Exclusive / a Touch of Heaven

by Samantha Chase

  “Sawyer moved in with you?” Caroline asked as she suddenly appeared next to her daughter.

  “Not now, Mom,” Regan said carefully, her eyes never leaving Sawyer’s. “Tell me, you son of a bitch—how long did you know they were filming us?”

  “Regan, please,” he began, “let’s go someplace and talk in private.” He reached out for her but she stepped back.

  “Why? The cameras are still here!” She turned and faced the crew who were silently scattered around the house. “You can turn the cameras on! Big fight scene coming! The network will love it!”

  “Regan, stop it!” Sawyer demanded. “It’s not what you think, dammit. We need to calm down and talk. Privately.”

  Max got everyone in motion to gather their things and go. When they were gone, he came to stand behind Caroline. “Is everything okay?” he asked, not sure who exactly he was asking.

  “Not now, Dad,” Sawyer said harshly.

  “I think now is the perfect time,” Max snapped back at him. “What the hell did you do, Sawyer?”

  Sawyer’s eyes went wide at his father’s tone and words. “Seriously? You too? I didn’t do a damn thing!”

  “Really?” Regan cried. “Then explain to me how Devin knew about us? How he happened to know about us kissing in the yard and our date last weekend?”

  “You kissed in the backyard?” Caroline asked.

  “Not now!” both Regan and Sawyer shouted.

  Max put his hands on Caroline’s shoulders and squeezed. “Sawyer,” Max began, “I think you better explain yourself. Did Devin make you romance Regan for the sake of the show?”

  “Oh, for crying out loud!” Sawyer threw his hands up in the air and began to pace. “First of all, who talks like that, Dad? No, I didn’t romance Regan for the sake of the show. What the hell’s the matter with you?” He stalked across the room until he was standing toe to toe with Regan. “And you! How dare you question what we have! I’ve shared everything of myself with you, and you just immediately believe what Devin says? After everything we’ve shared, you think I did all that for this damn show?”

  “Then tell me how you knew he had taped us!” Regan screamed, her voice cracking on the last word.

  Rubbing a hand over his face, Sawyer walked to the sofa and sat down. “I didn’t know he was still taping,” he said wearily. “When you stopped coming around, he told me I needed to get you here to tape a couple of shots where you were pissed off. I said I wasn’t going to make you do that, and he told me he knew I could because he’d seen us kissing in the yard.” He looked up at Regan, his eyes filled with remorse. “I tried, Regan, I really tried not to make you get involved with any of it.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me this?” she asked. “I don’t understand how it went from that conversation to all this.”

  “When I told him I wouldn’t do it, that’s when he told me he had footage of the kiss. He said if I didn’t get you here to film he would make that the drama—me and you. I figured you would freak out, so I made a snap decision. But you have to believe me, Regan, I swear I didn’t know he was still following us! I don’t know how we missed it!” He went to her, but she still wouldn’t allow him to touch her.

  Regan turned to her mother. “This damn renovation,” she muttered. “All this over a stupid home makeover. I hope it was worth it, Mom, because it’s just about ruined everything.” Turning, Regan calmly walked to the kitchen to grab her purse before heading toward the door. When she was about to leave, she faced Sawyer. “I don’t want any part of this. I should have stuck to my original opinion of it all. I can’t trust you. How do I know that Devin isn’t going to use the footage anyway? You had me sign like a dozen documents that gave the network the right to use any footage they filmed while on this job.”

  Tears streamed down her face. “And the thing is, Sawyer, I was able to forget all this, the renovation, my disappointment at losing my family home, and that was all because of you. You helped me to see that it was just a house. I watched Mom and Max and saw she was happy, so I was happy. But all along, you had this secret you kept to yourself. So don’t talk to me about all you shared with me, because when something directly involved me, you lied and let that jackass make a joke out of what we had.”

