escalate into romance when she returned from LA. But . . . but damn it, nothing happened when he kissed her. Nothing .
Kylie searched for the right words. “We didn’t connect on that level. He was right to break it off.”
“I’m sure that was a difficult decision for him.”
“We dated for six weeks, Mom. It wasn’t that difficult.”
“I got the impression that he waited for you for ten years.”
The idea amazed Kylie, and she laughed. “No, he didn’t. He was married twice. And the idea of dating didn’t even come up until we got together for dinner after I returned.”
“I don’t know. He was very devoted to you before you left for California.”
“I was his patient.”
“A patient he liked very much.”
“Regardless, it’s not going anywhere. We’re friends, period.”
Lara, obviously unsatisfied with that response, got up and crossed to the bar, where she poured a glass of whiskey for herself. Kylie watched her posture-perfect back, trying to figure out what was up. Lara had never been one to push or express disapproval. She let her kids do their thing and offered constructive guidance when she thought it necessary.
When Lara returned to the sofa, she wore a forced smile, further alerting Kylie that something big was bothering her.
Kylie reached out and put her hand on her stepmother’s knee. “What’s on your mind, Mom?”
Lara patted the back of Kylie’s hand then grasped her fingers and squeezed. “Your father would be so happy that you’re home. You know that, right?”
Thrown by the tears in Lara’s eyes, Kylie nodded. “Sure, of course.” She couldn’t stop the spear of guilt, though. She should have returned before he died. But no one had known he was sick, and he’d died so unexpectedly . . .
“He always wanted to start a tennis center,” Lara said, “but he didn’t want to do it without you. He also didn’t want to pressure you to return.”
“I know.”
“I’m sure the construction delays are taking a toll on your finances.”
Kylie gave a noncommittal shrug. “Hopefully everything will clear up soon.”
“How long have you got, do you think?”
Kylie didn’t want to go into the specifics—or say that she didn’t have long at all before the bank got antsy and rescinded her credit line. “Don’t worry. I’m sure it will be fine.”
“He’d want you to keep going on it, not to honor his memory, but because he believed it would make you happy.”
“I plan to, Mom. Where’s this—” She withdrew her hand and glanced away as it hit her. Well, damn. No one, not even her stepmother, expected her to stick around for long. It was official: She had a rep. When adversity mounted the front porch steps, she crept out the back door. Incredible how much that made her feel like a slug. Dirty and slimy and not someone anyone who loved her could count on. Biting back the hurt, she said, “So you think that if Wade and I stayed an item and as long as I had the tennis center, I’d be less likely to leave again.”
Lara’s velvety eyes filled with tears again, and she pressed her lips together for a moment. “I’d understand. We all would. It’s painful for you to—”
“Mom, come on. I’m not going to—”
The front door opening cut her off. “Mom?” Jane called from the foyer. “You here?”
“In here, Janie,” Lara responded, casting Kylie an apologetic glance. “We’ll finish this later.”
Jane strode into the living room, a plastic-wrapped newspaper clasped in one hand like she wanted to hit somebody with it. “You haven’t opened your paper yet today,” Jane said in an accusing tone.
Lara smiled at her youngest daughter. “Hello to you, too, Janie. Paris was wonderful, thanks for asking. How are you?”
Jane ripped the plastic bag off the paper with lethal-looking, manicured nails and held it up. “This is how I am.”
Kylie’s heart dropped straight into her stomach as she read the headline: Mac’s Brother a Suspect in
Kylie searched for the right words. “We didn’t connect on that level. He was right to break it off.”
“I’m sure that was a difficult decision for him.”
“We dated for six weeks, Mom. It wasn’t that difficult.”
“I got the impression that he waited for you for ten years.”
The idea amazed Kylie, and she laughed. “No, he didn’t. He was married twice. And the idea of dating didn’t even come up until we got together for dinner after I returned.”
“I don’t know. He was very devoted to you before you left for California.”
“I was his patient.”
“A patient he liked very much.”
“Regardless, it’s not going anywhere. We’re friends, period.”
Lara, obviously unsatisfied with that response, got up and crossed to the bar, where she poured a glass of whiskey for herself. Kylie watched her posture-perfect back, trying to figure out what was up. Lara had never been one to push or express disapproval. She let her kids do their thing and offered constructive guidance when she thought it necessary.
When Lara returned to the sofa, she wore a forced smile, further alerting Kylie that something big was bothering her.
Kylie reached out and put her hand on her stepmother’s knee. “What’s on your mind, Mom?”
Lara patted the back of Kylie’s hand then grasped her fingers and squeezed. “Your father would be so happy that you’re home. You know that, right?”
Thrown by the tears in Lara’s eyes, Kylie nodded. “Sure, of course.” She couldn’t stop the spear of guilt, though. She should have returned before he died. But no one had known he was sick, and he’d died so unexpectedly . . .
“He always wanted to start a tennis center,” Lara said, “but he didn’t want to do it without you. He also didn’t want to pressure you to return.”
“I know.”
“I’m sure the construction delays are taking a toll on your finances.”
Kylie gave a noncommittal shrug. “Hopefully everything will clear up soon.”
“How long have you got, do you think?”
Kylie didn’t want to go into the specifics—or say that she didn’t have long at all before the bank got antsy and rescinded her credit line. “Don’t worry. I’m sure it will be fine.”
“He’d want you to keep going on it, not to honor his memory, but because he believed it would make you happy.”
“I plan to, Mom. Where’s this—” She withdrew her hand and glanced away as it hit her. Well, damn. No one, not even her stepmother, expected her to stick around for long. It was official: She had a rep. When adversity mounted the front porch steps, she crept out the back door. Incredible how much that made her feel like a slug. Dirty and slimy and not someone anyone who loved her could count on. Biting back the hurt, she said, “So you think that if Wade and I stayed an item and as long as I had the tennis center, I’d be less likely to leave again.”
Lara’s velvety eyes filled with tears again, and she pressed her lips together for a moment. “I’d understand. We all would. It’s painful for you to—”
“Mom, come on. I’m not going to—”
The front door opening cut her off. “Mom?” Jane called from the foyer. “You here?”
“In here, Janie,” Lara responded, casting Kylie an apologetic glance. “We’ll finish this later.”
Jane strode into the living room, a plastic-wrapped newspaper clasped in one hand like she wanted to hit somebody with it. “You haven’t opened your paper yet today,” Jane said in an accusing tone.
Lara smiled at her youngest daughter. “Hello to you, too, Janie. Paris was wonderful, thanks for asking. How are you?”
Jane ripped the plastic bag off the paper with lethal-looking, manicured nails and held it up. “This is how I am.”
Kylie’s heart dropped straight into her stomach as she read the headline: Mac’s Brother a Suspect in
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