“I can’t blame it on the pregnancy,” she said with a shake of her head. “I get so frustrated these days. I love daddy but he can’t tell me what to do anymore. I’m a grown woman.”
“He wants the best for you. That’s clear to even a casual observer. He loves you and your sisters more than anything in this world.” Heath let out a chuckle. “I remember back in elementary school when he would rush into the cafeteria and deliver your lunch if you forgot it. He used to kiss you on the forehead every single time and as you got older, you started to get self-conscious about it. And pretty soon your dad wasn’t coming in to the lunchroom anymore. He was meeting you at the front of the school.”
Bella cringed at the recollection. It hadn’t been her finest moment. She had been a middle schooler and embarrassed about being kissed by her father in public. She would give anything to go back and relive those middle school moments and do it all over again. “I’m sort of ashamed of how I acted. I had such a devoted dad.”
“You were a typical middle schooler. At that age our emotions were all over the place. I’m sure your dad knew you were just going through a phase.”
“I kind of feel the same way now.” Bella confessed, feeling slightly shy at the admission. She was in the most vulnerable state in her life.
“You’re allowed to have those feelings. I’m just sorry I let you down, Bella. I won’t be pressuring you to marry me. I heard you loud and clear. All I want to do is to support you and the baby.” He leaned in and said in a low voice, “But if somewhere along the way you decide to change your mind about pledging forever to me, I’ll be at the church with bells on.”
Heath stood up and reached down for her hand. She placed her hand in Heath’s, silently marveling at his warm hands. He pulled her up to a standing position. They were facing one another, and despite the cold wind whipping relentlessly around them, Bella felt warmth infusing her body. She looked up Heath, drinking in his handsome features and his kind expression.
She’d been angry at him for so long that somehow she had managed to forget what a gentle, kind person he was. That hadn’t changed in all this time. Because she’d been angry at him she’d convinced herself that he was no longer the Heath she’d always known and loved. But he wasn’t. His PTSD had altered his personality, but the real Heath had always been there, lurking under the surface.
From the moment they had started dating back in high school, Heath had been her gentle, loving sweetheart. He had brought her wildflowers for no reason at all, learned to drive so he could take them to their senior prom and promised her that he would come back safe and sound from Afghanistan so they could live out the rest of their days together.
“Thank you for coming to find me. And for loaning me the sweatshirt.”
“Anytime, Bella. I’ll always be here for you.” An electric pulse hummed and sizzled in the air between them. For a moment, Bella thought Heath was going to kiss her. He moved closer to her, then brushed strands of hair away from her forehead. She turned her head upward, holding her breath in expectation of his lips brushing against hers. It had been so long since she’d kissed Heath.
Bella felt a stab of disappointment as Heath took a step backward. She felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. What was wrong with her? She was being fanciful. Clearly, Heath hadn’t wanted to kiss her at all.
“Let me walk you back to your car. Something tells me your dad is worried about you,” Heath said, glancing at his watch.
“I’ll head back to the shop in a little bit,” she said. “I don’t want him worrying about me. He has enough to worry about with the shop losing so much business over the last few months.”
Heath frowned. “Things haven’t improved?”
Bella shrugged. “Not really. If things don’t turn around soon, we might be in real trouble.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Fish Tails is an institution in Pelican Bay.”
“It seems mighty odd that business would fall off so sharply over such a short period of time.”
“Well, there’s that new shop over on Crescent,” Heath said. “They might be cutting into your bottom line.”
“True,” Bella acknowledged, quirking her mouth. “But still, something seems off. It’s as if sales just fell off a cliff.”
“I can put my ear to the ground and see what I can find out,” Heath offered. “It is a big decline in such a short time.”
“I appreciate it.”
“By the way, I’m driving to Savannah tomorrow to see Vinny’s folks.” Although Heath threw the news out in a nonchalant manner, Bella knew how important this was for Heath. It radiated from his eyes. Vinny had been his best friend and one of the most genuine people Bella had ever met. His death had been shocking and surreal. She knew how deeply his family must be grieving over the loss of their beloved son.