  “Regan, let’s just go home and—”

  “No!” she snapped. “Don’t you dare think you can come to my home. You can give Mom the key.” She looked at Caroline and saw her nod. “I don’t want to see you again. I just…I can’t.”

  And she was gone.

  Sawyer was shocked. What the hell had just happened? His knees felt like they were about to give out and he barely made it back to the couch before collapsing. With his elbows braced on his knees, he dropped his face into his hands. He couldn’t speak, didn’t know what to say. It took a minute for him to realize his father was beside him. Slowly, he raised his head and looked at his father sadly. “I love her.”

  Max nodded. “I know you do. I’ve never seen you like this with a woman. Watching you these last weeks? Well, it was nice to see. You smiled more. There was a spark in your eyes that wasn’t there before. I didn’t realize why.”

  “What am I going to do?”

  Max looked toward Caroline, who had gone and busied herself in the kitchen to give them privacy. “You need to let her calm down a little. This all came as a shock to her, so I’m sure she needs some time to think it over and then she’ll see you didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “But I did, Dad. She’s right. I lied to her.”

  “No,” Max said gently, “you omitted the truth about something you knew was going to upset her.”

  “It’s the same thing. And now? She’ll always wonder if what we had was real or if it started because of the show. I can tell her I love her until I’m blue in the face, but the beginning of our relationship is ruined thanks to Devin and his bullshit.”

  Caroline came to sit beside him and handed him a fresh bottle of water. “She’ll get over this, Sawyer,” she said softly. “Regan is a passionate woman. Sometimes it takes some time for her to calm down and see things rationally.”

  “I told him to give her some time,” Max said. “It’s not like he really lied to her.”

  Stiffening her spine, Caroline looked at him. “Actually, he did. He told her Devin wanted her here to shoot those scenes or he’d be in trouble with the network—not once did he mention there was a damn near blackmail situation going on.”

  Sawyer sat between the two of them in stunned silence. They kept arguing back and forth—it was like watching a tennis match.

  “Blackmail is a little strong, Caroline, don’t you think?” Max said with a snap in his voice. “And if it was that, then it’s all the more admirable how Sawyer was trying to protect her.”

  “Regan had a right to know what was going on so she could have confronted Devin and the network and threatened them if they tried to use footage taken on her personal time that had nothing to do with the stupid show!”

  “Stupid show? And just for the record, it did have to do with the show! She was out with Sawyer—who, FYI, is the host of that stupid show!”

  Caroline leapt to her feet. “Are you defending him?”

  Max stood up too. “Yes, I am. He’s my son, and I still say he didn’t do anything wrong. I agree that Regan has a right to be upset, but she needs to get over it.”

  Sawyer knew this was going to end badly, so he stood as well. “Guys, look, I don’t want you fighting about this—”

  “Not now, Sawyer!” they both yelled and Sawyer threw up his hands, stepping around them to gather his belongings. While the couple continued to argue, he sadly took Regan’s key off his key ring and placed it on the dining room table. He looked around at all he had created. An hour ago he had been filled with pride. Funny how it could all go to hell in such a short time.

  “Well, if that’s the w
ay you really feel, then you can leave and go to hell, Max Bennett!” he heard Caroline yell, and to Sawyer’s surprise, his father stormed from the house.

  He walked over to Caroline and did his best not to step back when she glared at him. “For what it’s worth, Caroline, I honestly did enjoy working with you. Thank you for letting me help you with your home.”

  She continued to glare, so Sawyer nodded his head and walked out of Caroline Amerson’s home and out of both Amerson women’s lives.

  Chapter 10

  “Oh, for the love of it. You have a problem, you know that?”

  Regan looked up from the cocoon she had made herself on the sofa and glared at her mother. “Why are you still here? Don’t you have someplace else to be? Who’s running the spa today?”

  “That should be you,” Caroline gently reminded her. “But you don’t seem to be able to stop playing Solitaire on your tablet while listening to music to slash your wrists by.”

