Spilling the Tea

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

C hance watched Zoey out of the corner of his eye while trotting his horse, Ambush, around the corral. The woman was moving around his backyard like one of those insurance inspectors who were there to examine his property before issuing a policy. She wasn’t missing a thing.

But then, neither was he.

That was why his attention was focused on her whenever her full attention was on something she’d found of interest. For a while, she seemed fixated on that tree in his backyard. He recalled her saying something was familiar about the big oak in his front yard. Was there something about this one that was familiar as well?

And why did she have to stand there, with her hands positioned on her hips, in a pose that looked way too damn sexy for his peace of mind? If that wasn’t bad enough, the wind had risen, causing her hair to whip wildly around her face. In defiance, she had pulled a hair clip from her small purse and used it to secure her hair back. He preferred it flying free in the wind and was tempted to get off his horse, cross the yard, and pull the clip from her hair.

What the hell?! When had he begun caring how a woman wore her hair or what she did with it? Why was this woman getting to him? More importantly, why was he letting her? Where was all that control that he was known to have when he needed it? It had failed him yesterday when he’d first seen her, and it was trying to do the same today. But he refused to let it.

Okay, checking out a good-looking woman was normal. Something he did often. No harm was done, as long as the woman didn’t get under his skin, which was the one thing he wouldn’t ever let happen again.

Chance forced his gaze from her and tried giving his horse his full attention. Ambush was the first horse he’d ridden after being able to do so again, so they had a special bond. As he trotted the horse around the yard, he couldn’t help but recall what Zoey had told him. He wished he could say he hadn’t believed a word she’d said and that her story was too farfetched to be believable. However, he knew that it was.

He’d watched her closely while she’d been talking. Chance had seen the pain in her eyes, the haunted look that had been there while reliving the days of that car accident that had spared her life but taken her parents. She’d been a mere child of eight, but she’d been a fighter, and he would admit he admired her strength. Like him, she’d had to endure both physical and emotional challenges. The likes of which most people would never know or experience. He’d done so as an adult. She’d only been a child—a little girl who’d lost not only her parents but her complete memory of them.

Right at that moment, something about her pulled at him, and it was more intense than just a physical interest. It had been her life’s story for the past twenty years. It was so different from his, yet similar. In a way, they were two of a kind. He had felt her pain and understood her need to become whole again regardless of the fight she’d faced after her accident. Just like him, she’d overcome the obstacles and beat the odds.

Who had been her Mama Laverne? The one person who hadn’t given up on her? Had encouraged her to keep fighting on those days when she wanted to give up? The one person who’d championed her? Had it been her aunt? He had a feeling it hadn’t been. He’d listened to what she’d said and read between the lines. It had been easy to detect there were some things she’d deliberately left out of her narrative. Her aunt hadn’t approved of her father marrying her mother for some reason.

Even if that was true, that didn’t excuse her aunt for lying to her about this ranch. Why had she done this when the truth might have helped recover her memory? He could only imagine how she felt when she discovered that her only family member had deceived her. If you couldn’t trust your family, then who could you trust?

She deserved to have her memory restored, and he hoped that it would eventually happen. Had she seen anything else on his land that may have triggered it? He wished he didn’t own the ranch that could be the key to regaining her memory. He didn’t like that one damn bit.

He glanced to where Zoey stood before his barn. She tilted her face in his direction, and their gazes connected. For a quick moment, he’d felt something. Some affinity for her was the last thing he wanted to feel toward her or any woman. He was a loner and had chosen that kind of life for a reason. He had his emotional baggage and didn’t need to take on anyone else’s.

He knew it was time for her to go when their gazes continued to hold. Something was happening and coalescing inside him. Damn, he could feel it right to the bone. Whatever it was, he didn’t want it. He would fight it like hell. He was the Chance who refused to take a chance. Never again. He’d tried the love and relationship thing and had nearly been destroyed.

