Long-Lost Mom

“To make me a better person,” Jenna said urgently, meaning it. “I see it now-”

“No, you don’t. You can’t understand because I never told you.” Kristen sighed heavily. “I used to be so hard on you, hoping Mom would let up if…”

“If I was more like you?”

“Maybe you’re not the only one who has changed,” Kristen said softly. “Maybe I’ve learned to accept people for who they are.”

“You were trying to help.” Wonder filled Jenna as she mulled this over. “You never hated me-you were trying to protect me.” A warm feeling prevailed, and it felt good, so very good, to let go of the past. “I do understand.”

“Do you?” Kristen’s eyes filled with tears. “Do you know how much I loved you, still love you, how I always wished I could make you believe it?” She reached across the table, grasped Jenna’s hands and held tight. “How desperately afraid I was for you, especially when I couldn’t reach through that angry barrier to get to the real Jenna?” She drew a ragged breath and blinked her tears away. “I wanted my sister, Jenna, and I couldn’t get her. I had to stand around and watch you try to destroy yourself, and it killed me.”

“I’m sor-”

“Do you think I don’t know how Mom treated you? How she loved me best? God! I hated that. I still don’t understand it, but I never meant for it to be that way. When I realized I couldn’t change you, I used to do everything I could to make her hate me so she’d like you more, but nothing worked. Nothing. And by the time we were old enough to talk about it, you were gone from me.”

“I’m-”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” Kristen practically shouted, rising from her chair and pulling Jenna from hers. “I don’t want you to be sorry. I just want you back.” She placed a hand to her chest as if she ached. “I want you back in my life, because you never left my heart.”

Jenna swallowed hard, but the tears came, anyway. Before she could let out the muffled sob, Kristen had her in her arms.

“It’ll work out,” Kristen promised, rocking them both. “It’ll all work out.”

“How?”

“With faith.”

Jenna wanted to believe that. Oh, how she wanted to. “I don’t have much of that,” she admitted.

“It’s okay. I have enough for both of us.”

Their hug tightened and it felt so good, so right. Jenna closed her eyes and held on for all she was worth.

“I love you, Jenna,” Kristen whispered fiercely. “I love you so much.”

It was the first time in far too many years Jenna had heard those words. She’d never said them out loud before and wasn’t sure she could now, but she continued to hold on, soaking up all the love she could get.

Stone squared his shoulders, gritted his teeth and came shockingly close to putting his fist through the wall of his office. “I realize she doesn’t want to take any calls right now.” He refrained from adding an unflattering oath to the man claiming to be his parent’s butler. “But she might change her mind.”

“I doubt it, sir.”

And just who the hell still had a butler in the 1990s? Stone wondered.

“She’s in mourning, sir.”

Mourning. He’d discovered he was, too, even for a brother who’d written him out of his life with an ease that still disturbed Stone.

It didn’t stop the grief any. “Just tell her it’s her son,” Stone suggested tightly, eyeing the clock and feeling thankful he still had three hours before Sara got home from school.

God help him, he needed a break from the child who’d had nonstop questions flowing from her mouth since the day before, when he’d learned about Richard.

Why is he dead, she’d asked. Why didn’t he ever want to talk to you when you called? Why didn’t he answer your letters?

And why are you crying, Daddy?

Yeah, he needed a break. Sinking onto the stool in front of the counter, he rested his head in one hand. His other hand still gripped the phone.

“Who is this?” that horrible flat voice questioned.

“I told you,” he replied carefully. “Her son.”

“Her son has passed on.”

“Her other son,” Stone grated. “I’m sure she’ll remember.” Was he sure? Seemed she hadn’t remembered his past ten birthdays. The past ten Christmases. Sara’s past nine birthdays.

Dammit, he was furious all over again, at himself and his parents.

For Sara, he reminded himself, repeating it like a mantra. This is for Sara, so swallow the pride and just do it.

“Please.” A muscle in his jaw worked. “Please tell her Stone is on the line. Stone Cameron.”

While silence filled the air, Stone set his hot forehead down on the cool counter.

He was an idiot. An idiot who loved his daughter beyond reason, enough to try to give her the family she’d always wanted.

“I’m sorry, sir,” came that damn voice.

The outer door, the one to his shop, opened. A minute later his office door opened behind him, and before it shut again, he caught that light sexy scent he would forever equate with one woman.

Cindy.

From behind, she lightly touched him, set her hand on his shoulder, and just that simply, some of his burden lifted. He couldn’t explain it any better than that, even to himself, but he wouldn’t hide from it.

“What do you mean, you’re sorry?” Stone said into the phone. He didn’t turn to face Cindy, but reached up and grabbed her hand.

She held on and squeezed. Then stepped closer so that he could feel the heat of her body against his back. It comforted him as little else could have.

“Mrs. Cameron refuses to take the call,” the butler said. “You’re not to call here again.”

Betrayal slashed through him, chilling him. Hurt had a taste, he discovered. Bitter as hell.

“Did you hear me?” asked the butler, his voice a bit louder. “Please do not call here again.”

Behind Stone, Cindy stiffened, her anger and shock flowing through her to him as she clearly heard the words through the receiver.

For some reason, that gave Stone strength. It’d been a long time since he’d felt someone on his side. For years he’d been alone in this, alone against the world in his fight to survive with Sara.

“She’s unbelievable,” Stone muttered beneath his breath. “Unbelievable.”

“Goodbye, sir.”

“The funeral,” Stone said quickly before he was hung up on. “When is the-” At the disconnecting click, he shook his head, then slowly set the phone down.

Cindy held him close, and he was enveloped by her as well as her welcome compassion.

“I’m here,” she whispered. “Just like I promised you I would be. Is…it enough?”

“More than enough,” he whispered back, and turning, he wrapped her slight body in his arms.

Chapter 6

He wasn’t ever going to let go, Stone thought as Cindy pressed close to him. Desperate, a little needy, he held her tighter, closing his eyes in relief when she clung to him, just as needy.

“Let me be here for you, Stone.”

A buzzing in his head nearly drowned out her words.

Richard was gone, truly gone.

His mother refused to acknowledge her only living son.