“Well, I was wondering when he was going to show up,” Jed interrupted. Danny just then decided he wanted down, so Jed slung him over his shoulder to distract him.
“Who’s here, Jed?” Diana asked.
Laura felt a flutter of butterflies in her stomach when Jed glanced at Diana with a look that had her covering her mouth with her palm and turning away.
“My cousin, your husband,” Jed said as he started toward the stairs. Gabriel was at the window with Jed, and he raced toward the stairs and started down.
“Gabriel, come back here!” Laura said, but this time he didn’t listen, as he was out the door. She could hear him call out, “Andy, Andy.”
Laura went to the window and gazed out at Andy, dressed as he always was in dark jeans and a long-sleeved dark shirt, but he wasn’t as neat as usual. He lifted Gabriel in his strong arms and hugged him.
“You know, Andy has a lot of faults, but caring for Gabriel is not one of them.” Diana was standing in the window, watching as her husband approached Andy. “I knew it was only a matter of time before he found out you were here. He was served this morning, too. He’ll be furious, Laura. It was cold and impersonal.”
“Diana, I don’t want to see him again, ever. I just want him gone and out of our lives for good.” Laura stepped back when Andy glanced up with those all-seeing hard blue eyes. At times, she’d swear they were etched in steel.
“Laura, how he treated you was horrible. We know that, and we all agree with you, but you can’t keep avoiding him. He’ll find out.”
Diana turned solemn blue eyes on her. She’d been a true friend who was always there for her, even with her husband recovering from surgery. It had been a miracle when he came through okay, and Diana had even told Laura that life was too short for regrets.
“How does he know? You and Jed promised me you wouldn’t tell him,” Laura pleaded.
“Yes, we did, but don’t forget that Andy’s been having you followed,” Diana said. “I have to tell you, Laura, my husband doesn’t agree with your decision. He’s honored it for now, hoping you’ll come to your senses. Andy does have a right to know where you are. You should know he’s offered to talk to Andy for you, too.”
Laura felt a surge of anger shoot like a rocket through her as she processed what Diana had said. Her face felt warm, and beads of sweat popped out over her brow. She squeezed her fists. “He’s been having me followed? Are you kidding me? What kind of sick—”
“Hello, Laura.”
She didn’t hear him come up, and what made it worse was that he was carrying Gabriel, who, by the looks of it, had no intention of allowing Andy to let him down. She could see how her son worshipped Andy, and that infuriated her. She was standing beside Diana, and it wasn’t until Diana stepped back that Andy’s eyes widened and his brows furrowed with something dark and furious.
“What the hell?” he said.
Laura pursed her lips and struggled with those damn emotions, second guessing everything she’d done, and placed her hand over her own large, swollen belly just as the baby kicked.
Click Follow to receive emails when this author adds content on Bublish
Comment on this Bubble
Your comment and a link to this bubble will also appear in your Facebook feed.