Forever After by Deborah Raney Read Free Book Online Page A

alone.”
    “Hey, I don’t have a corner on the market. You’ve been there, too.” She was saying the things she knew he expected her to say. She’d watched Bryn and Susan Marlowe carefully, learned to imitate the grief that always colored their voices when they spoke of their beloved husbands.
    Lucas didn’t seem to notice. “It’s not the same. Sure, it was awful losing Pop, but I watched Ma go through what you’ve been through. It’s different losing your … other half.”
    “But you had this to deal with, too.” She nodded toward his cane, wishing she could erase this whole thread of their conversation.
    He took another swig of coffee, then set his cup on the windowsill. “I have an idea: let’s not sit here and try to figure out who has it worse.”
    She smiled, relieved. “Very good idea. Change of subject.”
    He turned and looked out the window, playfully craning his neck to look beneath the wide awning that covered the window. “Lovely weather we’ve been having, isn’t it?”
    “Not really,” she deadpanned.
    “Okay. That was lame. How ’bout them Chiefs?” He lifted a fist in a rah-rah gesture.
    “Nope. I don’t speak ‘sports.’”
    “Politics?”
    “Definitely not.”
    He raked a hand through a head of gorgeous black curls. “Religion?”
    She winced. “I’d rather not.”
    “Wow … I give up then. Your turn.”
    “Coffee?”
    “Ah. Coffee. Now there’s a fascinating topic. So what do you think of the caramel latte? Be honest now.” His eyes flashed with mischief.
    “Haven’t tried it yet.”
    He blew out a sigh, obviously enjoying their lighthearted exchange. “So what’s your poison?”
    “House blend, black.”
    “Boring, boring. But that’s probably why I’ve got this spare tire around my waist and you’ve kept your girlish figure.” He patted his belly, which was a far cry from being a “spare tire.”
    She smiled but studied the nearly empty coffee cup in her hand, not sure how to respond to his compliment.
    Lucas must have sensed her discomfort because when their eyes met again, his expression had turned serious, even guilty. She could almost read his mind: he’d been flirting with his buddy’s wife—a married woman, as far as he was concerned.
    “Listen, Jenna. I’ve wanted—” He twisted the lid from his coffee cup with long, slender fingers. “This might sound strange, and I hope it doesn’t bring back bad memories—stuff you’ve tried to put behind you, but I’ve wanted a chance to talk to you.”
    She frowned, curious. “About what?”
    “Zach and I got pretty close working together. I just … I hope you know how much he cared for you. How much he loved you. The guy’s whole face would light up when he talked about you. He—” He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. “That’s probably enough. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how your husband felt about you, but someone told me something similar—about my dad, how he was proud of me. And it—it helped.” He stopped, looking embarrassed.
    But when he met her eyes again, he looked so sincere, it made her want to cry.
    “It helped a lot,” he said. “And I just thought you should hear the same from Zach. From someone who heard it from his own mouth.”
    Jenna felt frozen to her chair. She pasted on a smile and murmureda shallow “thank you,” but she felt as if Lucas Vermontez—however innocently—had punched her in her already-bruised heart.
    She’d never doubted Zach’s love for her. Didn’t doubt for a minute that he lit up when he talked about her to the guys at the firehouse.
    But how long could she pretend that she’d loved him the same? And how long would she carry the ache inside her because she hadn’t?

For a minute he couldn’t breathe. So she was really going to do this.

 
    6
    Tuesday, November 11
    L ucas retrieved the morning paper off the driveway and trudged back to the kitchen, greeted by the smells of burnt toast and fresh-brewed coffee.
    His