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I wondered what had given him such a grim outlook on life. “I thought every day was a gift,” I countered.
“I read this once a year around this time.” He glossed over my optimistic assessment. I didn’t care because he’d given me another glimpse of himself.
“For how long?”
“Since I was almost sixteen.”
I tried to keep an impassive look on my face, but my mind raced with how a fifteen-year-old boy could connect with a book like that. I’d never read it, but it sounded too intense for someone that age. “What made you pick it?”
“It was a gift from someone who thought I would appreciate it.” Not knowing what else to do, I reached for his hand and laced our fingers together.
“Will you read it to me? From the beginning, please.” I was desperate to understand him, and this felt as good a place to start as any.
He flipped open the cover, and I settled deeper in my seat as he began to read. His voice had a soothing cadence. My eyes drifted shut, and I felt like I gained a piece of him as he spoke the words.
I was lost in the sound of his voice and the beauty of the setting until my cell phone chirped from inside, breaking the peaceful aura.
I trotted into the living area and frowned when I saw the caller ID. “Hi, Mother.”
I went back outside, sinking in the seat and propping my feet up again.
“You weren’t planning to come for Christmas, were you, dear?” she sing-songed.
“Um, no. Why?”
“We’re going to Barbados for two weeks. Daddy’s going to play golf, and I’m going to work on my tan.”You mean your liquid diet.Ice rattled on her end as she drank. The wine in my hand became repulsive, so I set it down and pushed it away.
“Have a good time.” That was all I could think of to say.
“If you decide to come, could you check on my roses? The gardener is supposed to come by, but he’s new, and with this weather, well, I was hoping you’d see about them.”
I snorted. Daniel continued rubbing the tension out of my feet. He tried to catch my attention, but I averted my eyes. It was mortifying that my mother only wanted me home for the holidays to check on her beloved roses.
“I’m not coming,” I said harshly. I should be used to this by now.
“I suppose they’ll survive,” she said, a tinge of disappointment in her voice.
She wasn’t going to guilt trip me about the goddamned roses. I hoped they died. “How’s Dad?” I asked without thinking. He still hadn’t spoken to me since I’d left Texas, and I knew he was sometimes sitting right there. “Is he around?”
She hesitated. “He is. Let me see if I can get him on the phone.”
The silence on the other end of the line made my heart drum in my chest. For fuck’s sake, I didn’t need either of them, so why the hell did I even want to speak to my parents? It was a part of me that wouldn’t die. I heard a rustling as the phone was picked up again, and I held my breath.
“He’s packing, dear.” She always talked on the phone in the parlor, and there was no way in hell she had made it to their bedroom and back that quickly. “Have you spoken to Johnny? His mother was by yesterday. Apparently he’s devastated over your broken engagement.”
I snorted. Johnny Caldwell simply wasn’t capable of loving anyone but himself. No wonder my father wanted me to marry him so desperately. They were just alike.
“We were never engaged.”
Daniel stiffened beside me, his stare glacial.
“Of course you were. Call him. Come to Dallas and fix what you messed up for all of us. The holidays are the perfect time. And while you’re here you can check on my flowers.”
Without saying goodbye, I hung up. Day by day, I came to terms with not really having parents anymore. “Vivian.” The way he said my name brought tears to my eyes. “Look at me.”
I refused. “I don’t want to talk about it. Although, if it could be arranged for me to make it to Dallas to see to my mother’s roses, that would be just super.” The sarcasm didn’t hide the overwhelming hurt that stabbed me in the chest. I turned to Daniel with the sheen in my eyes, lifting my chin and attempting to blink it away. I’d told him I’d give him everything, so here I was.
“Would you like me to take care of it?” Daniel asked cautiously.
