An Engagement in Seattle - Debbie Macomber [148]
“After all that, after everything I did to hold that marriage together, he walked out. To see you repeat my mistakes would be the most tragic thing that could happen to me.”
Lesley felt as if she was going to break into tears. “It isn’t like that with Chase and me.”
“I don’t believe that, not after talking to Tony and meeting Chase for myself. He isn’t right for you. Anyone with a brain can see that.”
“Mom…”
“Are you pregnant?”
“No.”
Her mother sighed as though relieved. “Come back to Montana with me,” June pleaded. “If you want to start over, do it there. There’s always a need for good teachers. Don’t make the mistakes I did, Lesley. Leave Chase now—before it’s too late—and come back with me.”
Lesley was so intent on listening to her mother that she didn’t hear the door open. But she felt Chase’s presence before she heard his words. He was studying her without emotion, without revealing a hint of his thoughts.
“Well?” he said. “Make up your mind, Lesley. What do you want to do?”
Thirteen
Lesley’s mother was staring at her, too, pleading with her to cut her losses now.
“I…I thought we’d already decided to return to Twin Creeks,” Lesley stammered.
June’s shoulders sagged with dismay. Chase hurriedly reached for their suitcases, as though he expected Lesley to change her mind. That irritated her, too. Her mother was about to burst into tears and Chase was ignoring June completely.
The flight into Twin Creeks seemed to take twice as long as before. Chase flew the four-seater, concentrating as hard as if he were flying an F-14 under siege. Lesley made several attempts to carry the conversation, but it became painfully obvious that neither her mother nor Chase was interested in small talk.
When they landed at the tiny airfield, Pete and Jim were there to greet them. She knew Chase had let Jim know he’d be flying them home. But she didn’t understand what was going on between Pete and her husband. The minute Pete saw her, he grinned broadly and gave Chase a thumbs-up. Chase, however, didn’t seem to share his friend’s enthusiasm.
“This is where you live?” June asked, scowling, staring at the tundra that surrounded the town. “Why, it’s…it’s like stepping back a hundred years.” The words were more accusation than comment. Lesley saw Chase’s jaw tense, but he didn’t say anything, which was just as well. Lesley doubted her mother would be receptive, anyway.
When they arrived at the cabin, Lesley waited curiously for her mother’s reaction. June asked several questions, nodding now and then as Chase told her about his and Lesley’s life in Twin Creeks. Lesley was pleased with his honest responses. She added what little information she could.
“The guest room is down the hall,” Chase explained, leading them into the house. There seemed to be a détente between him and her mother, much to Lesley’s relief.
June paused in the living room, staring curiously at the fireplace and the bookshelves and the desk in much the same way Lesley had earlier. Before leaving, Lesley had added several feminine touches to the house. A homemade quilt that had been her grandmother’s was draped across the back of the rocking chair. A picture of her mother and Ken rested on the television and a small figurine of a harbor seal made of ash from the 1980 Mount Saint Helens eruption was propped against a Sue Grafton mystery in one of the built-in bookcases.
“This has a homey feel to it,” June said grudgingly before following Chase down the narrow hallway.
Lesley bit her tongue and trailed after her mother. Already she could see that this was going to be the longest five days of her life.
Chase was forced to wait until after dinner before he had a chance to speak to his mother-in-law privately. While Lesley was busy with the dinner dishes, Chase casually suggested a drive into town.
June hesitated, but it appeared she had things she wanted to say to him, too, and she agreed with a nod of her head.
Chase walked into the kitchen. Under normal