Page 426 of Tormented Billionaire Romance Series

Corinne gritted her teeth, embarrassed, and didn’t look directly at me. “Well…” she began, sheepishly.

“Yes, well…” I repeated at her.

Sighing, she said, “I didn’t bring it up because I didn’t know what you’d think, after…” And she didn’t continue the thought out loud, but I could tell that she meant,what you’d think after the way you screwed me.Instead, she said, “Sometimes people look at you a little differently when they find out that your father is a pastor.”

“All I thought at the time,” I said, “was how nice it was that you wanted to share something with me that was so important to you. If you want me to watch your father with you, I will. I just feel like kind of a jerk now, especially after what I told you about my relationship with religion, when I didn’t know whose sermon we were watching.”

“You’re not the biggest jerk,” said Corinne, contritely. “I really should have been up front about it. I’m proud of Daddy. I’m proud of you, too.”

It was the second time lately that someone important to me had told me they were proud of me. And for that reason, we got past it and were okay.

It made me think, however, of what else there might be about Corinne that I didn’t know about. I couldn’t guess what other surprises our relationship might still have in store.

CHAPTER36

Corinne. Monday

No sooner hadI finished up a customer call than an inter-office email came through on my computer. It was from Barbara, asking me if I wanted to go to lunch. As I’d been meaning to have some quality time with her, and Elijah had other lunch plans today, I happily accepted. And, thinking of Elijah gave me an idea of where to go.

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Barbaraand I walked into Kathleen’s coffee shop together.

Kathleen,always behind her counter like Vanna White at her letters, smiled welcomingly at us. Barbara remembered her from when Kathleen and Elijah were seeing each other. The three of us had warm, friendly words together, and Barbara and I ordered lunch and sat down.

“Well,aren’tyouthe modern, sophisticated girl,” said Barbara, “being so friendly with the ex-girlfriend?”

“What’s to be hostile about?”I asked. “Kathleen and I had a good talk about her relationship with Elijah and she’s happy with me. She’s really nice.”

“She always was,”Barbara replied, glancing back in Kathleen’s direction.

“I’m just glad to see Elijah hasanothervery nice girl after his last one.”

“You’ve always lookedout for Elijah, haven’t you?” I remarked.

“He’slike the son I never got to have,” she admitted.

“I like that,”I said. “And, I like how you’ve always taken a personal interest in me. It’s almost like having another mom.” I now felt the need to take the same kind of interest in this woman who’d been so kind to me from the minute I walked in the door. “What about you, though? I don’t really know that much about you. Are you married? Any kids?”

Wistfully,she answered, “I’m widowed, dear. It’s been quite a few years now since I had to say goodbye to my Charles. He was the sweetest man and would have made awonderfulfather if we’d met earlier in life. I happen to be one of those late bloomers in love. It took me a long time to find the man that I truly wanted. But, I’m not sorry I waited. Charles’s love has always been with me, though he’s been gone so long.”

Her story touched me deeply.I felt like a bit of a late bloomer myself, having waited as long as I did to become sexual with a man. Like Barbara with Charles, I wasn’t the least bit sorry that I’d held out until meeting Elijah. Even so, I saw some of myself in her. I was still of child-bearing age and could have children with Elijah; I hadn’t held out until it was too late for that. But, hearing Barbara speak so glowingly of the man she’d chosen for her life, I felt so very close to her now.

“Well,”I said, “then I’ll just have to adopt you as a mom since mine isn’t here anymore. Would you mind having a daughter?”

She reached overand gave my arm a loving squeeze. “I never had the chance to shower my love on a child of my own. I’m happy with my memories of Charles, but it’s something I feel I’ve missed in life. I would absolutelylovethat.”

We both gota little misty and ended up laughing through the beginnings of happy tears.

_______________

I stayedin my cubicle during my afternoon break, still feeling the glow from my surrogate mother/daughter bond with the lady upstairs, when a text came over my phone. It was from Daddy.

What’sthis I’m hearing about you trying to coax your sister into moving to Cincinnati, young lady? At the rate I’m going, I’m going to have nothing left but this house and the church. Will I need to find myself a new parish down there now? I don’t know if I can be that far away from my daughters.

Oh boy,I thought. I knew Daddy wasn’t really angry; he wanted Leanna and me to be happy and have our own lives. But, the prospect ofbothof us living in a different city, and not having Mom with him, couldn’t have been the happiest thing for him. I couldn’t help feeling a bit selfish.

As if on cue,another email came up on my office computer, thanking me for lunch and the start of our wonderful new relationship. I looked up and smiled my most intrigued smile. I couldn’t help myself. It made wheels start turning in my head.

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