They couldn’t seem to stop looking at each other.
They both started when Chase’s cell phone buzzed. He took it from his belt and studied the screen. “Work,” he grumbled.
“It’s after hours,” she said.
“There are no after hours in this business. I have to take this.”
She nodded and didn’t even try to keep from listening.
“I understand, Jeff,” he said after about a minute of complete attention to his employee on the other end of the line. “He doesn’t want to meet with you, he wants to meet with me. Do you want me to give him a call? Fine, you call him.”
Chase checked his watch. “I can be there in a half hour.”
There was a pause, and then Chase said, “There’s no need to apologize. You can’t dictate what someone else does or wants or demands. But I want you to sit in on the meeting, too. Channing is going to have to realize he has to trust you as much as he trusts me.”
After Chase ended the call, he brought his gaze back to Lucie’s. “I have to go.”
“A crisis at work?”
“Something like that.”
“Do you really think you can ever leave the company?”
Chase pulled his wallet from his pocket and took out a few bills. He laid them on the table with the check and then pulled out a tip, too.
“I can leave the tip,” she protested.
“My treat,” he insisted. Then he stood, loomed over her and answered her question. “I don’t know if I can ever leave the company, but I’m going to try to make it happen. Maybe I’m deluding myself that I can change the course of my life, but I’m certainly going to give it a good try. I’ll see you tomorrow at the church.”
Lucie watched Chase leave the restaurant, her heart feeling heavy. She doubted if Chase would show up at the after-school program the next day. After all, an oil magnate had better things to do.
And if he did show up?
She’d have to pretend she didn’t feel closer to him again. She’d have to pretend she wasn’t attracted to him. She’d have to pretend that she didn’t wish things were different.
Chapter Six
It was almost midnight as Lucie sat on her bed, her laptop adjusted so that Amelia could see her face through her webcam. They often video-chatted since she’d been living in Austin. It was one way of seeing each other face-to-face.
“Do you really have time to talk?” Lucie asked her sister.
“I do. Quinn helped me put Clementine to bed and then he crashed. He also said if I’m up late talking to you, he’ll get Clementine up in the morning. Isn’t he wonderful?”
Lucie couldn’t help smiling. It was so good to see her sister happy. “Spoken like a woman in love.”
“I am and always will be. So, what do you need to talk about?”
Now that the time had come to say it out loud, she didn’t know if she could. She’d kept the secret for so long that she hesitated to share it. But that was silly. This was Amelia, her sister. She deserved to know. Just as her mother deserved to know, especially with Chase back in her life. Well, not really back in her life. Just sort of.
“I’ve been keeping a secret.”
“Really? You don’t keep secrets. You’re an open book.”
“Maybe not as open as you think.”
Yes, she was the one who usually followed all the orders. She was the one who followed the rules. She was the one who was proper. Maybe not anymore.
“Do you remember that trip I took to Scotland when I was seventeen?”
“Barely,” Amelia admitted. “I was involved with riding competitions that summer. I do remember you were sent home early and there was all kinds of hush-hush about it. Mum and Dad wouldn’t talk about it. They just said you’d broken a rule.”
“They didn’t find out this secret. They only knew part of what happened.”
“What happened?” Amelia asked, her eyes widening.
“I got caught with a boy in his room. Not a boy, but a man. Chase was twenty-one.”
“And that’s why you were sent home?”
“It was, and he was fired. He was from the US. Texas.”
“Uh-oh. Do I know what’s coming? Are you having a reunion?”
“Not exactly.”
When she couldn’t seem to find the words, Amelia jumped in. “So, what was the secret?”
“Before I was found in his room, Chase and I got married.”
Amelia’s mouth dropped open. Her eyes grew even bigger and wider. She stared through the computer screen at Lucie as if she had two noses. “You got what?”
Amelia’s voice had grown louder and Lucie said, “Shhh, you’ll wake Quinn.”
Amelia brushed that thought aside with her hand. “I might wake him on purpose after this conversation. So, what else happened? You got married and just came home?”
Lucie told Amelia about Chase’s father and his oil company and his plans for his son that didn’t include an English girl.
“So Chase’s dad sent you home with a threat that he’d cause a scandal if you didn’t keep quiet.”
“That’s pretty much it.”
“And you gave in to that?”
“I had broken rules. I wasn’t going to break any more. My time with Chase was an experiment that didn’t work. I didn’t want to cause more embarrassment to Mum and Dad.”
“Would that ever have been a scandal across the tabloids! It would have involved two countries.”
Leave it up to Amelia to look at it that way, but it was true.
“So, what brought all this to the surface now?” her sister asked.
“Chase tracked me down and found me here. It turns out, the annulment never went through. He and I are still married.”
A frown immediately adorned Amelia’s face. “Uh-oh. You were engaged to Terrence.”
“Yes. This is another scandal in the making.”