“I’m so happy you’re making the trip. I know how close you were to Vinny,” Bella said. “Are you going solo?”
“Caleb agreed to come along. We’re going to do an overnight. Addie is going to be holding down the fort at the bistro.”
“Please give Vinny’s folks my regards,” Bella said. “And tell them they are always in my prayers.”
“Take care of yourself while I’m gone,” Heath said. “Make sure you get plenty of rest.”
She watched Heath walk over to his car. Bella felt a stab of disappointment. She had been starved of Heath’s presence in her life for the last five months. It was hard to admit it to herself, but she liked it when Heath was around. She was trying to be resolute, but her heart was softening toward him.
Once she got in her car, Bella looked in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were reddened by the whipping wind. She ran her hands over her lips, chastising herself for wanting something so elusive as a kiss. She and Heath weren’t together anymore. It had taken her months to get over the sting of his rejection. The tears she’d cried had been endless. Her entire life had been turned upside down. And she had grieved the end of their relationship as if she’d been widowed. Tears pricked at her eyes as the memories crashed over her in unrelenting waves.
God, please help me stay strong, she prayed. She couldn’t allow herself to get wrapped up in her feelings for Heath. Although loving him had been one of the greatest privileges of her life, it hadn’t been all moonlight and roses. It had brought her pain and heartache. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to ever travel down that road again with Heath. The road she had traveled with him had been filled with bumps and potholes. With the baby coming, Bella wanted security and a soft place to fall. With all of Heath’s ups and downs in the last year, he was far from a safe bet.
Tell that to your heart, she told herself. Tell that to the little voice inside you whispering that he’s the one.
*
As Heath drove away from Pelican Bay beach he felt immense regret at not kissing Bella when the chance had presented itself. The impulse to do so had been strong, but he’d held back. It would have been the most natural thing in the world to do. But he needed to be patient. Bella needed to be wooed. Treasured. And he planned to do so with patience, tenderness and romance. Tomorrow before he hit the road for Savannah with Caleb he would leave a vase of wildflowers on her doorstep. The very thought of it made him smile.
He whistled an upbeat tune as he navigated the road to his house. Things were definitely looking up.
His cell phone started buzzing and Caleb’s number came up on the dashboard. His phone was connected to Bluetooth, which made it convenient to take calls while driving. Because of his line of work in construction, Heath never knew what type of work emergency might come up. Lately, he’d been dreaming of starting his own home construction business. Although he knew getting a loan might be tough, Heath felt it was time to push past his self-imposed limits and dream big.
“Hey there, Caleb,” he said, greeting his brother on the line.
“Hi, Heath. What’s up?” Caleb answered, his voice sounding slightly muffled.
“I ran into a problem about tomorrow, Heath. I feel really badly about it, but I can’t come to Savannah with you. Addie’s down with the stomach flu and we have the new sous-chef coming in tomorrow.”
“Aww, that’s a bummer, but I understand. You’re uniquely qualified to handle the situation at the Blue Bayou. Tell Addie to get lots of rest and fluids.”
“You need someone to make the trip with you. Micah offered to ride shotgun with you in my place.”
Micah? Of all his brothers to make the offer, Heath couldn’t have been more surprised. He loved his brother, but Micah tended to be a perpetual joker, one who didn’t seem to take life very seriously. Visiting the Peretti family was a very somber endeavor. Would Micah be the appropriate person to take along with him?
As a highly paid male model, the world was Micah’s oyster. Because of his extremely good looks, he attracted a lot of attention. He was a bit cocky and a bit on the immature side.
“Give him a chance, Heath. He’ll be good company for you. And we keep saying he needs to mature. Maybe seeing Vinny’s family will give him a new perspective on life and how thankful he should be.”
