Redemption: Tulsa Town Romance, #2

By Kristy Werner

One haunting mistake.

There's only one woman for Tulsa builder Josh Harrington. And letting her go was the biggest mistake of his life. Considering the lies he told to make her leave, neither God nor the woman he loves will ever forgive him. But it's nothing short of what he deserves.

One unforgiveable secret.

For commercial designer Heather McClure, alone and pregnant, The Big Apple was to be a new start. Six and a half years later, she returns to Oklahoma, fleeing an abusive ex-boyfriend. And knowing it's time to reveal her secret whether Josh forgives her or not.

One way to reclaim their future.

When their guilty hearts bring Josh and Heather back together, the spark of their old love threatens to reignite. But can they let go of the past to find the family each of them desires?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Silent Stone Publishing
• Release date: May 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223119517

Book preview

Prologue

On the darkest night of the entire year, ten-year-old Josh Harrington crouched in the entry hall beside Dad’s home office. The darkest except when lightning flickered. But that created creepy patterns across the walls, made his heart jump and his elbows press against his sides. And the rain slamming the windows in a rhythm like someone beating wet sheets against the glass didn’t help. It wouldn’t be so scary, but four days into November and their Halloween decorations hadn’t been put away yet.

Dad always tried to make his favorite holiday special. This year, he’d even bought him a real Yankees ball cap so Josh could dress up as Babe Ruth. Dad walked the neighborhood with him and his friends who’d dressed as zombies. Mom stayed home to hand out candy. At least that’s what she’d said. When they’d gotten home, the porch light was off, the candy bowl still full, and she’d gone to bed.

A fake stone gargoyle towered on the entry hall table, its beady eyes looking straight into his, its face light then dark with the lightning flashes. With his eyes squeezed shut, he concentrated on the voices behind the door. After all, the scary thing wasn’t the gargoyle with its icy stare, fangs, and pointy ears or the storm beating against the front door, but the argument between the two people who held his world together.

He was supposed to be in bed. But Mom and Dad were fighting again, and their voices carried all the way down to his bedroom. Even over the storm. They’d been fighting a lot lately. And always behind this door. Not that it mattered. He could hear every word.

Listening was wrong, and if he got caught, he’d be in big trouble. Mom said conversations behind closed doors weren’t his business.

Mom shouted.

Dad told her to calm down.

Which only made her shout louder. I can’t do this anymore.

What couldn’t she do? Was he making her life too busy? He had lots of baseball games and school activities. Maybe he shouldn’t play anymore. Would that make her happy? Would it matter? She hadn’t been to a game in forever anyway.

Please keep your voice down. Josh will hear.

I don’t care.

Of course you do.

How would you know what I care about?

A lightning bolt lit the whole house, and thunder rattled the windows. Josh gasped as fear struck through him like that lightning through the night. He stilled, not breathing, and crouched closer to the wall, listening for footsteps. If he was very still, they wouldn’t know he was listening. Everything went quiet, even his parents.

When Mom spoke again, he let out his breath. I’m not staying.

Not staying? Where was she going, and why wasn’t she taking them with her?

Keep your voice down.

But she didn’t. My bags are already in the car. You’re holding me back from the life I deserve. And I’m leaving.

Carol, don’t do this. You’re being ridiculous.

Ridiculous? Ridiculous is staying here in this prison.

Prison? Their house wasn’t a prison. It was nicer than a lot of his friends’ houses, bigger, but it wasn’t a prison. Why would she say that?

It’s a bad storm, Carol. A scary quiet settled before Dad spoke again, his voice lost and sad. At least stay until morning.

Fine. Her shoes clacked against the wood floor. Josh jumped up and ran on bare tiptoes into the hall where he peeked around the corner. The office door swung open, and Mom stalked out. She stomped through the living room, and the house was scary-movie quiet until their bedroom door slammed shut, making Josh’s shoulders jump.

Josh?

His head jerked to meet Dad’s stare. So much for staying hidden. But he wasn’t scared of Dad. Not like he was of Mom.

