Let Me Love You Again (An Echoes of the Heart Novel Book 2)

by Anna DeStefano

He curled her and Camille against his heart. “I won’t ever surprise you like that again.”

  “Surprise me?” Selena sputtered. “The Dixon prodigal son running for the hills now that his Father of the Year is on the mend? One of the neighbors would have made sure to tell me if you hadn’t.”

  “But I wanted to.” Oliver’s lips brushed Selena’s forehead. He kissed Camille’s, too, then eased away. “And I’m not running this time. I’ve already talked with my family about it.”

  “I know.” Selena gave him another quick kiss. A subdued Camille looked sleepily back and forth between them. “Bethany stopped by.”

  “Really?”

  “She’d heard from Dru about you leaving for the city. Dru told her about Camille, too. Bethany found us at the hospital before Camille was discharged. I turned around and she was standing in the doorway, staring at Camille like she was seeing her for the first time.”

  “I know how she feels.”

  Selena watched the corner of Oliver’s mouth kick up and reveled in how much he wanted Camille to be his. “But it still could be just—”

  “Wishful thinking?” Oliver asked. “I don’t mind wishing for something that wonderful. Do you?”

  Selena shook her head, a little afraid of how close her dreams felt to coming true while she was watching him go. She looked down at the ground and the muddy silk slippers she’d thrown on yesterday along with the change of clothes she’d snatched from her closet after she and Oliver made love.

  Oliver’s finger tipped her chin up. “The past is just one part of our story, Selena. There’s so much more we can be, if we’re ready to figure the rest out.”

  She nodded. “Everyone’s lives could have been so much easier if I’d trusted you years ago.”

  “Maybe.” He leaned against the side of his truck—a city man with carefully combed hair for once, wearing jeans and a T-shirt and looking as if he could command any boardroom, anywhere, just the way he was. “Or maybe this is exactly how it was supposed to happen. We’ve both come home from where we thought our lives were going to be. We’ve learned a lot about what we don’t want. Now we’re ready to make the choices we didn’t know how to handle when we were kids.”

  “Except you’re going away again.”

  Camille picked her head up. “Do you really have to go?”

  “Not for long, darlin’.” He brushed his fingers through her curls. “I’ll be back soon. I won’t let you down.”

  Selena wanted to believe him, believe in this moment, she really did. But deep inside, a part of her was screaming for him not to abandon her, the way she’d yelled at him years ago.

  “What about all the rest?” she asked. “Everything we don’t know yet?”

  The paternity test. Whether she and Camille would find a place in Chandlerville or move on. Selena and Oliver’s future.

  “We wait,” he said. “And whatever happens next, we do the right thing.”

  She angled her head at him. “What’s the right thing?”

  “Whatever works for you.” When she blinked in response, he smiled. “Whatever’s best for you and Camille. That’s what will make me happy, Selena.”

  “What . . . what are you saying?”

  “That I know what I want now. And I have to be somewhere else for a while, so I can make sure I do it right. But I’m coming back to hear your answer.”

  “To what?” Where was the reckless, greedy man who’d pulled her close in his truck and kissed her until she’d forgotten everything else . . . and then told her he didn’t know when he’d be ready to deal with more?

  “To whether you want to spend the rest of your life with me.”

  “You . . . you said you needed time.”

  “Just a little. Wait for me, Selena. No matter what my next CIO needs or what some paternity test says, I’ll be back for you and Camille. Believe that, and keep figuring out what you want—like you did yesterday. Let me love you again, and we’ll make the rest work.”

  “But . . . how long will you be?”

  “I don’t know yet. I need to set something up that could take a while. Something I should have done for myself. Now I have two more reasons to make it happen.” He smiled. “You and Camille.”

  Selena pushed herself and her daughter into his arms again, needing to feel them around her. Needing Oliver forever. She held on, and so did he, dreaming and wishing and wanting to believe it all . . . together.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  “I love you, too.”

  Oliver set them away.

  “Save me a cookie?” he asked Camille. “I’ll come collecting. Promise.”

