An Engagement in Seattle - Debbie Macomber [147]
Chase chose the hotel restaurant. Conversation over lunch was stilted at best. June asked him several questions, but his attention was focused on his wife. He answered June, but his gaze didn’t waver from Lesley. He was hoping she’d say or do something, anything to ease his conscience.
He’d blown it. The door had been left wide open for him to explain why he’d reacted so badly. He’d been out of his mind, thinking he’d lost her.
Chase loved her. It didn’t get any simpler than that. All he had to do was say it. How difficult could that be? Apparently more than he’d realized because he let the opportunity slip past.
“How long do you plan to visit?” Chase asked June, thinking ahead. He supposed he shouldn’t have been so obvious, but he was already counting down the days, the hours and minutes, until he could be alone with Lesley.
“Five days,” June returned stiffly. She glanced at Lesley as though to suggest that purchasing another plane ticket south would be highly advisable—for both of them.
“I was able to get the new motor this morning,” Chase said to Lesley. “We can leave for Twin Creeks as soon as you’re ready.”
“Mother?”
“Anytime. I’m anxious to see your home, although heaven knows you haven’t had much time to settle in, have you?”
“No.” Lesley eyed Chase wearily.
“I’ll leave you here and be back within the hour to get you,” he said, reaching for the lunch tab. “Perhaps you’d care to come with me?” he asked Lesley. He tried to appear nonchalant about it, but his heart was in his throat.
“I don’t think I should leave Mother,” she said flatly.
Chase’s shoulders fell. Her feelings couldn’t have been more obvious.
Lesley couldn’t remember being more furious with anyone in her life. Chase was a fool. She’d agreed to marry him, agreed to leave the life she’d made for herself, leave her friends, her career and most of her possessions, and he still didn’t trust her. He assumed she’d walk out on him the minute his back was turned. That was what hurt so much. His lack of faith in her.
Lesley had spent the morning listing Chase’s many fine qualities to her mother. By the time she’d finished, it sounded as if he were a candidate for sainthood.
Fat chance of that after the way he’d barged into their hotel room. He couldn’t have shown himself in a worse light had he tried.
After Chase left, her mother was strangely silent. They sat on their beds, staring straight ahead. Every time Lesley thought of something to say, she changed her mind. Her mother would see through her efforts to make small talk in a second.
“He isn’t always like this,” she finally murmured.
“I certainly hope not.”
“Chase is honest and hardworking.”
“That remains to be seen, doesn’t it?” her mother asked stiffly.
“You don’t like him, do you?”
June paused. “I don’t have much reason to, do I? I’m afraid you’ve been blinded, Lesley. How can you possibly love this man? You don’t really know him… You couldn’t. Tony said Chase disguised the truth.”
“You can’t trust Tony!”
“Why not? At least he called us when my own daughter hadn’t bothered to let me know she was getting married. Now that I’ve met your husband, I can appreciate Tony’s concern.”
“Mother…”
“Hear me out, please. I’ve bitten my tongue for the last hour, trying not to say what I should have earlier and didn’t. You have nothing in common with Chase. You might have convinced yourself that you’re happy now, and that you’re going to make this ridiculous marriage work, but it isn’t necessary.”
“Mom, please, don’t.” It hurt that her mother thought her marriage ridiculous. Lesley was angry with Chase all over again for having put her in this impossible situation.
“I have to speak my piece or I’ll regret it the rest of my life. I made the same mistake with your father.” Her voice faltered slightly. “I knew the marriage wasn’t going to work, almost from the first, but I was too stubborn to admit it. I convinced myself that I was deeply in love with him. I worked hard at making