Page 44 of Love Me Sweet

“She’d moved out.” His voice was soft, dangerously so.

“Yes.” It was amazing to Sylvie that she could still choke up over something that happened so many years ago.

“What did you do?”

“I waited for her to come back.” A humorless smile lifted Sylvie’s lips. “I may have only been only a fourth-grader, but I was pretty good at taking care of myself. Even when my mother was around, she’d get involved with the latest boyfriend and I’d be on my own until that relationship fell apart.”

Andrew cursed under his breath.

“I made myself peanut butter sandwiches for dinner. There wasn’t much food in the apartment, but if I was careful, I could make it last. Look.” She pointed off in the distance where several deer grazed. “I suppose it’s silly but seeing wildlife up close still gives me a thrill.”

His gaze settled on the animals. “It is pretty cool.”

They remained where they stood for a few seconds, until the deer, obviously having caught their scent, bounded off toward the mountains.

“How long did you manage on your own?” he asked in the same conversational tone as she once again began to walk.

“Nearly two weeks.” She couldn’t keep the pride from her voice. “I washed my own clothes, made the meals—again, mostly peanut butter sandwiches—and got myself ready for school each morning.”

“That’s amazing.”

The admiration in his tone made her smile, though what she’d done had been simple survival, certainly not anything praiseworthy.

“I did what I had to do.” Her tone was matter-of-fact. “Any other kid in that situation would have done the same thing.”

“I doubt that,” he said. “You must have been frightened.”

“Mostly at night,” Sylvie admitted. “We didn’t live in a great neighborhood and the apartment building, well, let’s just say many of the residents weren’t pillars of the community.”

“Who discovered your mother had left?”

“The landlord. He stopped by demanding the rent. I got rid of him several times by telling him my mother wasn’t at home, but that only worked for a couple of days. The man was a real bulldog.” She gazed off into the distance, wondered if the chill she’d feel if she stepped onto those snow-capped slopes would equal the chill that had her now shivering in the bright sunshine. “They looked for her and eventually found her, but she told them she’d ‘moved on.’ I spent the next nine years in a variety of foster homes, some good, others not so great. That’s the story. Aren’t you glad you asked?”

Sylvie didn’t look at Andrew, didn’t want to see the pity she knew she’d find in his eyes.

“That’s quite a story.”

“There are many that have it worse.”

“You’re a strong woman, Sylvie Thorne.” The admiration, however misguided, warmed away some of the chill.

“I’m sorry I didn’t speak with you before I left.” The apology was spoken so softly that she wondered if he’d even hear. She cleared her throat, ready to repeat the words, when he spoke.

“I was surprised.”

Three simple words that said so much by what they didn’t say.I expected better of you.

“I still believe leaving was best but,” she gave a bitter sounding laugh, “that’s probably what my mom and dad thought when they walked out on me. I handled it poorly. You deserved better.”

“We both deserved better.”

She nodded, the tightness in her chest making speech difficult at that moment.

“You obviously didn’t know me well enough, didn’t trust me enough, to feel as if you could share whatever concerns you had with me.” His gaze searched hers. “There’s still more you’re not telling me. Like the reason you picked that night to walk.”

While Sylvie wanted to be completely honest, what would be the point in bringing up the conversation with his father? No point, she told herself. “I—”

Andrew pressed a finger against her lips. “No lies.”

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