Free Just Perfect by Lynn Hunter Page A

strange
sometimes.”  She whispered.
    She was actually talking to him.  “Johnathan's dad?” He
asked hoping she would tell him something about herself.
    “Yes.”
    “Did you love him?”  
    “Yes.  We were so young.  I was seventeen and he was
eighteen.  I feel so old now.”  She heaved a heavy sigh.
    “What happened to him?”  She was silent for so long he
didn't think she would answer.
    “I killed him,” she said so faintly he didn't think he heard
her right.
    “What?”
    “I killed him.” Her voice was stronger now.
    His hand stilled on her back. “Tell me what happened.”  He
would never believe she actually killed someone.  She pushed herself closer to
his body and started talking.  She told him about John and the wreck. About her
dad, the failing business, and her mom's stroke.  She talked for almost an hour
and soaked his shirt through with tears.  He held her close and rubbed her back.
 When she finally quieted, he said, “You don't know what caused that wreck,
Lily.  It could have been anything.  You can't keep blaming yourself.”
    She sniffed. “I'll never forget his scream.  He was
terrified.  All because I couldn't control myself.  I should have waited until
I saw him in person.  I called him and just...blurted out the news,” she sighed.
“His mom won't talk to me or see Johnathan.  She says it's too painful. She
moved away.” She sat up at looked deeply into his eyes. “I ruined a happy family,
Sam.  His mother will never get over his death and she blames me.” Her
beautiful brown eyes filled with fresh tears, “rightly so.”
    “No. That's her choice.  She could have a family if she
wanted one.”
    Lily shook her head. “I didn't want to do anything again
without thinking it through. But since I met you, I seem to do all kinds of impulsive
things.  I know working at the diner won't save the house but I just felt so
frantic at the thought of leaving.  I have to do something.  If I don't try,
I'll hate myself.
    Sam studied her. “If you hadn't met me, the house would have
been put on the market anyway.” He pointed out. 
    She smiled a bit, looking a little chagrined, “I know, I
guess it's just easy to blame you.”
    “That doesn't make any sense.”
    She shrugged her shoulders as though it made perfect sense
to her.  But, as long as she was sitting in his lap voluntarily, she could
blame him for whatever she wanted.
    He wiped a new tear from her cheek. “You're quite a lady,
Lily.  You held your family together after your dad died.  You're young and
took on the challenge while raising a son.  Which, by the way, you’re doing an
excellent job with.”
    She smiled shyly.  Making progress .
    “All I want is for you to get to know me.  I'm not as bad as
I seem.”  He watched her ponder his words while she played with a button on his
work shirt.  He wondered if she even realized she was touching him so casually.
    Finally, she nodded. “Okay, Sam.  We'll try to spend some
time together.  But, I don't want Johnathan to see me date.”
    He felt his excitement take a dive. “You're not hiding me
from your son like I'm a dirty secret, damn it.”
    “Sam-”
    His anger spiked. “No, Lily.  We're not hiding anything from
anyone.  I'm too old to sneak around.”
    Her eyes flashed at him. “You can't tell me what's best for
my son.  I don't want him to get to know and like you then if things don't work
out he'll be hurt.”
    “So your solution is to lie to him and not let him have any
kind of relationships?”
    Her face flushed with anger and her hands pushed on his chest
as she tried to scramble off his lap.  He held her hips tightly knowing if he
let her go the conversation would be over.
    “ Let me go.”   She practically snarled.
    With a heavy sigh, Sam forced his fingers to release her. 
He was about to lose any progress her made with her, but he wasn't willing to
compromise on this.  He wouldn't hide their relationship.  He stayed