AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Julian shifted his feet. “Aren’t we all.”
I tilted my head. “I suppose so, at times.”
Julian gave me a strained smile. “Gracie, don’t be too hard on him. My sister can be quite persuasive.”
“Believe me, I know,” I scoffed. Boy, did I know.Chapter NineteenI walked up the Hamiltons’ porch steps as I called Brooks. He was getting a piece of my mind. All the way home I had mulled over calling him, and I’d finally decided that if I didn’t, I would stew about it all night.
After the third ring, he answered. “I know what you’re going to say,” he said with no other greeting.
“I don’t think you do,” I snapped. “Do you know how lucky you are that your daddy survived? Do you know what I would have given to have my momma live another day, to get her miracle?”
“Your relationship with your mother was much different than mine and my father’s,” he defended himself.
“That’s been your choice.” I was getting angrier at him by the second.
“Grace,” he sighed. “It’s complicated. I’m sorry if I let you down in some way, but I had told Morgan a while back I would go to this charity event with her—”
“Let me stop you there.” I leaned against the porch rail and gripped my phone like a vise. “I really don’t care what you promised Morgan. Any girlfriend worth having would have understood you not attending her precious event so you could help take care of your daddy. You do realize your daddy’s chances of surviving this next year aren’t good, right? You heard the doctor,” I cried.
He let out a heavy breath. “I made a commitment to Morgan. I’ll make it up to my mother.” He sounded a bit remorseful.
“You just don’t get it, do you? You may never get the chance to. Why in the world are you letting Morgan run your life?” I’d had it with that woman, and I wasn’t keeping my mouth shut any longer.
“She doesn’t,” he growled.
“Are you blind? She tells you what to eat, which car you should drive, how to spend your time. I mean, you can’t even enjoy your favorite candy because she told you not to. And if you think you love going to TED Talks, charity events, and seeing dead people all the time, you’re lying to yourself. You’d rather be watching baseball and eating a steak. And you know it.”
He paused for a moment. “She has my best interests at heart.” Not even he sounded like he quite believed it.
“I don’t think so. She has her own agenda, just like she always has. She’s selfish and so are you. All your momma needed was a few hours of your time. And all your daddy wants is a chance to make it right with you. But you’re so busy pretending to be something you’re not that you’ve forgotten who you are. I just hope you figure it out before it’s too late. Goodbye.” I didn’t give him the chance to say anything before I hung up. Before he could hear the tears in my voice and the longing for the boy who’d brought me cookies and sneaked into my room.
I took several deep breaths of the warm night air, trying to get my emotions under control before I headed into the house. On one hand, I felt better for getting those things off my chest. On the other hand, I felt awful because my old best friend was a jerk. And to top it off, I was upset because I had missed out on what was likely going to be a serious make-out session, judging by the goodbye kiss Julian had given me when he’d dropped me off at my car. Holy crow. He had used his lean, muscular body to push me up against my car while he trailed kisses up my neck before capturing my lips like he would his last breath. I’ll admit to gasping when he parted my lips, and his tongue gently swept the inside of my mouth. I knew he would be able to kiss well, and he didn’t disappoint. Except for how short it was.
I needed to quit thinking about men. They were ridiculously confusing. Even Julian was acting mysteriously with all his strange comments about how different I was from what he’d expected. He was different too. In a good way. In ways that had me thinking perhaps I would ask him to come to the reunion with me. First though, Tom. One of my favorite men ever.
I turned and knocked on the door. Miss June opened it in no time, inviting me in. She greeted me with a hug. “Oh, darlin’, you are a lifesaver. I would have pushed off the order, but it’s from my largest account. Besides, I think Tom needs you after my worthless son didn’t show his face. That boy and I will be having some words.”
