Read Online Lies of the Heart by Laurie LeClair - Free Book Online
Authors: Laurie LeClair
Tags: Romance, Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Women's Fiction
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forced into marriage.”
Chance jerked around to face her, puzzled at her admission. “How’s that?”
“Never mind that now,” she said, waving it aside. “Tessa can explain our situations later. The thing is, we want what’s best for Tessa.”
“We don’t want her to end up hurt,” Jewel piped up, causing him to swivel his head to look at her. The frosty glare spoke of retribution.
He glanced down at Tessa shrinking beside him and covering her face with her hand. “Oh, brother,” she mumbled.
A blast of anger shot through him and he lashed out. “Oh and you think her granny hasn’t been doing that to her all these years.” He looked from one to the other. “If you’re such good friends where the hell have you been? Why didn’t you help her?”
The air crackled, shooting sparks. Stunned silence reigned. Then he spotted the guilty expressions on both women’s faces.
Tessa broke through the growing tension, saying softly, “They’ve tried all along, Chance.”
“But not enough,” Jewel admitted.
“Especially lately.” Bree reached over and briefly squeezed Tessa’s clasped hands. “We’re sorry, honey. We’ve been so wrapped up in our own lives that…” she trailed off.
“It’s all right, really,” Tessa said. “Granny’s been a little better and I’ve been working a lot of hours, so it helps.”
Inwardly, Chance ached for her. No way was he going to let her suffer any more at the hands of her own grandmother. Nor at mine. He’d keep his promise to stop baiting old lady Warfield, even if he had to choke on it.
“All right, sunshine, we’ve got a deal, right? We’re a team.”
Turning to him, she gifted him with a radiant smile that had his middle doing flip-flops. Holding out her hand, she said, “Deal!”
Her warm tiny hand fit in his perfectly. Thrills raced through his veins at the feel of her flesh touching his. Her long fingers wrapped around his skin as well as his heart. Somehow he realized that this wasn’t going to be easy at all. Six months with her may very well unravel all his cleverly wrapped up feelings and emotions. A sliver of fear poked his gut, but he stayed focused on the way she glowed, happiness written in every feature.
“Stop looking goo-goo eyed, you two,” Jewel said, bringing Chance out of his reverie. “We’ve got a wedding to plan.”
“A wedding? But it’s just going to be something simple, right?” Chance looked at each one of their beaming faces and knew he couldn’t compete. He threw up his hand in defeat.
Chapter 8
The muffled voices behind the double oak doors rose in volume, making Tessa cringe. Sitting on the floor in the small foyer, she leaned her head back against the sturdy barriers. The wreath of flowers atop her crown slipped and she quickly righted the drooping headpiece. The white satin and lace wedding gown rustled softly at her slight movements. Looking up at her two dearest friends, she asked, “You’d think two old women would know how to act in church, wouldn’t you?”
The pair, in their matching tea-length, rose silk dresses, shot her varying degrees of sympathy. Bree shifted her bouquet of pastel pink roses and baby’s breath from one hand to the other, saying, “Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry. I thought they’d have gotten it out of their systems this last week.”
Tessa blinked back tears. Sniffing, she said, “Hah! They’ve been going at it for most of their lives, or hadn’t you heard?”
“Don’t cry, Auntie Tessa,” Sydney, Bree’s little girl, said, squatting down to her level and placing the child-size basket filled with multi-colored flower petals by her side. Her favorite white tulle dress she wore spread around her and skimmed the floor. Her blonde hair shone like a halo in the stream of bright sunlight coming through the fanned window from behind her. And her big cobalt blue eyes looked at Tessa solemnly. “Grownups always act silly when they want their own
Chance jerked around to face her, puzzled at her admission. “How’s that?”
“Never mind that now,” she said, waving it aside. “Tessa can explain our situations later. The thing is, we want what’s best for Tessa.”
“We don’t want her to end up hurt,” Jewel piped up, causing him to swivel his head to look at her. The frosty glare spoke of retribution.
He glanced down at Tessa shrinking beside him and covering her face with her hand. “Oh, brother,” she mumbled.
A blast of anger shot through him and he lashed out. “Oh and you think her granny hasn’t been doing that to her all these years.” He looked from one to the other. “If you’re such good friends where the hell have you been? Why didn’t you help her?”
The air crackled, shooting sparks. Stunned silence reigned. Then he spotted the guilty expressions on both women’s faces.
Tessa broke through the growing tension, saying softly, “They’ve tried all along, Chance.”
“But not enough,” Jewel admitted.
“Especially lately.” Bree reached over and briefly squeezed Tessa’s clasped hands. “We’re sorry, honey. We’ve been so wrapped up in our own lives that…” she trailed off.
“It’s all right, really,” Tessa said. “Granny’s been a little better and I’ve been working a lot of hours, so it helps.”
Inwardly, Chance ached for her. No way was he going to let her suffer any more at the hands of her own grandmother. Nor at mine. He’d keep his promise to stop baiting old lady Warfield, even if he had to choke on it.
“All right, sunshine, we’ve got a deal, right? We’re a team.”
Turning to him, she gifted him with a radiant smile that had his middle doing flip-flops. Holding out her hand, she said, “Deal!”
Her warm tiny hand fit in his perfectly. Thrills raced through his veins at the feel of her flesh touching his. Her long fingers wrapped around his skin as well as his heart. Somehow he realized that this wasn’t going to be easy at all. Six months with her may very well unravel all his cleverly wrapped up feelings and emotions. A sliver of fear poked his gut, but he stayed focused on the way she glowed, happiness written in every feature.
“Stop looking goo-goo eyed, you two,” Jewel said, bringing Chance out of his reverie. “We’ve got a wedding to plan.”
“A wedding? But it’s just going to be something simple, right?” Chance looked at each one of their beaming faces and knew he couldn’t compete. He threw up his hand in defeat.
Chapter 8
The muffled voices behind the double oak doors rose in volume, making Tessa cringe. Sitting on the floor in the small foyer, she leaned her head back against the sturdy barriers. The wreath of flowers atop her crown slipped and she quickly righted the drooping headpiece. The white satin and lace wedding gown rustled softly at her slight movements. Looking up at her two dearest friends, she asked, “You’d think two old women would know how to act in church, wouldn’t you?”
The pair, in their matching tea-length, rose silk dresses, shot her varying degrees of sympathy. Bree shifted her bouquet of pastel pink roses and baby’s breath from one hand to the other, saying, “Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry. I thought they’d have gotten it out of their systems this last week.”
Tessa blinked back tears. Sniffing, she said, “Hah! They’ve been going at it for most of their lives, or hadn’t you heard?”
“Don’t cry, Auntie Tessa,” Sydney, Bree’s little girl, said, squatting down to her level and placing the child-size basket filled with multi-colored flower petals by her side. Her favorite white tulle dress she wore spread around her and skimmed the floor. Her blonde hair shone like a halo in the stream of bright sunlight coming through the fanned window from behind her. And her big cobalt blue eyes looked at Tessa solemnly. “Grownups always act silly when they want their own
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