Isle of Hope by Julie Lessman Read Free Book Online Page B

“Until they stopped coming altogether ...” Her eyelids fluttered closed briefly as feelings of grief and hurt tiptoed in at the corners of her mind, reminding her just how much she had wished him dead back then instead of her mother.
    God, forgive me, please …
    She opened her eyes to her grandmother’s tender gaze, which reflected the same grief Lacey still bore in her soul. Laying a veined hand over Lacey’s, she gave her a gentle squeeze. “I know you came back to help Nicki with the wedding, darling, but we both know the real reason you’re here.”
    A knot of fear convulsed in Lacey’s throat. “I know,” she whispered, “but there’s been so much time and bitterness between us, Mamaw, that I worry it’s too late.”
    Mamaw’s chuckle was soft. “It’s never too late to love, darling.”
    Lacey expelled a wavering breath. “I know that, too,” she said with a skittery smile. “I just don’t know how …” —she chewed at a piece of skin on her lip— “to do it, you know?”
    Mamaw smiled and patted her hand. “It’s not difficult, darling—you show up on his doorstop one evening with one of my peach pies he so adores and say, ‘Dad, we need to talk.’”
    Lacey unloaded another grunt. “Yeah, right, and I have peach on my face after he slams the door.” She peered up at Mamaw, eyes in a squint. “Do you ever talk to him anymore?”
    “Oh, heavens no—he’s far too bitter for that. You’re not the only one he cut out of his life when your mother betrayed him, you know.” She rose from the table, cup in hand. “Not that I didn’t try, mind you. I called and wrote letters till I thought he’d get a restraining order, even after he asked me to leave him alone. I finally let it go a few years back except for the standard cards—you know, Christmas, birthday …” She paused, a definite twinkle in her eye. “Father’s Day.”
    “No ...” A slow grin traveled Lacey’s lips. “You don’t.” She chuckled. “Ouch. I’ll bet that burns.”
    Mamaw jutted her chin, lips pursed in a stubborn smile. “I certainly hope so. Somebody needs to light a fire under that bull-headed pup.” She rose to fetch more coffee, glancing over her shoulder with an imp of a grin. “And it’s better than a propane torch.” She nodded toward Lacey’s half-empty cup. “Need a refill or warm-up before I serve up our dinner? Pot roast and vegetables, just as you like it, and it’s all ours since Nicki and Spence already ate.”
    Lacey’s mouth watered at the mere mention of Mamaw’s signature Sunday dish. “No on the coffee, but the pot roast sounds heavenly,” she said, a giggle slipping from her lips. “And as far as Daddy’s concerned, Mamaw, I’d hardly call forty-six a ‘pup.’”
    “It is when you act like a child. Humph—and him one of the top cardiac surgeons in the country— ha! ”
    Lacey’s smile faded as she wandered into a faraway stare. “I feel sorry for him,” she whispered. And for herself too—a virtual orphan at twenty-six. She snapped out of it with a loud huff, mouth canting into a dry smile. “Which just goes to show how much I’ve changed. Up until six months ago, I wanted to see the man take a long walk off a short pier. After I filed a suit for emotional malpractice.”
    Mamaw chuckled. “Well, it’s a suit you would win, that’s for sure.” Placing her cup on the table, she settled back in her chair, the smell of hazelnut wafting through the air. She took a sip while giving Lacey a wink over the rim. “And trust me, darlin’—all lawyer fees would be on me.”

 
    Chapter Four
     
    Lacey nosed her Honda into the last spot in the parking lot of the Paulson Complex, eyes scanning the various fields for any sign of Spence. Slinging her purse over her shoulder, she got out and shielded her eyes, a smile skimming her lips when she spotted him playing in the dirt with some other kid. With a quick glance at her watch, she made her way to his field where