Hot Shot by Philips Susan Elizabeth

Author:Philips, Susan Elizabeth [Philips, Susan Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Chick-Lit, Contemporary
ISBN: 9780671658311
Publisher: Pocket
Published: 1991-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

December passed—sometimes a blur of activity, at other times painfully slow. Christmas was difficult for Susannah. While they exchanged presents around Angela's artificial tree, garishly decorated with plastic ornaments and ropes of pink tinsel, Susannah's thoughts wandered to the towering Douglas fir that would have been erected in the entrance hall at Falcon Hill, its branches glimmering with French silk ribbon and antique Baroque angels. Had Joel and Paige thought about her at all today? It had been foolish of her to cherish even a dim hope that the Christmas season would magically bring them all back together again. As she looked up at the plastic Santa on the top of Angela's tree, she felt unbearably sad.

She told herself she mustn't do it, but late that afternoon, while Sam and Angela were watching a football game on television, she slipped into the kitchen and dialed Falcon Hill. The phone began to ring, and she bit the inside of her lip.

“Hello.”

Her father's deep, abrupt voice was so familiar, so beloved. Her own voice sounded thin in response. “Father? It's—it's Susannah.”

“Susannah?” His voice lifted slightly at the end of her name, as if he might have forgotten who she was.

Her knuckles grew white as she gripped the receiver. “I—I just called to wish you a Merry Christmas.”

“You did? How unnecessary.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and her stomach twisted. He wasn't going to give in. How could she have let herself hope, even for a moment, that he would? “Are you well?”

“I'm fine, Susannah, but I'm afraid you've picked rather a bad time to call. Paige has planned a marvelous meal, and we're just sitting down to eat.”

She was overwhelmed with memories of past Christmases—the sights and smells and textures of the season. When she was a little girl, her father used to lift her high up on his shoulders so she could put the angel on top of the tree. An angel for an angel, he had said. Now Paige would be sitting in her seat at the bottom of the table, and that special smile he had once reserved for her would be given to her sister.

She was afraid she was going to cry, and she spoke quickly. “I won't keep you, then. Please tell Paige Merry Christmas for me.” The receiver hung heavily in her hand, but she couldn't sever this final connection by hanging up.

“If that's all?”

She hugged herself. “I didn't mean to interrupt. It's just—” Despite her best efforts, her voice broke. “Daddy, I got married.”

There was no response. No words of acknowledgment, let alone expressions of affection.

Tears began to run down her cheeks.

He finally spoke, in a voice as thin and reedy as an old man's. “I can't imagine why you thought I'd be interested.”

“Daddy, please—”

“Don't call me again, Susannah. Not unless you're ready to come home.”

She was crying openly now, but she couldn't let him go. If she held on just a little longer, it would be all right. It was Christmas. If she held on just a little longer, there would be no more angry words between them.

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