  Camille nodded, a smile on her lips as her eyes closed and she dozed in Selena’s arms. Oliver slid behind the wheel of his truck, shutting the door and leaning an arm on the edge of the open window.

  “I’ll see you soon,” he said as he fired the ignition and backed down the Dixons’ drive.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “To Chandlerville’s Father of the Year.” Belinda raised her plastic cup of lemonade in a toast.

  Selena joined the rest of the crowded room at the Garner Rehab Center where Joe had been moved, lifting her drink and saying, “To Joe!”

  It was a beautiful late-Sunday afternoon, with family and friends and neighbors cheering and celebrating around her. The party Belinda had spent days pulling together had grown until Joe’s private room seemed to be bursting at the seams. The crowd had spilled into the center’s hallway as more guests and their families joined in the fun.

  Adults were drinking and eating—goodies donated by either the Dream Whip or DJ’s bakery. Kids of all ages were everywhere. Free from school for the next ten weeks, the younger ones were running wild. The teenagers had grouped off in clumps, playing games on their phones or messaging on social media, basically ignoring the adults. There were balloons, streamers, a Father of the Year banner. It might have seemed corny to some. But to Selena the joy and celebration that filled the room were . . . love. The love she’d always hoped her daughter would be surrounded by. The home she’d dreamed of for herself.

  “I can’t believe all of this.” Joe’s smile was wide, his eyes bright.

  He was still too weak to get out of bed without assistance. Marsha didn’t like some of the side effects of the array of medications he was taking for his heart and circulation and blood pressure. He was frustrated not to be going home yet. But today Joe’s family and community had come to him, to honor him. He was a well-loved neighbor and friend, a doting father admired by everyone in the room and many who’d phoned in their regrets but sent cards and good wishes Belinda and Marsha had taken turns reading out loud—much to the good-natured embarrassment of the man of the hour.

  Marsha stood beside her husband now, beaming with pride. Belinda and her garden club—who’d organized the food, the commemorative plaque, the balloons, and the music streaming from Selena’s smartphone playlist—were circulating, making sure people were enjoying themselves.

  So many locals had gone out of their way to attend.

  Ginger and her family and her mother. DJ and Kristen and Walter and Law and their spouses and kids. Several of the deputies from the sheriff’s department and their loved ones. Belinda’s nosy neighbors, the Ritters, and so many more.

  Travis, Dru, and surprisingly Bethany stood with their mother at the head of Joe’s bed. Each of them had pitched in, getting the younger Dixons cleaned up and to the center on time. And at Camille’s request, she and Selena had strapped a baby seat into Fred and delivered Teddy—who was now happily perched on Dru’s hip, being entertained by his uncle Brad. It was a perfect afternoon. Everyone had said so. Only one thing was missing for Selena and the Dixons.

  Oliver wasn’t there yet.

  He would be, Travis had assured Selena. He’d texted with his brother just a few hours ago. Oliver had business to finalize in town that couldn’t be put off. But he’d get to Chandlerville as soon as he could.

  He and S
elena had talked nightly since he’d left. About Camille and how she was feeling. About Joe and his recovery and move, and how Marsha was doing. About Bethany stopping by the Dixon house and then Belinda’s the other day, not staying for long, but wanting to meet Teddy and to see Camille again. About Selena’s last few days at Chandler Elementary before the school year ended. About everything but her and Oliver and what they were going to do next.

  They’d stopped short each night of talking about the future. They had plenty of time to get to that, Oliver had said. Once he was home. Until then, he just wanted to talk, to get to know her again, to hear her voice each night as he stared out at his Midtown Atlanta view. He wanted to know if she’d wait for him, just a little longer. And she had.

  Sure, she’d seriously contemplated leaving Camille with Belinda Friday afternoon and charming Fred into an interstate excursion into the heart of the city. But not because she didn’t trust Oliver. The as-yet-unopened envelope she’d received in the mail on Thursday had been the culprit. An envelope she’d carefully tucked away instead of opening it or driving to Oliver’s condo and insisting they open it together. Instead, she’d saved it for today. Then she’d gotten back to the business of creating the life that she’d dreamed of for her and her daughter. Just as she’d promised Oliver she would.

