The Playboy (14 page)

“D.C. too. Thank goodness Yorkshire Falls is different. More compassionate. At least some people are.” Charlotte glanced at Kendall’s plate and inhaled deep. “You go on and eat before it gets cold. I’ll just talk business until mine gets here if you don’t mind?”

“Well . . . ”

“Eat,” Charlotte insisted. “And listen.” She grinned. “Something for you to keep in mind. I’ve made some contacts in Washington, D.C., and I’m considering opening up a boutique there. If your designs sell here, would you be interested in taking your work to the city?”

Kendall’s heart began to beat faster in her chest. “Are you kidding? I’d love the opportunity. Thank you.” She’d thought starting in Arizona would give her a more solid résumé and background. Never had she considered starting in a big metropolitan city first, but Charlotte was offering her that chance.

Kendall had come to Yorkshire Falls with no expectations except to sell the house and be gone. In less than a week she’d gotten herself a lover in name as well as fact, more than one friend, a sense of family, and the beginning of a stable career. If Kendall didn’t know better she’d think she was settling down.

Raina glanced at the timer on her treadmill, then slowed her pace. Less than five minutes left for her brisk daily walk, something she looked forward to more than ever now that her so-called illness limited her activity. But as she looked out the window, she noticed a car pull up to the curb and her youngest son climbed out.

“Darn.” Roman had the worst timing. She yanked the safety plug out of the treadmill and dove to the couch, covering herself with a blanket. Picking up a magazine, she made sure she had the telephone close by. Her phone served as an intercom and she could instruct Roman to come in without having to get the door herself. All in the name of the charade, she thought.

To her surprise, no doorbell rang but instead she heard Roman call out. “Mom?”

He’d obviously let himself in which surprised her since all three of her boys normally rang the bell before coming inside, even if they used their key instead of making her walk to the door. “I’m in the basement,” she called back.

His hard footsteps pounded down the long flight of stairs to the finished basement, a room that had served as a playroom when the boys were young, and a large TV room as time went on.

He crossed the room and stopped in front of the couch. “Hi there.”

She let her gaze travel over her son. Marriage definitely agreed with him, she thought, pleased. “Hello, Roman. Where’s your lovely bride?”

His blue eyes sparkled at the mention of his wife. “She’s having breakfast with Kendall.”

“And you came to see your mother.” She clapped her hands together. “You’re such a good son.”

“Why would you walk down the steps just so you could lie down in the basement? There’s a perfectly good television in the den on the main floor of the house,” he said, ignoring her compliment. “It can’t be good for your heart to go up and down the steps for no good reason.”

“Well . . .” She hadn’t anticipated or thought through an answer to that particular question. Her sons believed she’d been told to take it easy. They believed she walked the stairs from her bedroom to the main level with the kitchen just once a day. The basement
should
be off-limits for someone with a weak heart.

He reached out a hand to her forehead, his own brow crinkling with what she thought was concern, but his next words canceled out that emotion.

“You’re flushed and out of breath. I wonder why that is?” Roman lowered himself to the couch until he shared a cushion with her. “You’re also sweating like you’ve run a marathon, Mom.”

His journalistic instincts had obviously found something amiss and kicked in. Darn her youngest for being so perceptive.

“I’m perspiring, women don’t sweat,” she shot back, then caught herself and realized she’d agreed with his assessment. Not a good idea when she couldn’t afford to condemn herself in any way. She needed to get herself out of this predicament.

Then when she and her boys were together in one room, she had to confess. She couldn’t keep this up. It wasn’t good for her heart, she thought wryly. “Nonsense, Roman. I’m not sweating, I’m just warm under this blanket, that’s all.”

“I’d be warm too if I’d been running on the treadmill, then dove off and covered myself with a wool blanket so I wouldn’t get caught.” His lips turned upward in a semigrin.

She didn’t care if he seemed amused, she didn’t like his accusation and her heart picked up rhythm. “Caught doing what?”

“Cornered and you still won’t give up on your own.” He patted her hand. “Okay, I’ll spell it out for you. You’ve been faking your heart condition so you can manipulate Chase, Rick, and myself to do your bidding and get you grandchildren. All you need to do now is admit I’m right.”

