No Matter What (The Billionaires of Sawgrass #4) - Delaney Cameron Page 0,76
being able to say ‘us’.
He reluctantly tore himself away and watched as her eyes slowly opened. They were like twin pools of reflection, mirroring her every thought and emotion. One look into them, and he’d been lost; unable to forget the experience or the woman responsible for it.
Her smile was radiant as she slid her arm through his. “We have a walk to finish.”
“I think I can manage that. Just don’t expect intelligent conversation.”
“I’m in the same boat.”
He laughed as they navigated around a large potted tree on the sidewalk. “I didn’t think anything could get you on a boat. I do hope to get you on a plane, though. And Owen, too, of course.”
“He wouldn’t dream of being left out. It’s all he’s talked about lately. I appreciate you being so kind to him. Comparisons are supposed to be odious, but sometimes they help us see the truth in a way we can’t ignore. I couldn’t help but notice the difference between how you and Wade reacted to Owen. He was so unmoved and close-minded. You were compassionate and accepting.”
“Owen reminds me of myself. My situation wasn’t nearly as tragic, but I did lose my mother at four years old. At my father’s request, my aunt moved in to take care of me and Addison. She loved and cared for us like we were her own children. Just like you’re doing for Owen. By the way, you don’t have to worry about meeting her. She figured out how I felt about you early on. After you and Wade broke up, she pestered me constantly to quote ‘get on with it’. Then without telling me, she visited Truly Scrumptious to see you for herself. She found you as adorable as I do.”
“Really?” she asked, sounding relieved. “I’m glad.” The light in her eyes dimmed slightly. “I wish I had a family for you to meet.”
He didn’t miss the wealth of longing in that simple sentence. “Do you keep in contact with any of the people you lived with?”
“Piper was the only one. Forming attachments is a catch-22 when you never know how long you’re going to be somewhere. I moved around quite a bit. The longest I ever stayed in one place was a few years. I was always looking over my shoulder, waiting for the appearance of a social worker to give me the news. I tried not to get too dependent on anyone or any place. Keeping my distance made it hurt less when I had to leave.”
But it hadn’t kept it from hurting at all. The only constant in her childhood had been change. How often had she blamed herself? Through no fault of her own, she’d been passed around like an unwanted parcel. No wonder keeping Owen was so important to her.
“I can’t imagine how disruptive that must have been.”
“It wasn’t easy, but like anything else, I found ways to cope. Please don’t think I’m ungrateful to the people who took me in. I was always well cared for as far as food and shelter were concerned. What made it harder for me was the fact that I knew my father was alive. He was out there somewhere, unlike my mother who died when I was born. It hurt and angered me that he didn’t want to see me, and worse that he could so easily forget about me.”
This was news to Reece. From something Kait said, he’d assumed both of Robin’s parents were dead. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
She sighed. “It’s water under the bridge. You know what they say: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I like to think that’s true.”
“You’re the strongest, bravest woman I’ve ever met. I knew it that day on the dock.”
She ran her fingers slowly down his arm to clasp his hand. “I never imagined something so lovely could come out of something so humiliating.”
“Love works in mysterious ways.”
“In ironic ways as well.” She laced her fingers through his. “You never told me what the second reason was.”
He was used to her abrupt conversational shifts, but this one left him scratching his head. “My second reason for what?”
“For coming to the shop Friday before last. You said one reason was to apologize for not getting around to Owen’s tour of Diamond Jet. What was the other?”
He chuckled. “After everything that’s happened, you can’t figure that out? I came for you, Robin Parker. If I have my way, you’ll never get rid of me.”