Taylor Lynne: The Women of Merryton - Book Two Read Free Page A

took out the
tomato and gave it back to Emmy. “Here, try this.”
    Emmy with some
trepidation took a very small bite. I felt bad that we were all watching and
waiting for her reaction. She didn’t gag or spit it out, so I took it as a good
sign. I dug into my own food because I was more than hungry and I needed
something to do other than stare at my ex, who was staring at me.
    I pretty much stayed silent
during the meal. I let Ashley and Easton dictate the conversation and catch up.
I also observed Emmy. I concluded her issue with “healthy” food was probably
partially due to texture. I supposed I could give Easton some suggestions on
how to help with that and how to introduce new foods to her.
    All I knew was that I was
thrilled when the movers showed up. I needed the distraction. My ex-husband,
unfortunately, thought he needed to stay. I had to say I was surprised he took
a whole Thursday off to help. When we were married he wouldn’t have considered
it, but now it was really annoying. And it was annoying when the movers assumed
he was my husband. I set them straight right away. And it was annoying when he
insisted on helping me set up our beds and move the furniture to where I wanted
it. And it was really annoying when he decided to go and get dinner for
everyone and stayed and ate with us, again .
    My saving grace was Emmy;
she fell asleep on my couch around nine. Easton finally decided it was time to
go home, but before he left, he asked to speak with me privately. I agreed, but
only because I wanted him to leave. We walked out to the front porch. I had
forgotten that it got cool here at night in June. Back home, it would still be
steamy. I wrapped my arms around myself.
    “Do you want me to get
you a jacket?” Easton offered. I forgot how kind he could be.  
    “No,” I responded,
probably too shortly. It had been a long day and I was ready for him to leave.
    He responded by smiling. “I
guess offering you my arm would probably be out of the question then.”
    I sighed and smiled without
meaning to. “What did you need to speak to me about?” I had to keep myself from
yawning.
    “Have you seen your
father yet?”
    I shook my head no. I had
been trying to forget about the other reason I agreed to come home. Frank Roberts
was the saddest excuse for a father that there ever was, but he was dying.
Easton told me the night he called and asked if Ashley could come and spend the
summer with him. I refused at first. I only had two summers left with her
before she left for college and I couldn’t stand the thought of losing one of
them. That’s when he suggested I come too. He told me the hospital was in need
of a good clinical nutritionist and I should consider applying and moving back.
I laughed at the suggestion. I mean, I hated this place and swore I would never
come back, but then … but then he told me Frank had been to see him. Easton
broke about a hundred privacy laws by telling me Frank was in stage four of cirrhosis
of the liver and he had given him a year to live, maybe eighteen months. Easton
told me if I was ever going to forgive Frank and move on, this would be my last
chance. And, of course, Ashley thought we should.
    Easton looked at me with
concern in his brown eyes. He reached out and touched my cold arm. “I’ll go
with you, if you would like.”
    I shook my head no. I
wasn’t going to depend on Easton for anything.
    He dropped his hand and a
look of disappointment washed over his face. “I want to warn you. He looks
terrible and … I told him you were moving back.”
    “Of course you did.”
    “I’m sorry, Taylor, but I
thought he deserved to know.”
    “Frank doesn’t deserve to
know anything about me.”
    “People change, Taylor.”
    I looked up at him with
tears in my eyes. “Yes, I know, and it’s not always for the better.”

Chapter Two
     
    I was exhausted from
moving most of the day, but I couldn’t sleep. Being back in Merryton was my
undoing. You see, from the outside