Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Four
“T hanks for inviting me to lunch, Ms. Felicia Laverne.”
“I’m glad you came, Zoey.”
“Jake and Diamond are a striking couple, and their kids, Granite and Amethyst, are so nice. It was kind of Diamond to invite me to stay for dinner.”
“I’m glad you accepted her invitation. Have you gotten settled in the cabin?”
“Yes, and I love waking up each morning to a fantastic view of the lake.” She’d texted Chance to tell him where she was; however, he hadn’t bothered to respond. That had been three days ago.
“I know how much you like riding. Did Chance bring one of his horses for you to use?” Felicia Laverne asked.
“No. I texted to let him know I was staying at the cabin but haven’t heard from him.”
“Probably because he left Monday to move a portion of his herd to parts of Whispering Pines. Doing so requires him and his men to sleep on the range where phone reception isn’t good.”
“Oh.” Chance hadn’t mentioned that when they were together on Sunday. Did he forget, or had it been intentional?
Felicia Laverne took a sip of her tea and then said, “I understand you’ve had a busy week, Zoey.”
A smile curved Zoey’s lips. “Yes, I have. In addition to moving into the cabin on Tuesday, I met Kenna, Skye, Mac, and Sam for lunch on Wednesday. I like them.”
“And from what I hear, they like you. Did you see the Madaris Building that Blade and Slade’s construction company built?”
“Yes, I did and thought they did a wonderful job. I love the architecture. It’s very impressive. I also saw Laverne Park, which I understand was named after you. It’s gorgeous.”
“Thanks, and I think so, too.”
Zoey sat down her glass of iced tea on the table. “There’s something I wanted to tell you about that occurred this week.”
Felicia Laverne lifted a brow. “Oh? What?”
“On Sunday, I connected with a woman who was my mother’s best friend. They went to college and medical school together.” She then told Felicia Laverne what she’d been told about her newborn baby brother also dying in the car accident, and her aunt lying about Zoey’s memory.
“I wonder why your aunt would keep something as important as that from you, and why would she lie about the chances of your memory returning?” Felicia Laverne asked, frowning.
“I wish I knew.” After taking a deep breath, she asked. “I’d like to ask you a couple of questions.”
“And what do you want to know, dear?”
“On Sunday, Chance took me riding, and one of the places we rode to was the fruit grove. It is beautiful. He said it runs straight through the middle of what used to be Satterfield property and Whispering Pines. How had that happened?”
Felicia Laverne leaned back in her chair. “It happened because of two ten-year-old boys who were best friends—my husband, Milton Madaris, and your great-grandfather, Waylon Satterfield. Milton told me that planting those fruit trees to encompass both properties was their way of solidifying their friendship. They knew that one day they would be the heads of each of their lands.”
Zoey’s lips widened in a smile. “That was a smart idea.”
Felicia Laverne nodded. “At the time, they thought so. I doubt when they planted those first fruit trees, they had any idea how big the grove would one day become.”
“Tell me about him. My great-grandfather Waylon.”
A thoughtful expression appeared on Felicia Laverne’s features. “Waylon was a very handsome man who was liked and respected by many. He was best man to Milton at our wedding.”
“What about my great-grandmother Deedra? Did she attend your wedding, too?”
“No. Waylon hadn’t met Deedra yet. They didn’t marry until five years later.”
Zoey lifted a brow. “Why? Was my great-grandfather Waylon a ladies’ man who wasn’t ready to settle down?”
Before Felicia Laverne could answer, there was the sound of a loud bell ringing. “That’s the lunch bell letting the ranch hands know it’s time to eat at the bunkhouse.”
“This ranch is magnificent,” Zoey said.
“It is. I will never forget my first day arriving here after marrying Milton. I thought I was in heaven.”
“I can understand why.”
“Before that bell rang, I was about to tell you about Deedra. She was a beautiful woman with a heart of gold.”
***
Chance saw the lights on in the cabin. He hadn’t seen Zoey’s text until he’d returned to Teakwood Ridge. She had sent it three days ago. She’d had no way of knowing he’d been out on the range all that time. Did she think he had ignored her message?
He could hear music the moment his feet touched the steps. There were motion lights surrounding the property and a generator in case of a power outage. Although Chance didn’t like the idea of Zoey being out this far from civilization alone, at least he was closer to her than when she was at her hotel.
