Scandal at the Speakeasy by Lauri Robinson

Author:Lauri Robinson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-11-25T19:07:13+00:00

* * *

Mick kept telling himself that Lisa going home would be the best thing all the way around. Believing what he told himself was a different task. He hadn’t told anyone about his father not wanting him to be a police officer, not even Twila. Yet, like other things, telling Lisa hadn’t been hard, at all.

There was more to it than that. Holding her down by the river hadn’t been hard, either, and it had opened up something inside him. Something so bright and warm, and completely foreign, he knew it could never happen again.

Holding her could never happen again. She’d felt too good. Smelled too good.

He gave his head a clearing shake in order to hear what Tony was saying.

His mother had said that Tony wanted to see him, so he’d gone upstairs, and had truthfully admitted that he didn’t know what Lisa would do next.

“I’m just thankful that I got to see her again,” Tony said. “That in itself was a dream come true. It was too much to hope that she’d understand. I agreed with Bertha, when she said that it was best for Lisa. That she’d already lost one father, and shouldn’t have to lose another one.” The old man shook his head. “There wasn’t any other choice. Bertha was pregnant. I had to let them live their lives. Without me.”

Mick leaned forward in his chair. “Pregnant? Lisa never mentioned a sibling.”

“Bertha lost the baby,” Tony said. “She’d lost two babies before we had Lisa.”

“Is that in the letters you gave Lisa?” Mick asked.

Tony shook his head. “No, that is the one letter I didn’t give her.”

“Why? Lisa needs to know. Maybe it will help her understand.”

Tony shook his head again. “I’ve already said enough. I don’t want to sully Bertha’s memory. Please don’t tell her, Mick. It’s not necessary.”

Mick didn’t agree, and a heavy knot formed in his stomach. Sully Bertha’s memory? What about Lisa? From the beginning of this, he hadn’t been able to tell her all he’d known, and it just kept happening. He wanted it to stop. Now, before she truly hated him. Not only for starting all this, but for never telling her all he knew.

“I would like to see her again before she leaves, if you can convince her of that,” Tony said.

Flustered, Mick said, “That will be her choice. I won’t force her to do anything, ever again, but if you don’t tell her the truth, all of it, I will.” He walked to the door, and upon opening it, came face-to-face with Lisa. Her soft, almost serene smile sent his heart careening like an out-of-control car on a slippery corner.

“Is he awake?” she asked.

“Yes,” Tony answered from the bed.

Mick stepped aside so Lisa could enter the room. He laid a hand on her arm and silently questioned if she wanted him to stay. When she shook her head, he felt a sense of pride at her strength and resolve.

He hoped she found pride in herself, for all she’d accomplished, but more than that, he hoped that Tony would tell her the entire truth.

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