  “That’s a good one, Mom. Ve-ry funny.”

  “Regan, it’s been almost a month now. You rarely leave the house, and we really need you at the spa. Now, enough is enough. I know your heart is broken, but you need to move on. I mean, look at me! I lost Max. I waited ten years to give my heart to someone, and he turned out to be a big jerk.”

  Regan put the tablet down and looked at her mother, her expression bored. “Max wasn’t a jerk, Mom. He was defending his son, which was no different from what you were doing for me. Either way, it wasn’t a fight for the two of you to have.”

  “Well, we did and now it’s over and so…there.”

  “Do you feel better now?” Regan asked sarcastically.

  Caroline sighed and shoved her daughter’s legs off the sofa so she could sit down. “The pity party is officially over. You have a business to run and a life to live. I can’t keep covering for you. I’ll be out of town for ten days, so it’s your turn now.”

  “Wait. What? What do you mean you’re going out of town for ten days? Where are you going?”

  “On a cruise.” Caroline shrugged. “I’ve never been on one and a couple of girlfriends invited me. It’s a seniors cruise, so maybe I’ll meet a nice man.”

  “You’re hardly a senior, Mom. Sheesh.”

  “It’s for those of us who are fifty and older, and I am definitely in that category. So, I’m cruising the Caribbean. I leave on Monday.”

  “But…that’s in, like, three days! Why didn’t you say anything until now?”

  “Would it have mattered? Regan, I have to move on with my life. I fell in love with Max Bennett and it didn’t work out. Am I sad? Yes. Do I miss him? Yes. Am I going to stop living because of it? No. You need to do the same. I’m not saying you need to go on a singles cruise—”

  “I’m not fifty and over,” Regan deadpanned and pulled back at the look on her mother’s face.

  “As I was saying, you don’t have to go on a cruise, but you do need to leave this house. Now, I brought over some groceries to restock your kitchen with something other than junk food, but tomorrow, you need to open the spa. I’m done covering for you.” She leaned down and kissed her daughter on the head. “And it wouldn’t kill you to do a little something with yourself. Let one of the girls give you a mani-pedi at least. And maybe do something with your hair.” She took in the rumpled flannel pajamas and quilt covering Regan, the empty bags of assorted snacks surrounding her. “And maybe eat a vegetable or two.”

  Regan sighed with relief when the front door closed. “I’ll eat a vegetable when I damn well want to,” she said to the now-empty room. “I don’t need my mother telling me what to do. I’m a grown woman.” It would have felt a lot more freeing if she wasn’t saying it to herself.

  Deep down, Regan knew her mother was right. It was enough. She needed to move on from the whole Sawyer thing and go back to living her life. She had been fine before she met him, happy and successful and enjoying her life, and she would be again.

  Right after she finished watching the thirty-six episodes of The Bennett Project that she had recorded on her DVR. Hearing it helped her go to sleep at night. The sound of Sawyer’s voice suggested he was in the room with her and that made Regan feel better.

  * * *

  Monday morning, Regan opened the spa. She’d finished her last episode of Sawyer’s show the night before, then erased them all off the DVR with a promise to herself that she was over him.

  Maybe.

  Well, almost.

  Caroline was leaving for her big trip today and promised to stop by A Touch of Heaven on her way out of town. Although Regan did not want to go on a seniors cruise, she envied the fact that her mom was going out and taking a vacation. The closest thing Regan would have to a vacation was her weekend at the beach with Sawyer and, well…

  Nope, not going to go there.

  Not today.

  Well, maybe a little.

  The beach would have been glorious. She still had no idea what beach he had booked for them or what they were going to do, but Regan was sure it would have been pure bliss. She could only hope that her mother had a good time on her trip, good enough for both of them.

  The bell over the front door jingled and Regan turned to find Caroline walking in wearing turquoise capris, a white cami, and big, dangly turquoise earrings. There was a white straw hat in her hand, and she looked like she was definitely ready for her vacation.

