bit old to cower behind her mother, but her mother had been her fierce protector following the accident and it was nice to know she’d be there.
“We invited our mothers to join us about six months ago … which, come to think of it, was the last time we got together. We all had such a good time and our mothers have as much in common as we do.”
Abby bit into her lower lip. Her mother would enjoy this. The accident had cost her, too. Abby didn’t know if it was possible to put the tragedy behind her, but maybe … just maybe it was.
Chapter 10
The anger that had consumed Josh only a short while earlier now seemed pointless. He sat at a table by the window of the Pot Belly Deli, and watched the traffic flow down Harbor Street in a steady stream. Michelle sat across the table from him; he was glad she was there.
“Do you want to talk about it some more?” she asked.
He glanced up and saw that Michelle was waiting for him to respond. “There’s nothing to be done at this point. It is what it is.” He’d leave town and return after Richard died to settle the estate.
“You’re angry and you have every right to be upset, but I think there’s something to salvage here.”
“This isn’t life and death, Michelle,” he said, downplaying hisoutrage. “I’m over it; now if you don’t mind I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Okay,” she said slowly, reluctantly. “I just think there’s a chance for you and Richard to connect on some level. It’s hard when someone dies and you haven’t said good-bye and made your peace. Even with someone you’ve had a very difficult relationship with.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said, loud enough that several people turned and looked in their direction. Immediately he regretted his outburst. She was right. But he just wasn’t ready to talk about anything having to do with his stepfather. Too much was happening and too quickly for him to fully comprehend its meaning. The best thing for him to do now was simply leave.
“You want me to forgive Richard.”
“In time, or at least let go of your anger and his power over you.”
Josh didn’t realize he’d spoken out loud, but he must have for her to respond.
Forgive
was a powerful word. He would like to think he was man enough to overlook what his stepfather had done, but Josh wasn’t sure he’d reached that point. Perhaps one day he’d be able to release the resentment he’d stored up against Richard, but not today.
She stared at him for a long time, as though there was more she wanted to say. Michelle appeared to be weighing her options, considering if this was the right place and time.
“What is it?” he asked.
She arched her brows in question.
“You want to tell me something, but can’t decide if you should or not. Just say it.”
“I don’t know that now is the best time.” She set the menu aside and leaned ever so slightly toward him, pressing her stomach against the edge of the table.
“Sure it is.”
“I’m concerned about you,” she said finally.
“Really? And why is that?” Her comment amused him.
Once more she hesitated. “I believe I know what you’re thinking. You want to leave Cedar Cove and come back after Richard has died.”
That was exactly what he was thinking. Josh could see that it wouldn’t do much good for him to hang around town. The two men would never see eye to eye, and as Michelle had witnessed, they didn’t respect each other. Josh had just finished managing the construction of a strip mall and had encountered one complication after another. He was both physically and emotionally ready for a break, and he wasn’t keen on spending his free time butting heads with his stepfather. Richard would prefer to have him out of his life, and Josh was more than willing to accommodate the dying man.
“I’m right, aren’t I?” she prodded.
He responded with a sharp nod of his head. “I’ve given it some consideration.”
“Don’t,”
“We invited our mothers to join us about six months ago … which, come to think of it, was the last time we got together. We all had such a good time and our mothers have as much in common as we do.”
Abby bit into her lower lip. Her mother would enjoy this. The accident had cost her, too. Abby didn’t know if it was possible to put the tragedy behind her, but maybe … just maybe it was.
Chapter 10
The anger that had consumed Josh only a short while earlier now seemed pointless. He sat at a table by the window of the Pot Belly Deli, and watched the traffic flow down Harbor Street in a steady stream. Michelle sat across the table from him; he was glad she was there.
“Do you want to talk about it some more?” she asked.
He glanced up and saw that Michelle was waiting for him to respond. “There’s nothing to be done at this point. It is what it is.” He’d leave town and return after Richard died to settle the estate.
“You’re angry and you have every right to be upset, but I think there’s something to salvage here.”
“This isn’t life and death, Michelle,” he said, downplaying hisoutrage. “I’m over it; now if you don’t mind I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Okay,” she said slowly, reluctantly. “I just think there’s a chance for you and Richard to connect on some level. It’s hard when someone dies and you haven’t said good-bye and made your peace. Even with someone you’ve had a very difficult relationship with.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said, loud enough that several people turned and looked in their direction. Immediately he regretted his outburst. She was right. But he just wasn’t ready to talk about anything having to do with his stepfather. Too much was happening and too quickly for him to fully comprehend its meaning. The best thing for him to do now was simply leave.
“You want me to forgive Richard.”
“In time, or at least let go of your anger and his power over you.”
Josh didn’t realize he’d spoken out loud, but he must have for her to respond.
Forgive
was a powerful word. He would like to think he was man enough to overlook what his stepfather had done, but Josh wasn’t sure he’d reached that point. Perhaps one day he’d be able to release the resentment he’d stored up against Richard, but not today.
She stared at him for a long time, as though there was more she wanted to say. Michelle appeared to be weighing her options, considering if this was the right place and time.
“What is it?” he asked.
She arched her brows in question.
“You want to tell me something, but can’t decide if you should or not. Just say it.”
“I don’t know that now is the best time.” She set the menu aside and leaned ever so slightly toward him, pressing her stomach against the edge of the table.
“Sure it is.”
“I’m concerned about you,” she said finally.
“Really? And why is that?” Her comment amused him.
Once more she hesitated. “I believe I know what you’re thinking. You want to leave Cedar Cove and come back after Richard has died.”
That was exactly what he was thinking. Josh could see that it wouldn’t do much good for him to hang around town. The two men would never see eye to eye, and as Michelle had witnessed, they didn’t respect each other. Josh had just finished managing the construction of a strip mall and had encountered one complication after another. He was both physically and emotionally ready for a break, and he wasn’t keen on spending his free time butting heads with his stepfather. Richard would prefer to have him out of his life, and Josh was more than willing to accommodate the dying man.
“I’m right, aren’t I?” she prodded.
He responded with a sharp nod of his head. “I’ve given it some consideration.”
“Don’t,”
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