by Debra Webb
Caroline owed her, too.
“You’re right. If Henri wants one big, happy family for the weekend, I suppose we can give her that.”
“Good.” Caroline folded her arms over her breasts. “I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be able to deal with—” she lifted one shoulder, then let it fall “—whatever for the next forty-eight hours.”
He nodded once. “Sure.”
She smiled, the gesture undermining his already compromised willpower. “Maybe I’ll just have a long, hot bath and then drive into town to check on the Porsche.”
The image of Caroline naked in a steaming bath jetted across his mind. Every muscle in his body tightened with the remembered sensation of touching her, of making love to her in the back seat of his dad’s old car, on the creek bank in the moonlight. As if she had just remembered the same thing, desire flickered in her eyes. Heat radiated between them, drawing him closer when he hadn’t intended to move. Close enough to smell that sweet scent that he had never forgotten. That delicate pulse fluttering at the base of her throat hypnotized him. He wanted to kiss her more than he wanted to wake up tomorrow. He wanted to make love to her again.
Right here.
Right now.
He needed to get the hell out of here. He backed up a step. What the hell was wrong with him? Strolling down memory lane wasn’t his style. “That sounds...ah...great.” He backed up another two steps. “Have yourself a nice...bath.” A quick, tight smile stretched his lips and he turned and strode away.
Caroline might survive the weekend, but the only way he would was if he stayed as far away from her as possible. Maybe he would just sleep at the office tonight.
Relief trickled inside him. That was the answer. He would simply make himself scarce until Caroline Gregory was out of here. He could take Shane fishing. He could go out with the boys. He could do a lot of things.
But nothing he did would stop him from wanting her.
Chapter Four
“There you go, buddy.” Chase lifted his son from the passenger side of his Jeep. He was pouting. Chase couldn’t blame him, he wanted to pout too...only for an entirely different reason.
“But I didn’t catch any fish,” Shane muttered as Chase settled him onto his feet.
Chase lifted the fishing poles from the back. “We’ll do better next time,” he assured the disgusted seven-year-old.
Shane braced his hands on his little hips and glared up at his daddy. “Why couldn’t we stay till I caught somethin’? I wanted to give Dr. Caroline a fish so she’d know I’m a big boy.”
Chase couldn’t help a smile. When he was frustrated, the kid looked so much like Slade. An old ache squeezed Chase’s heart. It didn’t seem possible that Slade had been gone for eight years now. His brother’s death had left Chase with a big hole in his life. Caroline’s subsequent and abrupt departure had widened that gaping emptiness. But Chase had survived. He smiled down at the boy he called his own. Shane filled that void. Chase didn’t need anyone or anything else. He had his son and his work. What else could a man want?
The image of Caroline instantly filled his head, making a liar out of him.
“Let’s see what Henri’s made for lunch. You can tell Dr. Caroline all about the fishing trip after that. She’ll know you’re a big boy whether you caught a fish or not,” Chase promised.
Shane’s face brightened. “I can tell’er how I kept havin’ to tell you everything twice,” he said with obvious delight. “And how you nearly forgot our poles when we left this mornin’. And I--” he patted his chest “--reminded you. Can’t fish without poles.”
Chase suppressed a groan as he watched Shane hightail it for the kitchen door. Chase had been distracted all morning. He couldn’t keep his mind on fishing or anything else. Thoughts of his reluctant houseguest kept him far too preoccupied. He had promised himself that he would not allow this very thing to happen. And look at him. He blew out a disgusted breath. He was the one acting childish today. There was no way to change the past. As much as Chase had loved Caroline, he wouldn’t change what he had done for anything.
Marrying Tiffany had been the right thing to do. Small towns in the south had not caught up with the big cities. Having a child out of wedlock was still frowned upon. There was no way in this world Chase would have left Shane fatherless and a bastard.
No way.
Not even for Caroline.
Chase found Shane, Henri and Caroline in the parlor. The three were sitting Indian style on the floor looking at the family photo albums. Another groan swelled in Chase’s chest as he paused in the doorway.
Shane’s excited chatter made him smile even if he couldn’t take his eyes off Caroline. Gone was the sexy black dress. The jeans and the soft pink blouse made her look more like the Caroline he’d known...and loved all those years ago. All that thick black hair hung in a long braid down her back. She still looked so young, nowhere near thirty. He wondered if she’d lost even one wink of sleep over what could have been.
The telephone conversation he’d had with one Tristan Rodgers immediately leapt to mind. Obviously, she had gotten over Chase long ago considering she was engaged to Dr. Rodgers. Chase gritted his teeth. The thought of her with another man shouldn’t bother him...but somehow it did.
“Is that you, Dr. Caroline?”
Shane climbed right into Caroline’s lap, picture in hand. She looked startled at first. Chase held his breath. He could only imagine how seeing Shane made her feel. She smiled and draped her arms around the child as she studied the photograph he held. Chase relaxed.
“That’s me,” she admitted. “I can’t believe I was ever that...”
“You gots big hair in this picture,” Shane said.
Caroline laughed. “I sure do. It was the style when I was in high school.”