  “You look almost tropical, Mom,” she said when Caroline kissed her hello.

  “I’m feeling pretty tropical. Oh, I cannot wait to have that first drink out at sea. I’m going to have something big and fruity that comes with an umbrella in it.”

  “You’re a rebel, Mom. Remember, baby steps.”

  “Oh, stop.” Caroline looked around the spa and waved to the clients who were in the midst of their pedicures. “So, are you going to be okay? Because if you really need me, I’ll cancel the trip and stay and help you.”

  “Mom! Are you crazy? I would never ask you to do that!”

  “Whew! Thank goodness! I really didn’t want to cancel my trip!”

  “Then why did you say you would?”

  “Because you’re my daughter and I love you and I worry.”

  The bell above the front door jingled again and Regan almost fainted when Max Bennett walked in. “Caroline? If we don’t get going, we’ll miss our flight.”

  “Mom?” Regan prompted. “Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

  “What? Oh, yes… Max called. We talked and, um…he’s coming on the cruise with me. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Mind? How could I mind? The two of you never should have broken up in the first place. I’m glad things are working out for you, Mom.”

  Max walked over and kissed Caroline, then leaned in and kissed Regan on the cheek. “How are you, Regan?”

  “I’m doing well, Max, thank you. Better now that I see you and Mom back together and looking so happy. I hope you have a wonderful time on the cruise.”

  “I have to admit,” Max began, “I’ve never been on a cruise ship. I’ve gone out on fishing boats, but never on something like a luxury liner. But that’s where Caroline was going and so that’s where I wanted to be.” He smiled down at the woman who had stolen his heart and kissed her once again. “I missed you so much.”

  “Me too,” Caroline said and then reached up to bring his lips back to hers for a more intimate kiss.

  Regan felt a little ill. “Okay, you two. You need to get going so you don’t miss your flight.” She was gently nudging them toward the door and was relieved when the kissing stopped.

  “I’m going to bring you back something tropical,” Caroline promised.

  “I’m looking forward to it. Is there anything else you need from me? Everything squared away with the house?”

  The house sold practically before Caroline had a chan
ce to put it on the market, with an offer the day she put the sign out. She had packed up all her belongings and put them in storage and spent the last couple of nights at Regan’s. “Everything is signed, sealed, and delivered. I did leave your name and number with both the Realtor and the lawyer just in case. The new owners are moving in this week.”

  “I can’t believe it happened so fast,” Regan said with just a hint of sadness.

  “It was better this way, sweetheart. There wasn’t time to linger over old pictures or knickknacks, and really, I think it’s time for a new beginning for all of us.”

  Regan wanted to cry, but didn’t want that to be the way her mother saw her as she was leaving to take a dream vacation with the man she loved. Forcing a smile and some cheer into her voice, she wished them both “bon voyage” and sent them off with a hug. She stood at the front window and watched them drive away, but couldn’t help the pang of envy. Life certainly could be cruel sometimes.

  Her mother had Max.

  Some new family had her house.

  And she had a week’s worth of TV dinners to look forward to.

  Something had to give.

  * * *

  The week had flown by and Regan had made the schedule so she could have the weekend off. It wasn’t that she had anything in particular to do, but it was time to sit down and think about what she was going to do with her life. Once her mother got back from the cruise, she would most likely move to Wilmington to be with Max. That would leave a huge gap in Regan’s life. She and Caroline were more than mother and daughter—they were friends and business partners. Regan knew she’d be okay running the business alone; she had a great staff and already had someone in mind to promote to assistant manager. No, the problem would be going about her everyday life without seeing Caroline. Wilmington was only three hours away, but it was too far to make a trip there on a whim.

  So this weekend Regan decided she was going to truly be done with the pity party and erase that one last episode of Sawyer’s show where he walked around without a shirt for most of it that she accidentally forgot to erase, then make some calls and set up plans with friends.