Love Me Tonight Read Online Free PDF Page B

spiritual fulfillment and the love of a man who loves you. If you’re fortunate, you’ll have children. Give Judson Philips a chance.”
    She thought about what her father had said for a minute and then spoke before thinking. “Why didn’t you give Annie a chance? She’s devoted her life to you.”
    A smile played around his lips. “You’re a smart one. We settled that years ago. She was afraid people would think she was living in sin and refused to be seen with me outside of this house. I told her that I wouldn’t settle for a woman who was ashamed of me. No woman was going to hide me in her closet.”
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    Driving home that afternoon, Heather carried a weight on her mind that she hadn’t before. Her father was terminally ill. What she’d believed about her parents’ marriage was suddenly called into question. Her father and Annie cared for each other but were too stubborn to do anything about it. And the person she loved and respected most had challenged her to find out what kind of man Judson Philips might be. She could take his advice, or she could be stubborn. Stubbornness had always been a part of her makeup. She didn’t know what to do. Maybe she wouldn’t do anything.
    By the time Heather arrived home, she admitted grudgingly that Judson was as likeable as he was attractive. She was accustomed to trusting her mind, but it wasn’t working properly because her father had unsettled her in a way that would have put Einstein in a quandary. “What the hell!” she said to herself as she unlocked the door of her apartment. “I’ll deal with it.”
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    More that ever, Judson felt an urge to know who he was. He was thirty-four years old, and the time wouldsoon come when he would want to marry and raise a family. He figured he ought to know more about his background, if only for his children’s sake.
    â€œI suspect I’m going to need all the financial resources I can muster,” he said to Scott when they spoke by phone Sunday evening.
    â€œSo you’re going to really pursue it, huh? A lot of adoption papers are sealed. It won’t be easy.”
    He tapped the nightstand with his rubber eraser. “I’m going a different route. I believe I know where I was born, and I’ll take it from there. If I hit a blank wall, I’ll figure out something else. Right now, my gut instinct is to begin with the bits of information I have. I’ll be busy. I’ve taken on a new case and it’s going to be tough.”
    â€œWhat’s the topic?”
    â€œA radiology report that led to a misdiagnosis.”
    â€œDid the patient die as a result?”
    â€œNo. The patient’s and the doctor’s reputations were injured. I’ll file suit in about six weeks.”
    â€œYou sound pretty confident.”
    â€œThere’s no guesswork.” He paused. “Have you seen Heather this week?”
    â€œShe was at work Friday. She told me she was worried about her dad.”
    â€œI gathered as much the day I visited her. Gotta go.”
    He hung up and dialed Heather’s number. “This is Judson,” he said when she answered. “How are you feeling?”
    â€œNot much of my cold left, Judson. How are you?”
    â€œI’m fine. How’s your dad?”
    â€œI just left him. We had a good visit, but he told me that neither he nor his doctor expects his condition to improve. I had to keep a straight face. I didn’t want him to start worrying about me. But th-this is awful, Judson.”
    â€œBelieve me, I know. If you don’t have any plans, would you have dinner with me? I know it’s a last-minute invitation, but I want to see you. Maybe you’d feel better with some company.”
    She didn’t hesitate. “I may not be good company, but if you think I won’t ruin your Sunday evening, okay. Give me about forty-five minutes.”
    Just the kind of