Finding Forever(50)

“Not really, baby girl. But I’m working on feeling better.” What a lie, though it was a white lie. She was barely holding it together.

“Can I do anything to help, Auntie?”

“Isn’t that a question I’m supposed to be asking you?” Whitney said as she pulled her niece onto her lap.

“You’re the one who told me grown-ups need help sometimes too,” Ally reminded her.

“You are growing into such a beautiful young woman,” Whitney told her, hoping and praying she could take just a small amount of credit for that.

“I know something bad is happening.” A tear ran down Ally’s cheek and Whitney’s heart shattered the rest of the way.

“Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry. I have to go now, but I’ll see you really soon. Don’t worry.”

Whitney’s sanity was hanging on by a thread. She hugged both children and scurried away. If she didn’t leave this oppressive setting right now, she’d talk herself out of it, and it was obvious she wasn’t wanted.

She made it to the taxi she’d called and away from the mansion before she allowed any more tears to fall. Her heart was devastated, but she’d survived worse things in her life, and she would survive this too. The taxi pulled up at a cheap hotel nearby, and she took a handkerchief to her face as she walked inside her shabby little room. Maybe she should just go back to Oregon.

But she couldn’t believe that moving away was best for her niece and nephew. There really was nothing left there except for a house that held too many memories. Yes, most of them were good, but for now it served only as a reminder that two people they all loved were never coming back. It really was best for them all to find a new life on this side of the country. She’d be able to figure out the details without …

To heck with it. Right now she couldn’t even think about the rest of the day — let alone the future.

Everyone was allowed a private pity party for at least one night. And after all, she was by herself. Who would know anyway?





Chapter Twenty-Eight


Where is your Aunt Whitney?” Liam asked Brayden as the two children came into the room.

“She left, Uncle Liam. Didn’t she tell you?”

“Left? Where did she go?”

“She told us that she had to leave for a while, but we don’t understand why,” Brayden replied. “She said she didn’t belong here and had to leave. She was so sad. I haven’t seen her so sad since … well, since … you know.” The boy bowed his head and looked down at the table.

Liam was rendered speechless. What could have possibly happened?

Without another word, he rushed to the office he had in his father’s house and placed a phone call. He then rushed out to find his father and explain that he’d be late for dinner.

With his connections, it didn’t take long to find her, and with his heart thundering like never before, Liam approached the door of her hotel room and rapped on it with some force. He waited impatiently for the knob to turn.

“Who’s there?”

Was that her voice? His heart thumped as he stood there waiting, wondering if he should tell her he was the one there.

“Open the door.”

Silence greeted those commanding words. But he could almost feel her on the other side of door. Placing his hand against the wood, he hung his head, frustration mounting.

“I’m not leaving, Whitney. I don’t care if it takes all night.”

Finally, he heard the sound of the locks unlatching and then the knob was turning. He didn’t move as it opened, and now she was standing before him.

When he saw her red-rimmed eyes, his heart burst out in a gallop. “Why?”

“What are you doing here, Liam?”

She sounded so defeated. None of this made sense.

“Why on earth did you leave?” he said, pulling her into his arms.

“Don’t do this to me. Liam. You’re a better man than this. … Or … or maybe you aren’t.”

“What are you saying? You know very well how much I love you.”

His heart pounding in triple time, his happiness in her hands, he stood there in agony. What would she say This moment was the longest , the most hellacious of his life. This was why he hadn’t wanted to fall in love, hadn’t wanted to put his happiness into someone else’s hands. He couldn’t stand the loss of control.

But even more frightening to him than losing control was the thought of losing this woman.





Chapter Twenty-Nine


Whitney shook her head, trying to clear it and to deny his words at the same time. He couldn’t love her if he felt ashamed of her.

“You … you were talking to your father. You said I was an embarrassment,” she finally said, horrified she had to admit she’d overheard the awful conversation that had sent her running from the mansion.