Her text said she’d moved into the cabin on Tuesday. What had she been doing with herself since then? Had she met with his great-grandmother this week? Had she kept her lunch date with Kenna, Sam, Mac, and Skye? It was still fairly early, barely nine o’clock. He hoped she wasn’t a person who went to bed early.
Chance had thought about her a lot since he’d last seen her on Sunday.
He knocked on the door.
“Who is it?”
The sound of her voice had his heart thumping erratically in his chest. He’d never braced himself for his reaction to a woman but was doing so now. He needed to pull himself together. “Chance.”
When the door opened and she stood there, he thought being interested in her was an understatement. It was more than that. He needed to understand why now and, more importantly, why her? Mama Laverne had said a romantic involvement was the last thing Zoey needed while trying to regain her memory. As far as he was concerned, Zoey was old enough to make her own decisions and didn’t need anyone, not even his great-grandmother, making them for her.
“Zoey. I should have called first before dropping by. I hope I’m not interrupting you.”
She moved aside to let him inside. “I thought it might be you. It’s not like I have a lot of neighbors around here, and no, you’re not interrupting anything.”
He followed her into the living room and tried not to notice how well her jeans fit her backside. But then they always did. “I saw your text when I returned home today. I’ve been out on the range a few days.”
“Ms. Felicia Laverne told me. I met with her again today. Would you like anything to drink? My refrigerator is stocked with wine coolers, beer, and water.”
“No, I’m good.”
She nodded as she sat down on the sofa, and he sat beside her but placed what he considered a decent distance between them. “So, how did your meeting with Mama Laverne go?”
“Great. I learned a lot about my great-grandmother Deedra. She was a twenty-two-year-old widow from Laredo.”
“Widow? How did her husband die?”
“He was struck by lightning. A bad thunderstorm came up while he was out riding. A bolt of lightning killed him and his horse. According to Ms. Felicia Laverne, she was in town visiting, and she and my great-grandfather Waylon met at church and were married close to fourteen years before she got sick and died. Gramma Arabella was twelve at the time.”
“Arabella was their only child?”
“Yes. After Deedra’s death, my great-great-grandmother Penny assisted Waylon in raising her. When Arabella became more of a tomboy in Penny’s eyes, she persuaded Waylon to send her granddaughter to an all-girls school in the East at fifteen. Ms. Felicia and I will meet again next week, and I can’t wait.”
“I’m glad you’re learning about your ancestors,” he said.
“I’m glad, too. Diamond invited me to stay for dinner, and your cousin Clayton and his wife, Syneda, were there. Syneda invited me to lunch with her and the other cousins’ wives in the next couple of weeks.”
“That was nice of her, but then Syneda is a kind and thoughtful person. Have you recovered any memories since you moved in here?”
“No, and I spent most of yesterday by the lake.”
“What about dreams?”
Zoey shifted in her seat, thinking she’d had dreams. Plenty of them. However, all of them had been of him. Of course, she wouldn’t tell him that. “No, not a one. I checked in with my therapist on Monday and told her about the flashback I experienced on Sunday. She thinks that’s progress, but not to force my mind to recall anything. She wants me to unwind and relax and feels that when I do, the flashbacks will come naturally.”
“I believe that, too.”
Zoey couldn’t help but grin. “You’re a therapist now, Chance?”
He chuckled. “I’ve been known to dabble occasionally. But seriously, I’ve heard the benefits of relaxing and unwinding are that they relieve stress and are good for your memory.”
“I hope so.”
He pulled up on his knees in his seat. “Come closer with your back to me.” When she did, he whispered. “Now close your eyes, Zoey.”
She closed her eyes and felt his fingertips gently stroke her temples. While doing so, he began humming softly. He had a sexy voice, and the pitch carried a smooth vibration that had parts of her body vibrating as well.
“How does that feel?” he asked, leaning close to her ear. It was so close she felt the heat of his breath on her neck.
“It feels good.”
“And what is going through your mind, Zoey?”
I’ll never tell , she thought. Everything going through her mind was about him. Instead, she said. “I was thinking how excitedly I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
He stopped stroking her temples. “What happens tomorrow?”
“That box with the diaries and photo albums will arrive.”
He began gently stroking her temples again. “Do you feel you might invade their privacy by reading their diaries?”
