Remember the Stars Read Online Free PDF Page B

Sarcasm etched her words.
    “I didn’t mean—”
    “Nah, you’re right,” she interrupted him. Logan and I…we were on different paths in life. He’s an immigration lawyer. His clients always seemed to be more important than me, and he always listened to everything his mother said. As a matter of fact, at my birthday party, his cousin confided in me that she and Logan went shopping for an engagement ring for me, and his mother made him return it.”
    A mama’s boy , Remy thought with a snicker. But on the other hand, he really, really wanted to see his own mother one more time. Their last meeting had been unpleasant, to say the least. The last thing she told him was to grow up.
    “So what did you want?”
        “I wanted to get married and start a family right away. I wanted to stay home and raise my children and take care of my husband. Was that so bad? I mean, I know it’s not every woman’s choice these days, but it’s what I really wanted.”
    A sharp pain hit him in the stomach as her admission stunned him into silence. So here it was, he thought silently. The right woman who would have put his life back together. The life he didn’t even know he wanted until tonight.
      Finally, he found his voice. “No, Leah, I don’t think that’s bad at all. As a matter of fact, I think it’s very, very good. As for your boyfriend, I think he’s a real jerk for not marrying you when he had the chance.”
    “Remy?” she asked.
    “Hmm?”
    “Do you know how you...you wound up here?”
    That much was burned into his memory. But could he admit the truth to Leah? Maybe if he told her, it would release some of the constant pain he felt. Still, admitting the truth was opening himself up to be judged—and he didn’t want to be judged anymore. The Fates had already been his judge, jury, and punisher.
    Begin at the beginning .
    He actually heard the words in his head.
    Inhaling deeply, he proceeded with caution.
    “I need to start at the beginning, an explanation of things—not an excuse though.”
    “Okay,” she said.
    “I tried so hard not to be like my brothers. Not to be the zombie robots who were born to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather and father. They grew up knowing their future was already pre-decided. They would go to mortuary school, graduate, get married to their high school sweethearts, and step into the family business. Job, marriage, buy a home, have babies…”
    He paused and shook his head. It sounded so ludicrous coming out of his mouth. Yet, he had to continue.
    “I slid through school. I showed no interest in the family business. I was constantly late to work. I angered my brothers and my parents. I was entitled, spoiled, selfish, and lazy. I argued and provoked.  I lied, cheated, used people for my own gain—I didn’t deserve all the things that had been given to me.”
    He stopped again. He was making a god damned confession to a woman he barely knew, but now felt was his last chance at redemption.
    “Go on, Remy,” she encouraged.
    He closed his eyes. That voice. There was so much more to Leah.
    “I had back surgery after a falling down drunken incident. The pain went away, but the Vicodin didn’t. Before I knew it, I was up to thirty a day just to function. I couldn’t—wouldn’t— admit I had a problem.”
    He opened his eyes. He had to see Leah’s reaction. To his surprise, there was no judgment or disgust in her brown eyes; more a gentle contemplativeness. It gave him the courage to continue.
    “I was driving one evening—it was a Saturday, I think. All I kept thinking was I needed another pill. I had to get another pill.  This car pulled up alongside me with a guy and a girl in it. I guess the guy was trying to show off for his girlfriend, and he kept trying to pull his piece of crap car in front of my Porsche. I guess he was egging me on, wanting to race.
    Finally, I got so pissed off, I just hit the accelerator. The car jerked and took off, and I don’t