
“Remember that verse in the Bible? ‘The truth will set you free?’ It applies in a lot of situations.”
The truth. She’d lived half-truths and plain old lies for so long, Annie wasn’t sure she knew the truth anymore.
She blew out a sigh. “How long have you known?”
“If you’re talking about Justin, I didn’t know for sure. But I’ve suspected for a long time. Seeing the two of them together—well, I just knew.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
Lydia reached out and took her hand. “I love you, Annie girl. You’re like a daughter to me. I never wanted to embarrass you or add to your hurt, and I sure never wanted to interfere in anyone else’s business, but now that I’m dying, I’ve become a selfish old lady. I want things settled.”
Tears filled Annie’s eyes. “Oh, Lydia, I love you.”
Lydia patted her hand. “Be kind to my boy. He’s got a ways to go before all the wounds are healed. I thought I’d live to see him happy, but—”
Suddenly, Sloan’s cell phone burst into song. The device rang or chirped with text messages dozens of times a day, so she was surprised to see the black rectangle lying on the windowsill in Lydia’s room.
“He forgot that noisy thing when he was in earlier,” Lydia said. “Do you mind taking it to him?”
Head spinning, Annie was sorry for the interruption, but she took the phone and
“I’m not sure you should try to go Saturday.”
She adjusted her patient’s lap robe, fussing with it more than was necessary. Annie had come to love this woman when she was a child and she loved her even more now that theywere together every day. The idea of losing her grew more and more difficult to accept. She could only imagine how Sloan was feeling.
Lydia patted her hand. “I’ll be fine, honey. Stop worrying. Sloan promised to take me.”
“He did?”
Lydia’s chuckle turned to a cough, and another minute passed before she could speak again. “He’s a good man, Annie. I think you know that in your heart. Don’t be afraid of him.” She nodded toward the window. “Just look out there.”
Annie had resisted watching Sloan with Justin, but now she did. The lacy white curtains were drawn to the sides in a swoop, giving a full view of the backyard through the large double windows. As she observed, a lump in her throat, Sloan fired a fast grounder toward Justin. Her son crouched low, scooped up the ball and fired it back. Sloan said something and grinned. Justin’s laugh seeped through the walls of the house and into Annie’s soul. When was the last time she’d heard her little boy laugh with real joy?
“But why hasn’t Sloan been here for you before now, Lydia? Why did he leave you alone all this time?” And why did he run out on me when I would have stood by him no matter what he’d done?
“Oh, honey, Sloan has always been here for me.”
Annie turned from the window. “Then why haven’t I seen him? Is he the invisible man?”
Lydia chuckled. “Just because he wasn’t here in person doesn’t mean he wasn’t in contact. Who do you think took me to Italy and France and all those other places? Who do you think paid for the repairs on this old house and anything else I need? Coming home was too hard, but Sloan has never forgotten his old auntie.” Lydia stopped for air, the sound ragged and harsh in the quiet room. “Now, don’t you tell him I saida word. He’s funny about that. Never wants credit for anything good he does.”
The revelation stunned Annie. She looked out at the scene in the backyard, felt that clutching again in her chest, and wondered what else she didn’t know about Sloan Hawkins.
“If you have something to tell him, Annie, don’t wait too long. Time has a way of slipping by.”
Annie jerked her attention from the window to Lydia, pulse bumping. “What do you mean?”
“Remember that verse in the Bible? ‘The truth will set you free?’ It applies in a lot of situations.”
The truth. She’d lived half-truths and plain old lies for so long, Annie wasn’t sure she knew the truth anymore.
She blew out a sigh. “How long have you known?”
“If you’re talking about Justin, I didn’t know for sure. But I’ve suspected for a long time. Seeing the two of them together—well, I just knew.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
Lydia reached out and took her hand. “I love you, Annie girl. You’re like a daughter to me. I never wanted to embarrass you or add to your hurt, and I sure never wanted to interfere in anyone else’s business, but now that I’m dying, I’ve become a selfish old lady. I want things settled.”
Tears filled Annie’s eyes. “Oh, Lydia, I love you.”
Lydia patted her hand. “Be kind to my boy. He’s got a ways to go before all the wounds are healed. I thought I’d live to see him happy, but—”
Suddenly, Sloan’s cell phone burst into song. The device rang or chirped with text messages dozens of times a day, so she was surprised to see the black rectangle lying on the windowsill in Lydia’s room.
“He forgot that noisy thing when he was in earlier,” Lydia said. “Do you mind taking it to him?”
Head spinning, Annie was sorry for the interruption, but she took the phone and
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