A Hero for Her Heart (Truly Yours Digital Editions Book 885) by Nancy Toback, Candice Miller Speare Page A
Authors: Nancy Toback, Candice Miller Speare
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character. Strangers, in a way. “Sometimes we need to do things that aren’t comfortable because it’s best for the family.”
Where had Dad been when he and Sandy were young and needed him desperately? “I’m not listening to this. It’s archaic at the very least, and it’s demeaning.” In the past his parents had hinted at their hopes that he’d marry and have children, but he couldn’t remember a conversation that had been this blunt.
Dad blinked, and his eyes reddened. He ran his hand over the back of his head. “Family is everything, you know.”
It might be too late, Dad . Derrick took a deep breath. “I understand that family is important.” He’d seen that connection between Allie and her mom and Danny, and at least he’d experienced it with Sandy in the last few years after she’d returned home.
“Try to understand.” Dad strolled to the arched window and stared out into the night. “Sandy. . .” He squared his shoulders and cleared his throat. “Whatever. We forgive and forget. But she can’t give your mother and me. . .”
Derrick saw his father through new eyes. The hotshot real estate mogul had turned into a fragile, vulnerable man in a blinding flash.
“Dad.” Derrick strode toward him and rested his hand on his shoulder. Why hadn’t he noticed his father disappearing before his eyes? Dad’s independence and big personality had clouded his vision.
“Well then.” Dad backed up. Derrick dropped his arm. “I’m glad we had this talk, son.”
No. There was so much more to say—but Derrick stood speechless and watched his father leave the room.
❧
Allie awoke to the sound of knocking on her bedroom door. The room was dark, her hair damp and partially wrapped in a towel, and she was on top of her covers wearing a bathrobe.
“What?” She blinked and focused on her clock. Eleven-twenty. And this was. . .Tuesday night.
“Allie, it’s Mom. I’d like to talk to you.”
Allie switched on the lamp on the nightstand, tossed the towel on the floor, and sat on the edge of the bed. “Okay. Come in.”
Ma entered and lingered in the doorway. “Were you asleep?”
“Yes. I guess I laid down for just a second and dropped off. I’m sorry.” Sour memories came rushing back. “Is Michael still here?”
Ma shook her head and settled on the edge of the bed. “No, he left.”
“Good.” The word slipped out of her mouth before she could think straight.
“We need to talk.” Ma smiled. “Are you up to it?”
“What about?” Allie combed her hair with her fingers. She would have to wash it again just to work out the tangles.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Allie blinked. “Thinking? About what?”
“Your actions tonight were. . .rude.”
Allie sat back, and the anger she felt when she’d seen Michael’s car returned with a vengeance. “ I’m rude? How can you say that? I walk into my own house after a hard day’s work and find Michael sitting at the kitchen table as if everything is peachy. And you and Danny laughing and doing a puzzle with him. Gee, what’s wrong with that picture?”
Ma’s eyes flashed. “This is not just your house. Two other people live here who have feelings, too.”
Allie’s fury grew. “Michael was my fiancé. He cheated on me .”
“Michael didn’t come just to see you. He came by to give Danny a birthday present.”
Allie shook her head like she’d been sucker punched. “Ma, that’s pathetic.” Her mother was sometimes naive when it came to people’s motives. “I know you choose to see the best in people, but even you have to realize Michael’s using Danny as a portal back to me.”
“Then blame me.” Ma shrugged. “I’m the one who invited him to stay awhile. I felt sorry for—”
“I thought you understood what Michael put me through.” It was one thing for Ma to feel sorry for every repentant soul and quite another to invite Michael back into their lives.
“I do, but I felt bad for him.”
“Are
Where had Dad been when he and Sandy were young and needed him desperately? “I’m not listening to this. It’s archaic at the very least, and it’s demeaning.” In the past his parents had hinted at their hopes that he’d marry and have children, but he couldn’t remember a conversation that had been this blunt.
Dad blinked, and his eyes reddened. He ran his hand over the back of his head. “Family is everything, you know.”
It might be too late, Dad . Derrick took a deep breath. “I understand that family is important.” He’d seen that connection between Allie and her mom and Danny, and at least he’d experienced it with Sandy in the last few years after she’d returned home.
“Try to understand.” Dad strolled to the arched window and stared out into the night. “Sandy. . .” He squared his shoulders and cleared his throat. “Whatever. We forgive and forget. But she can’t give your mother and me. . .”
Derrick saw his father through new eyes. The hotshot real estate mogul had turned into a fragile, vulnerable man in a blinding flash.
“Dad.” Derrick strode toward him and rested his hand on his shoulder. Why hadn’t he noticed his father disappearing before his eyes? Dad’s independence and big personality had clouded his vision.
“Well then.” Dad backed up. Derrick dropped his arm. “I’m glad we had this talk, son.”
No. There was so much more to say—but Derrick stood speechless and watched his father leave the room.
❧
Allie awoke to the sound of knocking on her bedroom door. The room was dark, her hair damp and partially wrapped in a towel, and she was on top of her covers wearing a bathrobe.
“What?” She blinked and focused on her clock. Eleven-twenty. And this was. . .Tuesday night.
“Allie, it’s Mom. I’d like to talk to you.”
Allie switched on the lamp on the nightstand, tossed the towel on the floor, and sat on the edge of the bed. “Okay. Come in.”
Ma entered and lingered in the doorway. “Were you asleep?”
“Yes. I guess I laid down for just a second and dropped off. I’m sorry.” Sour memories came rushing back. “Is Michael still here?”
Ma shook her head and settled on the edge of the bed. “No, he left.”
“Good.” The word slipped out of her mouth before she could think straight.
“We need to talk.” Ma smiled. “Are you up to it?”
“What about?” Allie combed her hair with her fingers. She would have to wash it again just to work out the tangles.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Allie blinked. “Thinking? About what?”
“Your actions tonight were. . .rude.”
Allie sat back, and the anger she felt when she’d seen Michael’s car returned with a vengeance. “ I’m rude? How can you say that? I walk into my own house after a hard day’s work and find Michael sitting at the kitchen table as if everything is peachy. And you and Danny laughing and doing a puzzle with him. Gee, what’s wrong with that picture?”
Ma’s eyes flashed. “This is not just your house. Two other people live here who have feelings, too.”
Allie’s fury grew. “Michael was my fiancé. He cheated on me .”
“Michael didn’t come just to see you. He came by to give Danny a birthday present.”
Allie shook her head like she’d been sucker punched. “Ma, that’s pathetic.” Her mother was sometimes naive when it came to people’s motives. “I know you choose to see the best in people, but even you have to realize Michael’s using Danny as a portal back to me.”
“Then blame me.” Ma shrugged. “I’m the one who invited him to stay awhile. I felt sorry for—”
“I thought you understood what Michael put me through.” It was one thing for Ma to feel sorry for every repentant soul and quite another to invite Michael back into their lives.
“I do, but I felt bad for him.”
“Are
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