[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Beaumont my hometown and will travel back and forth between here and Los Angeles. Harrison and
Quinn will join us for Christmas. Harrison doesn t have much family and when I told him about
Beaumont, he asked if they could come.
The one thing I haven t done is tell Sam that I ve left. I have my penthouse until the end of
March at which time I ll have to find temporary digs. I hope Jimmy and Harrison won t mind
recording music here.
When I told Harrison about Noah, he was excited and completely on board with my new plan. He
said he understood why I needed to make the change and said he d probably do the same thing if he
had just found out about Quinn.
Things with Josie are better but nonexistent and I m okay with that. She needs time to heal from
her break-up and I need time to be a dad. I have a lot of years to make up for.
We're getting a Christmas tree tomorrow. With everything unpacked and put away, the delivery
couldn t come at a better time. Katelyn and the girls are coming over to decorate apparently this is
Elle s specialty. Who am I to deny three beautiful women the opportunity to do all the hard work?
The doorbell rings and Noah yells, I'll get it! from the top of the stairs. I cringe when I hear
him stomping down the stairs. Both Josie and I are afraid he s going to slip and break something, but
he isn t listening to either of us. Maybe he ll listen when he s in the emergency room.
I hear a crash and something shattering. I run from the kitchen through the dining room, panic
setting in because I can t hear Noah; he s too quiet.
Noah, are you
I stop dead in my tracks. She stands there with casserole spread all over her feet, her hand
covering her gaping mouth, eyes watering. I set my hand on Noah s shoulder and look at her. She s
aged, but obviously had some work done. I can t tell if she still wears the same red lipstick she did
when I was growing up, but I somehow think she hasn t changed much.
Noah, why don t you go grab some gloves, a towel and a plastic bag and we ll get that cleaned
up.
Okay, Dad.
Noah runs off toward the kitchen. I wait a few beats before looking her in the eyes. She s
watching Noah.
What are you doing here?
She looks at me, the same cold stare I grew up with. If I didn t know better I d think she hated
me. That maybe I ruined her life.
I was& he s& casserole and& you re...
Are you really speechless or has the vodka finally impaired your ability to function like a
normal human?
I haven t had a drink in five years, she says.
Congratulations. You should go before my son comes back. I don t want to explain why we're
talking as if we know each other.
Liam
Don t, I say as I step over the mess she s created on my porch. I shut the door quietly behind
me so I can be frank with her. You don t get to Liam me. You stood by and watched as he threw me
out of the house. You re supposed to protect me and you should ve been protecting Noah. You live in
the same god damn town and he looks just like me, so don t tell me you haven t seen him or Josie
around. You should ve told me. You were the only one who knew how to get a hold of me and you
didn t.
I m sorry, I tried, but you know your father. He was adamant.
I don t want excuses. I missed ten years with him. Ten!
Can I meet him?
I have to look away because looking at her mascara running down her face like a Sunset Strip
street walker isn t doing much good for me. I hate seeing her like this and, sadly, it s my most vivid
memory of her.
Why should I let you?
You shouldn t. I m not a good person, Liam. I know that. I try, though, all the time to do
something good for someone. I m trying to be independent and not so
Robotic?
Is that how you saw me?
Yeah it is, I say moving toward the door. You can meet him, but Sterling can t. I don t want
him anywhere near my son.
She nods and follows me into the house. Noah is sitting on the steps with the supplies in his
hands. What are you doing sitting there? I ask him.
You were having a private conversation. I didn t want to interrupt.
He s so polite. I nod because he is. Josie has raised him well.
The bathroom is down the hall, Noah and I will clean up this mess.
Bianca Westbury walks down the hall in a home that I own. I swear I never thought I d see this
day in my lifetime. We clean up the mess and Noah hoses down the porch. I m afraid the steps will ice
over tonight, so we ll have to watch that in the morning.
Who s the lady? he asks. I want to say a stranger, but she s here and asking for an opportunity
that I m certain Josie wouldn t want her to have. I suppose if she wants to see Noah, she can come
over here and do it.
I look over my shoulder to see Bianca standing there wringing her hands. She s cleaned up the
best she can, but she s nervous. I ve never seen her so unsure of herself. I motion for her to sit down in
the living room. She takes one of the wing back chairs while Noah and I sit on the couch.
Remember when you asked if you could meet my parents? Noah nods. His eyes light up at the
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]