All That Lies Broken (Ashmore's Folly Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

lives. They had to make room for each other; the people they loved had to make room for them together.
    She had no idea how they were going to pull it off.
    She heard her cell ringing in the kitchen.
    ~•~
    “Morning, love,” said Terry. “Are you up yet?”
    Laura carried the phone back out to the terrace. Even with no one around to see, she couldn’t help but smile. “Halfway. You?”
    “Rushed.” It must be noon in London; the restaurant would be filling up. His chef’s table was always booked for luncheon. “Listen, darling, you didn’t answer emails – wild weekend, eh? – so I thought I’d call and let you know I got your – um, package on a BA flight to Dulles. The airline is supposed to get it to you late today through a courier service. I gave them your number so you’d be home for delivery. I hope this man of yours is worth it – you will pass out at the price.”
    “Oh, Terry, you are wonderful!” She didn’t care how much it cost. “How much do I owe you?”
    “Three hundred pounds. I put it on my Visa.”
    “I’ll FedEx you a check today on my London account. Terry, thank you, thank you, thank you .”
    “Well, we can’t have you getting yourself in the club. Now,” said Terry, “suppose you tell all in thirty seconds or less, because I cannot neglect the coq au brochette much longer? Roger and I are heartbroken, of course. Who is this bloke?”
    Laura took a sip of her cooling tea and said, “It’s complicated. I’ve known him most of my life.”
    “Not the love of your life, is it? The heartless cad? The cold-hearted scoundrel?”
    She heard the genuine concern in his voice, and it touched her. In all the years of her exile, she hadn’t made friends as dear and caring as these two men in London. “Well – I won’t lie to you, it’s him, but – oh, Terry, he’s not heartless or cold-hearted. He’s a fine person – a good man.”
    “Does he know about Meg?”
    A frisson of unease went down her spine. “No, not yet.”
    “Going to tell him?” Terry knew her too well, knew what a coward she was.
    She said slowly, “I don’t know. Not yet. Things are – early. Fragile.”
    “Be careful,” Terry warned her, and then she heard him shout, “Be careful! Braise , not massacre!” His voice became normal again. “You need to think this through, hon. Men can be weird – their first instinct may be to run a mile, but, by God, don’t deprive them of their rights. And this is now – what? Fourteen years after the fact? Have a real good reason why you didn’t tell him before this.”
    It wasn’t my secret to tell. “I know. As I said – it’s complicated.”
    “If you need to rehearse, call. You can practice your explanation on us.” She heard the smile in his voice. “I hope he’s worthy of you. At least, I hope like hell he is hounding you for sex.”
    Trust Terry to leave her laughing. “I’m not saying anything. Draw your own conclusions.”
    “Oh, darling girl, I am, I am, and I want you to have a very good time.”
    ~•~
    Terry was right. Lying against Richard in bed, drowsily watching a PBS documentary, Laura had realized that she was running out of time. She was part of this man’s life. Her journey home was no longer a drop-in visit; she had set down roots in her family. She couldn’t keep Meg hidden in Texas indefinitely. Sooner or later, she had to introduce her daughter to Richard, to Lucy, even – God forbid – to Diana. She had to run the risk that someone might wonder how an auburn-haired mother and a Viking father had come up with a Black Irish minx.
    No one in the St. Bride family had ever questioned Cam’s paternity. His parents had accepted Meg immediately, Kate with a regally raised eyebrow at the date of Meg’s birth, Matthew with a sharp comment to Cam about the usefulness of birth control. Even so, they’d adored their granddaughter. Mark and Emma had welcomed Meg, even as they kept Laura at arms’ length. If the St. Brides,