Read Online Wish 01 - A Secret Wish by Barbara Freethy - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Barbara Freethy
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I wanted you in my life. You’re my daughter.”
“I wanted you in my life, too, but the last time I tried, you were drunk. You made an ass of yourself, and Blake told me he didn’t want you back.”
“It wasn’t my finest moment,” Nora conceded. “I admit that. You might not believe it, but I drank so much that night because I was nervous. It was the first time you’d invited me to your fancy house with your rich friends, and I didn’t think I was going to fit in. I wasn’t sure how to act, but I went too far.”
“All you had to do was be sober. That wasn’t a lot to ask.”
Her mother shook her head, bitterness in her eyes. “That’s not all you wanted me to be, Carly. You wanted me to be the mother you wished you had, the one you could be proud of, and I was never going to be that, sober or otherwise. You think I don’t know why you were so eager to grow up and get out from under me?”
Carole felt another twinge of guilt. “I just wanted a better life.”
“Well, you got what you wanted.” Nora grabbed her car keys and bag and headed toward the door.
She followed her mother into the hall, waiting as she locked the doors, wishing she knew what to say, because her mother was about to take off, and she felt more unsettled now than she had been before she arrived. In fact, she didn’t feel forty anymore; she felt about fifteen. And that was a really weird feeling. She was still searching for words when they went down the stairs and out to the street.
Her mother paused, giving the limo a long glance. “That’s nice.”
“Blake rented it for my birthday. Let me give you a ride to work.”
“I’ve got my car.”
“Mom, wait,” she said impulsively as her mother turned to leave.
“What?”
“I want to talk to you some more. We need to continue this conversation.”
Surprise flashed in her mom’s eyes. “Really?”
“Yes. I didn’t realize how much unfinished business I had until I got here. What time do you get off?”
“Around one.”
That was almost three hours away. The smart thing to do would be to go home and come back in the morning, but she had the strange sense that whatever needed to be said needed to be said tonight. “I’ll drop you off at work, and then pick you up at one,” she said impulsively.
Nora gave her a doubtful look. “What are you going to do in the meantime?”
“I don’t know. I’ll figure something out.”
“What about your husband?”
“He probably hasn’t even noticed I’m gone,” she lied.
“I doubt that.”
“It doesn’t matter. I could use some time away from Blake. And the kids are both sleeping at friend’s houses. Blake and I were going to stay at the Remington Hotel. He rented a suite for my birthday.”
“Then that’s where you should be.”
“I can’t be with him tonight.”
“He won’t like it.”
“I’m not afraid of him.”
“But you’ve let him run your life.”
She couldn’t deny that there was some truth in her mother’s words. “Maybe, but that was my choice. Now, it's my choice to spend some time with you. So how about that ride?”
“Okay,” her mother said finally.
She opened the door. “After you.”
Chapter Five
A few minutes later Carole dropped her mother off at the law offices. As she debated her options, her gaze settled on the familiar neon sign for Murphy’s Tavern. She had some time to kill. If she was going to take a trip down memory lane, she might as well see all the old sights.
“I’m going to get a drink,” she told the driver. “I’ll give you a call when I’m ready to leave.” She hurried down the street, wishing again she had a coat, but in many ways the cold air was invigorating. She felt more alive than she had in a long time.
Murphy’s Bar had been a landmark on the hill for at least fifty years. It was a working-class neighborhood bar with beer, burgers, sports and good friends. She’d had her first illegal drink at Murphy’s at seventeen, but while
“I wanted you in my life, too, but the last time I tried, you were drunk. You made an ass of yourself, and Blake told me he didn’t want you back.”
“It wasn’t my finest moment,” Nora conceded. “I admit that. You might not believe it, but I drank so much that night because I was nervous. It was the first time you’d invited me to your fancy house with your rich friends, and I didn’t think I was going to fit in. I wasn’t sure how to act, but I went too far.”
“All you had to do was be sober. That wasn’t a lot to ask.”
Her mother shook her head, bitterness in her eyes. “That’s not all you wanted me to be, Carly. You wanted me to be the mother you wished you had, the one you could be proud of, and I was never going to be that, sober or otherwise. You think I don’t know why you were so eager to grow up and get out from under me?”
Carole felt another twinge of guilt. “I just wanted a better life.”
“Well, you got what you wanted.” Nora grabbed her car keys and bag and headed toward the door.
She followed her mother into the hall, waiting as she locked the doors, wishing she knew what to say, because her mother was about to take off, and she felt more unsettled now than she had been before she arrived. In fact, she didn’t feel forty anymore; she felt about fifteen. And that was a really weird feeling. She was still searching for words when they went down the stairs and out to the street.
Her mother paused, giving the limo a long glance. “That’s nice.”
“Blake rented it for my birthday. Let me give you a ride to work.”
“I’ve got my car.”
“Mom, wait,” she said impulsively as her mother turned to leave.
“What?”
“I want to talk to you some more. We need to continue this conversation.”
Surprise flashed in her mom’s eyes. “Really?”
“Yes. I didn’t realize how much unfinished business I had until I got here. What time do you get off?”
“Around one.”
That was almost three hours away. The smart thing to do would be to go home and come back in the morning, but she had the strange sense that whatever needed to be said needed to be said tonight. “I’ll drop you off at work, and then pick you up at one,” she said impulsively.
Nora gave her a doubtful look. “What are you going to do in the meantime?”
“I don’t know. I’ll figure something out.”
“What about your husband?”
“He probably hasn’t even noticed I’m gone,” she lied.
“I doubt that.”
“It doesn’t matter. I could use some time away from Blake. And the kids are both sleeping at friend’s houses. Blake and I were going to stay at the Remington Hotel. He rented a suite for my birthday.”
“Then that’s where you should be.”
“I can’t be with him tonight.”
“He won’t like it.”
“I’m not afraid of him.”
“But you’ve let him run your life.”
She couldn’t deny that there was some truth in her mother’s words. “Maybe, but that was my choice. Now, it's my choice to spend some time with you. So how about that ride?”
“Okay,” her mother said finally.
She opened the door. “After you.”
Chapter Five
A few minutes later Carole dropped her mother off at the law offices. As she debated her options, her gaze settled on the familiar neon sign for Murphy’s Tavern. She had some time to kill. If she was going to take a trip down memory lane, she might as well see all the old sights.
“I’m going to get a drink,” she told the driver. “I’ll give you a call when I’m ready to leave.” She hurried down the street, wishing again she had a coat, but in many ways the cold air was invigorating. She felt more alive than she had in a long time.
Murphy’s Bar had been a landmark on the hill for at least fifty years. It was a working-class neighborhood bar with beer, burgers, sports and good friends. She’d had her first illegal drink at Murphy’s at seventeen, but while
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