Lead Me On (33 page)

Couldn't she?

Gawd, the awful doubt returned full force, twisting his insides into knots. Weakness and insecurity were so unattractive. And embarrassing. He didn't want to be Scott LeRoche, the screwed-up kid. He wanted to be Scott Lawrence: the cynical but successful writer, rich, famous, and self-assured.

Unfortunately, Allison had been right when she'd said that if they couldn't share their pasts, they had no future. He should have just laid everything on the table when he'd had the chance, no edits or rewrites. Instead, he'd blown it in a moment of sheer panic. And now it was too late.

Or was it?

He eyed the camera. He might not have the guts to call her on the phone, not after this much time had passed, but there was a way he could let her know he wanted a second chance. The idea had his stomach churning like mad, but at least it didn't require talking directly to her.

"All right, Mr. Lawrence," Keshia said. "We're ready to begin."

"Wait." He braced himself. "I've changed my mind."

"About doing the interview?" Her eyes widened.

"No. About what you can ask."

"We already went over that." She managed a chilly smile, and he commended her for her patience. He knew perfectly well he'd been a trial from the moment they'd arrived. "I agreed not to ask any personal questions."

"I know, but I've changed my mind." He took a deep breath. "Ask me anything you want. Anything at all."

The day of Rory's wedding dawned bright and clear, with a pleasant breeze off the cove. Shortly after sunrise, the small wedding party gathered in the shade of an ancient group of oaks with Ellen and Norman Chancellor to one side holding six-month-old Lauren. Paige and Bobby were also there. Allison stood with her brother and aunt determined not to cry, but her sister looked so happy, nervous, and beautiful, her eyes started to prickle the moment the minister said, "Dearly beloved ..."

Rory and Chance stood with the minister beneath the arbor they'd erected for the occasion, flanked by pots of blooming flowers. Rory's vintage dress added a touch of romantic nostalgia. Rather than a veil, pink roses and baby's breath adorned her hair. Chance stood beside her, tall and handsome in his pearl-gray suit, with so much love shining in his eyes, Allison's heart squeezed with joy.

For this one day, she was determined to put her own sorrow aside.

When the ceremony ended, they headed inside where she and Adrian had laid out a champagne breakfast in the music room. They'd spread an antique lace tablecloth over the grand piano to create a suitable stage for one of Adrian's extravagant wedding cakes. Lauren wound up in Allison's lap during the cake-cutting, and the little bundle of energy giggled each time a camera flashed.

"You silly little goose." Allison laughed at her niece. "They aren't taking pictures of you."

Lauren bounced with excitement as her great-aunt

took a seat beside them. "I swear, they should have named that child Joy."

"She is that," Allison agreed, as Lauren reached for the flowers adorning her hair. As Rory's bridesmaid, she also wore a circlet of roses to complement her lavender gown. "No, no, sweetie, don't touch."

Lauren scowled mightily for a full second, then squealed in delight when Sadie trotted over to check on her.

When the time came for Rory and Chance to leave for their honeymoon in New Orleans, Alli passed Lauren to Ellen and went downstairs to help her sister change out of the wedding dress.

"I can't believe we're leaving Lauren behind," Rory said as Allison worked the row of tiny buttons down the back of the gown.

"It's only for two nights, and you know Ellen will be in grandmother heaven the whole time you're gone."

"True." Rory stepped out of the gown. "She's been trying to convince us that one full day and two half-days isn't a proper honeymoon and we really should take longer. Until Lauren's weaned, though, that's the most I can handle."

While Alli carefully folded their grandmother's gown, Rory slipped on the sleeveless blue dress and jazzy jacket Aunt Viv had brought from New York.

"How do I look?" She studied her reflection.

"Like a cover model." Alli smiled as their gazes met in the mirror. "I'm so happy for you." Tears sprang unexpectedly to her eyes.

Rory turned and pulled her into her arms. "Dang it, I knew today would be hard on you."

"It's not hard because of that" she assured, knowing her sister was referring to Scott. "It's just watching my baby sister get married."

"Remarried."

"It's still emotional."

Rory's arms tightened around her. "I wish things had worked out for you and Scott."

"Well, we can't all live happily ever after."

"I was so sure he was going to be 'it' for you."

"Until we found out he was John's son."

"No, even after that, I thought it would work. So did Adrian."

Allison pulled back, startled.

"Well, it's not like we can choose our parents, and he did help us win the lawsuit."

"True, but ..." Alli shook her head. "You're the one who threatened to chop him up into little pieces if he broke my heart."

"I know, and for a while I really wanted to, believe me. Then I remembered how happy the two of you were together, and I just kept hoping things would work out." Rory took her hands. "I want you to be happy."

"I will be."
Someday
. "Last time I checked, a broken heart wasn't fatal."

"Maybe you should call him. If there's any chance—"

"There isn't." The statement was flat and final. She had to let go of the longing before it choked her. Yet her aunt's words echoed in the back of her mind:
So you tried, but not hard enough.
"The problem is, I really blew it, Rory."

"What do you mean?"

"I ..." She struggled with how much to tell, since she hadn't confided in Rory or Adrian about that day at the LeRoche beach house. But she needed to talk about it. "I went to see him."

"When?" Rory asked.

"Right after the lawsuit was settled. He contacted Paige, told her he was staying at the family beach house and he wanted to see me." She turned away, reliving that day and all the emotions, from anger to hope to despair. "At one point, I thought we were going to work it out. I thought all I had to do was have the courage to let go of the past, trust Scott, and everything would be fine. So I tried."