“I want to think they would want me to read them. To know about the men they loved, understand any unfavorable decisions they’d ever had to make, and embrace their happiness.”
“You can open your eyes now,” he said, standing. “Come walk me to the door.”
“You’re leaving?” She hadn’t meant to ask in a disappointed voice.
“Yes, I’m leaving. I don’t want to wear out my welcome,” he said, extending his hand to help her off the sofa.
“You could never do that, Chance.” The warmth of her hand in his almost made her moan. It felt good, and it felt right. It was getting harder and harder to hide how she felt whenever he touched her. From how his pupils had darkened, she knew he’d felt something, too.
“When do you meet with Mama Laverne again?” he asked when they reached the door.
“Next Thursday.”
“How was lunch with the Madaris ladies?”
“I had a lovely time getting to know them better. You have such a wonderful family, Chance.”
“I guess I’ll keep them around.”
“They told me how your great-grandmother likes playing matchmaker of her great-grands and has a one hundred percent success record.”
“Yes, she does—it’s only the great-grands of her oldest four sons that are on her notorious hit list.
“Well, at least you don’t have to worry about her matching any of us with you. Mama Laverne thinks her last remaining single great-grandsons in that category have too many whorish ways and have let it be known that none of us are deserving of your time or attention other than for friendship. Especially me.”
“Why, especially you?”
“Because in addition to what she sees as my whorish ways, Mama Laverne has taken into consideration what she knows to be my issues. But guess what she doesn’t know?”
She remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
“I’m working on both my whorish ways and those issues.”
A lump formed in her throat. Was there a meaning to his words? “Are you?”
He inched a little closer. “Yes, ma’am, I am.”
Zoey expected him to brush a light kiss on her forehead like he’d done when he’d returned her to the hotel Sunday night. Instead, he used the tip of his finger to lift her chin for a kiss. It wasn’t a light brush across the lips. It was a tongue-tingling kiss that spoke of need, hunger, and a degree of desire she could tell he was fighting hard to control. Then he deepened the pressure of the kiss in a way she felt in every bone in her body. He’d taken control of her mouth for the longest time, as if he couldn’t get enough. By the time he broke off the kiss, she felt weak in the knees.
“How about we do something this weekend?” he asked in that low, husky, and sexy voice she loved hearing.
She licked her lips, loving his taste still there, while trying to get her thoughts and body back under control. “Something like what?”
“A picnic at this lake? Around noon on Saturday.”
“That sounds nice.”
He smiled. “I’ll see you then. I’ll also bring an extra horse to ride to the fruit grove, so we can pick some fruit. The muscadine grapes should be ripe now. Maybe I’ll show you how to make them into wine while you’re here.”
“I’d like that.”
“Good night, Zoey.”
Feeling bold, she leaned up on tiptoes and brushed a kiss across his lips. “Good night, Chance.”
***
That night, Felicia Laverne lay in bed and stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Dinner was outstanding. It was always good when members of her family dropped by.
Thanks to the ringing of the lunch bell, she’d avoided talking about Waylon’s relationship with Victoria. When their talks resumed, she only spoke about his marriage to Deedra. Zoey had no reason to know Victoria had been the love of her great-grandfather’s life. Nor did she need to know Waylon had built the cabin she was staying in for Victoria as a wedding gift, and it was to be their home.
Zoey had mentioned that Deedra, Arabella, and Michelle’s diaries, along with photo albums would be shipped to her. When she began reading the diaries, there was no doubt Zoey would learn a lot of things; especially the true nature of Waylon and Deedra’s marriage. Felicia Laverne needed to prepare herself for Zoey’s questions, which meant—reliving many sad memories.
Remembering everything Victoria and Waylon had gone through always brought tears to her eyes. She could recall that night that they had made plans to elope.
Felicia was glad Victoria had not confided her elopement plans with her. Doing so would have made her an accessory to their plans. She and Milton were still newlyweds, and such a thing would have strained their marriage and her relationship with her in-laws.
Although the elopement plans had been kept secret, Penny Satterfield managed to find out and ruin everything. The woman’s spitefulness had ended up costing Waylon and Victoria the happiness they had been willing to give up everything to have. As Felicia Laverne closed her eyes, seeking sleep, she couldn’t help but remember that night so many years ago.