Return To Passion. Carla Buchanan

believe that at all.

      Besides, now wasn’t the time to focus on Remington. Shaking away her thoughts, she gave all of her attention to her sick father and his recovery.

      * * *

      “Camille?”

      She heard her name being called and turned to see her father attempting to sit up. She scrambled from her chair to fluff his pillows but he shooed her away with a scratchy, mumbled gripe. He muttered something about people not listening to him when he said not to call, but she ignored him and continued to help.

      Camille stood next to her father’s bed and took his hand in hers. He looked a little ashen but okay otherwise now that he was sitting up. He was a tough man so she expected nothing less.

      “How are you feelin’, Daddy?”

      “Like I’ve been walking through the desert for days with no water, but I’ll be fine, Bug,” her father said using the nickname he’d given her as a girl. He’d not called her that in a long time and she smiled at the nostalgic feeling that warmed her upon hearing it.

      “I’m so sorry, Daddy. I should’ve—”

      “You should’ve what? There was nothing you could do. You think you being here would’ve stopped my heart from giving out? No, it wouldn’t have,” he said sharply and coughed. Camille gave him water and he drank greedily. She didn’t want him getting upset and she knew talk of what she should’ve or could’ve done would do just that.

      “Daddy... I—”

      “No. Listen to me.” The struggle it took him to talk was making Camille uncomfortable. She wanted to urge him to rest but she doubted he’d listen. “I did this to myself. I admit I haven’t been taking care of myself like I should. I could eat better and rest more. From now on I’ll do that. You don’t have to uproot your life for your old man, Bug.” Once those words left his lips, he started to cough again. A nurse finally came in and presented him with the Popsicle she said she’d promised him earlier. Camille laughed because it was clear that the woman was flirting with her father and he was flirting back.

      After her father ate a little and had fallen asleep again, Camille went out to call her agent. She updated Anna Vinson on her father’s condition and gave her a rough estimate of when she expected to return. Anna wished her well and encouraged her to take a meeting or two while she was there, though Camille wasn’t sure if she’d be able to do so without hiring someone to help with her father. She often took meetings as a “representative” of Reese Elaine, her pen name, so no one would know she was the person behind the books. It was her way of keeping everyone protected and safe from her secret career.

      Twenty minutes after her call, Camille sat in the cafeteria waiting for the home health nurse to meet her. Camille’s cousin Augusta had arranged the meeting because the woman was a friend of hers. Camille was sure this would be a formality since her cousin didn’t deal with unsavory, unreliable or un-Christian-like individuals. It was how most people in this town were, which was what had kept Camille at a distance over the years. A small Southern town where the Bible was law and any deviation was blasphemous was not somewhere she could see herself living out her dream.

      A short talk with the nurse was all she needed to feel reassured about her suitability. Now she had the rest of her day ahead of her. She decided to call Augusta, tell her she’d hired the nurse and go get a nap in before she returned to the hospital that evening.

      As Camille walked into the lobby, she heard the women at the desk talking. They weren’t trying to whisper and Camille was sure she heard her name followed by a couple insults. When she turned, one of the women she recognized as an ex-classmate gave her a sneer. Shrugging it off, Camille put the barbs behind her, knowing they were something she’d have to deal with because of her history with Remington Krane.

      That was a name she tried not to think about, but she had to admit it was him every other thought had gone to since she’d found out about her father. She wondered if she’d see him while she was in town, if he even wanted to see her. She wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t. She’d left him all those years ago and had not looked back. She’d done what she thought was best for herself and Remi, as well as her family and the town in general.

      * * *

      Remington knew Camille was in town. He knew because he’d heard the gossips talking about her when he’d gone to visit Reese Ryan. They’d been hard on her, which in turn had been hard for him to listen to despite his own need for answers about her departure.

      The good news was that Reese Ryan was doing fine and would make a full recovery in a couple weeks. That was all that mattered to Remington because he was sure it was what mattered to Camille.

      Now it was time to find the man’s daughter. But first he had to see his grandfather, who’d summoned him to his large estate.

      “Have you moved on that property?” That was the first thing that passed Frederick Krane’s lips when Remi walked through the doors of the old man’s sitting room. Remington wanted to curse the man for being so insensitive, but you couldn’t teach an old dog new tricks, and his grandfather was the oldest dog of them all. He was set in his ways and didn’t much like Remi’s way of doing things. He said Remi wasn’t cutthroat enough and that would be his downfall. But the man had not hesitated to hand over the business to Remi when he became ill, knowing that despite his constant gripes, Remi had the right skills to run Krane Gourmet Snack Foods. In addition to that, Remi knew the old man loved him dearly, despite his disapproval.

      “Aren’t you going to ask me how Reese Ryan is doing? He is a respected business owner in this town, Granddad.” Remington walked over to the chair facing his grandfather and sat down. “He is also a member of your church, a deacon and assistant superintendent of Sunday school. He’s a perfect representative of what Fairdell is about, plus he’s Camille’s father and—”

      “It always comes back to her, doesn’t it? Boy, didn’t you get enough of her abuse when she left you here with your tail between your legs? You know that was the best thing that happened to you, right? The Kranes did not need to have any familial associations with the likes of the Ryans. They aren’t worthy of our time. God forgive me saying it but the Ryan girl is probably more suited for a good roll in the hay, maybe, but never more than that. You know where your future lies and it’s not with Camille Ryan.” He wiped his nose with a tissue but didn’t skip a beat. “And speaking of church, it’s about time for Krane to make its back-to-school donation. The mothers of the church have agreed to help give out supplies. I’ve volunteered you to help Sonya with making sure it gets done. Now Sonya, that is a hot little number and her family has the right connections. She’s the one you need in your life and for your future. Judge Brandt is a moral, God-fearing man who’s taught his daughter and son what it means to be successful. Long ago, her father and yours said you’d be together and I plan to honor your dad’s dying wish.”

      Remington had heard this argument time and time again. He knew his grandfather didn’t like Camille because he thought her father’s job was beneath them. However, though Remi did not agree, he didn’t argue. His grandfather would surely have another heart attack if he got him too riled up. But one thing he would not let his grandfather do was tarnish his father’s memory.

      “Granddad, you know that was not my father’s dying wish.”

      “You may be right about that, but it’s mine. And you don’t have to wait ’til I’m dead to make that happen. They say, give them their flowers while they live and Sonya is one stunningly gorgeous flower. But about that land—” His statement was cut off by a sudden coughing fit.

      The home nurse ran into the room and Remington took that as his opportunity to leave. This had happened many times during his visits so he felt no guilt in leaving. The old man would hardly recognize that he was gone now that his nurse’s ample cleavage was in his face.

Chapter 3

      Speaking with Charleston “Charlie”