A Turn in the Road - Debbie Macomber [110]
“Apparently, Europe wasn’t what he expected.” She tried to hide the pleasure it gave her to tell him so. “Now he seems to think everything will go back to the way it was before he left.”
“You’ve got to be kidding!” His voice rang with righteous indignation.
“The problem is, I don’t know how I feel about Vance anymore. I’ve gone out with a couple of other guys during this trip, but it isn’t the same as being with him. He was more than my boyfriend. Vance was my best friend, too.” She sighed. “For a while I thought I missed him so much because I was just so used to being with him. I decided that wasn’t a good enough reason to get back together. But now…”
“You’ll get over him, honey. Vance needs to know he isn’t the only bird in the flock.”
“I couldn’t wait to tell him about Jason. He’s the guy I met in Vegas. Jason was nice, and so is Craig. I talked to Mom about it and, well…”
“What did she say?”
It’d been a really helpful conversation. “We discussed me wanting Vance to be sorry for the way he treated me. Mom said—” Annie paused “—she said the real problem is that I wanted to make sure Vance understood that what he did was wrong. If he’d told me about this trip, it would’ve been different but to hide it from me and then expect me to be okay with it was too much.”
“I couldn’t agree with your mother more. Like I said, Vance doesn’t deserve you. You aren’t really going back with him, are you?”
“That’s just it. I…I don’t know.”
“Don’t, honey. If he’s making plans behind your back now, that behavior isn’t going to change.”
“What do you mean? Are you saying that even if he apologizes I shouldn’t give him another chance?” Annie was surprised to find herself sticking up for Vance, but she felt compelled to be his champion.
“Annie, you’re smarter than this.”
Annie stared at her dad.
“Once the pattern’s set, nothing will change. Save yourself a lot of grief.”
She continued to stare.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.
“So I shouldn’t forgive him?”
“No way.”
Annie blinked, more confused now than before. “But, Dad, you want Mom to forgive you.”
Her father’s eyes narrowed slightly. “That’s different.”
“Is it?”
“Yes! Listen, you can forgive Vance, if that’s what you want. But can you trust him?”
Annie sucked in her breath. “Don’t you think that’s the same thing Mom’s asking herself? Can she trust you, Dad?”
He blinked as though the question had caught him unawares. “Yes, she can. I’ve learned my lesson. I promise you before God and man that I will remain faithful to your mother. Never, ever again will I take her for granted.”
Annie hoped that was true. She believed him—she had to—and prayed her mother did, as well.
Thirty
Bethanne, Annie and Grant drove to the airport in his rental, while Royce was taking Ruth in his own car. It was obvious to Bethanne, and no doubt everyone else, that the older couple had picked up where they’d left off fifty years earlier. All the resentments and regrets had apparently been laid to rest. Ever since the night of the prom, they’d spent nearly every minute together. And the class reunion the other evening had been, according to Ruth, the second-best event of the year.
Plans were already in motion for Royce to visit Seattle the following month. Andrew and Courtney’s wedding was the perfect reason. Bethanne wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to marry before the end of the summer. That would mean one of them would need to move and she wondered how they’d handle it.
“Did you enjoy your stay in Florida?” Grant asked as they approached the Orlando airport. The direct flight into Seattle would have them back in familiar territory within five and a half hours.
“Very much,” Bethanne told him. The highlight for her had been prom night, when she’d felt so close to Grant.
“That was a lovely thing you did for my mother,” Grant said. “You and Annie. It meant the world to Mom.”
Grant had played no small part, although he was eager to give her the credit.
“I had a great time, too.” Annie leaned forward from the backseat.