I Heard A Rumor by Cheris Hodges Page B

And if your sister is a PI, she’s probably kick-ass and . . .”
    â€œWhoa, whoa. I don’t know where that came from, but I don’t doubt that a woman can do anything. At the end of the day, that’s my sister.”
    â€œSorry, it’s just a bit of the feminist in me.”
    â€œThere’s a lot of things inside you,” he said, while thinking, I want to be inside of you myself.
    â€œHere it is,” she said as she pulled up in front of Elsie’s Gifts and Goodies.
    â€œWow. This was actually one of the places the concierge recommended I visit,” he said as Chante put the car in PARK .
    â€œSee what I mean about shadows,” Chante said when they exited the car, looking up at the white wooden storefront and the black script across the top of the fascia.
    â€œWill your grandmother be here?” he asked as they walked up to the door and he opened it for her.
    â€œNo, she’s on a cruise around the world and . . .”
    â€œChante Elaine?”
    â€œMother,” Chante said, “what are you doing—hi.”
    Allison Britt offered her daughter a plastic smile as she crossed over to her as if she were the queen of Charleston. She gave her daughter a slow once-over, then smiled. “So you breeze into town and can’t even say hello to your own mother? Is that how they treat their mothers in North Carolina?”
    Chante blinked and swallowed the urge to ask her mother when was the last time she’d spoken to her own mom. “I was going to call you and dad after I got settled in. But when I arrived and saw the state of Grammy’s . . .”
    â€œYour grandmother is trying to wipe out all traces of my father’s history. She thinks this shop allows her to . . .” Allison glanced at Zach. “Oh, Chante, how rude of you. Who is your companion?”
    Zach could feel the tension in the air like humidity. He could see why Chante and her mother weren’t close. How were they even related?
    â€œZach Harrington,” he said, extending his hand to Allison.
    She smiled and gave him a limp handshake. “So how are you and my daughter acquainted?”
    â€œMother,” Chante said.
    â€œAre you dating, or is it time to finally start planning a wedding?”
    Chante slammed her hand against her forehead. “We actually just met, and according to you, there’s a certain time for a courtship, right?”
    â€œYour sarcasm is not welcome,” Allison said in clipped tone. “At your age, we’ll just have to take what we can get.”
    Zach inhaled sharply and waited to see what Chante’s response would be. When she didn’t say a word, he was shocked. Then again, this was her mother, and he couldn’t expect a verbal dressing down.
    â€œAnyway,” Allison continued, “Mr. Harrington, where did you and my daughter meet? Are you also a lawyer? I’d love to have you two over for dinner. Though it’s short notice, I’m sure I could pull something together for this evening.”
    â€œWell, Mrs. Britt,” Zach began, “Chante and I have plans tonight, and I wouldn’t want to put you under that kind of pressure.”
    â€œWhere are you from?” Allison asked, and Chante groaned.
    â€œNew York.”
    Allison looked at Chante and shook her head. “Ah, a Yankee.”
    â€œMother, the war is over,” Chante said, then rolled her eyes.
    â€œWell,” Allison said as she toyed with the pearl choker around her neck. “Please call me and your father once you’ve settled in. And how long are you going to be here, Chante?”
    â€œI haven’t decided yet.”
    Allison nodded. “Mr. Harrington, it was a pleasure. Chante, will you walk me to my car?”
    â€œSure thing, Mom,” Chante said with forced gaiety in her voice. Once they were outside, Allison shook her head at her daughter.
    â€œThat’s the best you can