Amelia was looking down at her hands, so Lucie couldn’t see exactly what she was doing. But she must have been looking Chase up online on her phone because she let out a little squeal. “Chase Parker. You sure know how to pick ’em, don’t you? What a hunk. Almost as hunky as Quinn.”
“Amelia—”
“So, what have you been doing with him? Is he the friend you were with the other night when I called?”
“Yes, he was. He’s buying a ranch. That’s how all this came up. In the paperwork. He took me there to show it to me. He wants to rescue horses.”
“And you have a keen love of horses.”
“I do.”
“And?” Amelia prompted.
Should she reveal it all? Should she confide everything to Amelia in a way she hadn’t before?
Her sister was perceptive, because she asked, “Are you telling me Chase found you, and the marriage isn’t over?”
“It’s not over legally.”
“I’m talking about emotionally. Do you still have feelings for him? Have you thought about him all these years?”
“I have thought about him,” Lucie returned quietly. “But they were merely dreams that came and went. I never expected them to materialize.”
“But now they can?”
“Oh, it’s not like that. We’ve had a couple of breakfasts together at a diner. I even wore my wig. If anybody connects us, we’re in big trouble for his business dealings and my reputation. We’re being very careful, but now things have gotten complicated again. His mother asked if the Fortune Foundation could fund a program at their church. I looked into it and they’re going to. The volunteers there have gotten sick. Somehow Chase and I ended up volunteering today and played with the kids. We’re helping there again tomorrow and maybe the next day.”
“Is he good with kids?”
&nb
sp; “He seems to be.”
“That’s good, because you’re a natural. You need a bunch of your own.”
Lucie went silent.
“What would be so bad about hooking up with him again? You need some fun in your life, if not someone you can dream about.”
“We’re intense when we’re together. There’s tons of chemistry. We’re asking for nothing but trouble if we become involved again.”
“You kissed him, didn’t you?”
Lucie felt herself blushing. “He kissed me.”
Amelia rolled her eyes. “Same difference in this situation. Tell me again why it wouldn’t work.”
“Because he’s changing his life. He’s separating from his parents and going out on his own with this new business venture. He’s found his vocation just as I have. But mine takes me around the world. I don’t want to give up what I do. It’s important work. And our mother depends on me.”
“Did you ever consider that she depends on you too much?”
“Is that possible? I work with her. She has to depend on me.”
“It’s more than that and you know it. Ever since Daddy died, she looks to you for emotional support. She’s closest to you,” Amelia said matter-of-factly without any jealousy.
“I’m beginning to wonder if it’s good for her or me.”
“I believe you have a lot to think about, my lady,” Amelia decided. “None of this sounds like you. You really do have to tell Mum as soon as you can.”
“Do you have any advice about Chase?”
“Not advice, exactly. I can tell you I tried to deny my attraction to Quinn and that didn’t work. If you care about Chase, you shouldn’t put the brakes on. You should see where it goes.”
“And if it goes nowhere? Or if it takes a wrong turn and goes wrong?”
“Then you’ll know. After what I’ve been through with Quinn, I know I can get through anything. You can, too.”
“I’ll think about everything you said. I promise. In the meantime, why don’t you and Quinn come up here and go on a night on the town? I’ll babysit. I’d love to spend some time with Clementine Rose.”
“She goes through fussy spells for no reason sometimes.”
“That doesn’t matter. I’ll be here for her and with her. You do trust her with me, don’t you?”
“You know I do. You’re so good with her.” Amelia was silent for a moment—she appeared to be thinking about Lucie’s suggestion. “Let me talk to Quinn. Maybe we can get away for at least a night. That would be nice. So, tell me when you’re seeing Chase again.”
“Tomorrow afternoon at the after-school program, but as I said, we have to pretend we don’t know each other. This is going to take a bit of acting.”
“You can do it. And after you’re done acting?”
“I’ll come back here and he’ll go back to the Bar P. That’s the way it has to be, Amelia, at least for now.”
“Don’t live in fear of what might happen. Live for what is happening. Got that?”
“I got it.”
“I’ll get back to you about an overnight, and you can tell me what happened. And I want full disclosure.”
Lucie laughed. “Full disclosure. And, Amelia, please don’t say anything to anyone else about this...except Quinn.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
Lucie knew Amelia kept her promises. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
When Lucie closed her laptop, she thought about Chase and tomorrow afternoon. A thrill of anticipation bubbled in her stomach. She just couldn’t help wanting to see him.
* * *
The following afternoon, Lucie knew she had to put on the brakes. She just had to. She felt as if her heart were careening down a highway going the wrong way.
A ten-year-old named Jasper quickly kicked the ball her way and she stepped sideways so she wouldn’t be out of the dodgeball game.
Today the minister had taken the smaller kids inside, so unfortunately she was outside with Chase and the older children. They weren’t anywhere near each other. He was across the circle. However, when their eyes met...
