Dare to Desire (Dare to Love 2)

She headed out of Miami and drove toward the suburbs, her destination not clear until she turned onto an old residential street, realizing she’d driven to the neighborhood where she’d lived with her parents. The houses were as rundown as she remembered from her young mind. Overgrown grass and weeds covered most of the lawns. Few were green, and sadly, most had turned brown from neglect and lack of care.

She stopped in front of the house where she’d grown up, trying to remember any good memories before her mother had left and her father had abandoned her, but none came. Before melancholy could overwhelm her completely, she put her car in drive.

A little while later, she’d driven past one or two other foster homes, skipping Franny’s in favor of visiting the older woman in person. If Eric followed through on his threat to get a restraining order, this might be the last time she could see her. Although Jonathan assured her he wouldn’t win, she was past believing in anyone or anything.

And wasn’t that pathetic, she thought. Ignoring the voice in her head asking if that was how she really wanted to live the rest of her life, doubting and skeptical, she walked into the nursing home, grateful when nobody stopped her on the way to Franny’s room.

She knocked and was heartened by the loud come in she received in response.

“Franny?” Madison asked, pushing the door open.

“Gracie!” Franny said, excitement in her voice. Madison’s stomach plummeted along with her hopes.

Madison walked over and kissed the older woman’s cheek.

“You look wonderful today.”

The nurses here took good care of her. Madison made certain to stop by at unexpected times and days, to make sure nothing she saw was for a visitor’s benefit.

“Thanks. So do you.” Franny giggled a bit, making Madison think she was in an earlier age.

“I took a walk in the garden today. I was hoping that good-looking man, Daniel, would come by.”

Madison’s heart clenched. “Did he?”

Franny shook her head. “Not today, so I played cards with some friends after lunch.”

“A good day then?”

“So far.”

Madison smiled because, in Franny’s mind, that’s all that counted. And maybe that should count for Madison too. Franny wasn’t unhappy now.

“What about you? Where’s that handsome man you’ve been telling me about? Aren’t you going to bring him to visit?”

Madison decided to play along as if she were Gracie, answering with her own life’s truths.

“Last time I brought him, you were asleep. I’ll try to bring him by again, but he’s interviewing for a new job, and I’m not sure if that’ll take him out of town or not.”

Franny frowned. “You sound sad about that.”

“Do I?” Madison sighed. “I’m a little torn about it.” Feeling a bit weird since Franny didn’t really comprehend, Madison still explained what her history really had been with Alex and brought her up to date with the situation now.

Franny patted the edge of the bed, and Madison settled in beside her. “Madison, honey, do you love him?”

Madison’s gaze swung to Franny’s. She was here. And this might be the last chance she ever had to talk to her. She swallowed hard, nodding. “I tried really hard not to love him, but I do.”

“You can’t keep running from love just because you’re afraid of being left behind, right?”

Madison shook her head. “Wow, when you have a good day, you really go for the jugular.”

“I have to say what’s important when I can.”

“Yeah.” She understood, and the lump formed again in her throat. The doctor had said to cherish these precious moments.

“Look, we both know that by the time you came to us, you’d been in and out of so many homes, you didn’t want to count on anyone.”

Madison looked down at her lap rather than into her foster mom’s bright green eyes.