Free Returning Home by Karen Whiddon Page B

herself.
    Raising a shaking hand to her mouth, Hope touched her lips. For a second, she’d believed he would kiss her. And she’d wanted him to. Heaven help her, she’d wanted him to. She’d never forgotten his kiss, the way his mouth fit over hers, the way he tasted. There had never been another man who’d been able to stir her with a mere kiss.
    She didn’t dare even to think of the way they’d made love together. If she did, she would be lost Clumsily, she pushed herself back, plumping the pillow against the headboard. She hadn’t even told him that she wanted to leave. She’d been here less than a week of her promised month. Should she stay and see it through, or leave? Already, Jeff was remembering. Bits and pieces, he had said.
    Hope rubbed her aching temples, trying to think, to decide. She knew that once Jeff’s memory started to return, it would only grow stronger. This was a good thing, she reminded herself. This was why she had come. But she had to face the facts, no matter how much it might hurt, no matter how badly the thought terrified her.
    Jeff would eventually remember everything, right up until graduation, when she’d left. He would remember what he had done, how his betrayal had caused her to flee Dalhart
    He would remember and question. This time, there would be no escape. This time, she would have no choice but to tell him of the terrible thing she’d done to both of them, to their child. She would have no choice but to tell him of the daughter he had never known, the daughter whose brief life had been like a bright ray of sunshine. The daughter Hope had loved with all her heart—but Jeff hadn’t even known of her existence. This time, she would make damn sure he hated her before she left. And this time, it would be for good.
    She’d just dropped off to sleep when a light tap on her door woke her. Smiling an apology, Charlene perched on the edge of her bed. “Do you want to talk?”
    Glancing at the luminous dial of her clock radio, Hope saw it was only a little past ten. She rubbed her eyes, cleared her throat, and nodded.
    “Like we used to?”
    Just like in the old days, Charlene wanted to have a heart-to-heart chat. Settling back against the pillows, Hope smiled.
    “Okay.” Hesitant to share her worries, Hope decided to focus on the facts for now. “I think Jeff’s getting better. He said he remembered bits and pieces.”
    “Really!” Charlene beamed. “Did he tell you what he remembered?”
    Hope felt her face heat. Glad her friend couldn’t see her too well in the dim room, she sighed and said, “Not really. Most likely it had to do with football.”
    “Football,” Charlene snorted. “Do you think he’ll remember what happened, what he did behind your back that night at the lake?”
    “Right before graduation,” Hope finished, amazed that her tone sounded so steady. Inside, her nerves jangled. “I’m sure he will remember, eventually.”
    “What will you do then?” Charlene whispered. “Promise me you won’t leave before the reunion.” The reunion. She would have to face all her old classmates again, knowing that all of them knew. Hope told herself they probably had forgotten; after all, it had happened ten years ago.
    It appeared that leaving was, for now, out of the question.
    “I’ll go to the reunion.”
    “Good,” Charlene sighed. “I can’t wait to go shop ping. We’ll show them that all former cheerleaders don’t necessarily get fat”
    Hope giggled. ‘ ‘It’ll be interesting to see what every one looks like now.”
    “And to see if Clay can still dance,” Charlene said wistfully.
    Her friend had always loved to dance. With a pang, Hope remembered how well she and Jeff had fit together, how sexy dancing with him had always made her feel.
    That was in the past, she reminded herself. She wouldn’t dance with Jeff at the reunion. It would be too dangerous.
    “So what do you think?” Charlene asked. “Should we do it or not?”
    Hope