She expected lightning to strike—either from the chemistry between her and Chase...or the storm that was brewing in those gray clouds up above.
When parents began arriving to pick up their children, Lucie ducked inside the social hall. The kids didn’t recognize her, but it was possible one of their parents might. She didn’t want a three-ring circus to ensue. She busied herself straightening up the activity room until all the children were gone. At least she thought they were all gone. One little blond girl remained.
Reverend Stanhope checked his watch. “I have a meeting and Michelle Tillot, Chrissy’s mother, isn’t answering the phone number she gave me. I don’t think she has a cell. She can’t afford it.”
“I can stay until her mother picks her up,” Lucie offered. The little girl looked tired and maybe a little scared.
She looked up at Lucie and said, “Mommy always comes.”
“She’ll come, honey. I’ll stay with you until she gets here.”
“I’m not going to leave you here alone,” Chase said. “I’ll stay, too.”
“There’s no need...”
The reverend looked from one of them to the other, and Lucie knew she shouldn’t protest too much. That would just raise a red flag.
Chase asked the minister, “Do you want the folding chairs taken down and stacked against the wall?”
Reverend Stanhope nodded. “That would be terrific. It’s good that the two of you work well together. Chase, you tell your mother I hope she’s feeling better soon.”
“I’ll do that.”
“I’ll check back here after my meeting to make sure Chrissy got picked up and then I’ll lock up.”
After the minister left, Lucie attempted to ignore Chase’s presence as he began collapsing chairs.
She asked Chrissy, “Would you like me to read you a story? There are plenty of books over there. We can do that until your mom comes.”
Chrissy poked a finger in her mouth and asked around it, “Can I sit in your lap?”
“Sure you can. Let’s use that bigger chair over there.” It was the one the volunteer used for story corner that could easily hold her and Chrissy.
It wasn’t long after Lucie began reading Where the Wild Things Are that Chrissy fell asleep. Lucie just held her securely, her chin resting on the little girl’s head. When she looked across the room, Chase was watching her.
“You and children seem to go together,” he said quietly.
She didn’t comment because she didn’t know what to say. Was he thinking of her with children of her own, and possibly imagining what they’d look like? She could imagine a boy with his dark hair and eyes.
Nope, she wasn’t going there.
Fortunately she heard a car pulling into the lot outside. Chrissy’s mom, she hoped.
Apparently Chase had heard it too and he went to look. A petite woman with light brown hair and dark brown eyes came rushing in. Spotting Chrissy in Lucie’s arms, she looked relieved.
She introduced herself and began apologizing at once. “I’m so sorry I’m late. My car battery went dead and it took a while to find a Good Samaritan to help me jump-start the car. I’m afraid the same thing’s going to happen when I start it up again. Is the reverend around? I was going to ask him if I could borrow some money from the emergency fund.” Michelle looked embarrassed to have to say it.
“He had a meeting,” Lucie said kindly.
Before she could say more, Chase took a card from his pocket, quickly went to a table where pencils were still strewn and jotted something on the card.
Then he held it out to the woman. “If you go to this garage, a new car battery will be waiting. I’ll make
sure it is.”
Chrissy’s mom took the card, surprise in her eyes. “Are you sure about this? I’ll repay you, I promise. I’m just short this month.”
Chase was already shaking his head. “That’s not necessary.”
“I don’t know how to thank you.”
“No thanks necessary. When you have the opportunity, help out somebody who needs it.”
Chrissy awakened, fluttered her eyes and saw her mom. Scrambling from Lucie’s lap, she ran to her and hugged her around the knees. “Mommy, Mommy, you came.”
“It’s time to go home, sweetheart. How about macaroni and cheese for supper?”
Chrissy bobbed her head. Michelle mouthed another thank-you to Chase and Lucie and then left, holding her daughter’s hand.
Chase stood at the door and watched them climb into the car that was still running. Apparently Michelle had been afraid to turn it off.
“I hope she can get to a garage in the morning,” he said.
“Maybe she’ll have a neighbor who can help her jump-start it if it doesn’t work. That was a nice thing you did.” Lucie studied him.
He shrugged. “I couldn’t see depleting the church’s emergency fund.”
“Do you do that kind of thing often?” She was so curious about him and his life and didn’t want to be. She was still trying to figure out who he was now compared to who he had been.
“Probably not as often as I should. Giving to an impersonal charity foundation is one thing. Giving help to someone who really needs it, who was right in front of me, is another.”
“I see.”
“What do you see? Why did you ask?”
“I’m still trying to figure you out. I wondered if maybe you did that to impress her.”
“Impressing anyone isn’t high on my to-do list,” he returned, almost angrily. “Do you do what you do to impress people?”
“Of course not.”
“All right, then why suspect that of me?”
“Because I don’t know what to believe where you’re concerned. I mean, ten years ago, you asked me to marry you. I did. Then your father swooped in and I basically never heard from you again.”
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