One More Dance by Roxanne Rustand (best ebook reader for pc txt) 📗

The Hastings girl hardly would’ve been impressed by a young man living in a little rambler in the suburbs. And now, with her future guaranteed in her father’s company and her substantial trust funds, Jared would be stepping into the world for which he’d been destined, and his ten-year-old sister, Julia, would still have her chance to shine someday.

And Sylvia would no longer need to fear financial ruin. Ellsworth had managed his money poorly, leaving her with far too little, but the children would soon be able to provide for her. She had no doubt about that.

Jared’s footsteps sounded on the staircase and she smiled in his direction as he approached.

“Well, dear...are you ready for your big day? This will be—” Her voice failed when she took in his haggard expression, his sweatshirt and faded jeans. “Good heavens. It’s time to go. Why aren’t you dressed?”

“I can’t go through with this, Mother. I tried, but I can’t.” He dropped into a chair and rested his forearms on his thighs, his head bowed.

Panic rushed through Sylvia with lightning speed. “Don’t be silly. You’ve asked this girl and she accepted. Everyone gets cold feet—it happens all the time. But it’s nothing.”

He lifted his weary eyes to meet hers. “But that’s exactly what I feel. Nothing.”

“But she’s a sweet, smart girl. Educated. Lovely to talk to. Don’t get so wrapped up in yourself that you forget just how special she really is.” Hearing her own voice rising, Sylvia took a steadying breath. “This is just a silly bout of nerves, darling. Go get dressed, and we can be off.”

“No, we can’t. This was just a bad case of rebound on both sides. Sheila’s longtime boyfriend dumped her. We both just needed a friend.”

Sylvia curbed her rising anger. “Rebound from Kate? You didn’t lose that little tramp. Nothing so sad and heart-wrenching as that, so don’t let her destroy something as special as your chance with Sheila. Kate walked out on you, plain and simple, and it was for the best. You know it was."

Jared’s eyes widened and she could see the realization dawning in his expression. “What did you say to her?”

“Nothing that wasn’t the absolute truth. Not that she was very forthcoming about the truth to you, by the way. Did she ever tell you about her background?”

“Of course she did. She said there was ‘plenty of dirty laundry in her past.’ So what? What family hasn’t had some bad turns along the way?”

“She didn’t elaborate? Tell you about her alcoholic parents? Or tell you that her mother served seven years in prison for murdering her father? What kind of family connection would that be, for heaven’s sake? Being mixed up with that rabble would’ve led to your professional ruin.”

“What, exactly, did you tell her?” Jared repeated, his voice vibrating with anger.

“I told her the truth, sweetheart. That all of this...this pretentious lifestyle of ours—”

“Yours, Mother.”

Sylvia ignored him. “I told her that this was all just a house of cards. That despite appearances, there’s no great wealth here—no opportunity for a golden, pampered future simply by marrying into the family.”

Jared launched to his feet, shoving his hair back with both hands as he paced across the floor, then returned. “So you essentially called her a gold digger.”

“No, but clearly she was. Didn’t she walk out on you a few weeks after she was here and learned the truth? Have you heard from her since?” Sylvia sniffed in disgust. “She obviously went on to look for more promising prey, as far as I can see.”

“So Kate didn’t come from a background wealthy enough to suit you.”

“I hardly matter, dear. She looked at you with stars in her eyes, thinking ‘Easy Street.’ A false assumption, which in all fairness needed to be corrected. While in your case, you do need to marry well enough that your path will be easier. With my connections, I can help you—”

“You can’t use people like that.”

“Think hard on this. You have the lovely Hastings girl waiting for you at the club. She can offer a beautiful, comfortable life, if you two can work things out. Or,” Sylvia added with a gesture of distaste, “you can pursue the kind of woman who lies and has the worst possible background. Put all of that law school education to good use and think rationally, for once.”

“I’m doing that right now.” He reached around her for the Mustang keys lying on the entryway table and strode to the door, where he hesitated with one hand on the frame. “Just to let you know, Sheila and I have been talking on the phone for the past hour. She doesn’t want our so-called engagement any more than I do, and we’ve called it off. She decided she’d rather deal with her problems in her own way.”

Sylvia stared at him as everything slowly clicked into place. Sheila Hastings’s many anxious phone calls whenever Jared was here. Jared’s lifelong, heartfelt need to help anyone in trouble. Sylvia struggled for a casual tone. “So, dear, when is her baby due?”

His eyes flared wide with surprise, but he said nothing.

“Is it yours?”

She could see the war of his emotions in the subtle changes in his expression—the desire to protect the girl’s tarnished honor versus his innate need to be honest.

After a long moment, Jared finally shook his head. “No. She was terrified about facing her parents, but she finally decided to tell them. She’s talking to them this morning.” He stepped through the doorway.

“Wh-where are you going now?”

“Back to school, to see if I can find Kate and try to save the only relationship that ever mattered. I just hope you love me enough to wish me luck.”

DECIDING TO TAKE A leap of faith and implementing it were two different things. Finding that Kate and her friends had moved to parts unknown set him back temporarily, but then Jared began a systematic search.

The building manager refused to say a