Love Letters by Geraldine Solon Read Free Book Online Page A

you are?” Chloe asked, as they sat down in the sand.
    Josh handed her an extra towel then dried himself. His cheeks felt burnt and his lips were dry, but that didn’t bother him because he was having the time of his life with Chloe. “Phil is more competitive. At times he pushes his students too hard, but most of his students end up joining competitions, so they need that type of training. I’m more of the ‘enjoy your surf’ type of guy.”
    “ You’re still the same Josh I always knew,” she said, giving him that dreamy look she had given him when they were young.
    He gazed at her and smiled. A part of him wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her, but another part of him encouraged patience. Instead he scribbled in the sand, “Josh and Chloe were here.”
    She smiled at him, and then excused herself to go to the portable bathroom to change. She came back moments later and handed Josh the towel and wetsuit as he walked her to her car to say goodbye.
    “ Thanks again, Josh. I really had fun today.”
    He was about to ask her out when he caught sight of a ring on her finger, which seemed like an engagement ring to him. His spirits sagged like a deflated balloon. “I’m glad you had fun, Chloe. See you around.”
    After she left he sat down on his car thinking. Am I too late?
     
    ***
    That evening over dinner at her house, Chloe showed Richard the letters she and Nicole read earlier, but Richard handed them back to her without looking at them. Her face was still red from surfing with Josh. For once she was relieved that Richard appeared too busy to have noticed. Like always, he was wearing his blue tooth earpiece, and between courses had been trying to close a deal with Steven Yates who was opening the biggest mall in Sacramento.
    “ I don’t know why it should bother you. That was forty years ago. Why don’t you call your mom and ask her about the letters?”
    “ I’m curious to know, that’s all. What if Dad wasn’t “the one”? What if Ignacio was her true love and she let him slip away?” Chloe said, drinking her red wine.
    “ Does it really matter? Your dad is gone and she married him, didn’t she?” Richard yawned.
    “ What if she married my dad for the wrong reasons? Could it be possible that she never loved my dad, and that she still pines for Ignacio?” Chloe set her glass down.
    Richard just shook his head. “Would you get a grip on yourself. What are you up to, anyway? Are you planning to reunite them?”
    Chloe froze, and then snapped her fingers. “You just gave me a brilliant idea.”
    “ Chloe, why does it always have to be this way with you? You live in Fairytale Land, always believing in happily ever after,” Richard said, spearing his last bite of steak.
    Chloe scowled. She took the dishes to the kitchen and put them in the dishwasher while he sat on the couch and watched the news. Her thoughts once again turned to Josh. He was always a good listener and he treated her like she was the most important person in his life. Seeing him today only confirmed that he hadn’t changed.
    She longed for that same feeling with Richard. Surely, in years past, he had felt the way Josh had for her; he just hadn’t had an opportunity to show it lately. With that, she walked barefoot to him and leaned her head against his chest, stroking his arm. To her frustration, he ignored her and continued to watch the news. Angry, she stood.
    Mom deserves a second chance. And so do I.
    Where had that last thought come from? Is that what she wanted with Josh – a second chance? Chloe knew that crazy things were happening after her fateful meeting with Josh and surfing with him today, but where that would lead she had no idea. She sighed and got busy picking up the remainder of the house.
    An hour later, Richard announced that he had to leave. He stood up and tripped over her giant teddy bear. “Chloe, promise me that you’re going to get rid of this stuffed toy when we get married.”
    Chloe almost