She sucked in a startled breath. Not that she thought she was such a master manipulator—though she believed she’d done a darn good acting job so far. But she’d obviously been too overconfident. She’d never once considered that her sons might catch on.

“I’ll take it your silence means yes? I’m right?” He squeezed her hand lightly.

Raina sighed. “Yes,” she admitted, unable to meet his gaze. “How did you figure it out?”

He rolled his eyes as if the answer were obvious. “I’m a journalist. I know how to spot signs most people would ignore. Add to that I lived with you a few months back, when this supposed condition started. Tea, Maalox, and prescription antacids—a sure sign of indigestion. Plus you hit the stairs like a sprinter when you thought I wasn’t around. It wasn’t hard to put things together. Especially once I found your exercise clothes in the washing machine.”

She forced herself to meet his gaze. “You don’t sound angry.” Although his eyes, his father’s eyes, condemned her.

“Let’s just say I’ve had a while to get used to the truth.” “But you haven’t told your brothers.” He couldn’t have since they were still tiptoeing around her like she might break at any second, whispering in concern when they thought she wasn’t paying attention.

“Not yet.”

She heard the definitive tone of that word yet and knew her charade days were numbered. “Why haven’t you filled them in?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “Stupidity?”

She covered his arm with her palm. “You have to understand my reasons—and know I’m sorry I went to such extremes.”

“You didn’t feel bad enough to have come clean on your own. Dammit, Mom.” He shook his head, his frustration and anger finally coming through. “And the hell of it is I know you’d do it again if you had to, right? For some reason you just can’t let us live our own lives.”

A lump rose to her throat, the guilt she’d been suffering from for so long overcoming any justification she might have offered. “If you’re so angry, why haven’t you told Rick and Chase? Tell them and be done with it already.”

He let out a frustrated groan. “Like it’s that easy? At first I was in complete shock. Then after Charlotte and I got married, I figured what the hell. Let Rick go next and maybe he’ll end up as happy as I am.”

Raina clucked her tongue, not buying that particular excuse. “That’s giving this charade some credit. And when you realized what I’d done I’m certain you were furious. You wouldn’t have withheld this kind of information from your brothers just so they could find a woman and end up happy.”

She knew her youngest, knew the bond all her boys shared. Roman might want his brothers to share his happiness but he wouldn’t condone her antics to achieve that goal.

“You’re right, that’s giving you credit. And maybe you
did
help bring me together with Charlotte but I also believe in fate. We’d have found our way back to each other anyway. It wasn’t just because you’d cornered your sons into picking a sacrificial lamb to give you a grandchild.”

She cringed. “It wasn’t just because I wanted a grandchild. I want you all to experience the love and happiness I shared with your father. I want to know you’ll have more than empty apartments and empty lives when I’m gone.”

But she still remembered how she’d felt on discovering her sons had employed a coin toss.
Loser
would give up his bachelorhood and freedom to marry and give their sick mother a grandchild. Roman lost—and ended up the winner. She didn’t think he’d appreciate the reminder. “So you don’t want to give me credit. Then why not tell Rick or Chase?” she asked again, certain her youngest was dodging the issue and she couldn’t imagine why.

“I have my reasons.” He didn’t meet her gaze.

“Now who’s hiding something,” she asked, but decided not to force things. She hadn’t earned his trust or the reprieve he’d given her by keeping her secret. “Why tell me you know the truth now?” she asked instead.

“Because of Rick. When you called to say he wanted to gather family and friends and you asked if we could make a beeline home, I figured he’d found the right woman. And I wanted to make sure you didn’t meddle in his life the way you did in mine.” This time he did lock his eyes with hers. “Let Rick and Kendall make their own way. Or else.”

“Or else you’ll tell. Roman, sweetheart, you should know I was planning on giving up anyway. Rick found Kendall on his own and it’s getting hard to keep up the charade. Even Eric—”

“No.” Roman spoke in a firm, no-nonsense voice. “You will not tell Rick or Chase now.”

She blinked, utterly and completely shocked. “Why not? I thought that’s what you’d want.”

