“You hate me because I’m successful?” she asked, unable to believe he would be so resentful of someone he’d once claimed to love.
“I remember the first time I saw your professional work. It was at a gallery in Chicago. I’d been married to Carolyn for about five years. Even then I knew the marriage was a mistake, but we had one daughter and another on the way. I wasn’t completely sure the baby was mine, but that’s beside the point.”
At the hurt in his voice, Sunshine closed her eyes. “Oh Peter.”
“Carolyn and I attended a charity art show and two of your paintings were on display. Not one, Sunshine, two. They were stunning, the talk of the show. The irony was that Carolyn was all over them, talking about them with her friends. If she only knew,” he said, snickering.
There wasn’t anything for her to say.
“I went numb. I couldn’t take my eyes off those paintings. They mesmerized me, but not for the reasons everyone was talking about. The choice of color, the shadowing, the technique. I always knew you were talented. Everyone knew you were good. But in that moment, I realized you were quite possibly a genius. I had never appreciated how much.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, accepting his compliment.
“I hated you then, Sunshine. God forgive me, I couldn’t even bear the thought of you.”
Sunshine blinked back tears. “But why?” she asked, needing to know.
“Because the emptiness inside me exploded after that. I sank into a deep depression, dreaming of what might have happened if I’d stayed in art school. Every morning I’d head for the office with dread and self-recrimination, hating the life I’d created for myself, hating my father, hating the cheating, lying bitch I had married, knowing she hated me back.”
“How could you hate your work? You’re a successful attorney.” The expensive suit he wore said as much.
“I am one of the finest attorneys in Chicago, and I say that with no pride. Guess I have my father to thank for that. I buried myself in my work. I started winning case after case, exceeding even his expectations, but I didn’t do it because I loved the law. I did it out of anger focused at myself, the need to prove I could make something of the mess I’d created that was my life.”
“I don’t know why you gave up what you love and—”
“Don’t,” he said, stopping her by raising his hand. “Don’t say another word.”
Sitting back, resting against the padded cushion, Sunshine wiped a tear from her face.
“You think I’m pathetic, don’t you?” he demanded, as if the question was some form of joke. “Maybe I am,” he concluded.
Peter swallowed down the last of his scotch. “I don’t know what you want to say to this niece of yours. On my behalf, let her know I didn’t appreciate this little surprise she concocted. I know who she worked with. My office receptionist told me she found this restaurant online. She actually made the reservation for me. Said it was hard to get a table. What a joke,” he said, looking around the near empty room. “Tell your niece that Sondra Reacher will no longer be employed with the firm. I’m firing her first thing Monday morning.”
“Beth meant no harm, Peter.”
“Perhaps not, but I don’t appreciate her intrusion in my life.” He slid out of the booth. “I’d like to say it was a pleasure to see you again, Sunshine, but the truth is I wish I’d stayed in Chicago.”
With those parting words of bitterness, he walked out of the restaurant.
For a long time, Sunshine remained in the booth, looking into the distance and seeing nothing. When the restaurant started to fill up, she decided it was time to leave.
She was in the parking lot when her phone signaled she had a text message.
Were you surprised?
Staring at the message, Sunshine realized if she told Beth the truth, she’d be devastated. Beth had hoped Sunshine and Peter would reconcile. Her niece was looking for a fairy-tale ending, but that was not to be.
Peter wasn’t the man she remembered. He’d turned into a hostile, angry man who had let his resentment burn away a large part of his soul.
While her niece’s intentions were good, seeing Peter as he was now had stripped away the memories she’d treasured. While he claimed he accepted responsibility, he was fooling himself. He saw her as the blight in his life, the woman he wished he’d never met.
Rather than disappoint Beth, she texted back: It was lovely.
Because she was upset, she drove directly to her studio, but she didn’t paint. Instead, she sat in front of the canvas and silently wept.
Chapter 31
Beth
Beth knew she should be concerned with her parents’ pending visit over Thanksgiving. She didn’t trust her mother not to use the time as a subtle way of undermining her life. However, Beth’s main concern revolved around her aunt Sunshine. Her aunt had said shockingly little about the dinner Beth and Sondra Reacher had arranged between Sunshine and Peter Hamlin. What she did say was elusive and vague.
“You’re looking preoccupied,” Sam mentioned as they left the rehab facility. They’d performed well together from the beginning, but over the weeks they had gelled as musicians. “Are you worried about your parents’ visit?” he asked.
Beth offered him a fragile smile. “Yes and no. I have no worries about Dad, but Mom concerns me. I don’t trust her.”
“Don’t let it bother you, babe. We got this.”
His confidence inspired her. While she appreciated his positive attitude, it was only one of the matters that weighed heavily on her mind. If there was anything to be glad about, worrying over her aunt took her mind off the upcoming holiday.
Instead of having Sam drive her directly back to her apartment, Beth suggested they stop off for coffee. She had some news she wanted to share that she’d learned after her meeting with her fellow music teachers.
Sam pulled into the parking lot at a Starbucks. “Something on your mind?” he asked, and looked concerned. “We’re good, right?”
“Better than good,” she assured him.
Sam collected their order; he had coffee and she wanted a latte. Beth found a vacant table in the back of the Starbucks.
She was grateful that their spot gave them some privacy. The closest occupied table was three down.
“What’s up, babe?” Sam asked once they were comfortably seated. He cupped his coffee with both hands and studied her as if unsure what to expect.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted to talk to you about what you told me about your past relationships.”
Right away, he bristled. “There’s only been one, Beth, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s off-limits.”
“But I learned something and—”
“Off-limits, babe.”
She sipped her latte and mulled over her next move. Sam had said very little about Trish and his daughter. Clearly it was a painful subject he didn’t want to discuss, and that disappointed her because she had wonderful news to share with him. Only Sam didn’t want to hear it.
“Now, about Thanksgiving,” Sam said in a blatant effort to change the subject. “I’ve met your mother, but this is the first opportunity I’ll have to meet your dad. I wasn’t going to tell you, but I’ve decided to have my hair cut and shave off the beard, too.”
“Sam,” Beth objected, shaking her head. “No way. You don’t need to change who you are for my parents.” What she didn’t want to tell him was that it wouldn’t make the least bit of difference how much Sam altered his appearance. Her mother in particular didn’t need a reason to find fault with any man Beth chose to date. Especially one who hadn’t been handpicked and vetted by her.
Sam reached across the table and took her hand in his. His fingers gave hers a gentle squeeze. “You’re important to me, and while I won’t be intimidated by your parents, I want to start off on the right foot with your dad in particular. Cutting my hair and getting rid of this beard is a small price to pay. Truth is, I’ve been meaning to do it for some time. Your parents coming to town is the incentive I need.”