“Young man,” Henri announced as she pushed to her feet. “We’d best be on our way if we’re going to make that birthday party in time.”
Birthday party? Chase frowned. What party?
“Hooray! I love birfday cake!” Shane shot out of Caroline’s lap and did a little dance around her. “And we get hotdogs, too!”
Chase wandered into the room. “There’s a birthday party today? Now?”
“Josh Baker’s.” Henri snagged Shane by the hand. “We’ll only be gone a few hours. I didn’t think to mention it this morning.”
Chase nodded. “Well, I could...ah...take him.”
Henri gave him a conspiratorial wink. “I have to go.”
The frown lines deepened in Chase’s brow. “You do?”
“Aunt Henri’s the magician!” Shane explained, hopping with excitement.
“Have a good time then.”
Chase watched them go wishing like hell he was going with them. What was he supposed to do now? Reluctantly he turned back to the only other person left in the room. Caroline was still busy with the albums. He should say something. Hello at the very least.
“Oh, my God!” She stared at the page she had just turned to. “I can’t believe you still have these!”
Unable to resist, Chase strode over to where she sat in the floor. He crouched down next to her. Her sweet scent roused his senses with the first breath he inhaled.
“I had totally forgotten about this hayride,” she murmured, her voice distant as if she were lost in the memories.
As was usually the case back then, he and Caroline were sitting side-by-side right smack in the middle of the festivities. His arm was around her waist, both hers were draped around his neck. And Slade was holding bunny ears behind Chase’s head. Chase smiled. That would be the last time either of them would ever see Slade that happy. Drugs had seen to that.
Caroline traced the smiling faces in the photograph. “Has it really been that long?”
Chase remembered. Caroline had come home for the weekend. She’d started medical school in Memphis. Chase had just been elected sheriff. They had their whole futures mapped out...except for one small detail. She wanted to le
ave Lucy’s Branch for a while. Just a little while, she had insisted. To see the world. To make some memories before they settled down into the rest of their lives. They had argued vehemently about the whole notion. A few months later Slade had died and Chase’s whole world had come crashing down around him. Then it hadn’t mattered what anyone wanted, he had to do what he had to do.
That duty had cost him the only woman he’d ever loved.
Caroline closed the photo album she held. “Well.” She forced a smile and reached to gather up the strewn albums. “That was a nice walk down memory lane.”
Her voice sounded tight. Chase could feel her tension. His own had risen to an almost intolerable level. As much as he hated to admit it, he wanted simultaneously to hold her and to push her away. To make her see that he’d done the right thing, and at the same time, to pretend he didn’t care if she ever understood.
Instead of doing any of those things, he stood. “I have to go to the office for a few hours.” She looked up at him when he spoke. He could see the same battle he fought taking place in her eyes. “If you need anything you can give me a call.”
He turned and walked away before she could respond. He wasn’t about to let even a glimmer of the truth show. He would not allow Caroline to know the truth now, after all these years. Because it wouldn’t change a thing. She would still leave come Monday. And he would still want her.
Nothing had changed.
~*~
Caroline busied herself with picking up the photos and albums and pretended not to notice Chase was leaving. She blinked furiously to hold back the tears welling in her eyes. Why did she have to be so sentimental? Whatever she and Chase had once shared was gone. He’d cheated on her. Married someone else. She shoved the albums back onto the shelf where they belonged. It was ridiculous for her to have those foolish thoughts for him now.
She hugged herself at the remembered feel of holding Chase’s son in her arms. Another woman’s child. The child that should have been hers.
Caroline squared her shoulders and forced those thoughts away. Chase had no feelings left for her, otherwise he wouldn’t have run for the hills the moment they were alone. Anger shored up her crumbling resolve. She wouldn’t be feeling any of this if Tristan hadn’t cheated. All she had to do was get through the next forty hours or so and she could get out of here. She would find a way to get to Dianne’s one way or another. Zac could bring the Porsche to Memphis when he finished the repairs. Caroline absolutely would not stay in Lucy’s Branch one moment longer than necessary.
Like Chase, all she had to do was find something to distract herself until the weekend passed.
Julie!
Henri had told Caroline that it was Julie’s wedding she had ruined by smashing into the chapel. Caroline hurried across the room and plopped down on the sofa. She opened the end table drawers until she found the telephone book. A few seconds later she had Julie’s number. A night out with the girls was what Caroline needed. She certainly didn’t need Chase Garrett.
~*~
By dark Caroline was ready for some girl time. She had met with Zac and gotten his estimate on the car. If all the parts were readily available, and he wouldn’t know for sure until Monday, he could probably have the Porsche looking as good as new in two weeks. She’d been more than a little depressed that she would have to wait two weeks. But there was nothing she could do about that.
Her next step had been to call Dianne at her hotel in Nashville. Unfortunately she wouldn’t be back in Memphis for another week and a half. But she had insisted that Caroline make herself at home anytime she was ready to go on to Memphis. What should have been a ten-minute call had stretched into an hour. Dianne threatened to hire a hit man to do Tristan bodily harm. She, of course, felt certain that Caroline was better off without the sleazebag. Caroline agreed. Though it still hurt just a little—her pride more than anything else. Strange thing was, the idea that it hurt mostly her pride proved a little startling. How had she talked herself into spending the rest of her life with a man who could hurt nothing more than her pride?
