The Road to Rose Bend Naima Simone (ebook pdf reader for pc .txt) đ
- Author: Naima Simone
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She hadnât expected her normally reserved father to say, I love you. But damn the part of her that held its breath waiting for it, longing for it. Damn the part that ached because she didnât hear the words.
âBye, Dad,â she said, and watched his back as he disappeared through the door.
Let it go, she ordered herself. At least he came in to be with her, to see his first grandchild. Given the state of their strained relationship, beggars couldnât be choosers. And if it struck her that a child shouldnât have to beg for her parentâs affection, well... Sheâd accepted that a long time ago and yearning for something wouldnât change it.
She should know.
But one of her doubts could be laid to rest. Her father would love and accept his granddaughter. That glimmer of tears had been real.
âHere you go, Sydney.â Dr. Prioleau handed Sydney a long printout of the sonogram images sheâd captured. Releasing Coleâs hand, Sydney cupped the paper, cradling it as if it might poof into thin air any second. âCongratulations. Iâm happy for you. You can set up your next appointment date at the front desk. Do you have any questions for me?â
âNo, not at the moment. But believe me, as neurotic as I am, Iâll reach out if I do.â
The other woman laughed. âIâm here. Iâll see you next month.â
Dr. Prioleau left, her heels clacking against the floor. Damn, she really did need to find out where her doctor shopped. Those heels were banginâ.
âReady to get out of here?â Cole asked, cupping her elbow as she pushed off the table.
âYes.â She strode over to her purse and carefully stowed the sonogram printout inside. âAnd I know youâre probably sick of me saying this, but thank you,â she said, continuing to fuss with her purse so she didnât have to look at him.
With the shenanigans her body insisted on doing whenever he was within breathing distance, and the emotional gauntlet sheâd traveled today, she didnât trust her face not to betray her.
âYouâre welcome, Sydney. Thank you for letting me stay.â
She finally turned around. The smirk on her lips felt more like a defense than a true show of amusement. âLike I had a choice. âGet it through your thick head. Iâm stayingâ,â she mimicked him, dropping her voice several ranges. She shook her head, and then sobered, studying his face. âAre you sure youâre okay? Regardless of what youâve said, this cost you, Cole.â
He didnât immediately reply, his focus switching from her to the wall behind her. âYes, it did,â he finally said. And her stomach bottomed out.
âIâm so sorryââ
âNo,â he interrupted, his eyes shifting and clashing with hers. She nearly flinched at the intensity there, the stark emotion that had her wanting to back away and insanely, cuddle close. âDonât apologize. This was my decision, and Iâd make the same one again. I donât know who convinced you that youâre not worth putting first, but you are. And you deserve that. Demand it.â
She blinked, his words punching straight to her heart. Had anyone ever told her she wasnât a priority? No. But theyâd hammered that message home her entire life.
Her parents, first with Carlin and her illness, and then with their grief.
Daniel, with his career and his opinions and needs.
And then herself. She was the biggest culprit of not placing herself first in her own life.
But admitting that to herself had her cringing and backpedaling. No way she could confess it to Cole. Not the town golden boy. Not the beloved mayor. It smacked too much of self-pity.
So, she said nothing. And as she pulled the door open, she couldnât help but mentally chuckle, and even in her head it sounded razor sharp. The irony remained that if she ever allowed herself to do something as foolish as falling for Coleâwhich she would notâhe would just be one more person on that short list. She would never be first with him.
His wife already occupied that place.
And no one ever had a hope of displacing her.
CHAPTER TEN
âOH MY GOD. Are you having sex?â
Sydney jerked to a halt outside of Mimiâs CafĂ©, coughing and almost spitting out her bite of glazed doughnut.
âWhat?â she nearly shouted. âWhat the hell are you talking about?â
Leo cackled like a hyena in her ear. âThat moan sounded particularly dirty. And since Iâve read that pregnant women run hot...â Her friend laughed again.
Sydney finished chewing the treat and swallowed before answering. âYouâre crazy. And I nearly died because of you. Death by glazed doughnut. I wouldâve haunted your ass, too.â
âYouâre at Mimiâs, arenât you? Only a doughnut from Mimiâs makes a person moan like that. I secretly call them orgasms in the mouth.â
âDammit, Leo.â Sydney choked on another burst of laughter. âReally?â
âWhat? All I do is work, and itâs been a while,â she whined, then ruined it by snickering. âStop punishing me for missing your doctorâs appointment! Which Iâm so sorry for, by the way. If I couldâve been there, I would have. And I hate that I missed seeing the baby for myself. So put me out of my misery! Tell me! Whatâre we having? A little Arwen or Aragorn?â
âWell, Iâm having...â Sydney dragged out the last word into five syllables.
âTell me!â
âA girl.â Sydney laughed, the delight that hadnât dissipated in the slightest spilling out of her. All over Main Street. âIâm having a little girl.â
Leoâs scream rang in her ear. Grinning, Sydney held the phone away from her until the squeals stopped. Or rather, lowered in volume.
âIâm going to need the hearing in that ear, thank you very much,â Sydney griped to her friend.
âOh, stop bitchinâ. Weâre having a girl. Iâm going to be an aunt. I get to buy her dresses and
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