Heartache Falls by Emily March Read Free Book Online Page B

you have a place to stay?”
    “I’ll be at Angel’s Rest.”
    “Well, that’s good. You have friends there to lean on. You and Mrs. Reese can take turns crying on each other’s shoulder because your little girls are off at college.”
    Ali smiled sadly. “Yes, I guess we can do that.”
    “Okay, then. Well, I’ve got to go. I need to study. Talk to you later.”
    The sound of the dial tone echoed in her ears. “I love him dearly, but that child can make me crazier than just about anyone else on the planet.”
    “You’ve told me previously that Chase has his father’s drive,” Celeste said. “He’s liable to set the world on fire. You just wait and see.”
    “As long as he doesn’t do it literally. I’ll never forget a certain fireworks incident when he was seven.” Recalling the wild child he’d been made her shake her head in bittersweet memory. Parenting Chase had been a challenge from the day he was born. Actually, he’d been a trial since before he was born, considering that she’d gone into premature labor with himand had spent six weeks confined to bed. Those years with three children under the age of five had been enormously difficult. But, oh, how she missed those days! Life had been full and exciting and brimming with laughter and love. “Time goes so fast, Celeste. How did I get from my twenties to my forties?”
    “Oh, honey, just wait. One hundred is the hard one.” When Ali shot her a disbelieving look, she chuckled and added, “So I’m told.”
    Ali’s mouth quirked in a faint smile, then her thoughts returned to the matter at hand. “Think I could wait to call Cait?”
    “Only if you want her to hear the news from her brothers.”
    Ali dialed her daughter’s number and heard it ring one time, then two, before it switched over to voice mail. Coward that she was, she couldn’t help but feel a measure of relief. Yet no sooner had she left a message for her daughter to call her grandfather’s house than the phone rang again.
    “Mom? Sorry, I was on the other line. How is this for karma? I was talking to Daddy when Stephen called, then Chase called, and finally you called. Is that weird or what? We have our own Timberlake family psychic network. So, what’s up? Did you get my message?”
    “What message?”
    “Messages, actually. I left one at home and I’ve called your cell a couple of times.”
    “Is there a problem?”
    “No. Just wanted to chat, catch you up on my love life. I met a hottie at the library and he’s asked me tothe basketball game Thursday night. His name is Patrick Talley and he’s from New York. When I couldn’t get you, I called Daddy.”
    “A new guy. That’s exciting.” Ali licked her lips. “What did you and your dad talk about?”
    “Nothing important.”
    Caitlin launched into a story about bicycles in trees and a tiff she’d had with her roommate. Ali could hardly listen. So the boys had called their sister. She’d bet they were calling their father now, too. The last thing Ali needed was for Chase to call again and Caitlin to click over before Ali could stop her.
    “Cait,” Ali interrupted. “Listen to me. I have some hard news. Dad and I have …” She snapped her mouth shut against the word separated. Think, Alison. Choose your words carefully .
    Warily, Caitlin responded, “What? Dad and you have what?”
    Ali couldn’t use the same words she’d used to tell Stephen and Chase. She and Caitlin had a different relationship. A female relationship. It required a different kind of communication, and in many respects it made this particular conversation that much more difficult.
    “Mom?”
    “Baby, this is so hard. Dad and I really aren’t getting along these days, and it’s very confusing to us both, I think. He hasn’t done anything awful and neither have I, but it hurts more to be together than to be apart right now. So, I am going to move up into the mountains for a little while. By myself.” She told her about the job and