Daniel's Desire by Sherryl Woods Read Free Book Online

pressed to her chest. A pink blush tinted her pale complexion and gave her more color than usual.
    “Sorry, Mom,” he said, grinning. “I thought you heard me come in. I yelled for you.”
    “Who could hear a thing over that racket from the TV?” She brushed a strand of still-black hair back from her face and studied him. “You look tired and worried. Can I fix you something to drink? Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Will you be staying?”
    He shook his head. “I’ve already eaten. I had a bowl of chowder over at Jess’s.”
    Her blue eyes filled with curiosity. “Oh? What were you doing there?”
    “Business,” he said, but he could see that she didn’t believe him any more than Patrick had. “It’s true. Molly’s got a runaway hiding out over there.”
    “Seeing Molly must have been awkward for you,” she said, watching his face intently.
    “And then some,” he admitted. If she’d known the whole story, she would have realized just how awkward. He’d never told her the reason behind the long-ago breakup, most likely because he’d been too embarrassed and ashamed of his part in Molly’s miscarriage, to say nothing of the fact that he’d inadvertently left Patrick to deal with the fallout.
    “I don’t suppose…” she began wistfully, avoiding his gaze.
    He knew what she was asking. “Yes, Mom, I saw Patrick.”
    “How is he?” she asked. “Is he well? Is he happy? Was his wife there?”
    It made his heart clench to hear the eagerness in her voice. If Patrick had heard it, he’d never have been able to stay away as long as he had. “Alice wasn’t around, but he’s well and happy, I think. He still doesn’t say much to me.”
    “And that’s our fault, your father’s and mine,” she said with apparent regret. “I’m sorry for that, Daniel.You two were always so close. If I could change things, I would.”
    “You could tell him—tell both of us—why you and Dad left our brothers in Boston and brought us here with you.” It was the first time since the night he’d made the discovery that he’d put the question to her so bluntly.
    “How would that help?” she said, tears in her eyes. “It was so long ago. You were little more than babies.”
    “We could try to understand, at least. Mom, you are going to have to come up with answers sooner or later. Ryan, Sean and Michael will come here eventually, and they’ll insist on it. If you try to stonewall them, it will end any chance of a reconciliation for this family.”
    Her gaze turned toward the living room, and worry creased her brow. “Your father…he can’t cope with that, Daniel.”
    “He’ll have to,” Daniel said, his own gaze unrelenting for once. “You owe them, and us, an explanation. Maybe once all the secrets are out in the open, this family can finally start to heal. Don’t you want that?”
    “Of course I do, it’s just that your father feels so much guilt,” she said. “He blames himself for everything that happened, even though we made the decision together. You can’t possibly imagine how difficult it was, Daniel. No one can.”
    “Then tell us. Help us to make sense of it. I always thought you and Dad were such good, honorable people. Is it any wonder that this secret of yours took Patrick and me by surprise? What you did was so completely out of character.”
    She shook her head, as stubborn as all of the Devaneys. “It’s up to your father. He’s locked that part of our lives away, and I can’t go against his wishes.”
    “But you can talk to him, persuade him that talking about this is for the best. What you did back then is still having repercussions today.”
    “You said Ryan, Sean and Michael seemed happy and well-adjusted when you met them,” she said defiantly. “And Patrick’s married now, too. How bad can the repercussions be? They’ve all moved on with their lives. Some of them even have children of their own now.”
    “They moved on in spite of what happened, Mom. It’s