Heath let out a groan. “All right. I’ll give him a call and tell him he can join me. To be honest, I’m surprised he has the time. Shouldn’t he be at a photo shoot in St. Barts or something?”
Caleb’s rich-sounding chuckle echoed over the line. “I expect a full report when you return. I’d love to know how the Peretti’s are doing.”
“Will do,” Caleb said before uttering his goodbyes. As he continued driving the route toward home, he made an impulsive decision to stop by the Silver Spoon. Ever since he’d been introduced to the family diner as a newly adopted member of the Donahue brood, Heath had been a big fan of it. While Caleb had been inspired to be a chef due to the influence of the Silver Spoon, Heath had always been content to simply sit back and enjoy the food as an appreciative customer. Burgers. Fries. Chocolate cherry shakes. Waffles. His stomach began to grumble in anticipation of a meal at the Silver Shack. His mother would seat him in his favorite seat by the jukebox and tell him to order whatever he wanted from the menu. On the house. His money was no good at the Silver Spoon. According to Pops, “One of the benefits of owning this diner is that none of our children will ever go hungry.”
The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon as he drove into the lot of the Silver Spoon. The colors in the sky were breathtaking. There was nothing more beautiful than a Florida Sunset. Heath couldn’t imagine living anywhere else but the sunshine state.
As Heath circled the parking lot to find a spot, a flash of red caught his eye. He slightly turned his head to spy his father standing beside a car on the far side of the diner. Heath squinted to make sure it was his father. He was standing with a blonde woman and they looked as if they were in a tender moment. Heath’s heart stopped. Suddenly, Jude reached out and hugged the woman. Bile rose up in Heath’s throat at the sight of his father with the unfamiliar-looking woman. Although his parents had announced their separation months ago, the sight of his father in such an intimate pose rocked him to his core. Heath watched as his father walked away from the woman and entered the Silver Spoon through the side employee entrance.
Heath shook his head in disbelief. His appetite had suddenly disappeared. He was no longer in the mood to pop into the Silver Spoon. Heath steered his car out of the lot and headed toward home. He didn’t want to jump to conclusions but the sighting of his father with the blonde woman had felt suspicious.
It wasn’t something he felt like mentioning to his siblings, but the sight of his father with his arms wrapped around a mysterious woman made him question everything. The news of his parents’ separation had been sudden and shocking. None of his siblings had seen it coming. Everyone had been floored by the announcement.
Heath couldn’t help but wonder. Was this woman the reason why his parents were ending their marriage? Had his father allowed this person to get in between him and his wife?
“Grief is a dark road to walk down. After Tammy died, I wanted to give up living, but I had four young girls to raise. Sometimes life is about finding reasons to continue on our journey despite the pain of living.”
Jimmy Vincente
Chapter Seven
Heath sat in his car and drummed his fingers against the wheel. He kept shooting furtive glances at the large three story home nestled in the historic district of Savannah. This area resembled something from another time and place. It was elegant and stately.
“Aren’t we going in?” Micah asked, his voice full of impatience.
Heath let out a deeply held breath. “Gimme a few minutes.”
“You said that a few minutes ago. Matter of fact, you’ve been saying that for the last half hour straight. At this point they probably know you’re out here.”
He could feel the heat of Micah’s stare. “What gives, Heath? Why aren’t we inside?”
He met his brother’s curious gaze. “I don’t know. I just want to make sure I’m ready to see them. They probably have a lot of questions for me.”
He felt Micah’s hand on his shoulder. “I know it won’t be easy, but I’m sure seeing you will be a way of reaching out and touching their son. I’m guessing they just want to spend time with you, not grill you.”
Micah was right. Vinny’s family were wonderful people. Maybe he was really afraid to relive the past. He’d come so far in the last few months. He couldn’t afford any setbacks.
“I’m here with you, Heath. I promise you, you’re good. It’s all going to be okay.” Micah’s voice was soothing and solid.
