Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“I’m trying,” I said between sniffles. “I think I’m getting there. It’s just…” Placing a hand over my heart, I closed my eyes. “I’ve never felt this way before. The way Aiden looks at me is so new, and I don’t want to taint that with my past.”
“Oh, Emma, sweetheart,” Patty said as she wrapped an arm around me. “I’ve never seen my son look at any other woman—including Lisa—the way he looks at you. I knew the moment I first saw the two of you together. Emma, you have no idea what you’ve done for Aiden.”
“You really don’t,” Tammy added, as the other woman murmured in agreement.
“Emma, you’ve saved my son.”
My eyes went wide. “What?”
Patty nodded her head as a tear made its way down her own cheek. “He was so lost before you came, struggling so hard with his demons…guilt and sadness and fear for himself and Hadley. You brought a light back into my son’s eyes that I haven’t seen since the day Hadley was born.”
“Dalton says Aiden laughs at work again. He doesn’t hide out in his office, and he’s been spending more time with his friends. You did that, Emma.”
I smiled at Tammy, then Patty, before looking around at the other women. With a shake of my head, I let out a huge breath. “Somebody must have prayed for me.”
Patty tilted her head and gave me a questioning look.
“My whole life, I’ve never truly had anyone care about me. Not my father, my mother, my husband or his family. I’ve felt alone my entire life. There were so many times I wished I could just get in my car and drive away. Times I wished Ben would get called back up in the military and…”
Closing my eyes I felt my body tremble at the thought.
Opening my eyes, I looked at Rose. “Then one day, I woke up and just decided…it was enough. I was done. I packed a bag, took the money I’d been saving and just a few personal items, and I left. I went straight to a lawyer the wife of one of Ben’s friends had used. He took my case pro bono, because his mother had been in an abusive relationship with his father.
“We got a restraining order, and I told my lawyer I wanted to sign everything over to Ben. I didn’t take anything except for that single suitcase of clothes and the money I’d saved. I think Ben was so stunned that I would even think of leaving him, he didn’t fight me on the divorce. Not until a week before the court date. He showed up at my Aunt Mary’s house and demanded to see me. She called the police while Ben stood on the front porch and put on one heck of a show. He begged me not to leave him. Said he would change, that he loved me.”
I shook my head. “He loved the power he had over me. When I told him no, I wasn’t taking him back, he looked stunned. Like it never occurred to him that I wouldn’t. Then he actually started to cry—and even then, I couldn’t feel sorry for him. The police came and he left without further incident. The next time I saw him was the day of our divorce. I left the courthouse, went directly to the airport, and flew to Colorado.”
“Emma,” Rose asked, “how did his brother know how to find you?”
“He’s in the FBI, and of course he knew my maiden name. I’m sure it didn’t take him long to find me. I changed my last name as soon as I left Ben.”
Turning back to Patty, I said, “I know I met Aiden by the grace of God. I know He had a hand in it. That’s what I meant when I said somebody must have prayed for me.”
With a nod, Patty reached for me and hugged me tightly. “Somebody prayed for both of you, my darling girl.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
AIDEN - HER TRUTH
I watched when Emma walked out of the church, arm in arm with Tammy and my mother. But my smile faded when I studied Emma more closely. She looked exhausted. Like she’d been through an emotional roller coaster. I jumped out of the car and made my way toward them.
My mother held up her hand to stop me. “She’s fine. Everything’s fine.”
“Not really,” Tammy added. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to touch Shannon’s hands.”
I frowned in confusion as the three women burst out laughing.
“Why do you look like you’ve been crying?” I asked Emma.
She exhaled. “Can we head on back to your place? I’ll explain everything there.”
Nodding, I glanced over to my mother and Tammy. They both smiled.
Placing my hand on the small of Emma’s back, I guided her to my truck. Once inside, she turned to look at me. “I know it’s cold, but is there somewhere else we can go and talk? Somewhere…” Her voice trailed off.