01 - The Heartbreaker (17 page)

“Very surprised!”

“I had no idea she’d been in a relationship with Samson, but as soon as I took a look at you, I knew you were related to her. You two look so much alike,” Raina murmured.

Sloane leaned forward, overwhelmed by the excitement of meeting someone who knew her mother from way back. “How well did you know Jacqueline?”

“We used to spend summers together.” Raina rubbed her hands together, warming to the subject.

“Then you knew her when she was younger?” The older woman nodded.

Sloane’s heartbeat picked up. “Tell me about her? The only stories I know are from my—from Michael and Madeline and they knew her after she’d turned eighteen.” She drew a steadying breath. “I just want to know what she was like. What we had in common.”

Raina’s gaze softened. Though Chase didn’t share her hazel eyes, the shape and expression were similar, something more noticeable now, when Raina’s were filled with warmth. “Your mom loved the summer. She loved fresh air and being free from school and the constraints around her. That’s why she and I would spend time in a tree house behind her house.”

“A tree house?” Sloane asked, surprised. “From all I heard about my grandfather, I can’t imagine him building a tree house.” She crinkled her nose at the thought.

“Smart girl.” Raina smiled. “The tree house came with the property, and when your mother was late for dinner, your grandfather would threaten to cut the thing down.”

The thought made Sloane sad. “Now, that makes more sense.”

“The tree house wasn’t big, but it was private and no one would bother us there. We could talk about boys, and about girl things. Jacqueline was a very sweet person, but she lived with parents who stifled her sense of self.”

“I know what that’s like,” Sloane said, shocked she and her mother had something so fundamental in common. Having grown up with people who also expected certain etiquette and behavior, Sloane felt a sudden kinship with the mother she’d never really known. And suddenly she didn’t feel so lonely or unusual, the outcast in a political family. She was her mother’s daughter. And that knowledge filled her with an unexpected sense of belonging in this small town.

“So you can understand why the tree house was so important to her. It was a place she could go to get away.” Raina shook her head, her eyes wide.

“Is it still there?”

Raina shrugged. “It sure is. Do you want the address so you can see for yourself?”

“I’d like that.”

Grabbing a sheet of paper and a pen, Raina scribbled the house number and street and slid the paper across the table. “Don’t go alone or you’ll likely stir up questions you don’t want to answer,” Raina warned her.

She laughed at the older woman’s protective tone, then slipped the address into her pocket. “Now you sound like Chase.”

Raina leaned forward. “And is that a good thing?” she asked, obviously back in matchmaking mode.

“Tsk, tsk, Raina,” Sloane chided. “You’re too obvious.”

“Oh pooh. And you’re no fun.”

“Chase tells me you know my father?” Sloane latched on to the next subject of importance. So far, she’d learned much more than she’d hoped from Raina Chandler.

“You mean Samson.”

Sloane nodded. “He’s just a name to me.” She rose and began pacing the room. As she always did when discussing her unknown parent, she became restless and uncomfortable. “But since I came to town, I’ve got the distinct impression he’s not going to be what I expected.”

“Or hoped for?” Raina asked perceptively.

Sloane figured Chase got his intuition from his mother, who had nailed her feelings. “I never had the chance to form any sort of expectation,” she admitted. “I found out that Michael Carlisle wasn’t my father and came here almost right after. Next thing I knew, people in town are dropping odd comments about how no one’s ever called Samson a gentleman, or how he mooches sandwiches from Norman’s. Chase used the word
eccentric
?” She shook her head, confused and hoping Raina had more answers.

“Samson’s odd,” Raina allowed, as diplomatic as her son had been. “Surly would also describe him. But he’s harmless and mostly misunderstood.”

Sloane turned to face Raina. “How so?”

“People react to a person, but they tend to forget who they are or more accurately what they were.”

“What do you mean?”

Raina stretched out on the couch, looking more weary than she had earlier. Sloane made a mental note to discuss his mother’s health with Chase as soon as possible.

Pulling an afghan blanket over herself, Raina began to explain. “Samson’s mother was a quiet woman. She worked as a cashier at the general store, bringing in barely enough to make ends meet. But his father was a gambler.”

“Gambling?”