Hey, buddy. What are you doing up? Dad moved toward him, his smile kind. But his shoulders were slumped in, and his eyes were droopy.

Josh straightened but didn’t say a word.

Still in his suit from work, Dad stood there, his tie hung loose, the first few buttons of his white shirt undone, his hair a mess like he’d been running his hands through it. He pushed one hand into his pocket and put the other on Josh’s shoulder, leading him down the hall to his room.

They didn’t talk. The lightning still flashed outside, sometimes lighting their way, sometimes leaving them in the dark. But with Dad near him, he wasn’t afraid.

When they reached his room, Dad clicked on the baseball lamp beside his bed, the one Mom had bought. Josh climbed into bed, and Dad slid the dark-blue comforter up around his neck and sat beside him.

What about my birthday? His voice would hardly come out. She’s coming back for my birthday, right?

Dad didn’t seem to mind him listening. His eyes were hollow like the dead tree in the park. We’ll see, son. Dad ruffled Josh’s hair. But his smile didn’t make his eyes crinkle in the corners like it should. Don’t worry. Grandma Ida and I will make sure you have the best birthday party you’ve ever had.

He turned ten in two days. Why wouldn’t Mom be here?

Go to sleep now. Dad swiped Josh’s hair off his forehead, then leaned down, and kissed the top of his head. He clicked off the lamp and turned to go.

Dad?

Dad stopped at the bedroom door, his face covered with the dark.

I love you.

A silent bolt of lightning lit up his room. The crinkles reappeared around Dad’s eyes.

I love you too, son. Forever and always. With a sigh, he left the room, and from somewhere far away, a low rumble of thunder echoed him.

The flashes were coming slower now, and his room was more dark than light. Josh listened for footsteps and doors and voices, but nothing disturbed the quiet. Time passed. The quiet stayed quiet. And no matter how hard he tried to stay awake, he couldn’t.

The next morning, voices at the front door woke him. He rubbed his eyes, slipped from his bed, and crept down the hall to peek around the corner. Mom was pretty today. Her hair and makeup perfect, she was dressed in tight jeans with her long black shiny boots and fur coat. Her perfume lingered in the entry. Must be a fancy trip.

Still in his suit from last night, wrinkled like he’d slept in it, Dad followed her to the door.

Mom stepped out into the cold, barely sunlit morning.

A breeze swept through the house, and a chill slinked across Josh’s skin. He shivered, wrapped his arms around himself, and stacked his feet one on top of the other, but he kept his focus on Mom.

Will you at least say goodbye to your son? Dad sounded tired, and his eyes didn’t look so good.

Mom stopped, and Josh held his breath. Maybe she’d come back in. Hug him and tell him she loved him. It’d been so long since he’d heard those words from her. Please, Mom.

Maybe he should pray. Grandma Ida said God listened to little boys like him.

Please, God, make Mom stay.

But she didn’t turn around. Only uttered words scarier than the storm and even the gargoyle. Words that made his chest hurt.

Josh swallowed and let out his breath. Had he heard her right? Surely she didn’t... Mom still loved him. Right?

Finding it hard to breathe, he backed his way down the hallway to his room, halfway hoping Mom would run in and hold him, rock him, and tell him everything was going to be all right.

But halfway wishing she’d just go.

He’d never felt this way about Mom. His chest couldn’t hold up his heavy heart. A sick feeling slithered up his spine like a snake, and his mouth pinched into a frown like Dad always said would freeze on his face.

The rumble of Mom’s car faded away. Then the front door clicked shut, and Dad started crying like he didn’t want to be heard.

Josh never heard him cry before. And didn’t want to now.

He shut his bedroom door and crawled back into bed, his body heavy. He tucked his covers under his neck and stared out his window. The storm had blown through. But somewhere along its way, it had taken Mom with it.

He always tried to be on his best behavior so she’d be proud of him. So he could see her beautiful smile. When she smiled, it meant she loved him. But she hadn’t smiled for a long time. And now she was gone.

