Over the Waters by Deborah Raney

Author:Deborah Raney [Raney, Deborah]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Women, General
ISBN: 9781472089441
Google: bs3vAgAAQBAJ
Amazon: B001873RQ8
Publisher: Mills & Boon
Published: 2008-05-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Valerie and Samantha exchanged worried glances as Max excused himself from the table. Valerie wanted to kick herself. Why didn't she just keep her big mouth shut when she was around this man?

Sarah pushed her chair away and stood. "I will ask them to get the next group of children ready." She turned and followed Max into the dining room.

"I feel terrible," Valerie whispered when they were out of earshot.

"Don't worry," Samantha said. "You didn't say anything you shouldn't have. He's just having a hard time accepting Josh's death."

"Yes, and I keep reminding him. I don't know how I manage always to say exactly the wrong thing."

But Samantha shook her head. "It's not your fault. In fact, you're saying things he needs to hear. I'm sure being here in Haiti makes Josh's death all the more real for him. I just feel bad because it seems like he's taking his pain out on you. Honestly, I'm having a hard time believing that man is Joshua's father."

"What do you mean?"

"Josh was just...very different. He was always in a good mood, always thinking of other people first." A faraway look came to the young woman's eyes and a flush of pink bloomed on her cheeks.

"You knew Josh pretty well then?"

"Yes. We were...we were good friends," she said finally.

"Oh. Were you...more than friends?" Valerie hesitated, then shook her head. "I'm sorry. There I go sticking my foot in my mouth again. I didn't mean to pry."

"No, it's okay." Samantha bit her lip. "It feels good to be able to talk about it to somebody." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I was in love with Josh. He...he never knew...not for sure."

"Oh, Samantha. How awful. You never got to tell him? I'm so sorry."

"We did talk about it a little. In the hospital. He knew he was dying. He said--Well, I guess he had feelings for me, too."

"Does Max know?"

"No. And please don't tell him."

Valerie shook her head. "Of course not. I won't say anything."

"Max is having enough trouble dealing with things as it is. It would only complicate matters for him to know there was anything...Well, you know..."

"I won't say anything," Valerie repeated. "Oh, but I'm so sorry for you, Samantha." She put a hand on the girl's arm.

"I was supposed to be in the Bahamas on my honeymoon this week, so I think I understand--"

"Oh, Valerie." Samantha's eyes grew wide. "What happened?"

She waved her off. "No, no...nothing tragic. I'm not trying to compare my loss to yours." That wasn't exactly true. In the aftermath of her breakup with Will, she had tried to imagine what it would have been like to have lost Will to death. And she sometimes thought that might have been easier. "My fiance and I broke up a few weeks before the wedding. "Please." She held up a hand. "I wasn't looking for sympathy. Really. But I have to admit, part of me is envious of what you had with your Joshua." She let her words fade away.

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