with Raina’s youngest son in mind, Charlotte felt the heat rise to her cheeks.
Especially since she’d decided to go with something daring, an outfit she’d purchased during her New York City days.
Maybe he’d been able to resist her enough to pull away, but not before she’d felt his body’s reaction to her. The man wasn’t
immune. And tonight she needed the ego boost of having his appraising eyes focused on her. Unfortunately, that blue gaze wasn’t
nearly as interested in her tonight as she’d hoped.
“I understand you and my youngest had a run-in,” Raina said, as if she could see into Charlotte’s innermost thoughts.
The flush turned into a full-fledged burn in her cheeks. Who could possibly have seen her with Roman? she wondered, this afternoon’s
events playing out in erotic detail in her mind. “I … uh … we …”
“Met up again in Norman’s a few nights ago. Rick told me.” Raina ignored Charlotte’s exhale of relief and merely patted her
hand once more. “You never know what might develop after years apart. I’m here to give you a chance to put that sexy outfit
to good use. Sam’s going to watch the punch bowl, aren’t you?” Raina reached behind her and pulled the town’s ultimate loner
into view.
“Hi, Sam.” She was surprised he’d ventured into a crowded function, but free food and drink might explain that.
“I wanted to ask you how you two were acquainted,” Raina said.
“She’s just a sucker for an old man,” he muttered. Charlotte nodded. She’d always had a soft spot for the loner.
“And Sam sometimes does errands for me.” Mailing letters and such in return for cash that enabled him to buy food, she thought,
but she didn’t say that out loud.
He was a proud man few in town bothered to know or understand. But even as a little girl, she’d remembered seeing her mother
reach out to him. Charlotte was saddened, on her return to Yorkshire Falls, to see Sam’s solitary life had stayed the same,
and she’d gone out of her way to help him without directly offering charity.
“Well, now he’s going to watch the punch bowl,” Raina said.
“Freeing you to dance with me.” Rick Chandler appeared on the opposite side of the table, cornering her in front of his mother
with a wink.
The last thing Charlotte needed was time alone with another Chandler man. “As long as I’m being relieved, I think I need some
air.”
“You just got some, didn’t you?” Raina called her on her bluff.
Rick met her gaze. “I need you to bolster my reputation around here. The women are turning me down left and right.” He eyed
her pointedly and she understood he wanted to talk without creating a scene or a distraction. Police business, probably. She
still owed him the list of customers who’d purchased or ordered the handmade panties from her shop.
Better cooperate with Yorkshire Falls’ finest, Charlotte thought. “I think a dance will do me more good than fresh air.”
Rick pushed the table back to make room for her to slip through.
“And that means I can get back to my …” Raina’s voice trailed off and she placed a shaky hand on her heart.
“Mom?” Rick asked.
“I’m okay. It’s just that maybe coming out tonight wasn’t such a good idea. Palpitations.” She glanced away, toward the far
wall. “I’ll just get Eric to sit with me until he can take me home. He’s my …”
“Date,” Rick offered, guiding his arm around his mother’s waist. He shot Charlotte a worried glance, but pasted a smile on
his face, obviously playing it light with his mother. “You can say it. You’re here with your date.”
“I’m here with my doctor.”
“Who’s suddenly paying exclusive attention to one patient?” Rick smiled knowingly at his mother, then gestured across the
room, calling the doctor over.
“It’s like you said, I’m his patient.”
But Charlotte noticed Raina couldn’t meet her son’s gaze.
“Who’s the
Especially since she’d decided to go with something daring, an outfit she’d purchased during her New York City days.
Maybe he’d been able to resist her enough to pull away, but not before she’d felt his body’s reaction to her. The man wasn’t
immune. And tonight she needed the ego boost of having his appraising eyes focused on her. Unfortunately, that blue gaze wasn’t
nearly as interested in her tonight as she’d hoped.
“I understand you and my youngest had a run-in,” Raina said, as if she could see into Charlotte’s innermost thoughts.
The flush turned into a full-fledged burn in her cheeks. Who could possibly have seen her with Roman? she wondered, this afternoon’s
events playing out in erotic detail in her mind. “I … uh … we …”
“Met up again in Norman’s a few nights ago. Rick told me.” Raina ignored Charlotte’s exhale of relief and merely patted her
hand once more. “You never know what might develop after years apart. I’m here to give you a chance to put that sexy outfit
to good use. Sam’s going to watch the punch bowl, aren’t you?” Raina reached behind her and pulled the town’s ultimate loner
into view.
“Hi, Sam.” She was surprised he’d ventured into a crowded function, but free food and drink might explain that.
“I wanted to ask you how you two were acquainted,” Raina said.
“She’s just a sucker for an old man,” he muttered. Charlotte nodded. She’d always had a soft spot for the loner.
“And Sam sometimes does errands for me.” Mailing letters and such in return for cash that enabled him to buy food, she thought,
but she didn’t say that out loud.
He was a proud man few in town bothered to know or understand. But even as a little girl, she’d remembered seeing her mother
reach out to him. Charlotte was saddened, on her return to Yorkshire Falls, to see Sam’s solitary life had stayed the same,
and she’d gone out of her way to help him without directly offering charity.
“Well, now he’s going to watch the punch bowl,” Raina said.
“Freeing you to dance with me.” Rick Chandler appeared on the opposite side of the table, cornering her in front of his mother
with a wink.
The last thing Charlotte needed was time alone with another Chandler man. “As long as I’m being relieved, I think I need some
air.”
“You just got some, didn’t you?” Raina called her on her bluff.
Rick met her gaze. “I need you to bolster my reputation around here. The women are turning me down left and right.” He eyed
her pointedly and she understood he wanted to talk without creating a scene or a distraction. Police business, probably. She
still owed him the list of customers who’d purchased or ordered the handmade panties from her shop.
Better cooperate with Yorkshire Falls’ finest, Charlotte thought. “I think a dance will do me more good than fresh air.”
Rick pushed the table back to make room for her to slip through.
“And that means I can get back to my …” Raina’s voice trailed off and she placed a shaky hand on her heart.
“Mom?” Rick asked.
“I’m okay. It’s just that maybe coming out tonight wasn’t such a good idea. Palpitations.” She glanced away, toward the far
wall. “I’ll just get Eric to sit with me until he can take me home. He’s my …”
“Date,” Rick offered, guiding his arm around his mother’s waist. He shot Charlotte a worried glance, but pasted a smile on
his face, obviously playing it light with his mother. “You can say it. You’re here with your date.”
“I’m here with my doctor.”
“Who’s suddenly paying exclusive attention to one patient?” Rick smiled knowingly at his mother, then gestured across the
room, calling the doctor over.
“It’s like you said, I’m his patient.”
But Charlotte noticed Raina couldn’t meet her son’s gaze.
“Who’s the
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