What had he done wrong? A tear tickled down his nose, and he wiped it away with his sheet, sniffing and blinking back the rest. He wouldn’t cry, wouldn’t make a sound. He swiped another tear away before it could leave his lashes.

A dull sunlight filled his room. It didn’t look the same without Mom here, and he feared it never would.

Chapter One

Josh Harrington raised his water glass to his lips and furrowed his brow as he took a drink, pretending to be interested in what the slinky green dress was saying. He really should remember her name. The fifth joke of the evening, he hadn’t understood it—didn’t have to—but chuckled anyway. He’d gotten good at this little charade.

Should he be proud of that?

He wasn’t a jerk. Not really. But his mind wouldn’t stay in the here and now.

Amelia’s was one of the swankiest restaurants in the Arts District, with tablecloths and fine china. Smooth easy music and the clank of silverware competed with the dull roar of the Friday-night crowd. He brought all his dates here. Not sure why, but the steaks were good.

And then my mom said, ‘Becky, what are you going to do with your life?’

Becky. Yeah.

She shrugged off her question. Was she not going to answer it?

Her eyes did a sultry dance as she ran her finger around the circumference of her wineglass. Easy to figure out what she wanted to do with her life—marry money and spend her time getting manicures and bleaching her hair.

Dad had set him up. That’s for sure. And the twelve rentals and Vrbos he owned helped. But he had no use for arm candy. And little did Becky know, he’d only taken the date to see. One last effort to find out. Hmm. Maybe he was a jerk. But now he knew.

But then again, he’d known about fifteen girls back.

Of course, there’d only been fifteen girls. Fifteen? Over four years. That wasn’t bad, right? Jerk?

But one failed relationship after another ought to be evidence enough. And just short of his thirtieth birthday, he should know a second chance was not in his future. He’d hoped for one. Even prayed. Neither had done him any good.

And he’d given up on both.

Maybe it was time to give up on dating too.

He’d only ever loved one person. And he’d let her go. More like shoved her out of his life. And the woman sitting across the table from him now with her face awash in candlelight wasn’t her.

Becky giggled, drawing his gaze back to her blue eyes. Her sparkling white teeth were unnatural but complemented her creamy skin.

He smiled and chuckled along until the waitress approached, picked up the bottle of cabernet, and refilled Becky’s glass. He kept his gaze averted from the redhead. Fifteen girls, one waitress. Many awkward evenings.

Becky hardly looked at Ginny, only lifted her glass and sipped. Josh caught Ginny’s gaze and thanked her. She glanced back to Becky, rolled her eyes, and walked away.

He agreed. No one could ever be what Heather McClure had been—was. Would always be. So what was the point of trying? Maybe there was more than one destiny for a man. Maybe there wasn’t. Maybe for men like him, who’d done the unthinkable, there just wasn’t.

He smiled while his date talked, then cut another bite of steak, chewed and swallowed, and cut another bite.

He’d broken up with Heather. Said anything he’d had to say to get her to leave. And his words hadn’t been nice. They hadn’t been true either, but she hadn’t known that. His lasting vision was of her big eyes full of unbelief and hurt. Her cries still echoed in his ears, pulling him further into his personal Hell.

The vision he’d conjured up had his appetite waning. He set his silverware beside his plate.

I mean, am I right?

Josh blinked back to his date. Yes, absolutely. Maybe. Didn’t matter. She’d been a TV with the volume off. He made the effort to focus on what she was saying, sipped his water to hide the fact that he couldn’t.

She was beautiful with blond hair and blue eyes—par for his course. Any guy would be glad to have her on his arm or in his arms. But the feelings that should be here, the excitement of a first date, were not. She kept talking. He kept nodding.

So what about you? What’s your dream life?

The volume came back on. What? He pretended not to hear her over the din.

She sipped her expensive cabernet with a glint of frustration, then smiled the sly smile of someone who knew he wasn’t listening. You seem... distracted.