“I considered that option, believe me.” He leaned an arm over her, propping his hand on the sofa and leaning close enough to press a kiss on her cheek. “I love you and I’ve been observing your relationship with Dr. Fallon. I realize you’re having a hell of a time mixing a personal life with your charade.”

She sighed. Her youngest had always been astute. “Eric’s a good man and I couldn’t be happier you’re finally moving on with your life.”

She nodded, knowing Roman’s past inability to stay home in Yorkshire Falls or commit to a woman had a lot to do with that very issue. “But?”

“But if you admit your scheme now, just when Rick’s found a woman he obviously cares about, you’ll give him a reason to back off. With his past and after Jillian, it’s a miracle he’s looking at Kendall Sutton the way he is. And if you turn around now and show him women can say one thing and do another, if he sees your manipulation, he might decide women aren’t worth the effort.” Roman shook his head. “Much as I wouldn’t mind you confessing and suffering the consequences, Rick deserves the chance to be happy. Like you said,” Roman muttered, obviously disgusted at giving her notions any credit whatsoever.

Raina didn’t like it but Roman was right. Rick probably was on shaky emotional ground and didn’t need an excuse to give in to his fears and push him away from Kendall. “I’ll keep quiet.”

Even though her silence assured her relationship with Eric would continue to be rather difficult and strained, she deserved the trials she suffered now. Roman rewarded her with a huge hug and she squeezed her youngest back. Raina had made her bed, so to speak. She smoothed the heavy covers over her legs. She’d just have to lie in it.

Kendall decided to spend the hours after breakfast with Charlotte cleaning out the closets in the guest house as another way of insuring a sale. Make the storage room look big and enticing, she thought.

She’d no sooner changed into her cleaning outfit than the doorbell rang and the front door swung open wide and Pearl entered without invitation.

“Why you’re just like a native, leaving your door open to the neighbors.” The older woman walked inside, a foil-wrapped package in her hand.

“Hi, Pearl.” Though she should feel imposed upon, instead Kendall realized she was genuinely happy to have company. Another odd sensation for someone who’d always lived alone. “Come on in and sit down.” She waved inside.

Kendall had already taken the slipcovers and drop cloths off the furniture and Rick had finished the walls in the entry and living area. The smell of fresh paint added to the cleanliness and appeal.

Pearl joined her in the family room. “Take this. My special brownies for a special girl. You remind me so much of your aunt.” She smiled and the weathered lines in her cheeks seemed much less apparent.

“That’s such a sweet compliment.” Kendall accepted the home-baked treat, the smell of chocolate making her stomach rumble.

“Get us something to drink and we can indulge, women-style,” Pearl said, shamelessly taking over and telling Kendall what to do.

Kendall blushed, knowing she didn’t have much to offer. “I’ve got water,” she said and shrugged. Filtered water had always been her drink of choice. Easy and healthy, she’d always thought but the fact that she had nothing to serve Pearl shamed her a bit.

Pearl waved a hand in the air, obviously dismissing the idea too. “That’s what I was afraid of.” She dug into her purse and came out with a jar of iced-tea mix. “You can’t live in the suburbs and not have some good old-fashioned iced tea or lemonade with your dessert. Eldin hates lemons, so I buy iced tea for the man. Gotta keep

’em happy, but you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you, what with a virile man like Rick around?” She walked to the kitchen as she spoke, making herself at home and chattering the entire way. “So what’s with all the painting going on here?” Pearl asked.

“Well . . . ”

“Don’t tell me. You and Rick are planning on moving in here after all. I told Eldin so, but he said no, you’d stayed at Rick’s apartment last night and this old guest house wasn’t your style, with you coming from the city and all.’’

Kendall blinked. She didn’t know what shocked her more, Pearl’s pronouncement that apparently everyone seemed to know where she’d spent the night or the speed and consistency with which she spoke. With Pearl and her mouth in residence, Kendall didn’t have to worry about taking part in the conversation.

Still, she needed to make sure anything repeated was either accurate or helpful to Rick and his cause. “I’m sure you realize by now Rick and I aren’t married.”

“Yet.” Pearl popped a chocolate piece of brownie into her mouth, then washed it down with the iced tea she’d made, sliding Kendall’s glass toward her at the same time.