He had her business card and would give Mama Laverne her contact information. Hopefully, his great-grandmother could provide her with the information she sought. That was the best he could do and the only thing he intended to do.

After tying Ambush to a post, he started walking toward Zoey as their gazes still held. Once again, he got that feeling that he’d seen her before. Why was there something oddly familiar about her? She broke eye contact with him to gaze at the huge red barn she was standing in front of.

When Chance reached her, she turned to him, and he saw a jarred look on her face—like she was shaken up. “What’s wrong, Zoey?” he asked in concern.

“I just remembered something, Chancellor,” she said almost breathlessly.

Immediately, his pulse raced. “What?”

“This barn. I remembered the day my father put a new coat of red paint on it. He was on a ladder, and I called him and told him my mother had said lunch was ready. He smiled down at me. I saw him. I saw my daddy, and he looked just like he did in the pictures I have of him. That memory only lasted a few seconds, but it has to mean something, right?”

He saw tears in her eyes and knew his brain was scrambling with emotions. He was happy for her. How could he not be? More than anything, he hoped that what she’d just experienced was another missing piece of her childhood. “Yes, I believe it means something,” he said.

She swiped at her tears and then said, “You’ve been more than kind about letting me look around your ranch. I would not have had that experience if you hadn’t let me stay. Thank you.”

He nodded, feeling like a heel since initially, he hadn’t wanted her there. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes. Just a little emotional now.”

Chance could see that, understood, and felt she had every right to be. He would never forget the day he took those first steps without his wheelchair. He’d been filled with emotions, too.

He was about to suggest to Zoey that she stay until she felt more composed. But some part of him knew she had to go before he did something he’d later regret, like pulling her into his arms to kiss away those tears still glittering in her eyes.

“I’ll be going now.”

“And you’re sure you’re okay?” he asked again, wondering what he would do if she said she wasn’t this time.

“Yes, I’m okay. I need time alone for a while.”

He should have been relieved by her response, so there was no reason for her words to rub him the wrong way. He, of all people, should understand and respect a person’s desire for space. Some needed it more than others, whatever the reason.

“I’ll walk you to your car,” he offered.

“Alright, thanks.”

He walked beside her, and when they reached the car, he opened the door for her to get in. An inner voice told him that he’d said and done enough. If he hadn’t allowed her to look around, she would never have had a portion of her memory returned. Besides that, he would be connecting her with his great-grandmother. That was enough. He should wish her well and let her move on.

For some reason, he couldn’t do that.

Rubbing his hand down his face, he then said, “This place is huge, and there’s a lot more of it you might want to see, Zoey. There’s a lake near the south pasture. Can you ride a horse?”

“Yes. After one of my doctors recommended taking horse riding lessons to strengthen my leg muscles, my aunt enrolled me in a horse riding class. I enjoyed it so much that I kept it up for years. I often go to this horse ranch in Virginia to ride on my days off.”

“Good.” The thought that she enjoyed riding a horse pleased him for some reason. “You might also want to take a tour of my home. Like I told you, many rooms have the original furnishings.”

He could tell his offer surprised her. “Thanks, Chancellor. I’d love to return and do that if you’re sure I won’t keep you from your work.”

She didn’t have to worry since he didn’t intend to be here when she returned. He would spend an entire day on the range and ensure Ms. Cate cared for her. “I’m sure.”

“Will tomorrow be too soon?” she asked excitedly.

For him, it would be, since Cate didn’t work the next day. “Thursday would be better.”

“Then I’ll be back Thursday. Is eleven o’clock okay?”

“That time will be fine.”

A look of happiness covered her face, and he wished he wasn’t affected by the flashing of those dimples. “Thanks again, Chancellor.”

“Chance. The only people who call me Chancellor are my great-grandmother and Ms. Cate. To everyone else, I’m Chance.” He chuckled and added, “Unless I’m in trouble about something.”

“Okay, then. I will call you Chance.”