Good job, Harrington. Tick off the girl in the slinky green dress. Do I? Sorry. It’s been a hectic day. Bidding three jobs in one afternoon can make a guy crazy.

She leaned her elbows on the table, holding her wineglass aloft, and drilled her sexy eyes into his. You’re not at work anymore. You’re with me.

He nodded and tried to laugh it off. The slinky green dress thought a lot of herself. You’re very right. My apologies. He wiped his mouth with his napkin and returned it to his lap. My dream.

Two tables down, an older couple joined hands across their table, living his dream.

I would love to have played for the Yankees.

So why didn’t you?

It takes a lot of talent to play for the Yankees.

Oh. And you didn’t have that?

He focused somewhere behind her, then shrugged. Some said I did. But my dad always expected me to take over his company one day. So I went to OU and got my degree in Construction Management. Met the girl of my dreams. Stabbed her through the heart.

You gave up what you wanted so your dad could have what he wanted? She shook her blond waves and looked off across the room. That doesn’t seem right.

How would she know? Well, right or wrong, it’s what I did.

Right or wrong. Which had it been? Had he been right to send Heather away? Was her life all she wanted it to be? New York better be treating her well. He imagined her living in a penthouse in the richest part of town and shook off the thought of her living out of a car in the Bronx.

Becky set her glass down, making even her frustration look seductive. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was pushing a button.

How had he gotten mixed up with this chick? But with the night almost over, he could be nice. No, I’m sorry. The truth is I’ve been faced with a decision and I’m not sure what to do.

She looked at him as if she expected him to divulge more. So he did, even though it was like pouring gasoline on a fire.

My dad wants to retire early. And I need to decide whether to take over the company. Or go to New York and hunt down Heather. But that gas he left in the can.

Why would you?

His why rose like lava in his gut. He’d never told anyone about his mom. Not about what she really did. Not how it had driven every single decision he’d ever made. And he wasn’t about to spill it here, to her. My mom died when I was ten. Dad didn’t take it well, and I don’t want to leave him alone.

She scoffed. Seems he’s willing to leave you alone.

He held his smile with some difficulty. Retiring and leaving weren’t the same thing. And abandoning the business Dad had worked so hard to build? Betrayal.

But hadn’t he betrayed Heather?

No. He’d done her a favor.

Becky lifted her wineglass, taking a small sip. Is your reason you would greater than your reason you would not?

The older gentleman kissed his wife’s hand.

Josh straightened his shoulders. Taking over the business wasn’t a death sentence. The money was great. But not finding Heather? A sentence worse than death.

Who is she?

His gaze jerked back to hers. Who’s who?

The woman making this such a hard decision.

His brow drew together. He’d been caught, but he didn’t want to look like he’d been caught. What makes you think it’s a woman?

With a man, it’s always a woman. And besides, a man doesn’t go on a date with a woman like me and not at least feign interest.

He wiped his sweaty palms on the napkin in his lap.

You’re hung up. Which isn’t a bad thing. But it’s not the thing I need in my life. Swallowing the last of her wine, she set her glass down and swiped her phone from the table. With pursed lips, she inspected her empty plate. Okay. Look, I’m going to go.

Thank you. Let me drive you home.

I’ll call an Uber. Her thumbs flew across her phone’s screen.

It’s not a problem.

She turned her phone so he could see it. It’s already done.

He relaxed into his chairback, wiped his mouth on his napkin, and laid it on the table not releasing it from his clenched hand. Yup. Fifteen and done.

She dropped her phone into her matching clutch, stood, and slunk to his side, her green dress shimmering. He rose to meet her as she drew close in a swirl of sensual perfume. If things don’t work out with the mirage in your mind... She traced her finger in a curvy pattern from the dip in his neck to his chest, sending a sensation through his entire body, then met his gaze with blue eyes that reminded him of someone else. Give me a call.

Things lit on fire that shouldn’t. And for the wrong reason. For a split second, he thought of denying it all and asking her to stay. But nothing inside him wanted to keep her here, and he wasn’t that guy.

