Forever Hers by Walters, Ednah (new ebook reader .TXT) 📗

I’m an author, not a serial rapist. What do you have against authors?”

“Nothing.”

“So you say, but your face said something else. FYI, last time I checked, it was a perfectly respectable profession.”

“I’m sure it is. I’ll be outside. Call me when it’s time to leave.”

He started toward the back door, but she was faster. She blocked his path, not intimidated by his frosty glare. “Now you’ve made me curious. What do you have against authors? I mean, what sane person could possibly hate people who entertain and educate billions of people and preserve our history?”

He rolled his eyes.

She couldn’t believe he actually rolled his eyes. His attitude just rubbed her the wrong way. “Do you know where the world would be without the written word? Back to the dark ages and crude sketches on walls. We measure civilization by how many resources is devoted to the creative arts.”

“No, by how we treat the weakest and most vulnerable members of our society.”

He had a point, but she wasn’t about to concede. “Bull. Talk to any anthropologist, Mr. Know-it-all. They study artifacts and writings left behind by ancient civilizations to measure how advanced the people were.”

“That’s because there are no people left behind for them to study. Go to any country right now. You don’t look at what they produce and export. You study how they treat their people.”

He was right, damn it. “You are talking politics now, and I hate politics. And you are being a hypocrite.”

He smiled smugly as though he knew he’d won the argument. “How?”

She pointed at the book in his hand. “Unless you plan to beat some dictator with it, I won. Books are important, ergo authors are too. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a chapter to finish.”

“Mommy?”

Amy whipped around to find Raelynn by the wall, her eyes wide with fear. “Hey, honey.”

“Are you fighting with Mr. Eddie?” Her thumb slipped in her mouth.

“No, sweetie.” Amy hurried to her daughter’s side. “We were discussing my book, like I usually do with Aunt Lauren.”

“But you’re not laughing.”

Amy looked at Eddie and forced a smile. “We will once he starts reading what I wrote today. It’s so funny,” she added in a whisper.

“Really?”

“Oh yeah. I’ll print out the pages for him after we come back from grocery shopping.” She eased the thumb from Raelynn’s mouth and kissed her forehead. “Are you hungry?”

Raelynn nodded. “Are we going to Farmers Market?”

“Not today, sweetheart, but we’ll stop by the bridge for some ice cream.” Amy walked Raelynn to the kitchen, rinsed an apple and sliced it.

She usually bought their fruit and vegetables from the local Farmers Market. And although she preferred shopping on Wednesdays when it was less crowded, she would give today a miss because of their guest.

“Can I get cotton candy ice cream?” The sparkle was back in Raelynn’s eyes as she munched on an apple slice.

“Hmm, didn’t you get it last time?”

Raelynn giggled. “Yes. Cotton candy is my favorite.”

“Mine is mint chocolate chip, but I try new ones every time we visit.”

“I like cotton candy the best,” Raelynn insisted, pouting.

“Then finish your apple, so we can get going before all the cotton candy ice cream disappears.” She was aware of Eddie watching them from the living room. She gave him a pointed look. Her opinion of him just dropped down several notches. It was obvious some faceless author did something to turn him against authors. Or maybe it was women authors he had a problem with. The book he was reading had a man’s name on its cover.

“We’ll leave in a few minutes,” Amy said, lifting her daughter from the stool. “You can follow us.”

***

Eddie stayed behind Amy’s station wagon all the way to the grocery store, the exchange between them still ringing in his head. Discovering she was an author had blind-sided him, bringing back the past with vengeance. For one brief moment, the line had blurred and instead of Amy, he’d seen his mother—a sought after author and a motivational speaker.

Images from the day she left flashed through his head. His mother carrying suitcases to the taxi. Kissing him goodbye. His father watching her in disbelief. Lori, his baby sister, screaming on top of her lungs as the taxi pulled away. Twenty fucking years and the pain refused to leave him. The betrayal still cut deep.

Squinting, Eddie pushed the past aside again. Thinking about it wasn’t going to change a damn thing. The bottom line was Amy wasn’t his mother. From what he’d seen, she doted on her daughter.

Eddie pulled up beside her car as she stepped out from behind the wheel then reached in the back to unbuckle Raelynn. He was about to join them when a police car drove past. Raelynn whimpered, turned and grabbed her mother’s legs. Amy, chalk white, squatted down and hugged her daughter.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “Mommy’s here. You’re safe.”

What the hell? Eddie moved closer, not understanding. Raelynn still clung to her mother. “Is everything okay?”

“Come on, honey,” Amy whispered, ignoring him. “It’s okay.”

It took several more minutes before Raelynn left the comfort of her mother’s arms and looked behind her. “They’re gone.”

“Yes, they are.” Amy’s gaze connected with Eddie’s, daring him to ask questions.

He kept his mouth shut, but he couldn’t help but wonder why a child would react like that to the police.

Inside the store, Eddie pushed the cart while Raelynn skipped alongside her mother and helped fill it, the incident in the parking lot all but forgotten. Amy was quiet, shaking her head whenever her daughter chose an item she didn’t approve of. Most kids would throw a fit if they didn’t get their way, but not Raelynn. She put the candy and snack boxes back with a sigh and a glance filled with longing, then went back to her skipping.

An older woman coming toward them smiled. “What an adorable little girl.”

“Thank you,” Amy said.

Raelynn gave her a shy smile and kept going. No signs of fear. The only time she slowed down and