Restless Heart Read Online Free

to have to move anymore . . .
    And then I did.
    She’d never forget her first day in Nashville. Cooper and Annie had come to help move her into her dumpy apartment. She’d refused to let them see that she found the place less than inviting, or that she was on the verge of tears the whole time they were there.
    After they’d driven off into the hot August night, the dust settled and an eerie silence crept into the apartment. Unnerved, Destiny climbed out onto her fire escape. In the distance, in some honky-tonk down the street, she could hear someone singing a cover of “Friends in Low Places.” Even now, whenever she heard that song, it took her back to that night, and the good hard cry she’d had on the fire escape.
    Her own reaction to the move caught her off guard. She’d been so used to moving because of her daddy’s military career that it never occurred to her that the move to Nashville would be traumatic. But she’d forgotten one important thing: This time, she’d be totally alone, leaving not just her friends, but her family behind. She was suddenly on her own for the first time in her life, without the support of her parents. They weren’t there to hug her hard and wish her well the way they would have if she’d gone off to college.
    But now that she’d lived longer here in Nashville than anywhere, including Wilmot, she was starting to feel restless. Maybe she didn’t even know how to live in the same place or understand the concept of roots.
    “Maybe I should.”
    “What?” Destiny asked, not because she wasn’t following the conversational thread, but because she couldn’t believe what Grace had just said.
    “Maybe I should move to a bigger city, like you said.”
    “But . . . I thought you wanted to live back at home with Mom and Daddy.”
    “I did—until I got here and realized they’re barely speaking.”
    Destiny stopped fumbling in her purse. “What do you mean? Did they have a fight or something?”
    “I wish they would. Anything would be better than the stone-cold silent treatment they’re giving each other.”
    “But why?”
    “I have no idea. That’s just how it is, I guess.”
    “Is that why you called? Are you worried they’re going to . . .”
    Split up.
    Destiny couldn’t even bring herself to say the words. It was unthinkable that could happen to her parents, who had been high school sweethearts and seemed to have an idyllic marriage.
    Especially since Daddy’s pension had allowed him to retire young, and their children were grown. The world was waiting at their feet; now was the time when they should be making up for years lost while John Hart was on his tours of duty.
    “Actually, Destiny, I called because—”
    “Destiny!” Ralph shouted.
    “Hang on a second,” she told Grace. “I’ll be right there, Ralph! I’m coming!” Her fingers closed around a rubber band in the bottom of her purse. “Grace,” she said hurriedly, “I’ve got to run.”
    “Okay, but let me just—”
    “Seriously”—she tried to pull her hair up while holding the phone, but it was impossible—“my boss is going to kill me if I don’t get . . . out onstage,” she lied. More guilt. She couldn’t wait to get off the phone.
    “All right. But—”
    “Destiny! Quit lollygagging, get your apron on, and get out here and start taking orders! We’re swamped!”
    “Grace—”
    “I know. Call me back as soon as you can, though, Des, because there’s something—”
    “I will. Promise.”
    She quickly hung up and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Before long, stubborn curls would escape captivity to tickle her cheeks and neck, but for now they were tamed into submission.
    And so am I.
    Grace must have heard what Ralph said and figured out that Destiny wasn’t performing; she was waiting tables.
    I’ll explain when I call her back . . .
    But what was there to explain?
    She tucked away her purse and closed the locker door with a quiet click instead of slamming it shut the