Secrets, p.12
Secrets, page 12
“But you love your daughter,” June observed.
Grace lowered her eyes and stared at her hands. She hadn’t made herself clear. The inability to communicate had been one of her problems during her marriage. She looked up at the members of the group. “Between a husband and wife,” she clarified.
The room was silent. Only the quiet sobs of the woman sitting next to Grace broke the stillness.
“That’s the saddest thing I’ve heard all day,” Howard finally said in his deep baritone voice.
Grace lifted her gaze to meet his compassionate one. She knew this man. How could she not know the former mayor of Heritage Springs and a prominent town lawyer? They’d never personally met, never been in the same social circles, but Howard Scott was well known to everyone in the small community.
As they stared at each other, Grace became defensive. What right did he have to judge her? She’d lived her life the best she knew how. She’d been loyal, accepting the consequences of her actions. Pleasing her parents, her husband. In the end, she’d not pleased her daughter and lost her, but she’d made her choices for reasons she thought moral.
Raising her chin and tilting back her head, Grace refused to buckle under the man’s scrutiny. She’d spent her life doing that. Never again. No, never again.
* * *
Prequel: Bluegrass Homecoming, book 1
Nom de Plume: Bluegrass Homecoming
Book 3 - Excerpt
When the dream of happily-ever-after is shattered, sometimes another door opens.
Friday Morning
Louisville, Kentucky
“Eat your oatmeal, Scotty,” Colleen Lyons said with a mother’s practiced voice.
The blond-haired boy stabbed at his gooey oatmeal with a spoon, preferring to pound the table with the end of his utensil rather than use it for eating. Tomorrow her son turned three. It hardly seemed possible. Time had flown so fast. Colleen cast a loving glance at Scotty before she turned to the kitchen counter where the one-cup coffee maker hissed as it finished brewing.
After pouring a generous amount of cream into the steaming cup of coffee, Colleen carried it to the table and placed it near her husband Daniel. He gazed at the morning paper without looking up, without acknowledging her helpfulness. That was all right. She didn’t work outside the home, after all, and being a housewife and mother meant she did additional duties, relieving Daniel of responsibility. He attended med school and needed time to study.
Life would be better once his schooling was complete, but that would be several years away. She could wait. Just as she waited on him daily, Colleen had patience enough for both of them. Nevertheless, she often imagined the future. It was like a shiny object just beyond her reach—Daniel in the pediatric practice with his father, Scotty going off to middle school, and maybe another child to care for, a daughter this time. She’d always wanted a big family.
Yet, there were times when Colleen bit her tongue. Like now. Daniel looked a mess. His hair was tousled and his rheumy eyes rimmed with dark circles. He remained in his pajamas—a loose-fitting Louisville Cardinals T-shirt and gray sweat pants.
She turned back to the stove where bacon sizzled. “I wish you’d drive to Heritage Springs tomorrow for Scotty’s birthday party.”
Using a fork to remove the bacon, Colleen drained it on a paper towel. Then she scrambled free-range eggs in a frying pan that didn’t have bacon grease in it. Daniel loved an old-fashioned breakfast. Cooking for him had been part of their routine since they met in college.
Putting the plate of food beside his paper, Colleen waited for a response. When none came, she drew her mouth into a rigid line. She never challenged Daniel, never complained. But when it came to Scotty, Colleen sometimes gathered her courage to speak.
“Did you hear me?”
Daniel looked up. “What?”
“I said I wished you’d take a break and come to Scotty’s birthday party tomorrow.”
“You know I can’t,” Daniel said. “I have a big exam in two weeks.”
“I know.” Colleen’s shoulders slumped. “I was hoping you’d find the time. Scotty only turns three once. You’re always studying and away from home.”
“We’ve discussed this, Colleen. My education comes first. It’s important to this family.”
Colleen surveyed him with disappointment. He had already turned his attention back to the newspaper. Her husband was doing his best. Becoming a doctor like his father was important to Daniel—to all of them. She fought back a stab of guilt. She shouldn’t complain. It wasn’t good to nag. She needed to be supportive.
“Aren’t you going to eat your breakfast?” Colleen asked with a sigh.
“What?” Daniel glanced up again. “Oh, yes. Sure.”
He laid down the paper and slowly moved the breakfast plate in front of him. Colleen noticed his hands shake as he picked up a slice of bacon.
“I don’t think you’re getting enough sleep.” The observation simply slipped out because it was natural for her to worry.
“I’m okay,” he mumbled, stabbing at his eggs like Scotty played with his oatmeal. “I have to study, you know?”
“Yes, I know.”
Still Colleen felt a niggling disquiet. She didn’t like the way her husband looked. She hated to see him pushing himself so hard, sacrificing so much for them.
Letting out a big breath that was too much like another sigh, Colleen turned back to the kitchen sink and dunked the skillet into a pan of hot, soapy water. She would double down on her efforts. She’d try harder to make life go easier for Daniel—his home life, which was the only thing she could control.
And she silently vowed again not to hassle her husband.
After finishing with cleanup, Colleen lifted Scotty from his booster seat. “Let’s go get ready, pumpkin. Grandpa and Nana are waiting for us.”
Before she left the kitchen, Colleen looked once more at the man she’d married with such joy only four years earlier. Daniel stared at his plate of food. He’d hardly eaten a thing.
Saturday Afternoon
Heritage Springs, Kentucky
Scotty scooted off his mother’s lap and ran after the soccer ball Rob tossed across the grass. Kelly Scott’s grandson had changed from a toddler into a little boy almost overnight.
