It's Better This Way(54)

Hillary came farther into the room. She held his gaze for a long moment before she asked, “Do you love my mother?”

Heath welcomed the question. “With all my heart. What makes you ask?”

Julia’s daughter crossed her arms as she stepped closer to the bed. “My mother is everything I hope to be one day. She’s the most loving person I know. She is thoughtful and generous. She does everything she can to show us how loved we are. Even when she knew Dad was cheating on her, she was willing to swallow her pride and pain and look past his betrayal to keep our family together.”

    Heath agreed, Julia was the most loving, caring woman he had ever known. How any man could walk away from her was beyond him.

“That said, after Dad left, Mom struggled to find herself. She did an amazing job, but deep down I don’t think she was happy. It was like a part of her heart was missing. Since she’s been seeing you, I’ve noticed a change in her. Her smiles come easier now, and there’s a glow about her that I hadn’t seen in a long time.”

He saw all that in Julia—that light was the same one that touched his heart and brought sunlight back into his life.

“When she told Marie and me she was dating you, I’ll admit we were upset. We discouraged it and made sure she realized that we weren’t on board with this relationship. Then yesterday, when she didn’t know if you would survive, my mother lost it. I’ve never seen her this undone, not even after we lost our grandfather.”

Heath hated how deplorably his sons had treated Julia. One day they would realize how they had wronged her and apologize.

“I know there’s trouble between our families, and I regret that. I would welcome a way to bring us all together and end this animosity.”

“I would welcome that, too,” Hillary told him, “only the way things are now, it’s highly unlikely. Your sons…” She paused and shook her head. “It’s better I not tell you what I think.”

“Thank you.” Heath didn’t want to be in a position where he would need to defend Michael and Adam.

    “What I will say,” Hillary continued, “is after seeing how Mom reacted yesterday, Marie and I talked. If Mom has your heart, then we won’t do anything more to discourage your relationship.”

“She is my heart,” Heath said, and it was more truth than Julia’s daughters would ever understand.

“She clearly cares deeply for you,” Hillary said, dropping her arms to her sides. “Marie and I decided that it would be wrong for us to stand in your way, especially if you shared her feelings.”

“I do, heart and soul.”

She smiled then, and Heath did, too.

“Thank you,” he whispered, overwhelmed and grateful.

Her eyes narrowed. “You hurt her, and I’ll make sure you regret it.”

“It will never happen,” he promised her. He thrust out his hand.

Hillary stepped forward and shook it.

This was a start, Heath mused, as she left the room.

The beginning of the healing for their families.





Chapter 21




For fear of running into one of Heath’s sons, Julia stayed away from the hospital even when every beat of her heart urged her to find a way to be with him. Because Hillary worked as a physical therapist at Seattle General, her daughter was able to update Julia on Heath’s condition following his surgery. A dozen times or more since she’d walked out of the hospital with Amanda, Julia was tempted to call him, but hadn’t, for fear of disturbing his recovery. Her one consolation was the brief text messages he’d sent, assuring her he would be home soon and eager to see her. He thanked her and claimed her quick action had saved his life.

She nervously waited for word when the hospital would release him. She was told he was unlikely to spend more than a couple days recuperating from his surgery. She was certain one of his sons would escort him home and impatiently waited for the chance to see him herself. Not until she could hold his face and look into his eyes would she believe, once and for all, that he had truly survived.

    Hillary had been good about keeping her updated; without knowing Heath’s condition, Julia would have been lost.

Her doorbell rang. Because she was waiting for Hillary’s call, she was irritated and in no mood for company. When she saw Heath standing on the other side of her threshold, she burst into tears.

Immediately she was in his arms. Heaving huge, gulping sobs, she clung to him, holding on as if she never intended to let him go.

“Sweetheart. Julia. I’m okay…only I should probably sit down.”

Julia instantly brought him into the condo.

Heath sat on her sofa while she searched for a tissue and blew her nose. She had never been one of those women who looked beautiful while crying.

“It looks like you missed me,” he teased. He patted the place at his side, and she sat next to him.

“I was so worried,” she whispered, still having trouble believing he was here with her.

“Me, too,” he said, and placed his arm around her shoulders, tucking her close against his warm body. He tilted his head so it rested on top of hers.

“I thought I’d lost you,” she said, struggling not to dissolve into tears a second time.