Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com

208 DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT
She was quiet. “My father’s been gone for thirteen
years,” she finally said, her voice low. “Perhaps it’s time
for all of us to let him go.”
Her words seemed to hang in the air like dandelion
puffs on a calm day, and he wondered if she was trying
to tell him something significant. Was she ready to let
the past go? His heart stirred but he almost didn’t dare
let himself hope.
“My father would want Mama to be happy. I know
that.”
He reached for her hand. Her fingers were cold, and
he tightened his around her, wishing he could warm all
the cold places inside her.
“What about you? Abel adored you.”
He laughed a little as a forgotten memory fought its
way to the surface. “He used to come to the bus stop
after school sometimes just to greet you. I can still see
the way you would fly into his arms and he would twirl
you around while you shrieked and laughed.”
He hadn’t meant it to happen but his words sparked
tears in her eyes that hovered on her thick, spiky eyelashes
before spilling over. “I never doubted he loved
me. Never.”
He squeezed her fingers. “You said your father would
want Viv to be happy. Don’t you think he would want
you to be happy, too?”
“He would have hated to see me like this.” She swiped
at her cheeks, at more tears sliding down. “I think it
would have been harder on him than it’s been on Mama.”
“Oh, Maggie.” He chose his words carefully, sensing
this was important to her. “Like your mother, I’m sure