Page 57 of Love Me Sweet

She opened her mouth then closed it.

He was just about to reassure again, when she began to speak.

“I never felt close to your parents.” Her voice held a tremor. When he started to speak, she hurriedly continued on. “They were always cordial to me, always. But I knew I wasn’t what they hoped for in a daughter-in-law.”

She held up a hand. “Please, let me finish. Despite their…reservations…I could see that you were a close family, a loving one. I was happy for you.”

As he watched her blink back tears, hot anger spurted. The anger not directed at her, but at those sorry excuses for parents who’d walked out on a child, leaving her to fend for herself.

“I overheard the conversation between you and your father in the library.”

A sick feeling took up residence in the pit of Andrew’s stomach. He recalled that conversation vividly and his father hadn’t minced words. “You heard what my father said? All of it?”

She nodded. “I heard what he said and what you said back to him.”

Andrew frowned. He’d defended her. Stood up for her.

“You said he had to accept me, welcome me, or—” She swallowed hard as if there was something in her throat, “—or he was out of your life.”

“That’s right,” Andrew said. “You were to be my wife. He needed to respect that decision, and you.”

“I couldn’t come between you.” Tears, as plentiful as the raindrops on the window, slipped down her cheeks. “He’s your father. You love him. He loves you.”

Suddenly it all made sense. Okay, maybe not all, but a good portion. “You left because you didn’t want to come between me and my father?”

“I know the importance of family. I also know the kind of bond that you and your father share isn’t something to be tossed away lightly. It’s something to be treasured.” She lifted her drenched eyes. “Especially not over something that might not last.”

“My father and I argue all the time. Those threats were common occurrences. But we didn’t mean them.” He was reaching for her, wanting to comfort and soothe, when her last comment registered. “You didn’t believe we’d last?”

He saw indecision waver on her face and wondered if truth or lie would win the battle.

She lifted her chin. “No. We are so different.”

“And everyone in your life that you’ve loved has left you.”

Her sharp intake of breath told him, the arrow had hit its target.

Andrew didn’t mean to cause her pain, but he didn’t need a psychiatry specialty to realize the abandonment she’d experienced as a child was at the root of all this. What he felt most guilty about, was that he hadn’t thought about that fact until this moment.

“I love you, Sylvie.” He hadn’t known he was going to say the words until they left his lips. “I never stopped loving you.”

“I never stopped loving you either.” Her voice was so soft that for a second, he feared he’d only imagined them, until he saw the emotion in her eyes. “But it doesn’t change anything.”

“We don’t have to decide that tonight.” He stood and tugged her to her feet. “For now, just knowing that is enough.”

He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her, simply holding her close. After a second, she relaxed, resting her head against his chest.

They stood there for the longest time, not speaking, drawing comfort from the closeness.

“Will you come to bed with me, Sylvie? Will you let me show you how much I love you?”

“Loving doesn’t change—”

He covered her mouth with his, silencing the words. Perhaps realizing that she still loved him wouldn’t change all that had happened between them. But she was back in his arms and for the first time since she’d left, all was right in his world. That was enough for now.

* * *

The only threat to Andrew’s happiness in the next twenty-four hours was a report from Seth that they’d discovered more blood clots in Mrs. Whitaker’s legs. The treatment that had been ordered was appropriate, but Andrew hated being so far away.

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