She took his free hand, led him over to their new sofa and pulled him down beside her. “I’ll be right here with you. No matter what happens.”
He leaned over and kissed her. “For you. I’m doing this for you.”
Martha didn’t care why he was doing it, only that he was. She held her breath and waited.
• • •
Frank was scared. He didn’t mind admitting it to himself. The last time he’d spoken with his parents was just hours after the first time he’d burst into flames. He glanced at Martha and she offered him an encouraging smile.
He could do this. For her. He knew she expected everything to turn out okay but he was a realist. He’d walked out on them eighteen years ago and hadn’t contacted them since. He’d almost burned their house down and had inadvertently harmed his father all those years ago. To them, he was a monster.
Better to get this over with so he could put it behind him. He found their number and made the call. He put it on speakerphone so Martha could hear. She deserved that much since she was the reason he was doing this.
The phone rang once. Frank grew tenser. It rang again. On the third ring it was answered. The voice was male. “Hello.”
“Hi.” Frank didn’t know what else to say.
There was a long pause. “Frank?” There was so much disbelief in his father’s voice. “Is that really you?”
He cleared his throat. “Yeah, it’s me.”
Then his father did the one thing Frank had never expected. He began to cry.
“I’m sorry,” he told the man who’d raised him, the man who’d shown him how to toss a football, to hit a baseball and to be a man. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “Maybe I shouldn’t have called.”
“Don’t hang up,” his father yelled.
Frank heard his father bellow for his mother to pick up the extension in the bedroom. Then for the first time in years, he heard his mother. “Hello.”
He swallowed hard, barely able to speak past the lump in his throat. “Hey, Mom.”
“Frank Ian Ralph Ellis, is that you?”
He winced. She only used all his names when he was in trouble. “Yeah, it’s me. I’m sorry.”
His mother was crying now, but his father had found his voice again. “Where are you? How are you?”
“I’m in Chicago. I’m good. I’m a fireman,” he added.
“That’s dangerous, isn’t it?” The concern in his mother’s voice almost gutted him. He didn’t deserve it.
“I’m careful and well-trained.” He paused and pushed forward. “And I have a thing with fire,” he reminded them.
“Why did you run?” his father asked.
Such a simple question but it hurt Frank to answer it. “I’d already injured you. I was afraid I’d do more damage if I stayed. I thought I was a monster.”
Martha reached out and took his hand. He pulled her closer, needing her beside him.
His mother gasped. “You are no such thing. You’re my son.”
“And mine,” his dad seconded. “And you didn’t hurt me. Those minor burns were nothing compared to what I went through thinking you were injured. I want to see you.”
His father’s demand made him smile. He knew Martha would tell him he’d got his stubbornness from his dad even though Harold Ellis wasn’t his birth father.
“Yeah, I’d like that.” Talking was difficult and Frank blinked back tears. “Maybe you could come to Chicago for the wedding.”
“You’re getting married?” his mother yelled. “Harold, our boy is getting married!”
“I heard him, Jenna.”
“I don’t deserve you.” The words poured from his heart. “I was so afraid of myself and of what you might think of me so I ran. I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”
“You called and that’s all that matters.” Frank could tell his father was crying again. “We can catch a plane first thing tomorrow morning.”
Frank glanced at Martha and she nodded. Not that he had any doubts. Tears streamed down her face but she was smiling. His love for her doubled at that moment and became a fierce burning in his heart and soul.
“That would be great.”
“Is she nice, Frank? The girl you’re marrying?” his mother asked.
He smiled and touched Martha’s face. “Yeah, she’s pretty special, and I know you’ll like her.” He paused. “It’s Martha.”
His mother gasped. “Our Martha?”
“Yeah. It’s a long story but I rescued her from a fire.”
“Oh, my goodness. Her parents never mentioned anything about it.” He could picture his mother frowning.
“I wanted to tell you myself.”
“We’ll be there sometime tomorrow,” his father promised.
Frank gave him the address and felt a huge weight fall from his shoulders.
“We love you,” his father told him. “No matter what. Whatever you need from us, we’re there.”
A tear rolled down Frank’s face and he brushed it away. “Thanks. That means everything to me.”
They talked for a few more minutes before signing off. He ended the call and tossed his phone onto the coffee table.
“Frank Ian Ralph Ellis.” Martha smiled at him. “You do realize what your initials spell, don’t you.”
Frank was stunned. He’d never really thought about it. As a kid, he’d done his best to forget his middle names. He’d never liked them. As an adult, he just hadn’t thought about it.
Now he began to laugh. Martha chuckled and shook her head. He dragged her into his arms. “Now that you’ve had your way, I want to have mine.”
She looped her arms around his neck. “And what do you want to do?”
“Try out the new king-size bed.” He stood and carried her into their bedroom.
Martha kissed his chin. “I’m so glad you rescued me.”
He laid her on the bed and shook his head. “No, you’ve got it wrong. You’re the one who rescued me.” He went down beside her and kissed her.
He was finally home.
Books by N. J. Walters
The Dalakis Passion Series
Harker’s Journey
Lucian’s Delight
Stefan’s Salvation
Eternal Brothers
Endless Chase
The Summersville Secrets Series
Uncovering Annabelle
Enticing Emma
Lily’s List
The Tapestries Series
Christina’s Tapestry
Bakra Bride
Woven Dreams
Threads of Destiny
Embroidered Fantasies
Fabric of Fate
Strands of Love
The Salvation Pack Series
Wolf at the Door
Wolf in her Bed
Wolf on the Run
Wolf from the Past
Wolf on the Hunt
The Hades’ Carnival Series
Night of the Tiger
Mark of the Bear
Pride of the Lion
Howl of the Wolf
Heart of the Serpent
Flame of the Phoenix
Lure of the Jaguar
The Spells, Secrets & Seductions Series
A Touch of Magick
Dreams of Seduction
Love in Flames
The Legacy Series
Alexandra’s Legacy
Isaiah’s Haven
Legacy Found
Quinn’s Quest
Finding Chrissten
Damek’s Redemption
Craig’s Heat-Legacy
The Jamesville Series
Discovering Dani
The Way Home
The Return of Patrick O’Rourke
The Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke
A Legal Affair
By the Book
Past Promises
The Gift of Shayla
Rescue Me
About the Author
Once upon a time, N.J. had the id
ea that she would like to quit her job at the bookstore, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown, and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the bookstore and her hometown and settled in for another seven years. One Friday morning she gave notice at her job; on Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first romance novel, and her life has never been the same.
N. J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Summersville Secrets series, the Legacy series, and the Salvation Pack series, among others. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.
You can visit N. J. at:
Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakeningdesires/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
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