Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense October 2016, Box Set 1 of 2 by Terri Reed

Author:Terri Reed
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488024283
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Chloe thought she must have heard wrong. “My mother is coming to your house? Is this a bad dream?”

Wayne Conrad shrugged. “Justine was concerned about you. She said you sounded frantic last time she spoke with you.”

Outside, the lights of Oklahoma City sparkled in the distance, reminding her that she was a long way from the tropical breezes of Millbrook Lake.

“I wasn’t frantic,” Chloe said, shooting Hunter a heated glare for putting her in this predicament. “I was on my way out the door to Florida and I didn’t want to get Mom involved.”

“Well, she is involved,” her father said. “Apparently, Bridget’s mother called her and told her everything.” He gave Chloe a sympathetic stare. “Lorene Winston blames you for dragging Bridget into your conspiracy theory.”

“She shouldn’t even know about it,” Chloe said. “I don’t know why Bridget told her mother any of this. She knows to keep anything we discuss confidential.”

Hunter’s grunt of frustration echoed over the sleek interior. “Why don’t we just hold a press conference and announce this to the world, since rumors are flying left and right? Too many people are aware of this. It’s dangerous.”

“Her mother has a right to know about this,” Wayne said without even glancing at Hunter. “And so do I. I don’t like that she went across the country to seek your help instead of confiding in me.”

“I don’t like that she can’t trust you,” Hunter retorted.

“I’m right here and I don’t like this conversation,” Chloe interjected. “Mom doesn’t need to rush back here on my account.”

Wayne adjusted his black scarf. “Actually, I had already invited her for Thanksgiving before you left on this ridiculous trek.”

Chloe couldn’t stop the giggle. “You what?”

“Your mother and I have been talking a lot lately,” he said, his expression bordering on sentimental. “After we lost Laura, it was awful for all of us, you included, of course. But you know your mother took it very hard. I called her to check on her a couple of times and soon it became a routine thing.”

“You and Mom, a routine thing?” Chloe thought she’d truly fallen down the rabbit hole. But his grief about Laura was sincere and she certainly knew how her mother felt. Laura’s death had been tough for all of them, and Chloe had been torn between staying here with her father and moving back to Texas to be closer to her mother.

But she had to protest now on principle because it didn’t add up. “I’m glad you were able to help Mom. But you and Mom hate each other.”

“That’s a strong word,” Wayne said. He looked at Hunter. “I know what it feels like to hate someone, and I don’t feel that way about your mother. She was my wife for many years and she gave me you and your sister. How could I hate her? We made some bad choices—”

Chloe held up a finger. “You made some bad choices.”

“Yes, I made some bad choices. But…that’s the past. We made our peace after Laura’s death.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.