Collateral Damage

“No, it’s okay, it’s fine,” her mother interrupted, causing Honor to cast her a surprised look. “We were waiting for a good time to come and see you after you got back into town, but after last night we realized we couldn’t wait any longer.”

“Honor, I miss you,” Charity said, her voice rough and her eyes damp with tears. “You’re the only sister I have and I want you back in my life.”

To her a

Her mother threw a helpless glance at Charity, who bit her lip and fidgeted with her hands. “Yes, I know why,” her sister said. “And I know why you won’t believe it when I tell you, but I have changed.” Her eyes moved to Liam, who sat unmoving, a silent, steadying rock for her to brace herself against. God, she loved him.

“How’ve you changed?” Honor demanded.

“I’m not the same person I was. I mean, I still have my issues, but I’m working on them. I uh… I understand now that my attachment to Liam wasn’t healthy. And neither was my reaction when I found out about you two. Obviously,” she admitted under her breath, darting a glance at him before focusing on Honor once more. “And I know I did it to get back at you because I was jealous and hurt and embarrassed. I was an immature, manipulative bitch—” Charity shot her mother an a

Honor opened her mouth to argue but Charity held up a hand. “Wait. Just hear me out.” She shifted, licked her lips and Honor could tell none of this was easy for her to admit, especially in front of Liam. “I’m sorry, Honor. So very sorry for everything I’ve done that hurt you.” Her gaze shifted to Liam. “And you.”

Liam squeezed Honor’s shoulder and answered with a nod. “Thank you.”

Charity gave him a little smile, her cheeks flushing. Then her gaze shifted to Honor. “I know I can’t expect things to go back to the way they were before, but I’m here to tell you I want to have a relationship with you, in whatever capacity you’re willing to allow. You’re my sister and I love you. Please don’t keep punishing me for the mistakes I made in the past.”

Wow. Talk about a sucker punch to the gut. She and Liam had done that very thing to one another. How could she claim to have learned her lesson if she kept doing the same thing to Charity?

Honor drew in a shaky breath and wiped at her eyes. “I love you too, but the rest? I don’t know. I don’t know, okay? Too much has happened and…” She trailed off and focused on her mother with a hard look. “And what about you?”

Now her mother flushed. “I’m…sorry too.”

Honor raised a brow, unconvinced. “For?”

She took a deep breath. “For lots of things. Namely standing by instead of standing up for or beside you.”

Both Honor’s eyebrows shot up now.

Her mother nodded. “I’m not proud of it, Honor, of being a doormat for so many years. I started going to therapy soon after Charity got out of the hospital and it’s allowed me to see things in perspective.” She sighed, paused a moment to gather her thoughts. “Your father is a bully, pure and simple, and he uses religion to excuse his behavior.”

Honor’s mouth fell open a little. “You…” She couldn’t even find the words. The world must be coming to an end, because there was no other way Jolene Girard would ever utter such a thing about her husband.

Raising her chin, her mother nodded once. “That’s right, I finally realized I don’t have to live life as a doormat. So I left him.”

“What?” She couldn’t have heard that right.

“A little over five months ago.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I wasn’t sure you would care.” Her mother teared up now, began digging in her purse. Coming up with a tissue, she began dabbing at her eyes. “I still miss him sometimes, but I know it’s for the best. I understand now that he’s never going to change and I’m not willing to go back and live that way. I deserve more. I deserve to be happy.” She shot Honor a wobbly smile. “We all do,” she finished with a nod at her and Liam. “The thing I regret most is the divide I let my marriage cause between me and my children.”

“But it’s been awesome to see him try and grovel his way back into her good graces,” Charity added with a mischievous grin.

Honor looked up at Liam in astonishment and saw the same shock written on his face. “I don’t know what to say. Other than I’m sorry and I’m proud of you.”

Her mother’s face transformed with a watery smile. “I’m proud of me too.”

“Well,” Charity said, lightly slapping her hands on her knees as though she’d come to a decision. “We won’t overstay our welcome and you guys are probably going through a lot so we don’t want to keep you. I’m just glad you’re both okay.” She stood, her mother following suit. Then Charity paused, staring at her with haunted eyes. “Can I hug you at least?”

The words pierced Honor with a blade so sharp she didn’t even feel it go in until the damage was done. Unable to speak because she knew she’d just start bawling, Honor nodded and stood to reach for her sister. They were both crying now, and then their mother, too, all hugging and laughing through the tears at how ridiculous they were.

After pulling away Honor wiped her cheeks, feeling like a two-ton weight had just been lifted off her shoulders. “We’ll just take it slow, okay? No promises, no expectations. It’s the best I can do right now.”

Charity nodded. “Whatever you want, I’m here for you.” At the door she paused, glancing from her to Liam and back. A genuine smile spread across her face. “You two really were made for each other. God, it used to drive me insane knowing that, even back before you guys got together.”

Honor barely concealed her surprise. “I didn’t realize you knew anything was up. And I didn’t go out with him to hurt you. I was already half in love with him when he asked me out and deep down inside I somehow knew he was the one. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love Liam.” She was glad he was hearing this firsthand, proving that she meant what she’d told him. He came first in her life, even before her family.

Her sister’s smile softened, her eyes warm. “I know.”

When they left Honor shut and locked the door, then turned to face Liam. “I don’t even know what just happened,” she said with a small laugh.

“I think it’s called really good anti-psychotic drugs and a sudden development of a couple sets of balls, sweet pea,” he murmured, drawing her into his arms.

Chuckling, Honor slipped hers around his waist and hugged him. “Do you know how much I love you right now?”

“How much?”

She gri

His face turned serious and he cupped her chin in one hand. “You mean that?”

She opened her mouth to say of course I do, but the intent, almost starved look in his eyes sobered her. “Liam, yes.” How could he not know after she’d told him she loved him and the way she’d charged at Andrews when she’d thought he’d shot Liam? Taking his stubble-roughened cheeks in her hands, she smiled up at him. “I’ve never meant anything more in my life. You’re mine.”

The words were barely out of her mouth before he whisked her up in his arms and stalked toward the stairs. “Where are we going—hey, what about breakfast,” she protested when he stepped over the tray at the foot of the stairs.

He reached one hand down and snagged the maple syrup on the way by. “I’m go

Chapter Twenty-Four