River's Return (River's End Series, #3) by Davis Leanne

Author:Davis, Leanne [Davis, Leanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Leanne Davis
Published: 2015-09-30T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

ALLISON HAD TO STOP at her house to splash water on her face that was still hot and red with total humiliation. Jack caught her being groped. Outside. On their homestead. One of her students’ fathers. She was mortified with herself and Shane. And too ashamed to face either of them again. Still, she had dinner scheduled tonight. Putting on fresh makeup, she wove her hair into a braid and smoothed her clothes. She made sure nothing got on them while she was pressed against a working mechanic’s shop door. She saw no obvious grease or oil marks and shook her head. It was such a stupid thing to do.

They were meeting at River’s End Café. Casual. Easy. Not a date. She entered the small café and saw him seated at a window table. The river glimmered in the sun.

“Hello, Patrick.” He lifted his head at her quiet tone and they stared at one another. She finally dropped into the seat across from him.

“Hi, Allison,” he said solemnly, and his eyes glowed with kindness. Her lips trembled as she tried to muster a smile. But none came. His was no more than a watered-down version. He let out a deep breath. “This is so hard.”

“This isn’t hard, Patrick. You know that. This? Everything else is easy.” She raised her eyebrows as if goading him into an argument. He nodded. He understood. More than anyone.

He waved a hand towards her as if encompassing all of her top half. “You look good. This place seems to add more sparkle to your eye. Some of your old color seems to have returned.”

She glanced up from the menu, slightly startled. No, she felt no sparkle or color. Not from this place. Shane? Maybe it was from getting caught nearly having sex by the parent of one of her students. That would add color to anyone’s visage.

The waitress came by and they ordered drinks, wine for both of them. They had the same tastes, the same interests and the same look. They were quiet, ordinary professionals, seeking only the average, typical benchmarks of life: a good job, a decent residence, marriage, kids. That’s why they got married.

Patrick glanced out over the view. “How was yesterday?”

“As bad as always.”

“Me too.”

“I know that.” She touched his hand. She really did get it.

He clutched her fingers in his. “I have to tell you something.”

“Yes, I figured by you making the trip here.”

“Sandy’s pregnant.” He said it quickly, but his touch was soft as he kept rubbing her fingers. She briefly shut her eyes at the stabbing pain and jealousy. Then she opened them.

“I figured that. You’ve been married two years. It’s time, right?”

“I think so.” He shrugged. “I don’t know that for sure yet, Allison. It's—not easy.”

She wanted him to be less of a nice person. He should’ve come here gloating. Or not come at all. He should not have cared how his actions ripped through her. But she’d known Patrick for ten years, and she knew how much he cared and meant this.

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