From Exes to Expecting by Laurel Greer

Author:Laurel Greer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-12-07T18:41:23+00:00

Chapter Nine

In the corner of the turquoise-spritzed lounge of the Creekview Lodge, a pair of musicians played an acoustic guitar rendition of “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.” Lauren decided it was her theme song. She fit the definitions of all three of those words, and was closing in on bedraggled, beleaguered and besieged. Her hair had wilted during the speeches, and she was tired of talking to people who were being overly polite and obviously not asking her about Tavish. All the while their eyes glinted with curiosity.

Lauren sneaked out one of the sliding doors onto the balcony. She didn’t begrudge her brother his lot in life, swaying to the music with his new wife. He deserved to fall in love and be happy about fatherhood and marriage and having a job he loved. But everything about today reminded her about how she had the opposite.

There was no point in falling in love with Tavish again. Parenthood would be mostly on her shoulders—he’d float in between trips to maintain a connection with their child, but not with her. Cadie was right: Tavish saying he loved her wasn’t enough. The words needed actions to mean anything.

The night air, still warm despite the setting sun, provided no relief from the sweat trickling under her strapless bra. She skirted behind the cluster of chairs arranged for the post-dusk fireworks and headed to one of the wooden staircases. Diamond-patterned metal grates lined the steps. Necessary to stop skiers from slipping, but treacherous for summer heels. Clinging to the cedar railing, she minced her way from the deck to the ground below. She didn’t want to miss the fireworks, but wanted to watch them alone. She squinted in the dim light and found her way around to the picnic tables on the west side of the building. Climbing onto the nearest table of the group, she hiked her dress up enough to allow her to sit cross-legged. She tugged off her shoes and rubbed the balls of her feet.

As perfect as things were going to get. Removing articles of clothing couldn’t alleviate the ache in her chest.

The sunset blended peach into pink into mauve, a gift for the eyes. Tavish could do wonders with this display of color. How could someone so capable of capturing beauty not be willing to create the wonder of a marriage or a united family? But deep down she knew why. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to. It was that he didn’t believe he could. If time travel were possible, going back a few decades and tearing a strip off Tavish’s father for having jerked his family around would be one of her first stops. But fantasizing wouldn’t actually result in Tavish dealing with his issues. In him being an equal, committed partner.

Her eyes welled. Pulling her legs to her chest, she dropped her forehead onto her knees. The silk hem of her dress substituted for a tissue, absorbing her tears. She gently dabbed at her eyes with her fingertips.

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