Read Online Lies of the Heart by Laurie LeClair - Free Book Online Page A

way.”
    Gasping, Tessa could only stare at her little flower girl. “Out of the mouths of babes, huh?” she asked Jewel, who’s increasing frown only proved the situation was getting completely out of hand.
    Making up her mind, she shifted forward, kissed Sydney on the forehead and hugged her tight. The sweet scent of baby powder and green apple shampoo tickled her senses. Pulling away and cupping the precious child’s round face in her palms, she said, “Okay, kiddo, it’s time to stop this nonsense and get on with the wedding.”
    With that she rose, bent down and gathered up the train of her wedding dress, and then flipped the excess material over her left arm. “You guys coming, or what?” she tossed over her shoulder as she grabbed ahold of the door handle and twisted hard. The loud click rent the air.
    She didn’t wait for their answers or to see if they’d follow. Tessa threw open the door. The sight that greeted her should have stopped her cold. But it didn’t. In the center of the aisle near the altar, granny stood toe-to-toe with Chance’s grandmother. Tessa faltered in her steps as she realized in stunning disbelief the two wore the same dove gray suit with matching silk blouse and a creamy-white strand of pearls.
    She blinked twice as the eerie resemblance struck her. Very little differed between the two women. Even their hand bags, the handle looped on a forearm, had to have been the same. Mrs. Deveraux’s silvery hair, wrapped in an elegant twist, made her seem the more sophisticated of the two. But granny’s expertly styled gathered curls in a bun gave her a more youthful appearance. Other than that their mutant facial expressions, stances, and height they were too similar. Lord, they could be related.
    Shaking her head to dislodge the impression of the strange sight, Tessa marched up the long aisle way. Her ballet slippers whispered across the red carpet as she grew closer.
    “I can’t believe you’d say such a thing,” Mrs. Deveraux said, narrowing her gaze.
    “I did say it and I’ll say it again.” Granny pointed her finger and glared at the other woman. “You’re a thief! What more are you going to steal from me? My granddaughter next? Is that what you’re after?”
    “Now, why would I want the likes of her? It’s Chance that I’m trying to protect here.”
    “How? By forcing them to live with you? Hah!”
    With one last step, Tessa reached the two ladies. “That’s enough!”
    Stunned silence followed as the older women snapped their heads around to stare open-mouthed and wide-eyed at her.
    Her granny was the first to speak. “What did you say, young lady?”
    Meeting the dark eyes bravely, Tessa raised her chin a notch. “I said, that’s enough. This is my wedding day and I won’t have either of you ruin it, do you understand?”
    Her bottom lip quivered and she bit it to stop the trembling. Swinging her gaze to Mrs. Deveraux she faced her, looking her squarely in the eye. Hers were darker than granny’s, almost black, and filled with something akin to hate. Tessa gulped hard.
    Repeating herself, she asked, “Do you understand?” A thread of steel edged her tone, surprising herself at how forceful she could be at times.
    “Of course they do, sunshine,” Chance said, lazily rising from the steps where he sat. But there was a stiffness to him, as if he held onto his shimmering anger. Jerking her head to see him, she witnessed the message in the depths of his gray eyes. He’d had more than enough of the constant bickering.
    In four long strides he reached them. Tessa took in everything about him. It looked as if he’d been born to wear his wedding attire; the suit fit him like a glove, all six feet of him. His rugged features should have been at odds with the crisp white shirt and formal wear. But somehow Chance pulled it off as he did with everything else he did.
    The little tilt of his mouth made her middle dip and perform flip-flops. His heavy-lidded survey of her