was settled and happy. “Sloane is a beautiful girl. That red hair and those curls. I kept thinking she reminded me of someone, but I couldn’t figure out who.” And then realization dawned, the fragments she’d been grasping for falling into place.
“Who?” Eric asked.
“Do you remember Jacqueline Ford from high school?” She and Eric had been born and raised in Yorkshire Falls.
He narrowed his gaze, obviously trying to remember. “Pretty redhead, lots of curls?”
“That’s her,” Raina said excitedly. “She kept to herself because her parents were such snobs, but she and I were very good summer friends. We’d hang out in the tree house in her backyard when she was home from college. It’s still there, on the McKeever property.”
Then one hot summer day, Jacqueline’s family moved with no warning. The house went on the market and no one except servants returned to pack up their belongings. Jacqueline didn’t keep in touch. In fact, she never returned. Her death was town lore, if only because her father was a senator who made news, as was the man she eventually married, Michael Carlisle, who was now running for vice president. Raina had seen clippings of the press conference on the late-night news.
She didn’t recall details of his family, but then she hadn’t been paying much attention. Not with Eric sitting by her side and nuzzling her neck. She glanced over, not forgetting for a moment how lucky she was to have been given this second chance with a wonderful man.
Jacqueline, whose life had been cut short, hadn’t been given that kind of opportunity. And Raina hadn’t thought of her old friend in too many years. Not even seeing Michael Carlisle on television had reminded her. Too much time had passed.
But then she’d seen flashes of Jacqueline in Chase’s female guest. Enough to strengthen her hunch. Raina grasped Eric’s hand tighter. “I’d bet anything that Sloane is Jacqueline’s daughter. In fact, I’m going inside to—”
“No, you are not.” Eric rarely took a stand, but his dark eyes flashed determination. If that, along with his stern voice, wasn’t enough to halt her, his firm grip on her hand was. “Those two want to be alone. It’s not only obvious, but Chase threw you out.”
“He threw us out,” she countered, then bit the inside of her cheek, knowing good and well Eric was right. Raina was the only one who’d lingered.
He shook his head, a smile tilting his lips despite it all. “What am I going to do with you?” He pulled her close, then brushed a light kiss over her mouth.
A delicious tingling took hold of her body and Raina inhaled deep. The scent of the outdoors, cut grass, and late fall lingered in the air, making her jubilant and happy. Just when she thought age would catch up with her, Eric had come along, causing her to feel young, vibrant, and alive.
“Whatever you’re doing is working wonderfully.” She brushed her hand over his cheek. “And you’re a dear for postponing announcing our engagement until Chase is settled.”
“I agreed to wait until Rick and Kendall got themselves settled. They have. Now all I’m waiting for is to have all three of your sons in town at the same time.”
“Roman’s in D.C., but he’ll be back soon,” she reassured him.
He frowned, rubbing a hand down his face in a weary gesture she’d come to recognize. “Still—”
“What’s wrong?” she asked, not liking when he seemed upset.
He groaned. “It just seems that now’s not the right time anyway. Even if Roman and Charlotte were here, Chase has his hands full with Sloane’s problems. Whatever her relation to Samson, with that house burning down, it’s insensitive to start planning a wedding.”
She’d thought the same thing but feared bringing up the issue. She didn’t want him to think she was finding an excuse to stall.
He was such a sweet, understanding, caring man. “I’ll make it up to you.” Raina grasped his face in her hands. “I
“Who?” Eric asked.
“Do you remember Jacqueline Ford from high school?” She and Eric had been born and raised in Yorkshire Falls.
He narrowed his gaze, obviously trying to remember. “Pretty redhead, lots of curls?”
“That’s her,” Raina said excitedly. “She kept to herself because her parents were such snobs, but she and I were very good summer friends. We’d hang out in the tree house in her backyard when she was home from college. It’s still there, on the McKeever property.”
Then one hot summer day, Jacqueline’s family moved with no warning. The house went on the market and no one except servants returned to pack up their belongings. Jacqueline didn’t keep in touch. In fact, she never returned. Her death was town lore, if only because her father was a senator who made news, as was the man she eventually married, Michael Carlisle, who was now running for vice president. Raina had seen clippings of the press conference on the late-night news.
She didn’t recall details of his family, but then she hadn’t been paying much attention. Not with Eric sitting by her side and nuzzling her neck. She glanced over, not forgetting for a moment how lucky she was to have been given this second chance with a wonderful man.
Jacqueline, whose life had been cut short, hadn’t been given that kind of opportunity. And Raina hadn’t thought of her old friend in too many years. Not even seeing Michael Carlisle on television had reminded her. Too much time had passed.
But then she’d seen flashes of Jacqueline in Chase’s female guest. Enough to strengthen her hunch. Raina grasped Eric’s hand tighter. “I’d bet anything that Sloane is Jacqueline’s daughter. In fact, I’m going inside to—”
“No, you are not.” Eric rarely took a stand, but his dark eyes flashed determination. If that, along with his stern voice, wasn’t enough to halt her, his firm grip on her hand was. “Those two want to be alone. It’s not only obvious, but Chase threw you out.”
“He threw us out,” she countered, then bit the inside of her cheek, knowing good and well Eric was right. Raina was the only one who’d lingered.
He shook his head, a smile tilting his lips despite it all. “What am I going to do with you?” He pulled her close, then brushed a light kiss over her mouth.
A delicious tingling took hold of her body and Raina inhaled deep. The scent of the outdoors, cut grass, and late fall lingered in the air, making her jubilant and happy. Just when she thought age would catch up with her, Eric had come along, causing her to feel young, vibrant, and alive.
“Whatever you’re doing is working wonderfully.” She brushed her hand over his cheek. “And you’re a dear for postponing announcing our engagement until Chase is settled.”
“I agreed to wait until Rick and Kendall got themselves settled. They have. Now all I’m waiting for is to have all three of your sons in town at the same time.”
“Roman’s in D.C., but he’ll be back soon,” she reassured him.
He frowned, rubbing a hand down his face in a weary gesture she’d come to recognize. “Still—”
“What’s wrong?” she asked, not liking when he seemed upset.
He groaned. “It just seems that now’s not the right time anyway. Even if Roman and Charlotte were here, Chase has his hands full with Sloane’s problems. Whatever her relation to Samson, with that house burning down, it’s insensitive to start planning a wedding.”
She’d thought the same thing but feared bringing up the issue. She didn’t want him to think she was finding an excuse to stall.
He was such a sweet, understanding, caring man. “I’ll make it up to you.” Raina grasped his face in her hands. “I
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