Page 47 of The Heartbreaker (Chandler Brothers 3)
“Like what you see?” Raina asked, walking into the room with two white mugs filled with liquid. “Those photos are like a time-line. I can’t tell you how often I look at them just because they make me smile.” She held out one cup.
“Thanks.” Sloane accepted her drink, the ceramic mug warm in her hands. “You have every reason to be proud.” She glanced at her hostess.
Sloane had met Raina only once, but she noticed that today her coloring seemed off, her pallor too gray beneath the makeup. Commenting would be rude, but Sloane was worried. “You raised three incredible boys,” Sloane said, refocusing on their conversation.
“They’re men now.” Raina shook her head as if unable to believe. “Time does fly. Two of them are even married.” She grinned, obviously pleased.
“I met your daughter-in-law Kendall,” Sloane said.
“Isn’t she wonderful? Her aunt Crystal was one of my closest friends.”
“Really?”
Raina nodded. “Crystal passed away recently and Kendall moved back here to take care of her things. Her sister, Hannah, followed, and they’re both living here now. Hannah’s a handful to raise, but Kendall and Rick deal well with her.” Raina’s tone showed her pride. “She’s got fortitude and speaks her mind. Exactly what I want in a granddaughter.”
“Because she’s just like you.” Sloane laughed.
“But of course.” Raina crossed the room, walking over to the long couch. “I hope you don’t mind but I’m a little tired, so let’s sit.” She settled herself onto the couch and motioned for Sloane to join her on the chair across from a large cocktail table.
She placed her glass on a waiting coaster and sat down. “I hope I get to meet Hannah while I’m here.”
“Just how long are you planning to stay?” Raina asked with no amount of shame.
“Are you asking to be polite or because you want to know how long you have to matchmake?” Sloane asked, chuckling.
“Shame on Chase. Has he been telling tales about his mother?”
“None that aren’t true,” Sloane assured her. “Actually, I’m not sure how long I’ll stay. I’m on a mission of sorts. I suppose it depends on how long it takes me to accomplish it.” She took a sip of the tea while Raina did too.
“I love a good mystery, but in this case, let’s just be honest with each other. Chase called this morning and as I’m sure you realize, I know your secret.”
Sloane nodded. “And it really does make things easier on me, not having to explain.” Though she’d given Chase a hard time for taking control, she appreciated him smoothing things over.
She’d had her reasons for being overly forceful with him. She couldn’t let him push her around, even if she found his often domineering tendencies sexy and endearing, if only because they showed he cared.
But how much?
Oh, he cared enough to sleep with her, and Sloane definitely wasn’t making him beg for sex. But to her, sex with Chase definitely now fell into the making love category. She couldn’t bear to think he’d just transferred his dependability to her and would move on easily once she found Samson. Although that was the inevitable outcome, she still wanted to know he cared and would miss her once she was gone.
“Sloane? Sloane?” Raina had come up beside her, knelt down, and snapped her fingers in front of her face.
“I’m sorry. I was just lost in thought,” she explained.
“That’s okay. I’m sure you have a lot on your mind.” She rose quickly and gripped the arm of the chair hard enough that her knuckles turned white. “Raina?” Sloane put her hand over hers.
“I’m fine.” She straightened and walked slowly back to her seat on the couch. “It’s just this heart condition I’ve been diagnosed with.” She didn’t meet Sloane’s gaze, her eyes darting to the photos she’d seen earlier.
“Chase didn’t mention anything.” Sloane was concerned as well as confused.
“That’s because he tries to act as if things are normal.” Raina waved a hand in the air. “And they are. But your life has been turned upside down. Would you be surprised if I said I’d figured out your relationship to Jacqueline soon after our first meeting?”
“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.”