"What happened?"

"
He
wasn't ready to trust
me
." A humorless laugh escaped her. "Ironic, don't you think?"

"And ... ?"

"And, I got angry and left."

"Alli ..." Her sister stared at her. "Trust doesn't come easily for everyone. You of all people should know that. Plus, it takes time, not a single conversation."

"I know. I know." She rubbed her forehead. "I realize that now. Unfortunately, then, I thought building up the courage to love was a one-time deal. Face your fears, say the words, and win the grand prize."

Rory snorted. "Don't we all wish?"

Alli nodded, realizing how foolish she'd been. "I blew it, Rory. I pushed for too much too soon and I blew it."

"Maybe you can try again," Rory offered hopefully. "I mean, at this point, what do you have to lose? You're already miserable."

"True," she admitted.

"Courage and love and trust just take practice, that's all. It'll get easier for both of you, if you'll give it a chance."

She studied her sister, envying her faith in life. "I'll think about it."

"Good." Rory nodded.

"Right now, though"—Alli picked up her sister's overnight case and held it out to her—"you have a plane to catch."

"That I do." Rory's wedding-day glow returned as she gathered the bouquet she'd decided was too pretty to leave behind.

The others were waiting outside when they stepped onto the veranda. Rory and Chance kissed Lauren goodbye before reluctantly handing the baby over to her grandparents. On the lawn, Paige passed out birdseed, telling everyone to form a line between the house and the limo Mr. Chancellor had hired.

"Alli!"

Rory called.

She turned and saw her sister at the top of the stairs, looking at her intently, as if willing her to be happy. Then she glanced down at the bouquet and her lips curved.

"Rory, no—" Before the words were even out, the bouquet was arching through the air with a flutter of ribbons. Alli lifted her arms on reflex, and the flowers landed in her hands. She couldn't help but shake her head at her stubbornly optimistic sister.

The couple dashed through a hail of birdseed for the waiting limo, then waved out the back window as the car drove away.

"So," Aunt Viv said, nodding toward the bouquet, "does Aurora know something the rest of us don't?"

"No. It's just her way of telling me not to give up."

"Sage advice," Vivian said as they climbed the steps to go inside. The Chancellors gathered up Lauren's things and said their goodbyes. Bobby and Paige stayed long enough to help clean up, then headed out as well.

"The house seems so empty with no guests," Allison said, staring about the music room.

"Well, we have two couples checking in tomorrow," Adrian said. "Until then, I plan to collapse on the sofa and watch football. Aunt Viv, you care to join me?"

"As long as I can put my feet up." Vivian glanced at her Louis Vuitton pumps.

The phone in the office rang as they started for the back stairs. "I'll get it," Allison said. "You two go on." Absently twirling the bouquet, she entered the office. "Pearl Island Inn."

"Allison?" a youthful voice asked. "Hi, it's Chloe."

"Chloe?" Her heart skipped a beat. Some days she missed Scott's spunky niece nearly as much as she missed him as she wondered and worried about how the girl was doing.

"You're not still mad at me, are you?"

"Of course not. I was never mad at you." A thousand thoughts flew through her mind: the girl had run away again, or Scott was hurt, in the hospital, dead. "What is it, though? Has something happened?"

"Nothing much. Mom let me go to soccer camp this summer, and that was really cool, but now I'm back in school, which is as boring as ever."

"I see."

"Anyway, Uncle Scott asked me to call and let you know he'll be on TV today and he wants you to watch."

"On TV?" Alli's heart started pounding. Did he also want a second chance? But why would he have his niece call for him?

"Yeah, some interview on a news station in Houston. Hang on, he made me write it down."

Allison listened numbly as the girl rattled off the time and local channel number for Galveston.

"You got it?" the girl asked.

"Yes, twelve noon on KSET." She checked her watch and saw noon wasn't far away.

"Then, after you watch it, if you want to call him, here's his phone number."

"Hang on." Allison's hand shook as she grabbed a pen and wrote the number down, surprised to see it was a Galveston exchange. Was he still at the beach house?

"I guess that's it," Chloe said. "Before I go, I just wanna say I miss spending time with all of you."

Allison's eyes stung. "We miss you too, sweetie."

"I think Uncle Scott misses you, too. He sounds really sad."

Alli pressed a hand to her lips.

"Well, I better let you go." Chloe sighed.

"Okay. Take care." She turned the phone off and sank to the chair, afraid her legs would buckle. Several minutes passed as she stared into space, dazed. Had Scott stayed in Galveston to be near her? If so, why hadn't he called? She glanced at her watch and realized how much time had passed.

Jumping up, she raced downstairs, holding the circlet of roses in place. Adrian and her aunt sat side by side on the sofa, their feet on the coffee table, eating wedding cake and drinking champagne as they watched the pre-game show.

Allison snatched the controls from her brother and started switching channels.

"Alli! What are you doing?" Adrian demanded. "The Cowboys were about to kick off."

"Sorry, sorry. But I have to watch this." She took a seat in the big armchair, clutching the controls in one hand, Rory's bouquet in the other as the image of Keshia Prescott filled the screen.

"Good day, and welcome to a very special edition of Book Talk." The pretty news anchor smiled into the camera. "Earlier this week, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting with suspense author Scott Lawrence at his family's beach house in Galveston about his upcoming release,
In Deep
. Lawrence has a reputation for being intensely private and enigmatic, so I was surprised when the afternoon turned into one of the most candid interviews I've done." Turning in her chair, she nodded toward a screen beside her. "Watch."