Read Online Waiting for You (RightMatch.com Trilogy) by Kathryn Shay - Free Book Online Page B

again?”
     “Not at all. It was hell watching your father decline. Hard to deal with the wheelchair limitations. But not impossible, honey. And I’d certainly rather have been with him while he was confined to that thing, than not have him in my life.” She squeezed his arm. “But I didn’t have a choice. You do.” When he didn’t answer, she added, “Don’t you?”
    “I do. It hasn’t gotten that far with us yet. I don’t have the depth of feeling for her that you did for Dad.”
    “Then consider hard whether you want to take this on.” She glanced at the clock. “I have to leave. Did you ever read Dad’s letters, like you said you were going to when you first got hurt?”
    “No, I didn’t.”
    “I think you should. They always give you a good perspective on life.”
    Standing, she kissed his cheek, gathered her things, and he walked her to the door. “I love you, baby.”
    “I love you, too, Mom.”
    After she left, he hustled upstairs to change into his workout clothes and sneakers. He caught sight of the dresser where he kept the letters his dad wrote. Drawn to them, he walked over and removed them from a drawer. There were several, and every time he held them, his heart started to beat fast. Though the anger over his dad’s situation was muted by the passing years, the letters were still hard to read. And despite his negative protestations, he was worried having Dana in his life would resurrect buried pain.
    It’s not the same thing.
    Still, he set them on the bed, glancing occasionally at the box as he dressed. He’d run first, then maybe read them. He’d just gotten downstairs when the doorbell rang. On his porch was Evie Falk. When he met her at the school-shooting incident, he thought she was hot in her teacher garb, but hot was tame for how she was dressed today. She was totally buff and toned, as revealed by the light blue tank top and white shorts she wore. She held a covered dish. “Hi, there,” she said with a brilliant smile. “I brought you some food. It’s the least I can do.”
    She dressed like that to do an errand?
    “I’m going hiking and I won’t stay. I don’t want to bother you.”
    “You’re not bothering me. I’ve got a bad case of cabin fever.” He widened the door opening and stepped aside. “Come on in.”
    He led her to the kitchen in the back. Taking the pan from her, he sniffed cheese and Italian spices. “Hmm, smells good.”
    “Lasagna. I just made it so you could have it for lunch.”
    “Sit down.” They both took chairs at the table where he’d been sitting with his mother talking about his feelings for Dana. The notion made him feel vaguely guilty. “School’s out?”
    “Yeah, just. I’m dying for a nice long hike.”
    A warm breeze floated in through the open window. “This is a nice day for a hike. Where do you go?”
    “Letchworth. It’s only a forty-five-minute drive. There are trails around here, but the trees are so lush down there.”
    Leaning back in his chair, Joe felt like a grounded teenager. “I wish I could go.” He even sounded like one.
    She indicated his clothing. “Looks like you were going somewhere.”
    “Yeah, I think I can jog today. I’ve been building up to it. My arm’s a lot better.”
    “Why don’t you come with me?” Her face shadowed. “Unless you don’t want to. After what I did, disobeying a direct order.”
    “It turned out okay, Evie.”
    “You got shot!” She shook her head, sending chin-length hair flying. “I guess I was so nervous I didn’t think about what I was doing.”
    “Forget it. We all make mistakes.”
    Her face brightened. “So want to go with me? It would make me feel better if I could ease your cabin fever.”
    “I probably couldn’t climb as fast as you.” But he’d damn well try. And being in the gorge, surrounding by the serenity of nature might soothe his troubled soul.
    “I’ll take it easy, or go on ahead and let you hike at your own pace.” She reached out and