Love's Deception Read Online Free PDF Page A

same thing.”
    Carissa held up her hand. “There’s more.”
    Helena eyed her suspiciously. “What?”
    “The man’s estranged son shows up.” Carissa stood and paced the floor. “I couldn’t bring myself to tell him what really happened. In fact, our meeting turned out to be downright hostile. He was rude and the next thing I know I’m practically snapping the man’s head off.”
    “I see.”
    Carissa turned to face her. “You do?”
    “No, but finish the story.”
    “That’s it. This all happened in the past twenty-four hours. I figured I’d go back to the hospital later today and check on him.”
    “Which one—the father or the son?”
    “The father, of course. I think it’s in my best interest to avoid the son. There’s something unsettling about him.”
    Helena’s brows shot up. “Really? How’s that?”
    “I don’t know. He seems dark and jaded somehow.”
    Her aunt crossed her arms. “Sounds to me like you two have a few things in common.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Dark? Jaded? Have you looked in the mirror lately?”
    Carissa rolled her eyes.
    “All right. I’ll shut up—for now. You’ve already been through a lot dealing with this situation. So why don’t you go and get some rest? You look exhausted. I’ll unpack, and when you wake up, I’ll have a nice little lunch prepared for us.”
    “I have to admit that sounds tempting, but I probably should just grab a quick nap and rush on over to the office. I can probably make it in by noon.”
    “You’ll do no such thing. You’ll sleep, then pretend to be a gracious hostess and have lunch with your aging aunt.”
    Carissa opened her mouth.
    “And I won’t hear another word about it. Now off to bed.” Helena waved her away.
    “Fine. I give up.” Sighing, Carissa headed out of the room, feeling as though she were six years old again.
    Helena smiled. “I think this little visit is just what we both needed.”
    Carissa groaned.

Chapter 5
    N athan wanted to, but he couldn’t force himself to leave the hospital. What in the hell was wrong with him? He’d performed his duty as a son, despite being unprepared to fight the ghosts of the past. It was time to return to his life, time to forget what he’d seen here—and what he was feeling.
    In his mind’s eye, he remembered the last time he’d seen his father. It was days after he’d returned home from Vietnam. Nathan shook his head at his crazy effort to search for a lost father. Was he insane?
    But what if he had lost him yesterday? No sooner had the question crossed his mind did he regret asking it. An unexpected rush of tears blurred his vision. “Hell, I never had him,” he muttered under his breath.In the back of his mind, he knew that wasn’t true. Throughout his childhood and even as an adult, he’d thought of his father. However, he’d never been able to forgive him.
    Nathan found a pay phone, then cursed at his inability to find change in his pockets. Gina’s constant nagging for him to purchase a cell phone echoed in his head. Grudgingly, he called the operator to place a collect call.
    “I accept,” Gina told the operator, then launched a series of questions at her employer. “How are you? Have you seen him yet? Do you need me to come to Atlanta?”
    “Fine, yes, and that won’t be necessary,” he answered, then allowed an awkward moment of silence to elapse.
    “I’m a great listener,” she suggested.
    “That’s the reason I called.” A much-needed smile lifted the corners of his lips. “I don’t know how long I’m going to hang out down here.”
    “You take as much time as you need. Aria has already called and she completely understands the situation. She wanted me to remind you that she’ll be in Atlanta next week for that promotional party.”
    “I doubt that I’ll be here that long.”
    “I have to admit we were a little bewildered yesterday.”
    Nathan nodded against the phone. Most people believed his real father had been dead for