He stood back from the car before he was tempted to reach out and remove that clip from her hair to see it blowing in the wind again. “Take care, Zoey, and I hope more of your memory returns.”

Her smile widened even more. “I believe that it will. Goodbye.”

He tipped his hat in farewell, then stood there until her car was no longer in sight. At that moment, Chance wondered what he’d gotten himself into.

***

Zoey had driven several miles before finally reaching a gas station. She began crying, feeling overwhelmed by everything she’d experienced over the past few hours, and needed to talk to Lucky, but not until she got herself together. The last thing she needed was for her best friend to worry about her more than she already did. Pulling into a parking space, she stopped in front of the convenience store. After wiping her eyes and drawing a deep breath with trembling fingers, she tapped the call button on Lucky’s contact. Her best friend picked up on the first ring.

“There better be a good reason you’re just checking in, Zoe.”

For a moment, she couldn’t say anything. As if Lucky detected something was wrong, she continued, “Zoe, what’s going on? What happened?”

Zoey honestly didn’t know where to start. “You won’t believe who owns that ranch, Lucky.”

“The ranch that would have been yours had your aunt not sold it?”

Lucky’s words and tone indicated she was still salty about that. “Yes, that ranch.”

“Who owns it?”

“Chancellor.”

“Who’s Chancellor?”

Now, this was the part that was still hard to believe. She had to convince herself that every aspect of today had happened, especially the part of her memory that had returned.

“Zoe, who’s Chancellor?”

Again, tears threatened, but she fought them back. “He’s the cowboy I told you about yesterday.”

“Tall, hot, and handsome?” Lucky asked in a disbelieving voice.

That made her smile. “Yes, tall, hot, and handsome.” She began telling Lucky everything. Of course, her best friend often interrupted with questions, which delayed the telling.

“That’s wonderful, Zoe—for you to recapture part of your memory while on that ranch is awesome. I am so happy for you. Now, tell me all about your cowboy.”

Her cowboy ? Boy, she wished. “Like I told you, at first, he wasn’t all that friendly. Because he thought I was a reporter.”

“Why would he be worried about a reporter showing up at his place?”

“I have no idea. Once we cleared that up, he invited me inside.” Zoey paused a minute and then said, “He’s different.”

“Different in what way?”

“I think he doesn’t like people intruding into his space.”

“Yet he invited you back.”

“Yes. Probably because I poured out everything to him. I needed him to understand the depth of my situation. No doubt he now considers me pathetic.”

“Well, at least you know he has a heart. Some men don’t have an empathetic bone in their body.”

As far as Zoey was concerned, a heart wasn’t all he had. The man was too virile for words. When he’d been on his horse, trotting around the corral, she’d had to fight hard to keep from staring at him when he hadn’t known she was doing so. He appeared masculine, rugged, and very much like a cowboy.

“What else do you know about him?”

“Not much. I didn’t ask a lot of questions. For all I know, he might have a girlfriend. I’m certain he does.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I can’t imagine a man who looks like him not having one.”

“Well, I’m wondering why he thought you were a reporter. What’s Chancellor’s last name?”

“I don’t know. We never got that far. Like I said, I was busy telling him my story to gain access to his ranch. He only trusted me enough to let me nose around outdoors.”

“Yes, but look what you achieved when you saw the barn. But still, when you see him tomorrow, you need to get his last name.”

“I won’t see him tomorrow. He said Thursday would be a better day for him to give me a tour.”

“Well, whenever you see him again, I want a last name, Zoe. There has to be a reason he’s leery of reporters. Take some pictures of your cowboy. I’d like to see him.”

“He might not want his photo taken. Like I said, he probably has a girlfriend.”

“Where are you now?”

“I’m on my way back to the hotel. I’m excited about the prospect of his great-grandmother talking to me.”

“Regardless of what he told you about his great-grandmother’s mind being sharp as a tack, you know how it was with my grandmother at eighty. We shouldn’t expect her to remember much of anything.”