  No details over the phone, they’d agreed. About what either of them were up to. They were trusting each other, no matter what they faced next.

  Wait for me, Selena.

  I won’t let you down.

  I’ll see you tomorrow, love, he’d said before hanging up last night.

  She hadn’t heard from him since.

  Camille ran up, pigtails flying. She was clutching half of one of Dan’s special, Camille-friendly, chocolate doughnuts. At least a third of the other half was smeared all over her face.

  “I wanna give Grandpa our card now,” she said, hopping up and down.

  “Ouch, sweetie.” Selena picked her up, to protect her toes.

  Her beautiful child was over-the-moon excited about being one of the Dixons. It had made the last week a nonstop celebration. Everyone in the family, adults and kids, had accepted her—and Selena and Belinda—as their own. Yesterday the three of them had attended their first Saturday picnic in the Dixon backyard, having a blast with everyone but Joe and Marsha, who’d been here at the rehab center, finishing getting Joe settled.

  Wanting to brighten Joe’s transition to the center had been one of Selena’s reasons for postponing the surprise now sealed inside Camille’s card. Plus wanting Oliver to be there, to hear the news along with his family. The results of the paternity test would formalize Camille’s place in the Dixon family, whoever her father was. Selena had secured her daughter’s agreement to wait. She’d checked with Marsha to be sure Joe was up for the big reveal, and with Brad and Dru to ask if they were okay with finding out in public.

  The family was on pins and needles, but they’d said they’d be thrilled to celebrate one more thing today. Beyond that, to Selena and Camille and Marsha and Joe and the whole tribe, Camille was already a Dixon. Now it was nearly dusk outside and Joe was looking tired. Which meant it was time, whether Oliver made it or not.

  “Go on.” She put Camille down. It was a wonder her daughter had kept her secret this long. “Be careful with your grandpa. Let Marsha help you up on the bed. But the room is yours.”

  “Grandpa, Grandma, Grammy!” Camille raced to the other side of the room, where Belinda was chatting with Marsha. “I get to give Grandpa my s’prise now. It’s for you, too, Grandma. I drew the pictures for Grandpa, but it’s for you, too.”

  She threw herself into Marsha’s laughing hug and practically climbed into her grandmother’s arms. Belinda patted Camille on the back. Her smile of pride for Selena was a sweet reward for the hard-fought journey that had brought them all to this happy place.

  Selena had turned the divorce over to Oliver’s lawyer, who was already engaging Parker’s legal team. She’d stopped answering her husband’s calls and deleted his texts and voice mails. She’d accepted Kristen’s offer to be a full-time sub on staff at the elementary school next year. She was collecting the material and recommendations she’d need to apply for the grants that would pay for at least one night class a semester at the community college. She’d made it to her AA meeting Thursday night. And tomorrow afternoon, she and Camille and hopefully Oliver would be heading to a local no-cage animal shelter to pick out a floppy-eared Blossom or Bud to bring home.

  Selena closed her eyes and reminded herself to breathe, to be grateful, to trust, while her daughter chattered away to her grandparents. Oliver would be there. He’d go with them to look for a puppy. He and Selena and Camille would have their new start. And even if for some reason he didn’t follow through on his promises, Selena and Camille would be okay. Because look at the beautiful life they were building for themselves in Chandlerville.

  “We had it yesterday at the picnic,” Camille was saying. “But you weren’t there, Grandma and Grandpa.”

  Selena watched Camille cuddled next to Joe, the large envelope that she’d colored flowers and hearts all over clutched in her hand. Inside was an enthusiastically decorated “Get Well Soon, Grandpa” card from Camille, and inside that, the sealed letter from the hospital’s clinic. Camille was smiling up at Marsha. And then she gently, very carefully hugged Joe.

  “Open it,” she insisted. “Open my surprise, Grandpa!”