Heath nodded. “Let’s do this.” He unbuckled his seat belt and vaulted from the car before he could change his mind. He didn’t know why his limbs seemed shaky. He loved the Peretti family almost as much as he loved his own.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” he murmured, reciting his favorite verse from Philippians.
Micah joined him on the sidewalk and they proceeded to walk to up the steps to 11 Oglethorpe Street. As they stood on the porch, Heath took a moment to sink it all in. All the previous times he had visited Vinny’s home it had been at joyful times. Easter. New Year’s Eve. Today’s visit was decidedly different. He couldn’t imagine how much of a void existed in this household due to Vinny’s absence.
Heath reached out and rang the bell, his heart pounding like thunder as he shifted from one foot to another. Moments later the door swung open. Viola Peretti, Vinny’s mother, stood at the door with her arms outstretched. With her salt and pepper colored hair and warm grey eyes, Viola was a striking woman. Heath stepped into the house and into her arms. Before he knew it, the rest of the Peretti family was standing there, warmly greeting him. Tony, Vinny’s dad, embraced him in a bear hug that made Heath feel as if he might get crushed. At over six feet and two hundred and fifty pounds, Tony was a large man with a robust laugh and a zest for life. Vinny’s siblings were standing around, everyone greeting him warmly as if he was a member of their brood.
“Hey, everyone, this is my brother, Micah. He kept me company on the ride from Pelican Bay,” Heath said. He smirked as Vinny’s sisters looked admiringly at Micah. There were three of them in all. Missy. Tish. Stacia. Vinny had been the only son.
“Hello,” Micah said, smiling as he swung his gaze around at all the people he’d never met before. Micah always turned on the charm no matter what situation he found himself in. It was learned behavior from childhood. Once upon a time Micah had suffered from debilitating shyness. He had finally managed to conquer it by projecting an image of the comical, magnetic Micah Donahue. What most people didn’t know was that he still suffered from anxiety. It constantly amazed Heath that he was able to work successfully as a male model since it entailed lots of travel, working on photo shoots and dealing with stressful situations.
“We’re so happy to have the two of you here
,” Viola said with a huge grin.
Viola ushered both him and Micah into the large living room, where everyone proceeded to sit down and get comfortable. Missy, Vinny’s youngest sister, brought in a tray with a pitcher of iced tea and glasses. She sat it down on the coffee table and began to pour the iced tea for Heath and Micah.
“Thanks, Missy,” Heath said, taking a huge gulp of the sweet tea. “I can’t believe how grown up you look.”
Missy, who couldn’t be more than sixteen, beamed at him. “Thanks, Heath.”
“How was the drive to Savannah?” Tony asked, his brown eyes twinkling.
“It was great,” Heath said. “We didn’t have much traffic to deal with and we took turns at the wheel.”
“We almost stopped off at Tybee Island,” Micah said in a teasing voice. “I’ve never been and I’ve heard there’s a great inn there right by the beach.”
“Savannah House,” Viola said with a nod. “It’s a wonderful establishment run by six beautiful and accomplished women.”
“We have a little connection to Savannah House,” Heath explained. “The story is complicated, but our cousin Mac who lives in Cape Cod was reunited a few years ago with his biological sister. She happens to be Callie Duvall Holden.”
“What a small world,” Viola remarked, shaking her head. “She’s a lovely woman. And her husband Jax adores her. Oh to be young again.”
After a short period of catching up, Heath broached the subject of his best friend. “I just want you all to know how much I miss Vinny. He was my closest friend. I can’t tell you how many times he saved me in Afghanistan. Without him I’m not sure I would have made it back home.” Heath winced. “And even saying that out loud makes me feel guilty since Vinny isn’t here with us.”
“Oh Heath, we were devastated by Vinny’s death, but we believe he’s still with us,” Viola said, her voice cracking with emotion. She motioned around the room with her hands. “He’s everywhere. I see him in the sunrise out of my bedroom window. I feel him in the kitchen every time I make meatballs.”
All This Love Page 9