After ending her call with Lucky, Zoey entered the gas station’s convenience store for a candy bar and a bag of cookies. Normally, she wasn’t into junk food, but today, she felt she needed a sugar kick.

She hadn’t mentioned anything to Lucky about how she and Chance had stared at each other across the yard. She’d felt something and wanted to believe he had, too. It was as if a magnetic pull trapped them, and neither could look away.

She had felt the intensity of his gaze touch her everywhere, from the top of her head to the soles of her feet and areas in between. Those areas in between still felt sensitive because it had been a while—years—since she’d made love with a man. Not since she’d first moved to Baltimore and began dating Luther.

Over the years, she’d dated guys she considered nice, but they turned out to be toads. The only thing on their mind was getting her into the nearest bed. Then Dr. Luther Fitzpatrick, a heart specialist, transferred to Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was someone who enjoyed doing a lot of the things she did, like playing tennis, going horseback riding, going to the theater, and attending concerts. They’d dated for almost a year when he got the opportunity to work at a hospital in Wyoming. He hadn’t loved her, and she hadn’t loved him. His move to Wyoming had officially ended things between them.

Eight months later, when she’d gone back to San Francisco to visit her aunt and tell her about the dreams she’d begun having, Aunt Paulina introduced her to Conrad. He was the son of a friend who’d worked in international banking. He’d warned her up front that he wasn’t used to long-distance relationships and would try to persuade her to move back to San Francisco. He certainly had tried. Every chance he got.

She’d gotten that call from a friend in San Francisco that Conrad was seen around town with numerous women. When she questioned him about it, he admitted it and she hadn’t wasted time ending things between them. More than anything she was glad they hadn’t shared a bed. After nearly two years of not being intimately involved with a man, she’d been convinced she didn’t need one…until she’d met Chance.

He reminded her of all the pleasure a woman could share in a man’s arms. Just looking at him made her think of hot bodies between silken sheets doing all sorts of naughty things. His walk alone was sensuality in motion, and how he wore those cowboy outfits—from the Stetson on his head to those boots on his feet—was sexiness personified.

For her, just the very thought presented a new set of problems. She knew little about him other than she was fiercely attracted to him. What if he was seriously involved with someone else? Would he have looked at her the way he had today if he was? Lucky was pushing for his last name, but more than anything, Zoey needed to know if there was a woman in his life. Special or otherwise.

She had opened the door to get back inside her car when her cell phone rang from a number she didn’t recognize. “Yes?”

“Dr. Pritchard, this is Dr. Kemmic.”

Her heart began racing. Had he located Dr. Sharon Newberry? “Yes, Doctor Kemmic?”

“I just wanted to give you an update. I talked to a doctor at the hospital where Dr. Newberry worked and was told she retired last year. She and her husband are traveling abroad for six months and won’t return to the States until August. He will try to get word to her to contact me when she gets back.”

“That’s wonderful. I appreciate it, Doctor Kemmic,” she said, trying to keep the disappointment from her voice. She had anticipated talking to Dr. Newberry sooner than that, but she had to believe good things came to those who waited. Look how long it had taken for her to begin getting her memory back. Even her doctor had warned her for years there was a fifty percent chance it might never return.

It was returning, and she was happy about it.

***

Felicia Laverne Madaris sat on the edge of her bed with her bifocals perched on her nose while knitting a baby cap for her great-great-grandbaby, the one she figured would be born seven months from now. To be on the safe side, she was using yellow yarn instead of pink or blue.

Although the expectant parents hadn’t made an official announcement, Felicia had dreamed about fish a couple of weeks ago but decided to keep it to herself. There was no reason for her to tell anyone about her dream. That would only cause a lot of speculation, and this was one time she would let the couple do the honors themselves.

