Love's Little Secrets (Sweet Grove Romance Book 2; First Street Church #10) by Sharon Hughson & Sweet Promise Press

Author:Sharon Hughson & Sweet Promise Press [Hughson, Sharon & Press, Sweet Promise]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction, Forever Love, Inspirational Reads, Love Inspired, Bachelor, Single Woman, Hearts Desire, Clean & Wholesome, Life-Changes, Second Chance Reunion, Honesty & Trust, Home & Family, Lifetime Love, Romantic Schemes, Love-Family & Forever, Action & Adventure, Small Town & Rural Area, Beautiful & Feisty, Sweet Grove Romance, First Street Church Series, Multi-Author Collection
Publisher: Sweet Promise Press
Published: 2018-08-10T04:00:00+00:00

11

A strangled groan echoed around the dining room. Herman struggled against the vise squeezing his chest and gasped for air. Dark spots danced at the edge of his vision. The agony of a thousand stakes being driven into his chest anchored him to the chair.

From somewhere beyond the dancing spots, he heard Adonis cry, “Dad!”

Even the sound of that word on the boy’s lips didn’t ease the pain. His fingers scrabbled against his chest. Adonis rushed to his side and jerked the chair away from the table. Herman grunted at the sudden motion.

Adonis pressed his ear to Herman’s chest. When he raised his head, he asked, “Can you hear me?”

The effort to bob his head sent pain radiating down both arms. Breath rasped along his throat like sandpaper, and he twitched, trying to escape the pain.

“Heart.” The strangled whisper wreaked more torture inside his ribcage.

Adonis thumped the center of Herman’s chest. The world wavered.

Herman sucked in a breath, and Adonis collapsed into the chair beside him.

“Are you okay?” The boy’s voice quivered.

Herman’s eyes closed. His chest shuddered, and his hand clenched and released as if he was running an air pump.

The little boy voice dredged up memories of wide, dark eyes and playing catch in the fading light, and a stream of chatter and questions.

Herman opened his eyes. His head lolled toward Adonis, who touched his shoulder.

“What happened?”

“Norma left.”

Adonis grimaced. “Are you having a heart attack?”

Herman shrugged. Thoughts circled his brain like crows over a carcass. Adonis’s voice rumbled on, but the words jumbled together. Memories flashed behind Herman’s eyelids. Years of seeking his father’s approval overlapped with instances when Adonis tugged at his sleeve, eyes desperate for a father’s endorsement.

Time slurred. Adonis asked him questions, and he tried to concentrate. His head nodded and lolled, but he couldn’t remember the questions or make his lips form an answer.

Norma left him. He broke her heart. He wasn’t any different than his father.

“We need to get to the hospital.” His son’s words penetrated the fog around his mind.

Adonis grappled for purchase on Herman’s arm. Herman shrugged out of the grip. “I just need to rest,” he muttered.

Somehow he scooted the heavy chair closer to the table. His hands trembled as they wrapped around the giant coffee mug.

Another pain sliced into his chest. Norma had walked out, and he’d failed her again.

Adonis disappeared then reappeared. Haze settled on Herman’s thoughts, and every breath took effort.

Suddenly, he was in the car. Was he dying? If he died, how would he be remembered? As a successful salesman or a cheating husband? Would anyone even care?

He curled his fingers over his chest, closing his eyes. His mother’s tired, lined face shimmered into focus. She slapped a bowl of watery potato soup in front of Herman, claiming she wasn’t hungry.

“I gave her everything.” His lips felt heavy as he mumbled.

“What?” Adonis sounded far away.

His dad hadn’t cheated. He never had time. He traveled from oil rig to oil rig, across Oklahoma and Texas. The offshore drillers had offered him more pay, but before he could take the job, a fire claimed his life.

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