Not anymore.

Her tight dress showed all the right curves as she sauntered out. Watching the shimmering blond go reminded him of Heather leaving. When she’d driven out of the same driveway his mother hadn’t looked back from, he’d broken down, fallen to his knees on Dad’s lawn. Packed his nails with dirt as he clung to the earth.

Swallowing hard, he sank into his chair and drained his water glass, breathing through the memory.

When Ginny plopped into Becky’s chair, Josh’s insides jumped. She’s right. You are a jerk.

He blinked his staring eyes. She never called me that.

She picked up the empty wineglass, produced a clean napkin from her black apron, and wiped the rim. Didn’t have to. It was written all over her face.

He narrowed his eyes as she poured a half glass. "I don’t think that’s what was written all over her face."

So who is she? She arched an eyebrow as she sipped the wine.

Her name’s Becky. He glanced toward the entrance where outside on the patio Slinky Green visited with someone she apparently knew. Great. Would he have to run the gauntlet to get out of here?

Ginny expelled a heavy sigh. Not her.

He threw up his palms. What girl? Was it that obvious?

The girl who’s so special you can’t see the beautiful women sitting across from you every time you come in here.

His turn to sigh.

How many years have you been coming here?

Here it comes. Old enough to be his mother, she must be gearing up to impart motherly wisdom. Quite a few.

You married?

What? No. Thus the reason I’m dating.

You’re not dating. You’re convincing yourself. She emptied the wineglass, stood, then braced her hands on the table. Joshie, you’re an idiot. Stop messing around and go get her.

As she slid his check from her apron, her green eyes sparkled like Becky’s dress. She slapped it on the table, scooped up the bottle, and began to walk away.

Ginny.

Her red ponytail bounced as she paused and swiveled her head toward him.

Enjoy your wine.

With a wink, she swung around in a self-satisfied manner. She tucked the wine bottle behind the bar and went about serving her other customers.

Elbows on the table, he rested his chin on his clasped hands and stared at the empty chair across from him. Would the love of his life ever fill that space?

Ginny was right. The dull ache below the surface of his soul had been sharpening, threatening to cut through. And only one thing would make it go away.

His heart raced as he slid his phone from his pocket and looked up flights to New York.

Would she talk to him? Would he find her? Would she be living the high life? Would she have forgotten him? Would she be destitute and waiting for him to rescue her?

He had to laugh at the fantasy. Heather didn’t wait for anyone to rescue her. She was bold and courageous and able to take care of herself. She was smart and equipped to get through anything.

So what does she need me for?

He hesitated, closing his eyes and breathing deep. Time to find out. With one last look toward the restaurant entrance as the sleek green dress stepped into the Uber under the lights of Tulsa, he selected a flight.

The first flight out of Tulsa International that wasn’t sold out was Monday morning. Friday to Monday. With his decision made, the days would drip by like Grandma’s molasses.

What if she was married?

His thumbs froze over the screen, and he second-guessed his decision as his heart cramped. It’d been a long time. Situations changed. What if he went to New York and found a family of four?

Well, if he did, it’d serve him right. But at least he’d know.

Before he could change his mind, he booked the flight.

The older couple walked by smiling at him, but with pity in their eyes. He dipped his head at them and smiled his I’m-okay smile. But as they passed, he let it go.

There’d never be forgiveness for what he did. He’d live with his sin for the rest of his life, carry its weight. But even with forgiveness impossible, an apology had to be made, the truth revealed. It was the only way he could carry on, the only way to press the dull ache back below the surface.

He rose on shaky legs, threw a few hundreds on the table, and went home to pack.

Chapter Two

Josh sat through church not because he wanted to but because his grandmother would be appalled if he didn’t. Never mind she’d passed away two years ago. He still feared the lightning bolt that was sure to come if he missed.

Ida Harrington had been the only reason he and Dad had been churchgoers. As soon as they had her funeral, Dad quit coming. But it’d made Grandma proud to walk