Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Luc frowned. “That isn’t the Richard I know, although Heather said a couple of times her dad had a tumultuous past.”
I sighed. “I think that past included me. He had nothing to do with me—the unwanted child. He went on and married someone else. Had a big, happy family. It was only my mom and me. Struggling.” My voice was bitter, the words heavy and sad on my tongue. “She never went back to modeling after I was born. She was no longer perfect.” I barked out a laugh. “I guess I ruined that as well.”
“Stop it.”
Luc’s firm tone made me look up.
“You didn’t ruin your mother’s life. And if Richard wasn’t part of your life, it’s his loss.” He leaned forward. “I have to admit, I have a hard time seeing him rejecting you, knowing the man he is today. But I have no idea what he was like before you were born. As for your mother and her life, only she could speak to that. She made her decisions, but I doubt keeping you was one she ever regretted.”
I sighed, pulling the robe around me tighter. The pizza had arrived just after I’d dropped my bombshell. I got out of the tub, and although Luc poured us more wine, neither of us had touched the pizza box.
“What do you need?” he asked.
“Your expertise. I can only see what is on the internet now. Any information on Richard or my mom. There must be older pictures. My mom was a fairly successful model. He was huge in advertising. There has to be something…” I trailed off.
He nodded. “I’ll investigate.” He sat back, drumming his fingers. “Did you do a search for their names together?”
“No,” I admitted. “Separately.”
“I’ll start there.”
“Okay.”
He studied me. “Do you want to call off going to the wedding? I understand if you do.”
“No, I’ll go. I can be polite. I’ll be prepared this time.”
“What are you going to do?” he asked. “If you can prove he is your dad? Confront him?”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “This is all out of the blue.” I looked down at the shirt. “If I hadn’t seen that monogram, I never would have known. I would have dismissed the eye thing or the other similarities as coincidences.” I rubbed my eyes. “I almost wish I hadn’t. I hate this anger.”
“Why are you angry? Explain it to me.”
“Because he rejected my mom. Rejected me. My mom said he didn’t want kids. Had no desire for them. Yet I see him surrounded by his big family, all of them secure in their place, in his love. Yet for some reason, he chose not to love me. I felt like the kid standing outside the candy store, unable to go in and buy something. Watching everyone else.” My voice caught. “I don’t know why I wasn’t good enough.”
“There could be more to this than you know. Maybe he reached out. Maybe he couldn’t find you. Maybe he didn’t know.” Luc pointed out gently.
“That’s not what my mom said. She said he didn’t want us,” I insisted. “My mom wouldn’t lie to me.”
He stood, bent, and kissed the top of my head. “I’m not defending Richard, love, but the man you’re describing isn’t the man I know. And there are always two sides to the story. Try to remember that.”
He walked over, flipping open the lid of the pizza box. He sat down with a slice in one hand and opened his laptop with the other.
I sipped my wine, my appetite nonexistent.
The rational part of me knew he was right. However, my heart, the twisted emotions I was feeling, weren’t listening.
Heather was a beautiful bride, and Reed was so joyful, it made me smile. I covertly watched Gracie and Heather, noting how close they were and recognizing more similarities between us.
My half sisters. It was an odd thought. To discover I had a group of people that could be family was disconcerting.
Katy looked happy and relaxed, but Richard’s seeming emotion surprised me. I hadn’t figured him for a crier at weddings. He held his wife’s hand the entire ceremony and stayed close to her side once it was done.
I was tense, but I relaxed a little once Luc joined me when pictures were complete. I was grateful it wasn’t the usual sort of wedding with a dinner and long speeches. Luc sat down, kissing my cheek, trailing his fingers over my jaw. “You doing okay, love?”
“I’m fine.”
“You look beautiful. That dress is a knockout.”
His words made me smile. He always complimented me, no matter what I wore. I liked this dress, though. It was elegant and pretty. It hugged my torso, with a high neckline and sleeves that puffed at my shoulder, then came down tight on the rest of my arms with a flirty ruffle at the bottom, just under my elbow. The material was a pale gray with a French toile pattern in blue and a sexy slit on one side of the dress. I wore my hair loose and, as usual, wore minimal jewelry. A pair of simple stud earrings that belonged to my mother and a single bangle on my wrist. The high heels I wore added to my height. I’d used a bit more makeup than normal to hide the sleepless night and my inner turmoil.