The Madaris family motto, passed down from generation to generation, was “Protect, Provide, and Prosper.” Those words summed up the family’s beliefs, values, and goals. They protected their own, and often, that protection extended to others. They also provided for each other, growing the family’s wealth while at the same time remembering those less fortunate through their numerous charities. And while they were certainly a successful family prospering financially, they were also prospering physically. It always filled her heart with joy when there was a Madaris wedding or birth. That meant the family was growing, and that made her happy. Felicia Laverne knew she wouldn’t live forever and intended for her family to continue being prosperous in every aspect of the word while she was here.

She had given birth to seven sons, all of whom were alive except one. She felt that familiar pain in her heart whenever she thought about Robert. The only one she had lost.

Her remaining six sons did just as their father would have wanted by caring for her needs. As she began getting older, they insisted she no longer live alone in her home on Whispering Pines. They wanted her to spend more time with them and their families. They proposed that she stay at Whispering Pines with her youngest son, Jake, and his wife, Diamond, for six months out of the year. She would stay with her oldest son, Milton Jr., and his wife, Dora, two months out of the year, including that three-week cruise she always enjoyed. During the remaining four months, she would rotate between the other sons—Lee and his wife, Pearl; Nolan and his wife, Bessie; Lucas and his wife, Carrie; and Jonathan and his wife, Marilyn. This month, she was with her third-born son, Nolan, and his wife, Bessie.

She loved her family and knew they loved her, although she was well aware they thought she sometimes overstepped her boundaries. That was utter nonsense. As far as she was concerned, she had no boundaries regarding their happiness and well-being. Her family would always come first, and she would do what was best for them, whether they thought it was or not. That was the promise she’d made to her beloved Milton on his deathbed, which she intended to keep.

She heard the knock on the door. “Come in.”

Bessie opened the door, and although it was fairly early, Felicia figured she was checking on her for the last time before settling in for the night. Nolan Sr. and Bessie loved playing checkers before going to bed. However, from the look on Bessie’s face, she immediately knew something was wrong. “What’s the matter, Bessie?”

Bessie came and sat in the chair beside the bed. “Mama Laverne, I just got a call from Cate, and she told me something that I think you should know.”

Bessie and Cate had been best friends growing up, and Cate was now her great-grandson Chancellor’s housekeeper and cook. If Cate had called, that meant it concerned him. “Has something happened to Chancellor?” she asked, trying to keep the distress out of her voice. “Did he get hurt today on the ranch?”

Bessie reached out and took her hand. “No, Chance is fine, but it does concern him.”

“What is it, Bessie?” Felicia Laverne asked, staring into her daughter-in-law’s troubled gaze. Lord, she hoped it had nothing to do with Ravena Boyle, whom she heard was back in town. There were family members who were worried about that since they’d known how much Chancellor had loved the girl. However, she, of all people, knew about the Madaris pride. A wounded Madaris didn’t forgive easily and could hold a grudge forever. She believed any love Chancellor had for Ravena had turned into loathing.

“He got a visitor today,” Bessie said.

“Ravena?” she asked softly. The woman was conceited enough to think after all she’d done, she could recapture Chance’s heart.

“No, it wasn’t Ravena, thankfully. It was a young woman by the name of Dr. Zoey Pritchard. She’s a medical doctor from Baltimore.”

Felicia Laverne didn’t recognize the name. “Why would his visitor be concerning enough for Cate to call you?”

“Because she came to the ranch asking questions, wanting to know about the people who owned the ranch before. Namely, the Martins.”

A knot formed in Felicia Laverne’s throat. “Why would this woman want to know anything about the Martins?”

“She’s claiming to be their granddaughter.”

Felicia Laverne now understood why Bessie was troubled. The last thing the Madaris family needed was someone asking questions about the Martins, which would ultimately lead to questions about the Satterfields. The Satterfields and Madarises had been rural neighbors for several generations. Waylon Satterfield had been her husband Milton’s very best friend. His only child, a daughter named Arabella, had married a man whose last name was Martin. Could the woman be Arabella’s granddaughter, as she claimed?

