Vintage Valentine (Elmheart Series) Read Online Free PDF

daughter.” Patrick said quietly.
    Hailey inhaled sharply. Her stomach churned. “How did you...”  
    “I didn’t know at first. I’m not very good at guessing a kid’s age. I thought she was about eight-years old. But then, she mentioned her birthday. She’s ten.” Patrick turned and stared hard at Hailey.
    “Yes,” Hailey said, without removing her gaze from Patrick. “She is ten.”
    “Why didn’t you tell me?” Patrick asked. “I would have been there. I would have taken care of you and her. I would have given up everything to be with you.” His voice cracked.
    “That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you,” Hailey said as the tears pooled in her eyes. “I didn’t want you to give up everything. I wanted you to have your dream. I wanted you to go to college. I wanted you to have your baseball career and make something of your life.”
    “I looked for you,” Patrick said. “When I got back from baseball camp, I tried to find you. But everyone told me you were gone. They said it was just a high school fling, and I should forget about you. I couldn’t forget you, Hailey. I couldn’t. But, then, after I blew out my knee, I didn’t think I had anything to offer. I was wrong.”
    Tears streamed down Hailey’s face. “We were both wrong. We were both so wrong.”
    Patrick stepped closer to Hailey. He dropped his arm around her and pulled her close to him. “It’s time to let this go,” he said softly. “We can’t undo what’s been done. We can only move forward from this day and try to do things differently. If you and Kaitlin are going to be in Kansas City, then I will move to Kansas City. I will be wherever you are. I will help you with whatever you need.”
    “We’re not going back to Kansas City,” Hailey said, slowly. “I lost my job and Kaitlin is having problems with some girls in her class. Grandma said the hotel is up for sale. I was thinking if Kaitlin and I moved here, I could try running the hotel. Grandma doesn’t want to put in a pool or the internet, but there are other things we could do.”
           Patrick picked up a valentine from the table. He held it in the air. “Vintage.”
    “Vintage?”
         “Old, charming, eclectic,” Patrick said. “I think we could sell the hotel rooms on those words. I could make up a menu. We could serve breakfast and afternoon snacks in the living room.”
    “Oh, Patrick!” Hailey said. “Do you really think it would work?”
    “I do,” Patrick said. “Kaitlin is pretty good with the decorations!”
    “Yes,” Hailey smiled. “She is.”
    Patrick leaned over and whispered against Hailey’s cheek, “When do we tell Kaitlin?”
    “Today,” Hailey said. “We tell Kaitlin today.”
    “Happy Valentine’s Day.” Patrick lowered his lips to Hailey’s.
    “Happy Valentine’s Day.” 

    Authors’ Note:
    The Elmheart Hotel was a hotel on Lake Ontario during the late 1800’s.  The hotel was the last stop on a trolley line that ran from Rochester, New York to Manitou Beach. Fredrick Odenbach built the hotel in the early 1890’s. However, the Skinner family, who owned the land next to the hotel, claimed the hotel was on their land. They took Odenbach to court. The court ruled the land belonged to Odenbach.
    The Skinner family still thought the hotel belonged to them, and they took Odenbach to court again. This time, the ruling was in favor of the Skinner family.  The mix-up in ownership happened over a surveyor mistake in 1802. The property line was declared at an oak tree. But, the tree was really an elm tree. After the court ruled in favor of Skinner, he gave the hotel the name The Elmheart Hotel.
    In 1903, the hotel was sold to Michael Olaughlin and George Weidman.  A room fire in 1931 forced George to stop renting rooms to guests. However, during the depression, George built a dance hall next to the hotel. Big bands played in the dance hall and the hotel was kept open only as a bar on evenings and