Lost and Found Father. Sheri WhiteFeather

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СКАЧАТЬ to fix what he’d broken, to see forgiveness in her eyes. But he couldn’t stop her from leaving any more than she could have stopped him from running away all those years ago.

      He walked her onto the porch and down the stairs, where they stood in the sun. The air was perfumed with flowering foliage, and it reminded him of the wild ginger they used to pick. Everything had seemed wild then, including the inexperienced love they’d made.

      He turned to look at her and caught her watching him. She’d gone vulnerable again. She was twisting the ends of her hair, an anxious habit he recognized from their youth.

      She said, “I’ll get back to you after I talk to Kaley.”

      “I’ll be waiting for your call.” He tucked his hands into his jean pockets. Was that his anxious teenage habit? “Have a safe trip home.”

      “Thank you.” She quit twisting her hair, but she was still discomposed.

      Clearly, the memories between them had become palpable. He didn’t doubt that Victoria felt it, too.

      They said goodbye, and he watched her walk to her rental car. She didn’t glance back at him, and he didn’t remove his hands from his pockets or return to his big, empty house until she was gone.

      * * *

      Victoria was home. Her plane had touched down last night, and this morning she was a bundle of nerves.

      She glanced around her apartment. Decorated with carefully selected furniture and contemporary artwork, it depicted her California lifestyle, right down to the luxurious poolside view.

      Ryan’s house depicted his lifestyle, too. The red-and-white farmhouse suited him, and so did the shingle out front.

      Carriage House Veterinary Care. Ryan Nash, DVM.

      He’d attained his country-boy dream. He’d always wanted to be a vet, and he’d set up practice in his hometown. Her former hometown. A place she’d never intended to see again.

      Because of him.

      He looked considerably different from the boy she’d known. He was bigger and broader, but his face was much more angular. Those killer cheekbones were totally lethal now, and so was the concentration in his stone-brown eyes.

      She’d tried so hard to compose herself while she’d been there, but she hadn’t done as well as she’d hoped. Her heart had been thudding the entire time and her stupid voice had cracked.

      Was Ryan genuinely sorry for the past? Was he mature enough to handle a relationship with Kaley? He seemed to be. But that didn’t ease the old ache. She’d loved Ryan. He’d been her everything, and on the day he’d left her alone with the baby they’d created, he’d reduced her to nothing. It taken her years to get over him, and she’d been careful to avoid any news of him, staying as far away as possible. But now, God help her, she was being drawn back in.

      She walked onto the balcony, coffee in hand, and blew out a breath. She’d called Kaley earlier and told the anxious teenager that she was back from her trip, but she hadn’t mentioned Ryan’s invitation for both of them to go to Oregon. She would be meeting Kaley for lunch, where she going to delve into the specifics.

      If only Victoria could relax; if only he hadn’t rattled her once-broken heart. The really pathetic thing was that she was wondering about his ex, who she was, if the divorce had been her idea, if he missed being married.

      When Victoria first discovered that she was pregnant, she’d dreamed of Ryan proposing to her. Young and naive, she’d actually believed that they could make a marriage work, even if it meant waiting until they were eighteen. She’d mapped it out in her mind, how they could live with their parents and raise the baby between both households. Then, once they were married, Ryan could get a loan for college and secure their future.

      But he didn’t propose, and she didn’t tell him about her marriage dreams. She’d never told him that she loved him, either. After they’d agreed to give up the baby, her only consolation was that he’d promised to be there when their daughter was born.

      And the rest, as the saying went, was history.

      Before her thoughts drove her into a deeper sense of painful distraction, she finished her coffee and went into the bathroom to take a long, invigorating shower.

      By the time she emerged, her skin was flushed and her hair was damp and starting to misbehave. She put on a robe and plugged in the blow-dryer and flatiron, preparing to use both devices. Once she tamed her curls, she applied makeup and got dressed.

      Ready to greet the afternoon and see her daughter, she drove to the sushi bar they favored.

      Victoria arrived first and sat in the cramped waiting area. About five minutes later, Kaley walked in wearing denim shorts, a pastel-printed T and rhinestone flip-flops. Her hair streamed down her back, and with her golden tan and welcoming smile, she was a lovely sight to behold.

      As they embraced, the teenager said, “Hey, Victoria.”

      She didn’t expect Kaley to call her Mom, but on occasion Kaley referred to her as mi otra madre, which meant “my other mother” in Spanish. It was a reference that made Victoria feel like the most privileged woman on earth.

      A hostess seated them, and they sat across from each other at a small table near the window. Water was delivered, and they studied their menus, energy buzzing between them.

      “How did it go?” Kaley eagerly asked.

      Such a loaded question, Victoria thought, but she did her best to respond in a positive way. “Ryan is anxious to meet you.”

      “I’m excited about meeting him, too.” The child she’d conceived with him leaned closer. “What’s he like?”

      “He looks different” was all she could seem to manage. Strong and handsome in a way she hadn’t imagined. When she saw that Kaley was waiting for a more in-depth response, she quickly added, “He seems successful.” But she’d always believed that he would make a good vet. “He has a nice country home and a couple of cute dogs. But most importantly, he’s receptive to having you in his life.”

      “So what happens now? Is he going to call me? Am I supposed to call him?”

      Okay, Victoria thought. Here goes. “I offered to call him after you and I talked. He wants you to stay at his house for a week or so. He also invited me to come with you.” She paused to collect herself. “But he’ll come here if you’d prefer not to go there.”

      “Oh, wow. Really?” Kaley reached for her water, and the ice clinked in her half-tipped glass. “I’d probably get to know him better if I went there. Don’t you think?”

      She wanted to discourage her daughter from making the trip, but sitting here gazing at the girl’s wistful expression, she couldn’t do it. “It’s your choice. He’s your...” She couldn’t bring herself to say “father” or “birth father” or anything that identified him as family, so she let the sentence drift.

      “Are you willing to go with me? Or is that totally out of the question?”

      Victoria’s heartbeat accelerated. “Is that what you want?”

      “Are СКАЧАТЬ