“Mama Laverne, you know what that could mean, right?” Bessie asked, intruding into her thoughts.

Mama Laverne nodded, suddenly feeling the weight of the Madaris world on her shoulders. If this woman asked questions, they could reveal scandals, lies, and a cover-up involving the Madaris and Satterfield families. There were secrets her sons knew nothing about. Secrets she had hoped to take to her grave. Bessie didn’t know everything. She only knew what she’d overheard as a teenaged girl growing up as a preacher’s great-granddaughter.

Lord help her if the cover-up was ever revealed—a murder cover-up that she was the only living soul with any knowledge of.

“Yes, I know what it means,” Felicia Laverne said, trying to keep her voice calm, although she felt anything but that.

“There’s more,” Bessie continued.

Felicia Laverne wasn’t sure her heart could take any more. It was already beating faster than it should. “Lordy, what else is there?”

“Cate overheard Chance tell the woman he would be contacting you. That you could tell her all the information she wanted about her family since he was certain you’d remember them.”

Yes, she remembered them. She could decline a meeting with the young woman, but then her family would wonder why. Doing something like that would be so unlike her. They knew how much she liked talking about the past. However, when it came to her family, some things from the past should stay there.

Moments later, after Bessie had left her alone again, Felicia Laverne just sat on the edge of the bed, her mind in turmoil. Unable to finish her knitting since her hands were trembling, she placed the basket aside to look at the framed photograph on the nightstand. She carried it with her whenever she was shifted from son to son. It was the picture of her and Milton on their wedding day, well over seventy-five years ago. She was so much in love then and still was. He was a handsome man who’d passed his looks on to his sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons. Generations of Madarises that he would be proud of.

“My beloved Milton,” she whispered in a soft tone. “What am I going to do?”

She lowered her head, and when she did, she swore she heard her husband’s voice saying, “You will do what you’ve always done, Fee. The right thing.”

***

Chance couldn’t sleep and knew what was bothering him. Zoey Pritchard. How had he allowed her to get next to him? Today, he had done something he’d never done other than to one of his relatives. Namely, invite a woman to his home. A logical explanation would be because of her circumstances, which were the most bizarre he’d ever heard.

Knowing her situation was true and not a fabrication of her imagination, he pulled himself up in bed. Reaching over, he switched on the lamp on his nightstand, bringing light into the room. Why did a surge of sensations swamp him whenever he thought of her? Like now. Like ever since she’d left his ranch earlier. When his men returned to update him on today’s activities, his mind had drifted. It had been years since any woman had caused that to happen. He’d believed he’d grown way beyond such madness. Obviously not.

He would call her first thing in the morning and renege on the invitation if he had any sense. He would tell her he would be busy the remainder of this week and the rest of the next. He would be amenable to doing that if he didn’t remember the last smile she’d given him. It had been filled with so much appreciation and gratitude; there was no way he could deny her the one thing she now needed more than anything. A chance to discover a past she desperately needed to know about.

Chance would try calling his great-grandmother again in the morning, too. He’d called earlier, and she hadn’t picked up. That was unusual. She loved it when her grands or great-grands called to check on her. The old gal must have been busy and gone to bed early. That shouldn’t surprise him since today had been Bingo Day at the senior citizen center. There was no way she would have missed going to that.

Reaching over to turn off the lamp, he intended to get some sleep tonight, no matter what. Closing his eyes, he tried to settle into a comfortable position. Suddenly, his eyes flew open, and he sat up when he remembered why Zoey’s features were familiar. Turning back on the lamp, he got out of bed and slipped into the pair of pajama bottoms he kept nearby.

Dismissing from his mind that what he was looking for could wait until morning, he negotiated down the darkened hallway to the stairs that led to his attic. He muttered a curse when one of his toes came into contact with the bottom of a broken baluster. He’d forgotten the damn thing needed fixing since he barely had reason to go into his attic. He was certain he hadn’t been up there more than a few times since buying the house.

