Loving From Afar (The Women of Independence, #1) by Mona Ingram

Author:Mona Ingram
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: New adult NA sweet romance HEA happy happily ever after ending, friends to lovers first love British Columbia small town, what is the top selling best selling romance series number one 1 five 5 star mona ingram, lost love heartbreak tearjerker strong heroine misunderstanding, baby pregnancy second chances, love triangle secret baby, women of independence the last goodbye never look back
Publisher: Mona Ingram
Published: 2014-03-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Allison walked slowly down Main Street the next morning. Was she procrastinating... afraid of what she would find when she went inside the hardware store? Probably. A few people greeted her as though she’d never been away and a warm feeling crept over her. Yes, it was good to be back.

She pushed open the door of the hardware store and breathed in the familiar smell. The clatter of the paint mixer caught her attention and she looked over, but it was Danny O’Keefe, a man who had worked here ever since Allison could remember. She made her way through the store and paused in front of Marty Slater’s door. He was studying a printout of some sort and she waited for him to look up and spot her through the glass, but he was engrossed. She tapped lightly and opened the door.

He looked up, and it seemed to take a few moments for her presence to register. “Allison, hello,” he said finally. “Good to see you.” He came out from behind the desk and shook her hand. “How are you?”

“Fine, Mr. Slater. I’ve come to ask about Cole.”

He studied her for a moment, as though trying to decide what to tell her. “Cole,” he said finally, and his shoulders slumped a little. “He doesn’t live here anymore.”

Allison’s heart plummeted. “When did he leave?”

“The day after he went to see you.” He paused. “He did go to see you, didn’t he? He came back here and said the two of you were finished.”

Allison clutched the back of a chair for support. “Yes, he did.” She looked around the office, trying to avoid Marty Slater’s probing gaze. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Where is he? Is he all right?”

Marty was having a hard time looking at her. “I’ve heard from him a couple of times, and he seems fine, but I’m sorry, Allison, he asked me not to tell you where he’s gone.”

Tears rolled down Allison’s cheeks and she did nothing to stop them. Her life had spiralled out of control and she could do nothing to get it back on track. She turned to leave. “Would you please tell him I asked about him?”

Marty Slater looked at the overwrought young woman. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea, Allison.” It was one of the hardest things he’d ever done. “But if he asks about you, I’ll be sure to tell him that you came in.”

The words struck her like a slap in the face. She’d endured worse when her supposed school friends had turned away from her, but this was a different type of hurt.

Oddly enough, she understood Marty’s desire to protect his son; his response was the best she could hope for. She fished in her purse for a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. “Thank you.”

She walked on stiff legs through the store and crossed the street without paying attention to traffic. Thankfully, it was a quiet day. She headed toward a park bench and slumped down, trying to compose herself.

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