  Joe took the card, while Belinda steadied Camille, keeping her from bouncing too hard on the bed.

  “It’s very pretty,” Joe praised. “Just like you, Cricket.”

  Selena blinked away the happy tears that came every time she heard her pet name for her child spoken in the deeper timbre of Joe’s voice.

  “It’s prettier inside,” Camille insisted. “But Mommy wouldn’t let me color on the letter. Only your card.”

  “Letter?” Joe asked.

  “From the hospital.” Selena turned her smile to Dru and Brad, wanting to be certain they were still okay with this. They both smiled as the room quieted around them, the other partygoers catching on that something important was happening. “From the clinic.”

  “Mommy said we had to wait for all the family to be together,” Camille said, “before we could open it.”

  “Then I’m glad I wrapped up my last meeting in the city, so I could make the party,” a deep voice responded from the doorway.

  “Oliver.” Selena raced through the crowd.

  She threw her arms around his neck. She hung onto him the way she’d wanted to the morning he’d left.

  “You’re back,” she gushed.

  “I’m back.”

  He dropped the briefcase he’d been carrying and hauled her closer, delighting everyone into a clapping frenzy when he swooped in for a kiss. His lips were warm and tender and too tantalizing for a public display of affection. But Selena couldn’t stop herself from indulging. When he finally set her away, it took her a full sixty seconds to focus on the sexy navy-blue suit he wore, complete with a burgundy tie, a ruthlessly starched white shirt, and gold cuff links.

  “Wowza,” she said.

  “Why thank you, ma’am.”

  “The party invitation said casual dress.”

  “I didn’t have time to change. And I needed to show off my best stuff at this morning’s incorporation meeting. A man can’t throw down casual when he’s negotiating with his lawyers and new business partner.”

  “A new what?”

  “A peer of mine on the IT contracting circuit, a competitor, really. She nailed my last two prospective clients because I couldn’t get my pitches together in time. She’s been after me to combine resources for years. I just made her, and myself, very happy by obliging.”

  “Congratulations, Oliver,” Marsha said.

  And then everyone was raising their lemonade in a new toast, even if they didn’t completely understand what was going on, offering a cheery “Congratulations!”

&nbs
p; “But you work alone,” Selena said.

  Oliver pecked a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Not anymore. Not if I’m going to live in Chandlerville and commute into the city. Not if I can’t travel all the time, and can’t relocate because a client somewhere needs a tech working at a job site for God knows how long.”

  “But . . .”

  “Not if I want to be here with you and Camille and my family, figuring out how to have a life, instead of making work my whole life. With Xan on board and the plans we’ve been hashing out for hiring staff and leveraging project loads, I’ll be able to do both now.”

  “Xan?” Selena’s head was spinning.

  Oliver kissed her again, making her tingle all over. “I’ll explain later.”

  He grinned toward Camille and his parents and Belinda.

  “Sounded like I was interrupting something important,” he said. “Something about a surprise from the hospital.”

  “In Grandpa’s get-well card,” Camille chirped. Her pout made an appearance. “Can he open it now?”

  “Grandpa?” Oliver asked Selena.

  “I’ve been working on a few of my own projects.” There was so much to tell him.

  “I’m intrigued,” he teased. “And I’m also going to commandeer the party for just another minute or two, with Camille’s permission, of course. I promise to make it up to you,” he said to Selena’s impatient child.

  Camille looked from Oliver to Selena, who nodded her head in encouragement.

  “All right,” Camille sighed. “What’s that?” She stared at Oliver and Selena the same as everyone else in the room.

  That’s when Selena realized Oliver was holding something out to her. A robin’s-egg-blue box, tied with a white satin ribbon.

  “Oh my God.” She gazed into his smiling green eyes, seeing his love there—and her forever. “Oliver . . .”

  “I know it’s premature. But my lawyers tell me they’ve got things moving with Parker, now that he’s realized he no longer has financial leverage with you. And from the sound of it, I got here just in time to do this right—the way I’ve wanted to since I walked into Tiffany’s the first of last week and found the perfect ring for you.”