Opening the door to the attic, he switched on the light, knowing exactly what he was looking for. This room contained what he’d considered junk that the previous owners had left. The stuff he’d intended to get rid of but hadn’t found the time to do so.

Moving several items around, he saw the huge portrait in the corner covered in cloth to protect it from dust and other elements. He recalled uncovering it one day, looking at it, recovering it, and not giving it another thought until tonight.

He quickly uncovered the portrait and stood stunned at what he’d revealed. It was that of a woman who had to have been no more than twenty-one at the time, and she bore a striking resemblance to Zoey. Or, more precisely, Zoey bore a striking resemblance to her. She was standing by that huge tree in his front yard, and the ranch house was captured in the background. He could tell the painting had been commissioned work.

He doubted the woman was Zoey’s mother since the painting had to have been done over fifty years ago. This had to be Zoey’s grandmother, whose last name was Martin. Something else suddenly caught his eye. The necklace the woman wore was the same one Zoey was wearing.

Chance had to tell Zoey about what he’d discovered. He couldn’t wait to see her happiness when he showed it to her on Thursday. It then occurred to him that he wouldn’t be showing it to her since he’d made plans to be away from the ranch that day. Knowing this might be a missing piece in reclaiming her memory, he didn’t want to delay letting her know. That meant he would call and tell her tomorrow.

Tomorrow…

Rubbing a hand down his face, he drew in a deep breath. He would only ask for trouble if he reached out to her tomorrow. She would want to see it immediately. That meant coming to his ranch, and they would be alone. The thought of him being close to her curvy body, staring into her beautiful face, and inhaling her arousing scent was way too much to take on.

Why? He’d been attracted to women before, and when the time came, he had no problem backing away. Another question he should ask was why he kept having this same conversation with himself. He should admit that deep down, although he didn’t know everything there was to know about her, he had a feeling Dr. Zoey Pritchard was getting under his skin. He would admit it and then come up with a solution to deal with it.

One that readily came to mind was introducing her to one of his cousins. Plenty of single ones would appreciate getting involved with her while she was in town. Corbin readily came to mind. His cousin wouldn’t have to worry about Mama Laverne’s involvement since Chance would introduce them. Also, he knew for certain she didn’t know Mama Laverne. She did not know his last name because he hadn’t told her.

Satisfied with his solution, he decided to call Zoey in the morning and suggest she come to the ranch around eleven. Glancing at his watch, he saw it wasn’t quite midnight, so he would call Corbin and tell him what he needed to know and make sure he agreed to be here tomorrow before Zoey arrived.

Upon returning to his bedroom, he called Corbin who answered immediately. “What’s wrong, Chance? What the hell happened?!”

Chance heard the depth of panic in Corbin’s voice. “What makes you think something is wrong?”

After a few expletives that almost burned Chance’s ears, Corbin said. “Because you rarely call anyone, especially not at this time of night.”

“Nothing is wrong. However, I need a favor.”

There was a pause before Corbin asked, “What kind of favor?”

He then spent the next twenty minutes telling Corbin Zoey’s story. It would have taken less time if his cousin hadn’t interrupted by asking so many questions.

“Wow, that’s sad about her parents, and her memory loss sucks,” Corbin said between yawns.

“I know,” Chance agreed.

“And you swear she’s a looker?”

“I wouldn’t say she was if she wasn’t,” was Chance’s response.

“I’m taking your word for it, so you better not lie.”

“Whatever. You agree to be here no later than eleven in the morning?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there, Chance, but I need to say something.”

Chance rolled his eyes. “Say what?”

“This Dr. Zoey Pritchard must have really gotten next to you for you to be so eager to turn her over to me. Good night.”

Chance frowned when he heard the distinct sound of a click in his ear.