She smiled as she lifted a frosty glass of lemonade and sipped the cold liquid from a straw. She loved her two guys so much. Her husband Rob was turning into a wonderful grandfather. He would have been a wonderful father too, if she had given him a chance to be. She set the glass down on the picnic table, refusing to let out a sigh of remorse.
The past was the past. She’d learned to let it lie. Or at least she tried not to allow guilt consume her. Kelly refused to think about “if only.” Sure, she’d had choices. But at eighteen, she’d thought her options limited. If only she’d had more courage, more self-esteem, she would have spoken up—should have spoken up. If she had, maybe she wouldn’t have raised her daughter Colleen as a single mom. Maybe Colleen would have known her father before she was a woman grown and married.
Kelly slid her gaze over to her daughter. They sat together on the stone patio under the shade of a canvas awning, the canopy keeping the worst of the July sun from their faces. Scotty’s birthday gifts had been opened and the chocolate cake and ice cream eaten. It was good to relax a minute. Good to sit.
Her daughter was so beautiful. Colleen was tall like her father with Rob’s blond good looks. She had a pert little nose and two cute dimples that appeared when she smiled. Pregnancy and childbirth had made a genuine woman out of her, rounding her figure from the slender shape of her teen years. It was nice Daniel had found a way to keep Colleen at home. His mother had been a stay-at-home mom, raising four children. Daniel made it clear he expected to do the same for Colleen and his family.
“I’m sorry Daniel couldn’t make it today,” Kelly said.
Colleen glanced at her mother and then quickly looked away. “He’s studying.”
“Yes, I know. Still, Scotty only has one three-year-old birthday party.”
“Mom, don’t start.”
Kelly didn’t want to start, but a mother’s sixth sense told her something was wrong. Daniel’s schoolwork had reached a crisis point six months earlier with medical school becoming a huge ordeal. At that time, he’d asked Colleen if she and Scotty could leave the house on weekends so he could study in quiet. Trying to save money and do as Daniel asked, Colleen had driven to Heritage Springs every weekend since then and stayed with Rob and Kelly.
Kelly was glad to see Scotty and her daughter so often, but her hospitality was wearing a little thin. Darn it! Sometimes she wanted the weekends to herself. She and Rob were almost newlyweds too. And with her husband busy during the week at his law practice, Kelly selfishly thought she didn’t spend enough time with him.
But she had deprived Rob of watching Colleen grow up. For the life of her, she wasn’t about to say “no” to her daughter’s request. Besides, Rob got such a kick out of pretending to be Scotty’s father on weekends.
Rob was with their little grandson so much he was taking the place of the child’s father.
The thought jarred Kelly. Her mouth suddenly felt dry. She reached for the glass of lemonade. The bitter liquid went down her throat, cooling it, but not her annoyance. In the yard, Rob kicked the ball, and Scotty chased it, trying to mimic his grandfather and boot it back.
“It’s almost five o’clock,” Kelly said in what she hoped was a conversational tone as she turned her gaze back to Colleen. “If you left soon, you might surprise Daniel at home, and he’d have an hour or two with Scotty before bedtime.”
Her daughter looked irritated. Kelly was interfering. But it was her prerogative, wasn’t it? It came with being a mother and wanting her daughter to grow a backbone. For whatever reason, Colleen always deferred to Daniel. Kelly had tried to accept the submissiveness that had come with Colleen’s relationship with Daniel. But she didn’t like it one bit.
Colleen lifted her chin. “Daniel is studying.”
“All day?”
“Yes. He needs the quiet time to prepare for a big exam.”
Kelly returned her gaze to the backyard playing field. Rob scooped Scotty up in his arms and gave him a big hug and kiss.
“I’m glad Rob gets time to enjoy Scotty,” Kelly said with a soft sigh. She swirled the lemonade in her glass. “He didn’t have time with you to watch you grow up. I’m sorry Daniel is missing all this quality time with his son.”
“He’ll have plenty of time when he finishes med school,” Colleen was quick to respond.
“Well, I hope so,” Kelly said. “For Scotty’s sake.”
Kelly glanced at her daughter. Colleen’s mouth was drawn into a thin line. Kelly recognized that look of displeasure. Whether it was with Daniel or with her suggestion, Kelly couldn’t guess.
She looked toward the yard where Rob had put Scotty on his shoulders and trotted around, the child giggling and squealing with glee. No need to press Colleen. The scene in front of them told the story Kelly had tried to convey. Scotty was growing up without his real father.
The Bluegrass Reunion Series Returns!
Kentucky Woman
What is Jack willing to do to win the heart of this spirited Kentucky woman?
Kentucky Blue Bloods
When Kentucky blue blood tangles with British blue blood, are they willing to take a gamble on love?
Kentucky Bride / Kentucky Heat
Two novellas in one book
How far is Cam willing to go for his business? Can he turn a skittish Kentucky horse trainer into his Kentucky bride?
<>
Is Reggie crazy to think she can convince Hank he’s more than just his daddy’s name and fortune, without getting tangled up in his alluring Kentucky heat?
Kentucky Flame
Is there enough of an ember in the ashes of their past to reignite the flames of love?
Kentucky Groom
Can a marriage of convenience prove that a California millionaire can be the perfect Kentucky groom?
Kentucky Cowboy
Will Mandy take a second chance with her Kentucky cowboy and risk her heart this time?
Kentucky Rain
Carrying a torch is ridiculous. There’s no time like the present to move on. But does Scott really want to?
Contemporary romances about second chances set in the Bluegrass of Kentucky that can be read as standalone novels with happily ever after endings and no cliffhangers.
Thank you!
For purchasing this book from
Saddle Horse Press
Jan Scarbrough, Secrets
