SouthernExposure by Kendall Grace

Author:Kendall Grace [Grace, Kendall]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc
Published: 2011-01-31T18:44:53.378000+00:00

Chapter Seven

Anna stormed into the house, throwing her purse on the bench in the foyer as she passed through. She ate up the distance to the family room in long, angry strides, fueled by the magnitude of her mother’s betrayal that had descended upon her during the drive back from town. She was gearing up for a confrontation but she found the room empty.

“Mom!” Anna yelled as she walked down the hall, looking into each room as she went. Nothing but silence greeted her.

Where in the hell could her mother be?

Anna marched to the office, her pulse rate off the charts. She’d desperately racked her brain for some logical explanation for what her mother had done, but had come up with nothing. No matter how she looked at it, her mother had lied to her and jeopardized both their futures by keeping her in Liberty. And she couldn’t think of one good reason why. Anna clenched her fists at her sides when she stepped into the Belle’s Buds office. One of the French doors stood ajar, a light breeze drifting into the room. Anna walked out into the garden, scanning the property for her mother. When she didn’t see her, Anna thought perhaps she must have gone to the sitting area to get some air.

Anna took a moment to try to calm down, drawing in deep breaths and envisioning herself lying on a beach in the Caribbean. Her happy place held no appeal—the only soothing thought she could muster was how great it would feel to let loose on her mother. Moments later she found her sitting on the bench, admiring her garden.

Ellen started when she heard Anna approach, and then smiled. “Annabelle, I was just admiring the flowers. I had no idea they would…” Her mother trailed off as Anna lassoed her in a glare. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

Anna rubbed her temple. “I just ran into Sarah Roberts in town.”

Her mother sat up straighter, folding her hands in her lap. “Oh? How is she?”

“How is she?” Anna set her arms akimbo. “Well, apparently she’s a gardener with a lot of free time on her hands.”

Ellen’s gaze hit her lap and she knitted her hands together. “What did she tell you?”

Anna dropped into the seat next to her mother and angled her head so Ellen had no choice but to look at her. “Well,” she tapped her mother on the arm, “she said it was so kind of me to stay and take care of your business despite the fact she had offered to do just that.”

Ellen kept her eyes on Anna but didn’t reply. Raising her eyebrow, Anna gave her mother a “what the hell” gesture with her hands. “So? You care to explain why you painted a picture of desperation when there was no cause for panic?” Anna shot from the bench and started to pace. “I mean, you let me jeopardize the partnership, the security of our financial future, and for what? To hang out with you for

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