Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
She smiled softly. “Maybe he’s been waiting for you to come home.”
Sitting back against the seat, I let out a small sigh. “Probably. I know he was upset with me when I decided not to come back to River Falls to work with him. It was what I’d intended, but…”
“Life happened.”
“Yes, it did. Not exactly what I’d planned.”
“What were your plans?”
“School, which I can’t believe we never saw each other.”
She smiled. “I know.”
Sighing I said, “After school, the plan was to go back home to work with my dad. Then, of course, Caroline got pregnant and everything changed. She wanted out of River Falls and longed to live in a big city.”
“Would you have gotten married, had she not been pregnant?”
“Your brother asked me the same thing earlier. Honestly, I’m not sure if we would have or not. I loved Caroline once. But we had different ideas about how we wanted our lives to go, and I shelved my dreams so she could have hers. I wouldn’t go back and change anything though, simply because it got me Rhett and Brooke. Caroline never told me why she wanted out of River Falls so badly. I think she thought I was the only ticket out, though. And I suspect she was jealous.” I shrugged.
“What do you mean, her only ticket out? Anyone can move if they want. And what or who would she be jealous of?” Emeline asked.
“Everything,” I said with a frown. “My family, my friends. The fact that my parents were so supportive. You know her father well, so I’m sure you’re aware that he was really upset when she wouldn’t go into the family business. He refused to support her lifestyle if that was the case, so I think she saw me as a way to get out, and as someone else who’d take care of her. She stayed home and took care of Rhett after he was born, but then worked at a law firm as a paralegal.”
Emeline leaned forward, her voice lowered. “Levi…are you saying she got pregnant on purpose? To trap you?”
I nodded slightly. “She did.”
“That’s terrible! And what a dishonest thing to do.”
I sighed. “It is.”
“I never did like or trust her.”
My brows shot up. “Is that so?”
Emeline studied my face, then looked away and shook her head slightly, as if clearing her thoughts. “But…it’s all in the past, and you’re here now. That should be your primary focus. Helping Rhett and yourself heal from the loss of Brooke and focusing on starting a new life. I think Rhett will love it here.”
Smiling, I replied, “You always were positive about everything, Em.”
“I try,” she replied with a shrug. “It doesn’t do me any good to focus on the negative. Besides, I think everything happens for a reason. Maybe you needed to work in a larger clinic to prepare you for working for your dad’s practice. And even though you didn’t have Brooke for very long, I’m certain she brought immense happiness and joy to your family.”
I nodded. “She did. I just hope Rhett adjusts to everything else. He’s having fun right now, but he’ll be going to a new school, trying to make new friends. He loved kindergarten, but first grade’s going to be a whole new thing.”
Emeline reached across the table and took my hand in hers. “Levi, everything’s going to work out. Rhett will be able to meet kids at the summer camp. He can even go to more than one session if he likes it.”
“That’s nice of you, Em. I don’t want to take up any spots meant for others.”
“You won’t be. Trust me. Plus, you’re doing us a favor by volunteering for the camps. The least we can do is let Rhett go to more than one camp. If he doesn’t like it, he doesn’t have to, of course. He can always hang out with me or Mom. Hell, even Caden will put the little guy to work.”
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. This was what I’d missed for the last seven years. Friends who would do anything for you, just to help you feel safe and happy. Now, Rhett was going to be able to experience that. If only Brooke had been able to as well.
The sudden feeling of guilt crept up on me, and I pushed it back.
It wasn’t my fault she died. It was an accident. An accident.
“Thank you for that, Em. I’d always missed everyone, but I hadn’t realized how much. It’s good to be home.”
Emeline smiled. It wasn’t lost on me that she hadn’t let go of my hand. When I glanced down, she quickly took it away and looked around the restaurant…probably to see if anyone else had noticed the small gesture of intimacy.
“So, I should get you the dates for the camps, and our current activities. The first one is next month, June. I always leave some open time in the schedule for things that pop up last minute, so it won’t be hard to work in your visits with the kids. You can basically do whatever you want.”