Page 91 of A Taste of Trouble

“Of course I did. I had a great time.”

“If you could go back, if you had the choice that you could have everything you had in your life but still get to keep it, would you?”

“If it meant that I could provide for my family and have a secure retirement and, of course, be legitimate, I would definitely keep it. But your grandmother and mother were more important.”

Just as she suspected. “You gave up your dream.”

“It brought me you, didn't it?” A crack sounded from the television. They both looked up at the noisy commercial. “Bullshit!”

“Come on, Papa,” she coaxed. “Be honest.”

“All right.” He turned his attention from the television and repositioned himself on the chair. “Of course I missed it. Of course leaving it behind took away a part of my life, but I was fully willing to give it all up. Not all dreams are practical; some are just meant to be dreams. A memory that keeps us going when we need a reminder that good things do happen, even if only for a little while.”

For the first time, she saw regret in his eyes, but not the kind of regret that kept a person up at night. “Thank you.”

He patted her hand. “What's this all about?”

“Nothing.”

“You will reopen that bakery, Liv. It's your dream. You have the opportunity to keep your dream going. I won't let you hide from it.”

Liv sighed. Even if she didn't have a man, she would never be alone. She had Austin, Patti, and Brett. She had a family who loved her.

She wasn't sure what kind of conclusions she was trying to draw by visiting. She had been thinking a lot about the definition of a real man. Despite his own dreams, family and the ones he loved were the most important things.

She knew this visit was a form of hiding out. At least in part. She'd purposely turned off her phone.

Three days later, she grew restless.

She had questions that only her mother could understand. And she still hadn't drummed up the courage to ask.

From her perch on the couch, she stared at the television in her lazy outfit, pajamas.

She wondered if Jake had anything to do with her lack of motivation. Normally, Liv would have jumped on the opportunity to start fresh. Rethink her battle plan and forge ahead with a renewed sense of vigor.

The shuffle of feet caught her attention. Liv's mother walked into the den, pulling her robe tighter to her body. She sat on her grandfather's chair and clasped her hands in her lap. Her short hair was flat on one side.

“Did the TV wake you?”

“Not at all. I just couldn't sleep.”

“You and me both.” Her waking hours had increased exponentially since the night of the book launch.

“What is the status of t

he bakery?”

“I met with the fire investigator before I drove up. He should have the report ready by the end of the week. That's all the insurance company is waiting for and then they can proceed.”

“Do you have enough money?”

“Insurance should pay for all the renovations. I'll be fine.” As a last resort, Liv knew she could count on her mother. But she didn't want to steal her retirement money. Plus with two elderly parents to take care of, money was going to be a necessity at some point.

“I know you'll be fine. You always come out on top.” Her mother leaned forward and rested her hand on her foot over the blanket. “Something else is bothering you.”

She wanted to talk. She needed to talk. Too much was going on in her life to keep it bottled up. Not to mention she needed answers about her father. This was the opportunity she had been waiting for. But now that the time was finally here, she didn't know if she wanted the answers.

“Everything has gone to shit.” Her eyes watered, and this time she couldn't stop the tears from falling.

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