“It was very bad.” Raina ran her hand over the back of the sofa, deep in thought. “He was always in debt and had even spent some time in jail for stealing money to pay back a debt. Luckily, the Coopers, who own the general store, took care of their food
needs because his father too often would gamble away what little his mother earned. Awful, really.”

Sloane agreed.

“Circumstances made Samson a loner,” Raina continued. “But who can blame him? I mean, wouldn’t any teenager withdraw if they were embarrassed to bring anyone home?”

A lump formed in Sloane’s throat and she was unable to answer.

“But he was nice and kind and handsome in his day.” Raina smiled, remembering. “And he turned his attention to studies. His goal was to get a college education and do better than his parents had.”

Hope and admiration replaced Sloane’s earlier despair and she hung on Raina’s every word. “We can assume that at some point he had a relationship with my mother.”

Raina sighed. “I suppose so. And I wish that Jacqueline had told me.” She shook her head, her frustration obvious. “Now that the pieces are coming together, I remember her mentioning being in love that last summer she spent in Yorkshire Falls. She didn’t want to use his name. She said she was afraid of jinxing the relationship, but I knew she meant she was afraid her father would find out. Jack Ford was a tough old bird.”

Sloane recalled the details of how her grandfather had bribed Samson to stay away from her mother and Sloane knew Raina’s description was way too kind. She had a hunch that Samson’s father’s gambling had something to do with the bribery and money that had exchanged hands. “Did Samson ever go to college?”

Raina shook her head. “He changed. Actually, it was around the time Jacqueline’s family moved away. He started spending all his time at home instead of at the library. Eventually his mother passed away and his father took off one day, never to be seen again. Rumor had it he went to Las Vegas, though I always assumed that was the easy answer to where a gambler would go.”

Sloane tried, but she couldn’t even manage a laugh. “And then?”

Raina raised her hands and spread them wide. “Then nothing. Your mother had moved away long before and Samson became more and more withdrawn, more odd, reclusive. . . .” She dropped her hands, shaking her head. “I’m sorry. I just think you need to be prepared for the man you find.”

“
If
I find him.”

“Well, his house is gone, so you’re going to have to try—”

“Friends?” Sloane asked wryly. “We both know he has none in town.”

“None we know of. He has to be somewhere,” Raina insisted. “In the meantime, I’ve answered your questions. Now humor an old lady and answer some of mine.”

Sloane burst out laughing. “I admire you, Raina. I really do.” In fact, she enjoyed the older woman way too much. She liked spending time with Chase’s mother, and because Raina had known Jacqueline, Sloane felt an emotional bond she hadn’t expected.

“Why is that?”

“You don’t hedge, for one thing.”

“Any reason why I should?” Raina grinned, and to Sloane’s relief, the first hint of color returned to the older woman’s cheeks. “Now for my most important question.” She straightened her shoulders and tossed her best volley. “Are you and Chase a couple?”

Sloane wasn’t too stunned to reply, she was just taken off guard. “I’m not sure how to answer that.”

“Just tell her the truth.” Chase strode into the room, handsome, sexy, and disarming, with that cocky grin he didn’t use often enough. But its effect was devastating when turned her way.

“Which is?” Raina rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

Sloane met his heated gaze, wanting an answer to that question herself. “Go on, Chase. If you’re so good at answers,
you
tell your mother the truth.”

And then she held her breath while she waited to find out what that truth was.

C
hase caught the anticipation on Sloane’s face. She hadn’t a clue what he was going to say, but she didn’t have to worry. He had more class than to tell his mother they were lovers. He would, however, give Raina the answer to her prayers. “Sloane and I are an item, Mom.” Something he’d confirmed with Cindy earlier.

They’d parted on amicable and understanding terms, but he hadn’t told Cindy he and Sloane were temporary. It didn’t seem appropriate or necessary.

“I knew it!” Raina clasped her hands together, her pleasure at Chase and Sloane’s pairing obvious.

Apparently, the women had hit it off, and as Chase expected, she’d already okayed Sloane as daughter-in-law material. For that reason, he’d decided to use Raina’s own needs against her.

If she thought Chase was seriously involved with Sloane, she’d leave them alone, freeing him from any unexpected visits and keeping his mother out of harm’s way while they searched for Samson.

