Whispered Promises Read Online Free PDF

Parker was almost unrecognizable.
    He stood back and watched Caitlin square her shoulders and approach the bed. Her face didn’t reveal a flicker of emotion, but her eyes did. The pained look in them was unmistakable. Losing her father was affecting her more deeply than she was letting on. He knew she would have done anything to prevent that kind of loss. He continued to watch as she drew her hand across the bed, smoothing the wrinkles in the hospital blanket. She bent over the frail body and whispered, “Dad. Dex’s here.”
    Dex was suddenly filled with compassion when he could no longer retain his distant attitude. He was again confused by the betrayal of emotions he had held in check for so long. As if by some connective power, Caitlin’s pain became his. He was suddenly struck with a return of the urge to shield her from what she was going through. More than anything, she needed support. Support from family, friends or someone who cared, but right now she was all alone. All alone except for an ex-husband who wished more than anything he was someplace else.
    With a heavy sigh, he leaned against the back of the closed hospital door and continued to stare at her. Could he somehow find it within himself to give her the support she desperately needed after what she’d done to him? Could he put all his bitterness aside and reach out and give her someone to lean on? Forgiveness wasn’t one of his strong points. His family had told him countless times that he could hold a grudge longer than anyone they knew.
    â€œDad, did you hear me?”
    Dex noticed the head of the frail body in the bed nod. Caitlin looked up at Dex, her dark eyes misty with tears, assessed his expression. Coming forward, he nodded his understanding. Looking down into the deathlike face, he watched as Halston Parker’s eyes slowly fluttered open. For a brief second he stared up at the both of them, seemingly in tremendous pain—both physically and mentally.
    â€œCaitlin. Dex. You’re here,” Halston Parker whispered hoarsely, a weak smile touching his lips. “I have the two of you back together again.”
    Caitlin could feel a sudden sharp chill in the air from her father’s words. “Dad, Dex can’t stay long,” she rushed in. “You wanted to see him, and he’s here.”
    Halston Parker’s eyes shut for a moment. He reopened them and stared intently at Dex. “Legally, Caitlin’s still your wife.”
    Caitlin stared at the deathlike face lying against the white pillow. “I don’t understand what you’re saying, Dad. Dex and I aren’t married. Don’t you remember? I filed for a divorce a month after he left for Australia. The papers were sent to him and he signed them.”
    Halston Parker nodded, oblivious to the tension in the room. “Yeah, he signed them and your attorney got them back a couple of months later. But I told him you’d changed your mind about the divorce and not to file them with the courts. I’ve had them in my possession ever since. They’re in a trunk in the attic.”
    Caitlin’s glance flew to Dex with her father’s revelation. His chin twitched. His eyes darkened. He gazed speechlessly down at her father. She could feel the anger radiating deep from within him. When he spoke, his voice, although low, conveyed blatantly all the anger he felt.
    â€œYou had no right to do that, Mr. Parker. You had no right to interfere.”
    Halston Parker’s breathing became labored. “I did what I thought was best, under the circumstances.”
    â€œThat doesn’t make sense. You didn’t approve of my marriage to your daughter. Why would you stop our divorce from becoming final?”
    The older man tried responding, but couldn’t. It was a brief moment later before he found the strength to speak. “In the beginning, I was only thinking of myself. I didn’t want to lose her. I