A New Foundation by Rochelle Alers (philippa perry book txt) 📕

she felt like an innocent, trusting little girl who had surrendered her will to someone so undeserving. “I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want Dad to kill him. And you know your husband would’ve done it, Mami.”

“No, he wouldn’t. He would’ve told your brother to get one of his buddies to take him out and make it look like an accident.”

“See! That’s why I didn’t say anything.”

“I know you didn’t come here because of your psycho ex. Should I assume you’ve fallen in love with someone and you need your mama’s advice as to how to proceed?”

“How did you know?”

Maria shook her head. “I don’t know why kids believe their parents are oblivious. The last time we spoke I could hear something in your voice that told me you were happy, and that joy had come from you being in love. When you didn’t tell me who he was I decided not to pry. But that was then, and this is now because I want to know everything.”

Sonja was forthcoming about her relationship with Taylor. She admitted she was in love with him and wanted to marry him, yet that wasn’t possible if he did not trust her.

They stopped in front of a boathouse and Maria turned to face her. “Can you put yourself in his situation and imagine you saw him hugging another woman. Wouldn’t your first impulse be to accuse him of cheating on you?”

Sonja stomped her foot. “Why are you taking his side?”

Maria glared at her. “I’m not taking sides, Sonja. I just want you to think about what this man has done for you. You claim he doesn’t want to live with a woman unless he is married to her, yet he’s done just that. Did you ask him why? There must be good reason why he doesn’t believe in shacking up. The man appears to be everything that good-for-nothing you married wasn’t for you to walk away without listening to him. He’s jealous because he loves you, chica. And you’ve told me he’s willing to give you all the time you need to get your head together.”

Sonja nodded. “Yes.”

“How long have you been here?”

“A little more than two weeks.”

“That’s more than enough time. Now, when we get back to the house I want you to pack your stuff and be ready to leave in the morning.”

“Mami!”

“Don’t Mami me, Sonja Mariana Rios-Martin! You’re a thirty-four-year-old woman not a little girl running to her parents when things don’t work out the way you want. Then you must ask yourself when you need to stop running and deal with your problems head-on. Your Taylor may not be perfect, but neither are you.”

“What went on between me and Dominic was innocent, Mami. He’d disclosed something to me that I’d promised never to tell anyone, and he’d hugged me in appreciation.”

“Wouldn’t a handshake have been better?”

“I suppose it would, but what’s done can’t be undone.”

“What’s going to be done is you leaving my house tomorrow morning and going back to Jersey to handle your business.”

Sonja knew by Maria’s expression and tone that she was serious about her not staying. “Okay. I’ll leave in the morning.”

Chapter Fifteen

Taylor waited for the arm to go up to drive into the gated community. It had been more than two weeks since Sonja left, and he hadn’t realized how much he missed her until it was time for him to come home. As promised, Viola had driven up to spend two days with him, and it was the distraction he’d needed not to dwell on Sonja.

Viola had toured the kitchen, jotting down notes as to what she needed to update the space. She hadn’t told anyone she was leaving The Cellar in mid-September and vacating her Greenwich Village apartment at the same time. She’d planned to move back to New Jersey and stay in their mother’s condo while Elise was away. His sister did not bring up the topic of Sonja and for that he was grateful.

His foot hit the brake hard, causing the SUV to screech to a stop when he spied Sonja’s vehicle parked in the driveway. Taylor wondered if she’d come back to pick up the rest of her clothes because she always parked in the garage.

Maneuvering in behind her car, he got out and opened the outer door. He smiled. Sonja always left that door unlocked to save him having to open two. He unlocked the inner one and walked in. Then he saw her. She looked the same, yet there was something different about her, and it wasn’t only the curly hair falling over her shoulders. And it wasn’t that she’d lost weight. It was her eyes when she stared at him.

“Hello, Sonja.”

Her impassive expression did not change. “Hello, Taylor.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?”

She blinked once. “I wanted to surprise you.”

“I must say I am shocked and surprised.”

“We have to talk.”

Taylor did not want to believe they were talking to each other like strangers. “Okay. Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“Then we’ll talk in the kitchen while I put something together.”

Taylor tossed his keys in a straw basket on the table in the entryway. He waited for Sonja to precede him and then followed her into the kitchen. She sat at the breakfast bar as he washed his hands in the half bath off the kitchen. He stared at his reflection in the mirror over the sink. He hadn’t shaved in over a week, and there were tiny gray hairs in the stubble.

He returned to the kitchen and opened the fridge. “I made meat loaf using your recipe, so I hope you don’t mind eating leftovers. I’ll bake some potatoes and put together a salad to go with it.”

Sonja wanted to scream at Taylor to stop, stop acting as if she was someone he’d met a few days ago and didn’t know what she’d like. “I don’t mind. What I do mind is you being overly polite and acting as if you don’t know what