sorts of grandiose ideas to show off her new self to him. Nothing was as important as proving to him that she was ready to receive his love, all of it. No more ducking, dodging and running. Lanier had been enchantingly tempted by a Carrington triplet—and now she was ready to be captured.
The elder Watsons hadn’t yet arrived at the Golden Dragon, one of Dallas’s favorite Chinese restaurants. The bold reds, bright gold and ebony and alabaster hues were perfect tones for an authentic Asian space.
Glancing at her watch, Lanier had mixed emotions about her parents’ tardiness. Instead of making a big deal out of it, like the old her would’ve done, she tried to be grateful for the extra time to make sure she had herself pulled together. The hostess had already seated them at a spacious yet private table.
“Do you want a drink while we wait?” Dallas asked.
Lanier smiled. “A cup of hot tea would be nice.”
Leaning toward Lanier, Dallas kissed her cheek. “You got it.” He summoned the waiter.
Before the server could return with the order, a hostess ushered Barbara and Joseph to where Lanier and Dallas awaited their arrival.
Dallas glanced at Lanier, his expression quickly turning to one of concern. She had gotten to her feet before he’d been able to take her hand and squeeze it for reassurance. She had harbored so much bitterness for her parents that he wondered if she were truly ready to see them.
“Mom, Dad,” Lanier said sweetly, swallowing the foreign words that had once tasted like battery acid. But now she didn’t feel the least bit bitter calling Barbara and Joseph “Mom and Dad.” “It’s nice to see you. Please have a seat.”
Lanier immediately introduced her parents to Dallas without revealing his profession. As far as she could remember, her father had never taken an interest in sports.
Joseph’s face was blank as he shook Dallas’s hand. Barbara looked nervous. The older woman was the same height as her daughter, and the father was several inches taller. Lanier had inherited her mother’s creamy mahogany complexion, but Dallas thought she looked more like her father. She had his eyes, nose and satiny hair texture.
Dallas relaxed in his seat. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Watson. You have a lovely daughter.”
“Thank you,” the couple said simultaneously, both appearing fidgety.
Barbara made direct eye contact with Lanier. “I’m glad you finally agreed to see us. Have you received my letters?”
Lanier nodded. “I read every one. I’m glad you guys found your way back to each other. Life hasn’t been easy for any of us, and I laid the blame at your feet. Building a meaningful relationship won’t happen overnight, but this is a great start. Thanks for accepting my invitation to lunch. We have a lot to catch up on.”
Lanier’s last statement was another bombshell for Dallas since he’d assumed her parents had requested the luncheon. She had certainly done a complete about-face. As relieved as it made him feel, he still couldn’t help being concerned for her. She had attempted to pull it all together a couple of times before, only to fall apart again.
Once the orders had been taken, Barbara turned and looked squarely at Lanier.
“I know you don’t want us to visit the past, Lanier,” Barbara said, “but I think we’ll have to at some point. How can we possibly move forward without discussing it?”
Dallas tensed. Reaching for Lanier’s hand, he squeezed it reassuringly.
Lanier shook her head. “We can’t go back there. If we did, we can’t change a thing. I like living in the present,” she said adamantly.
Dallas was in awe of how strongly Lanier had voiced her desire to leave the past behind. It was a big change for a thirty-year-old woman who had constantly wallowed in the excruciating pain of the past, reliving all of life’s horrors from before and after Child Protective Services had removed her from her home.
The food arrived.
“Please bow your heads,” Joseph requested softly.
Lanier angled an eyebrow. She listened intently as Joseph began to pray. She heard strong conviction in his voice, and it was mind-blowing. In a recent letter to Lanier, Barbara had said she and Joseph had gotten baptized at a church they’d joined. She had found the news hard to believe, but hearing her dad praying so sincerely nearly had her convinced.
The meal was eaten and surprisingly easy conversations took place between bites. Lanier purposely steered clear of her life in foster homes, but she was proud to talk about her experience with the girls residing at Haven House. Much to Lanier’s surprise, she was comfortable talking to her parents.
Less than an hour later everyone had finished their meals.
Taking the napkin from her lap, Lanier placed it on the table. “Are you still living in Clear Lake? If I recall correctly, it was in the return address.”
Barbara gave a hint of a smile. “We recently moved to Dickinson.”
Lanier felt a small surge of anxiety overtaking her. Dickinson was a few miles from Haven House. Trying to regroup and calm herself, she covertly drew in deep breaths.
“Dickinson is a nice place,” Dallas said, hoping to give Lanier time to recover. “Most areas in southeast Houston are great places to live.”
“We like it there,” Joseph remarked. “It’s not far from where we used to live.”
Yeah, from where the state was forced to remove me from the home I once loved, Lanier thought, only to send me to places that were worse.
Joseph had begun drinking early on in the marriage, but it was a few years before Barbara had joined him. Hating the negative thoughts invading her mind, Lanier quickly shut them down, reminding herself she’d moved on and had made a brand-new home for herself.
Lanier made a pretense of looking at her watch. It didn’t matter how much time had or hadn’t elapsed, she was ready to go. “I hope everyone enjoyed their meal. I know I did. Maybe we can do this another time, but I need to get back to Haven House.” She stood quickly.
Taking Lanier’s keys from her hand, Dallas opened the front door to Haven House. Slinging his arm around her shoulder, he led her into the residence and headed to the family room. They both felt lethargic and were ready to relax, but he would get his cues from Lanier.
The family room was the girls’ favorite hangout, and its emptiness caused Lanier’s heart to ache. She knew it was silly of her, but it didn’t ease the gut-wrenching pain she felt deep down inside. Making her way over to the leather sectional, she dropped down onto a reclining end.
Lanier peered up at Dallas. “Can you stay for a while? I’d like to talk to you.”
Dallas shrugged. “Not a problem.”
He scooted next to her and she took his hand into hers. Lifting it, she kissed each of his fingertips. “Thanks for today and every other day we’ve spent together. How do you think I did at lunch?”
Dallas tilted his head to the side. “How do you think you
