Read Online Legacy of the Highlands by Harriet Schultz - Free Book Online
Authors: Harriet Schultz
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like Diego kept clothing in each of their homes so he hadn’t
considered that she’d arrive in Florida with only the clothes she
was wearing. So…she’d go shopping tomorrow. That small decision
took care of how to fill one day, which was how she now lived her
life. She scraped up the last of the rich dessert then climbed the
stairs to her room to return Francie’s call.
“ Ciao, Francesca.” Alex smiled as she pictured
her best friend pacing like a caged tigress, a bundle of nervous
energy until she could relax and lose herself in
conversation.
“Alexandra MacBain Cameron! What kind of
friend has someone else — and Diego Navarro yet! — leave a
voicemail that she’s on her way to Florida and then doesn’t call
for twenty-four hours? Are you crazy? No, don’t answer that. I
guess you’re allowed to be a little bit nuts. What’s going on? Talk
to me. Are you all right?”
“Well, if you’ll be quiet for a minute...”
Alex replied. She didn’t like being put on the defensive, but if
the situation were reversed she knew she’d be grilling Francie
too.
“Okay, okay. When I’m worried, I can get a
little hysterical. I’m sorry, but you were so upset and…”
“I’m fine. Or I’m as fine as I can be,” Alex
interrupted.
“I was kind of shocked that you’d left with
Diego.”
“Yeah, me too, but he knew exactly what I
needed and made it happen. And you know what? A part of me was sure
that he would. Diego’s always been a take charge kind of guy.”
“So how’s it going?” Francie probed.
“Fine, actually. He was gone when I woke up
today, off on some business trip I think. When he gets back he and
I will have to talk. It was Will who was furious with him after
all, and so I went along with it. I never heard his side of what
happened between them, so who knows, maybe we can work things out
and put it all behind us. I don’t have the energy for feuds.”
“So when are you coming home?” Francie asked
in her no bullshit fashion. Subtlety was not her style.
“Who knows? It’s going to be a long time
before I’m ready to face reality and besides, I feel safe
here.”
After a brief pause Francie changed the
subject. “You’ll never guess who called this morning.”
“I give up. Who?” Alex was tired and wasn’t
in any mood for games.
“Will’s father! Can you believe it?”
“You’re kidding!”
“I wish. John Cameron actually said he was
worried about you because you’d left their house with a migraine
and then didn’t answer your phone. He asked where you were and of
course I played dumb, but I’m pretty sure he knew I was lying”
Alex began to pace restlessly. She opened the
French doors to the balcony and inhaled the salty air. It helped.
She’d never been comfortable with her in-laws and without Will as a
buffer she didn’t expect to have much to do with them anymore. “Did
John say anything else?”
“No, but he sounded kind of weird…almost
jumpy…not Mr. Suave at all.”
“He probably wanted to tell me I’ve been
excommunicated from the high and mighty Cameron family and I have
to move out of the condo. You remember they bought it for us as a
wedding gift, right?”
“Cut it out, Alex. What would people say if
they did something so despicable to their recently widowed
daughter-in-law?
“I shouldn’t have let Will go out that
night.”
“Stop that! So you had fabulous sex and you
BOTH wanted ice cream. So Will, being a great guy, offered to get
it. I know you’re going to whine, ‘I told him to go through the
alley,’ but shit, Alex, we know that man only listened to you if he
damn well wanted to. It was his decision, not yours.”
“Are you done?”
“No, I’m not. You could not have kept it from
happening. You’re not God, Alex. You don’t control the universe. It
just is,” Francie said, her voice softening.
“I know…I know.” She wiped her runny nose and
the tears that began to drip from her chin during Francie’s
considered that she’d arrive in Florida with only the clothes she
was wearing. So…she’d go shopping tomorrow. That small decision
took care of how to fill one day, which was how she now lived her
life. She scraped up the last of the rich dessert then climbed the
stairs to her room to return Francie’s call.
“ Ciao, Francesca.” Alex smiled as she pictured
her best friend pacing like a caged tigress, a bundle of nervous
energy until she could relax and lose herself in
conversation.
“Alexandra MacBain Cameron! What kind of
friend has someone else — and Diego Navarro yet! — leave a
voicemail that she’s on her way to Florida and then doesn’t call
for twenty-four hours? Are you crazy? No, don’t answer that. I
guess you’re allowed to be a little bit nuts. What’s going on? Talk
to me. Are you all right?”
“Well, if you’ll be quiet for a minute...”
Alex replied. She didn’t like being put on the defensive, but if
the situation were reversed she knew she’d be grilling Francie
too.
“Okay, okay. When I’m worried, I can get a
little hysterical. I’m sorry, but you were so upset and…”
“I’m fine. Or I’m as fine as I can be,” Alex
interrupted.
“I was kind of shocked that you’d left with
Diego.”
“Yeah, me too, but he knew exactly what I
needed and made it happen. And you know what? A part of me was sure
that he would. Diego’s always been a take charge kind of guy.”
“So how’s it going?” Francie probed.
“Fine, actually. He was gone when I woke up
today, off on some business trip I think. When he gets back he and
I will have to talk. It was Will who was furious with him after
all, and so I went along with it. I never heard his side of what
happened between them, so who knows, maybe we can work things out
and put it all behind us. I don’t have the energy for feuds.”
“So when are you coming home?” Francie asked
in her no bullshit fashion. Subtlety was not her style.
“Who knows? It’s going to be a long time
before I’m ready to face reality and besides, I feel safe
here.”
After a brief pause Francie changed the
subject. “You’ll never guess who called this morning.”
“I give up. Who?” Alex was tired and wasn’t
in any mood for games.
“Will’s father! Can you believe it?”
“You’re kidding!”
“I wish. John Cameron actually said he was
worried about you because you’d left their house with a migraine
and then didn’t answer your phone. He asked where you were and of
course I played dumb, but I’m pretty sure he knew I was lying”
Alex began to pace restlessly. She opened the
French doors to the balcony and inhaled the salty air. It helped.
She’d never been comfortable with her in-laws and without Will as a
buffer she didn’t expect to have much to do with them anymore. “Did
John say anything else?”
“No, but he sounded kind of weird…almost
jumpy…not Mr. Suave at all.”
“He probably wanted to tell me I’ve been
excommunicated from the high and mighty Cameron family and I have
to move out of the condo. You remember they bought it for us as a
wedding gift, right?”
“Cut it out, Alex. What would people say if
they did something so despicable to their recently widowed
daughter-in-law?
“I shouldn’t have let Will go out that
night.”
“Stop that! So you had fabulous sex and you
BOTH wanted ice cream. So Will, being a great guy, offered to get
it. I know you’re going to whine, ‘I told him to go through the
alley,’ but shit, Alex, we know that man only listened to you if he
damn well wanted to. It was his decision, not yours.”
“Are you done?”
“No, I’m not. You could not have kept it from
happening. You’re not God, Alex. You don’t control the universe. It
just is,” Francie said, her voice softening.
“I know…I know.” She wiped her runny nose and
the tears that began to drip from her chin during Francie’s
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