Read Let Me Love You Again (An Echoes of the Heart Novel Book 2) for Free Online Page B

tracking her down now wouldn’t
hurt
his parents’ chances to reconnect with her while he was around?
    “I’ll do what I can, Mom. Don’t worry about anything.”
    “Your mother’s cranky,” Joe teased, “not worried. I’ve spoiled her plans for tonight . . .” He took a shallow breath. “BelindaRosenthal and her garden club ladies-in-waiting were coming over to the house to talk about whatever they’ve got brewing.”
    “Father of the Year,” Oliver said. “Yeah. Travis mentioned that. You’re officially the bomb, Dad.”
    Joe waved away the suggestion.
    “Admit it.” Marsha brushed a butterfly kiss across his cheek. She wiped perspiration from his forehead. “You’re hiding out in your cushy room here because coffee and dessert with Belinda and her ladies who lunch has you running scared.”
    “Enough to risk hospital food?” Oliver shuddered. “Tell me you’re not that desperate.”
    He’d eased closer to the door. He wasn’t slinking away, he told himself. He
wasn’t
desperate to sniff out the caffeine he’d sworn off—a nod to cleaner living, like meaning to get more sleep. He’d handle staying in town just fine, once he had a calm moment to plan an exit strategy that would suit everyone. Once he could see the end of a project, he always found the right path through the chaos.
    He reached behind him for the doorknob.
    “Get some rest,” his mom advised. “You’re going to need it once the kids get home this afternoon. Travis and Dru are helping me talk with everyone at the house after school. I could introduce you to younger brothers and sisters then.”
    “Sounds good.”
    “Thank you for being here.” His father’s smile was tighter than before, but just as genuine. “For staying. You don’t know what this means to us.”
    “No worries.” Oliver pushed through the door to cover
his
worry about all of it.
    At the moment, he’d kill for a quick ride home and a few hours of being unconscious. But he turned down the hallway toward theCICU waiting area, searching for his brother . . . and put on the brakes so fast his sneakers skidded on the linoleum.
    Selena stood with her back to Travis. She stared at Oliver, her bottomless brown eyes rounded like saucers. She was the best part of his messed-up childhood, and she was once more just a touch away.
    He’d survived his teenage years by promising himself Selena would be his future. After they’d imploded, too many of his restless nights as an adult had been filled with dreams of what they could have been. And now that they were back in the same place, fate seemed determined to throw them together. Fate, and Oliver’s family.
    He could hear every hesitant breath she took. He could see what looked almost like regret in her gaze. Only there was something more there—enough to completely lose himself in, if he wasn’t careful.
    “Hello, Selena.” His glance toward Travis promised retribution if his brother had helped set this reunion into motion.
    Travis held up his palms, innocence personified. “I just got here.”
    “I’m sorry about this,” Selena added in a rush.
    She looked like any second she might hug Oliver or burst into tears or worse. While he wanted to close the distance between them, hold her body against his, and be certain she was really there.
    She stayed put.
    So did he.
    Oliver was officially one surprise over his coping threshold.
    “Now isn’t a good time,” he said.
    Dipping his toe into his past with Selena would be like taking that first hit of caffeine. Innocent enough in theory. Just one sip. He’d still be in control. No problem. Until his addiction had him by the gut and there was no shaking it loose.
    Selena fussed with the strap of the tote bag she’d slung overher shoulder. She looked ready to crawl out of her skin. But she didn’t move. And if she didn’t move soon, one of them was going to scream. Most likely Oliver.
    Then the elevator at the end of the hall dinged, its doors rolling