Billionaire's Touch(55)

They’ll never really be gone, because I’ll keep the memories alive and both of them in my heart forever. They showed me what it was like to truly be happy and loved. Both of them would hate it if I stayed sad when I think about them.

“They wanted me to be happy, Lily. That’s why they lied to keep me here in Amesport,” Randi murmured quietly to her dog as she lifted her head from Lily’s fur.

Swiping away the rest of the tears from her face with her glove, Randi walked back to her car and removed a pretty red rose from the backseat. She took the calla lily and wrapped the two flowers together with the tag the other visitor had provided and walked back to the two stones.

Gingerly, she dropped the entwined flowers back between the two graves, her heart much lighter than when she’d arrived.

She didn’t know who had dropped off the calla lily and cleaned the path and markers, but she and that person had a connection, an abiding love for two of the kindest people who had ever existed.

“I hope I can make you both proud,” Randi whispered, determined to make their every sacrifice really count. “I’ll try my best.”

Lily whined softly, as though she agreed with Randi.

She patted the dog on the head. “Come on, girl. Let’s go home.”

The canine sprinted in front of her to the SUV. Randi followed slowly, thinking about some of the happy memories she’d created with Dennis and Joan. She’d have those peaceful times in her heart forever even as she began to let go of her sadness.

Finally, the healing would begin.





CHAPTER 15



“Evan looks so much happier,” Mara Sinclair shared with Randi as the women put food away and loaded the dishwasher in Hope’s kitchen. “I’ve been so worried about him.”

Randi wrapped the remainder of the chocolate cake that she’d made and placed it carefully in the refrigerator. “Was he that bad?” she asked curiously.

Hope snorted as she wiped the stovetop. “Yes,” she answered simply.

One of Randi’s attempts to make Evan happy had been to gather his entire family in the same place for dinner. Some moments had been painful to watch since she could see Evan’s struggle not to pull away from them because the habit was ingrained, but he was doing well. She had told him that so much happiness came from the people who loved him, so she’d arranged to have a family dinner at Hope’s home.

The ladies had kicked the men out of the kitchen even though they’d tried to help clean up. Poor Hope was afraid for the safety of her dinnerware. Not that it had taken that much arm-twisting to make the guys retreat to the living room, but they’d grumbled goodheartedly anyway.

With Randi, Emily, Hope, Sarah, and Mara in the kitchen, they’d made short work of cleaning up.

“I can’t believe he actually ate my lasagna and garlic bread. He even went for dessert,” Mara contemplated, her voice sounding happily surprised.

“He didn’t just eat it. Evan enjoyed it,” Emily said, a smile on her face. “It was so nice to see him eat for a change.”

Randi grinned. “I’m slowly trying to introduce him to the joys of eating things that aren’t good for him. His diet was boring and bland. It’s not like he’s going to get fat. He works out.”

“Thank God he’s eating like a normal guy,” Mara replied. “I just wish we had known sooner what he went through as a child. I can’t imagine having dyslexia with a father like theirs.” She shuddered visibly. “It had to have been a nightmare for him.”

Randi knew exactly how Evan’s childhood had affected him all the way into adulthood. “He was beaten pretty badly. You can still see the scars.”

The kitchen went absolutely silent, all of the women suddenly staring at Randi.

“Oh, my God. Grady told me his father didn’t beat him,” Emily said in a somber tone.

“Jared said the same,” Mara related.

“Dante, too,” Sarah added.

“Our father was an asshole and verbally abusive. If he didn’t have something bad to say, he ignored us completely for the most part,” Hope explained. “But as far as I know, he didn’t ever beat any of us.” She looked directly at Randi. “Is it true? Did Evan really get beaten? Why wouldn’t he tell me that part?”

Randi knew exactly why Evan had never told . . . now. She should have kept quiet. Evan putting himself out there as his father’s target for physical abuse had kept his other siblings from getting beaten. Even though she thought his siblings should know everything, she shouldn’t be the one to break that news. “I assumed you all knew. He said he told you about his childhood.”