A Turn in the Road (Blossom Street #8)(104)

Grant turned to face his son. His vision blurred as his eyes filled with tears. He’d thought he’d lost his son completely. With a wrenching sob he reached for Andrew and drew him into his arms and hugged him close, as though his very life depended on this moment. Perhaps it did.

“I’m so sorry,” he sobbed. “So sorry. I need my son…please, I need my son.”

It took Andrew a few seconds to return the hug. For a long time, they clung to each other.

“I need you, too,” Andrew confessed. “I didn’t want to, but I do.”

They broke apart and after a few minutes Grant said in a husky voice, “Okay, I’m ready.” He wiped the moisture from his cheeks with the back of his hand.

Andrew stared at him quizzically.

“I need to meet Max and wish your mother happiness.” It wouldn’t be easy but he’d told Bethanne he loved her enough to want her happiness above his own and he meant it.

Andrew nodded approvingly. “I’ll come with you.”

Grant regarded him for a few seconds. Although he’d lost Bethanne, he’d found the road back to his son. He put his hand on Andrew’s shoulder, proud of the fine young attorney he’d become, and managed to say, “Thank you.”

“I couldn’t wait another second,” Max whispered.

With a huge lump forming in her throat, Bethanne seemed incapable of doing anything other than gazing up at him. Not until she’d learned he might be at the wedding did she realize how desperately she’d missed him.

“I sincerely hope you’re as glad to see me as I am to see you,” he murmured.

Still in a trance she continued to stare. This was Max. Right here. Now. This minute.

Grinning boyishly, he added, “You don’t need to give me your answer yet as long as you let me hold you.”

Looking around her, Bethanne became aware that they stood in the middle of the dance floor with couples all around them. The music was slow and sultry, a love ballad.

“Maybe we should just dance,” she suggested.

Max’s grin widened. “I welcome any excuse to wrap my arms around you.”

They moved a step closer and Max slipped his arms around her waist. Holding her tight against him, he lifted her feet off the floor, nearly crushing her in his embrace. Bethanne put both arms around his neck and buried her face in the curve of his shoulder. “I have missed you so much.”

He snorted as though discounting her words. “You have no idea what I’ve been through.”

“Probably not,” she agreed. This time apart had been hard on her, too, but necessary. In the weeks they hadn’t spoken, she’d been able to listen to her inner self and recognize what she wanted. Just as her son had said—once she listened, she knew.

What she wanted. Who she needed. Max.

Because of her twenty years with Grant and because of their children, she felt she had to give reconciliation an honest attempt, but it hadn’t worked. It never really would, despite Grant’s efforts to win her back.

Max’s hold relaxed and she slid down his front until her feet were secure on the floor. Although they made a pretense of dancing, all they really did was shuffle their feet and gaze at each other. Bethanne was nearly giddy with joy.

Max pressed the side of his face against her temple and she closed her eyes. This must be what it felt like in heaven, she mused. This overwhelming sense of happiness, of being complete. This elation.

“Mom, Mom…” Annie’s voice broke into her near-trance. Reluctantly, she pulled away from Max to look at her daughter, who’d hurried across the polished dance floor.

“Mom,” Annie repeated, and stopped abruptly when she saw Max. Her jaw fell open. “Wow, you look…fabulous.”

“Thank you.” Max smiled down at Bethanne.

“I came to tell you Rooster’s here.”

“You brought Rooster?” Bethanne directed the question to Max.

He winked. “It’s more a case of him bringing me.”

“I owe him,” Bethanne whispered.

“We both do.”

“Rooster is talking to Grandma and Royce,” Annie said. “And Dad’s—”

“Oh, boy.” Bethanne wasn’t so sure what Grant’s reaction would be, although she sensed that he knew it was over. Really over.

Annie shook her head. “Don’t worry. I’ve already talked to Dad. He and Andrew…well, you’ll see.”

“I’ll talk to your father myself.” Bethanne couldn’t leave this to anyone else. He had to hear it from her; she was about to explain that when Andrew and Grant approached them.

Grant stepped forward and the two men eyed each other intently. Andrew clasped his dad’s shoulder and after a momentary hesitation Grant extended his hand. “I’m Grant.”

“Max.”

His gaze shifted to Bethanne, and he hugged her, then looked back at Max. “Love her.”

“I intend to do exactly that,” Max said. “Thank you.”

Grant nodded and they exchanged handshakes. Grant turned to face Bethanne.

She met his look and saw the pain in his eyes. He held her gaze a moment longer and whispered, “Be happy.”

She swallowed tightly. “I will.” Then her eyes met Andrew’s and she realized that the wall between her son and his father was gone.