“Now that you have your answer, I’ve come to take Sloane to lunch.” He walked to the living room and held out a hand, helping Sloane rise from her seat. “I trust you ladies had a nice morning?”

“Wonderful,” Sloane said. “Productive too. Your mother knew my mom much better than either one of us realized.”

“I’d love it if you’d come back and visit,” Raina said without getting up from her seat on the couch. “In the meantime, I’ll see if I can remember anything else.”

Sloane nodded. “I’d appreciate that. Maybe you’d like to join us for lunch?”

Damn
, Chase thought. “Mom needs her rest.” He shot a pointed glance at his mother. She wouldn’t dare join them if she thought he wanted intimate time with Sloane.

Sure enough, she treated him to an almost imperceptible nod of understanding.

“You’re sweet, Sloane, but Eric’s taking me to a movie tonight, so I should take it easy now. I’ll just watch the soaps this afternoon. How’s that?”

“Sounds good to me.” He’d have to explain about his mother’s health later. Though he’d told her about Raina’s matchmaking tendencies, he’d neglected to mention her fake heart condition—something he’d yet to come to terms with. And he hadn’t yet decided how to deal with the situation.

He studied his mother for a quick moment. She still looked pale, but he wasn’t worried. When she wanted to be convincing, Raina had appeared weak and frail, and Chase had bought the act. He wouldn’t be so susceptible again.

“We should go.” Chase tugged on Sloane’s hand. “Rick would like to meet with us,” he whispered, wanting her to realize this was more than a casual lunch. His brother had called, indicating he had information on the explosion he needed to share, and Chase had a hunch they’d be needing to open up with Rick in return.

He stepped toward Raina and gave her a kiss on the cheek, good-byes were exchanged, and ten minutes later, Chase found himself seated beside Sloane at Norman’s while they waited for Rick.

She fiddled with a spoon, occasionally glancing into the reflection as if looking for answers.

“You’ve been quiet since we left my mother’s.”

She glanced up. “I have a lot to absorb. For starters, Samson’s father was a heavy gambler and I’m guessing that habit had something to do with Samson taking a bribe to stay away from Jacqueline.”

He nodded, sensing she had more to say and not wanting to interrupt.

“Raina said Jacqueline was in love that last summer before they moved away. But she didn’t know with whom.”

“That’s one answer we’re certain of,” Chase said wryly, trying to lighten her mood.

“I know.” She twisted the spoon handle between her palms.

Reaching over, he stopped her jittery movements and held her hand. “What else has you so bothered? Because you got the answers you were searching for and obviously there’s more upsetting you than what you’ve said.”

“It’s about your mother,” she said, meeting his gaze.

Chase couldn’t imagine Raina doing anything to upset Sloane. Not when she clearly liked her and was pushing for romance. Then again, when it came to Raina, he knew to expect the unexpected. “What did she do?”

“She seemed tired today. And pale.” Sloane furrowed her brows in thought. “And when she jumped up from her seat, she seemed to be in pain from the sudden movement. I don’t want to upset you, or butt into something that’s none of my business, but—”

“Raina was playing you,” Chase interrupted, not surprised that Sloane had noticed his mother’s distress. No doubt that was what Raina had intended.

“Playing me how?” Sloane crinkled her nose. “I don’t understand. Raina wasn’t feeling well. How was that playing me?”

At that moment, Rick strode up to the table and Chase saw his chance to kill two proverbial birds. “Why don’t you explain
to Sloane why Mom would pretend to be sick,” Chase said, confronting his brother about their mother’s charade.

“Shit.” Rick slicked a hand through his windblown hair. “Roman called and told me to be prepared.”

“And I would have nailed your sorry ass days ago if I wasn’t busy with other things,” Chase muttered. “Just tell Sloane about Mom’s pretend heart condition.”

Her eyes opened wide. “Pretend heart condition?”

“Mom had an episode a while back. She figured if she told us it was serious, then played on our good natures, she could get us settled down with the
right
women and get herself some grandchildren in the process.” Rick grimaced and Chase knew he was recalling the days leading up to his meeting Kendall.

“Mom set him up with all sorts of women before Kendall hit town,” Chase explained.