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

from the one she saw in the bathroom mirror every morning. She floored the accelerator on the two-mile stretch of country road leading into town.

What would life be like without Jared at her side?

Long ago, she’d been entranced by his dark, handsome face, his intelligence and wit. But over the years, those superficial feelings had deepened into so much more despite the rocky times—the terrible times when there’d been no glimmer of hope that they’d still be together in five or ten or twenty years.

And yet recently, they’d somehow drifted apart.

Please, Lord—help him make it through this so he can come home again. Give us another chance, so we can make things right. Like back in college, when it was just us against the world...

THE PAST

“My mother has asked us to dinner.” Jared hesitated. “In honor of our marriage.”

Kate felt a shiver crawl up her spine at the prospect of facing Sylvia Mathers over dinner. After Jared called her with the news of their elopement, Sylvia’s cold silence had hung a pall over their marriage.

Kate startled whenever the phone rang, expecting a diatribe. And Jared had become subtly withdrawn, perhaps dealing with his own demons regarding the sense of responsibility his mother had so ruthlessly drummed into him.

During the few times they’d met, Kate had found the woman to be cold and unpleasant, and she’d figured careful distance from Sylvia was probably the safest course. But Jared... Was he having second thoughts? Did he wish he hadn’t made such a rash, crazy decision regarding his entire future?

“Well? What do you think—can we make it tonight? It’s at the Starfire Room. The food is excellent there.”

At the hope in his eyes, there was no way she could refuse, even with a pharmacology test tomorrow and a paper due on Friday. “I’ll bet you miss your sister,” Kate said, trying for a genuine smile. “Of course we should go.”

Jared’s shoulders relaxed and he wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. “I love you,” he whispered against her ear.

Her dread over the dinner slipped into a whole different sort of anticipation—one that made her toes tingle. She’d never imagined having this kind of love in her life. The feeling of being cared for. Cherished. Desired.

“Want to show me how much?” she teased, grabbing his hand as she stepped away. “I’ll bet we have time.”

“Think so?” One eyebrow cocked, he appeared to consider the possibility for a long moment. Then he lifted her in his arms and spun her around, and pulled her into a long and loving embrace. The time didn’t matter...until the moment they walked into the restaurant and found Sylvia waiting, her face a mask of anger.

“You’re late.”

The imposing man standing next to her, a briefcase in hand, nodded at Jared. “Good to see you again, son.”

“Lionel Norwood, I’d like you to meet my wife, Kate.” Jared looked down at Kate and gave her hand a squeeze. “Lionel has been our family lawyer for years.”

The man was impeccably dressed, with a cool, regal air. She felt her palms grow damp and a cold sweat start to trickle down her spine. This wasn’t going to be good. “Nice to meet you.”

A waiter appeared and ushered them to a corner with a spectacular night view of the Twin Cities. With a complex array of crystal goblets at each place setting and shimmering centerpieces of silver and crystal, the dark restaurant was lit by candlelight and glittered like a thousand stars.

None of the nearby tables were occupied, which afforded a measure of privacy. By accident or design?

Kate slid into the chair pulled back for her by the waiter and looked up to find Sylvia silently watching her with a smug, tight smile.

Jared acknowledged his mother with a nod before turning to Lionel. “Good to see you again. I’m a little surprised, though.”

Lionel canted his head slightly. “Family business is my business, since your father passed away. And, of course, your mother and I have been friends for many years.”

“So, is this business or pleasure?” Jared’s voice now held a hint of steel. “I understood Kate and I were simply coming to a nice little family dinner. Just the four of us. Where’s Julia?”

“She’s at a sleepover, so your mother asked me to join you.” Lionel accepted a sample of wine from a waiter bearing a tray and wine bottle, a white napkin draped over his arm.

Kate watched as he considered it, then requested something from another year.

Back home, there’d been gallon jugs that disappeared all too quickly, and the results had devastated her family. No doubt there were just as many alcoholics at this end of the economic spectrum, but it would be achieved with a gloss of class and at considerably higher cost.

There was something all too familiar in Lionel’s complexion and manner that hinted he might be one of them.

“So,” Sylvia said after the waiter poured her wine. “We’ve come to this.” She lifted her glass in a halfhearted, mocking salute.

Kate stiffened.

“A reason to celebrate,” Jared interjected smoothly. “Kate and I are lucky we found each other, and I couldn’t be happier.”

The waiter poured for Jared, as well, then hesitated at Kate’s side, but she declined the wine.

“I’m sure she is celebrating,” Sylvia snapped. “What a lucky, lucky girl. I’m just glad my Julia isn’t here to witness this disaster.”

“Sylvia.” Lionel leveled a warning look at her, tempered by a faint smile, then directed his attention to Kate. “This marriage has come as a complete shock to Mrs. Mathers, as you might imagine.”

What answer could there be to that? It was the truth, yet the negative connotation was crystal clear.

“Maybe you’d better direct your comments to me,” Jared said. “Though I don’t believe we’ll be staying much longer.”

“As I remember, you especially enjoyed the porterhouse here on your twenty-first birthday...the two-inch-thick cut with the herbed butter,” Lionel said mildly. “And I imagine Kate would love it, too. Don’t rush off. This dinner is my treat.”

From somewhere across the