by Meryl Sawyer
“It’s the least I can do…considering everything. I want you to know how much I regret the way I behaved. I—”
“I know you’re sorry. I don’t want to take something Mother didn’t want me to have.”
Tori looked sideways at the grave. “It doesn’t matter what she wants now, does it? We’re on our own.” Her sister’s eyes were awash with unshed tears, pleading for forgiveness.
“I don’t know what to say. I—”
“Don’t say anything. Just be happy.” Tori hurried away.
Kat wanted to call after her, but the words wouldn’t come. She turned, clutching the envelope, and walked to her father’s grave. The spray of red roses in a heart shape that she’d ordered early this morning stood beside the grave.
“Guess what?” she told the marble headstone that had taken her months to save for. “Tori and I made up…at least, I think that’s what happened.”
Let her go. Some lessons you must learn on your own. You did, and look at you now.
Had her father spoken to her or was it merely her imagination? Both, Kat decided. Love was so strong that time and place didn’t matter. Her father was always with her—an angel on her shoulder—guiding her in the way she lived, the way she loved.
A roll of thunder shook the earth. Spring storms descended with a burst of speed and heavy rain—Kat had so much to tell her father and so little time right now. She would have to return on a sunny day and share with him the way she felt about Justin.
“Daddy,” she said. “I am what I am because you loved me. Your love gave me the will to survive in prison. Without it, I don’t know what might have happened to me.”
She let out a low, tortured sob, then permitted herself to give in to the unrivaled solace of tears. Drops of rain pelted her head and shoulders, but she hardly felt it. She wept out loud, her body shaking.
Strong arms encompassed her and held her tight. “Sweetheart, don’t cry,” Justin said tenderly. “Let’s get out of here before lightning hits one of us.”
She took a few deep breaths until she was strong enough to raise her head. She looked up into Justin’s eyes and saw what her mother and father had never known.
Love.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you more,” he replied. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for you.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-1758-8
HALF PAST DEAD
Copyright © 2006 by M. Sawyer-Unickel
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3K9, Canada.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and TM are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
www.HQNBooks.com