That, she decided, was entirely Chase Garrett’s fault. He had damaged her too badly.
With that realization ringing in her ears, Caroline had gone home. Or, at least, to the house she used to call home. She didn’t go inside. She simply sat on the front porch steps and reminisced about the past and her sweet grandmother. She barely remembered her parents. They’d died in an automobile accident when she’d been so young. But her grandmother had stepped in and given her all the love a little girl could ever want. Caroline couldn’t recall ever having felt as if she’d missed something. Her grandmother and Henri had filled every possible void.
Her grandmother was gone and all she had left was the old house. Mr. Reems had been right. The house looked sad. Empty and sad. As badly as she hated to, she knew it was time to let go. The house was her only remaining tie to Lucy’s Branch. Why not sever that hold once and for all?
Eventually she drove to town, anything to avoid the Garrett place. She parked Chase’s old truck in the parking lot in front of the pool hall and climbed out. Julie had said she’d meet her here at eight. Caroline smoothed a hand over her too short dress and dragged in a deep breath for courage. The only clothes she had with her were her newly purchased honeymoon wardrobe. The jeans she’d worn today were the lone ones she’d packed. She would just have to make due with what she had. It wasn’t as if it was a crime to wear a short dress. It just wasn’t Caroline’s usual attire.
Especially not this short and this red. She peered down at the matching red high heels and chewed her lip. Maybe she’d better go back to Chase’s and change.
“Caroline!”
Julie wove through the numerous vehicles and threw her arms around Caroline. “God, it’s good to see you.”
Caroline hugged her friend. “I can’t believe I let so much time pass.”
Julie drew back and studied Caroline. “Girl, you look good.” She looked her up and down and arched an eyebrow in speculation. “Are you looking to knock every guy in this place for a loop?”
Caroline shook her head. “It’s a long story. I’ll explain it later.”
“You ought to know that I can’t be racing across no parking lots,” a very pregnant, very pretty young lady groused as she came up beside Julie. “I don’t want to have this baby before Sonny gets home.”
Julie giggled. “Sorry. Caroline, this is Sherry Lands. She’s new to Lucy’s Branch and a very good friend. Sherry, this is my old pal—the one who postponed my wedding.”
Caroline accepted the newcomer’s brief embrace. “Any friend of Julie’s is a friend of mine.”
“Likewise.” Sherry assessed Caroline. “Mercy, girl, you may start a riot in there. I don’t know if I can stand the excitement.”
“Don’t worry.” Julie looped in arm through Caroline’s and then one through Sherry’s and started toward the pool hall. “Caroline’s a doctor. If that baby decides to make an early appearance, you’re covered.”
“I told you I’m not having this baby until Sonny gets home,” Sherry insisted.
“Do they still make the absolute best cheeseburgers?” Caroline asked, her mouth already watering.
“They do indeed.” Julie leaned close and added, “the music’s better and the beefcakes are beefier.”
Caroline smiled. There were some things about home she was glad to see, and Julie was definitely one of them.
~*~
Three hours later, both Julie and Caroline were well into their fourth beers. Or maybe it was five. Caroline had called Henri and told her she wouldn’t make supper. Henri had sounded so disappointed that Caroline couldn’t suppress a twinge of guilt. But she forgot all about it as the time passed and the ale flowed.
“I swear,” Julie said in answer to Sherry’s wide-eyed question.
Caroline shook her head in utter disbelief. “You’re telling me that you’ve been engaged to Rob for almost two years and not once...”
“How come you never told me this before?” Sherry demanded. “Girl, this is not natural.”
“That’s why I never told you.” Julie shrugged. “I didn’t want you to know that I wasn’t getting what you obviously were.”
Sherry giggled and sipped her cola. “You are too funny, Julie.”
“Actually,” Julie began, a solemn expression capturing her features. “It isn’t funny at all.” She stared at her beer can as if she expected it to refill itself. “I don’t mean just the sex. It’s everything.”
Caroline placed her hand over her friend’s. “What kind of things?” She wondered if Rob had cheated on Julie the way Tristan had on her.
Julie let go a big sigh. “He’s just so...so anal. Everything has to be just so.” She shook her head as if not believing what she was about to tell. “Last week he took me through his whole house and explained to me exactly what he would expect of me once we were married.”
“What do you mean?” Caroline wasn’t so sure she really wanted to know. But this was Julie, her best friend from kindergarten through college. Another of those unpleasant realities broadsided her. She’d turned her back on a lot more than Chase. For the first time since she’d left it felt wrong.
Julie leaned forward. Sherry and Caroline did the same. “He showed me how his mother ironed his boxer shorts.”
“You’re kidding?”
Sherry’s mouth formed a perfect O.
“Nope. The whole house is like some kind of shrine to the obsessive-compulsive. Everything is just where it’s supposed to be. Nothing—” she made a wide sweep with her hands “—is out of place. The whole time he’s showing me what he expects, I’m thinking, do I really know this man?”
