Going Home, At Your Age? by Jacqueline Diamond

Author:Jacqueline Diamond
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: christmas, clean romance, holiday romance, second chance, single mother, family reunion, friends to lovers, small town romance, mature romance, later in life
Publisher: Jacqueline Diamond

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Shocked by Melina’s announcement, Nate stood frozen. The dismay on Sara’s face stirred both compassion and a spike of anger at her thoughtless daughter.

How could she bring that jerk here and force Sara to confront him? And where was Gavin? No one stirred inside the house, or marched through a doorway.

“Unfortunately, the man who took advantage of my birth mother—he didn’t rape her, I was mistaken about that—but used and abandoned her, is nowhere to be found,” Melina declared.

Beside her, the tension eased from Sara’s shoulders as she registered that she wasn’t about to come face to face with the man. Nate forgave the younger woman—almost.

“Nearly four years ago, while under investigation for allegedly scamming clients at his real estate company, Gavin Everly disappeared,” Melina explained. “Here’s his picture. If you’ve seen him, please call the Rancho Allegro police.”

Although Nate couldn’t see the photo of Gavin that she referred to, he visualized the man at once, from the reddish-blond hair like Melina’s, to his arrogant strut in the corridor at their high school, to the smug expression he’d worn while draping a possessive arm around Kiri at their rehearsal dinner.

That creep had almost become Nate’s brother-in-law. He shuddered.

Melina wasn’t finished. Cradling her baby, she went on, “If this was only about me and my birth father, I’d let it go. But it’s about justice, too. For my birth mom and for the people he cheated. Gavin Everly was notorious for charming—some might say seducing—older women into making bad investments that he profited from. It’s time he faced the consequences.”

Nate wondered if Melina risked being sued for slander. Still, Gavin wasn’t likely to risk showing up in a courtroom.

“Please don’t pursue this matter for my sake,” Sara broke in. “I haven’t wasted my energy thinking about him for thirty years.”

Melina leaned forward, then straightened in response to the baby’s whimper. “Yes, but he disappeared less than four years ago. And you aren’t the only victim of his cruelty.”

If she dragged Kiri’s ruined wedding into this tale of woe, Nate vowed to interrupt. However, the young woman took a different tack.

“He tricked widows out of their life savings,” she said. “There must be at least one person who knows or suspects where he is. How dare they stay silent!”

Nate shot a questioning glance at Freddie, who was studying the scene in front of his camera with a grim air. He must not share his girlfriend’s passion for stringing up Gavin Everly.

“I did reach his younger brother, who was stunned to learn he had a niece—me—he’d never heard of,” Melina went on. “He was furious about Gavin’s behavior and seems like a nice guy, so I’m leaving him out of this.”

Good. Nate sympathized with the fellow, who’d had to apologize to everyone at the wedding on behalf of his cowardly sibling. As for Gavin, after being caught with Eden, he’d fled the venue.

“Guess what else?” Melina had evidently done some research. “He was married for decades, with no kids, so I’m still an only child.

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