not sure what to do with the house,” Rick interrupted, finishing Kendall’s sentence.
“Well, you can’t mean to
sell
your aunt’s house. It’s your heritage!” Raina didn’t understand all the undercurrents going on, but she couldn’t believe Crystal’s niece would give up her inheritance.
“It’s none of your business what Kendall does with her property, Mom,” Rick said.
Kendall sighed. “It’s hard to even think of having a heritage when I spent my life moving from place to place.”
“Oh, yes. Are your parents still abroad? Crystal used to tell me about their travels.” Raina tapped the table with her fingertips, thinking. Transience wasn’t a helpful trait but perhaps Kendall wasn’t like her wayward parents.
“They’re archaeologists. Somewhere in Africa now.” “And your sister? How is she?”
“Hannah’s in boarding school in Vermont. She’s okay. I’ve gotten a call or two leading me to believe she’s a bit of a troublemaker, but she’s always been spirited. I plan to go on up there and have a talk with her myself once things settle here.”
Raina shook her head. “Sad when a family doesn’t live like a family.”
“Mother.” Rick reprimanded her with his tone. “Kendall just lost her aunt. She doesn’t need you hassling her. Her life and what she chooses to do with it is none of your business.”
Protective, Raina thought, and though Rick had that streak by nature, this time she sensed his defense of Kendall had a more personal side. A sense of satisfaction pulled at Raina as she watched her son.
“Rick, I don’t mind explaining. Most people don’t understand my lifestyle. Truthfully, if I didn’t live it, I probably wouldn’t understand.” She smiled at Raina. “Considering what an obviously warm, loving family you have, I’m sure my family’s life seems strange to you.”
“Nonsense. Well maybe,” Raina admitted, opting for honesty. People could change, she thought, given the right incentive. “I want you to consider yourself a part of our family. Crystal would want that and so do I.” More than Kendall knew.
From what Raina had seen so far, Kendall Sutton wasn’t only beautiful, she was warm, compassionate, and intelligent. She also had a mind of her own. And Raina assumed her independence held the most allure for her son who’d been bombarded with more domestic-minded women. Raina had only herself to blame for that, but things had changed now.
Rick obviously had fallen for Kendall even if he didn’t know it yet. Maybe if shown love and tenderness, Kendall would learn to love the stability she’d missed out on as a child. And who better to teach her the value of family than the Chandlers? Rick especially.
“That’s so sweet. I don’t know what to say.” Kendall’s eyes held a bright sheen.
“I do. You’ve been conned. By the best in the business,” Rick said wryly.
Raina scowled at her son.
“What business?” Kendall asked.
“The marriage business.”
“Ah, yes.” Kendall leaned forward in her seat and grinned. “I heard all about your matchmaking tendencies, Mrs. Chandler.”
“And I heard all about your auspicious arrival. Now tell me how you ended up on the side of the road in a wedding gown of all things?”
“Mother—”
“It’s a fair question, Rick.” Kendall’s cheeks turned a shiny pink, but she carried on like a trooper. “I was supposed to get married this morning,” she said, embarrassed at admitting she’d been an hour away from saying “I do,” when things had luckily fallen apart. “But we both realized marriage would have been a mistake and my fiancé and I parted ways.”
Raina had been happily married for almost twenty years before John died. She couldn’t imagine agreeing to marry someone she didn’t love or ending things so abruptly. “To call off a wedding so suddenly. Did he cheat on you?” Raina asked, appalled and affronted on Kendall’s behalf.
Rick kicked her lightly under the
“Well, you can’t mean to
sell
your aunt’s house. It’s your heritage!” Raina didn’t understand all the undercurrents going on, but she couldn’t believe Crystal’s niece would give up her inheritance.
“It’s none of your business what Kendall does with her property, Mom,” Rick said.
Kendall sighed. “It’s hard to even think of having a heritage when I spent my life moving from place to place.”
“Oh, yes. Are your parents still abroad? Crystal used to tell me about their travels.” Raina tapped the table with her fingertips, thinking. Transience wasn’t a helpful trait but perhaps Kendall wasn’t like her wayward parents.
“They’re archaeologists. Somewhere in Africa now.” “And your sister? How is she?”
“Hannah’s in boarding school in Vermont. She’s okay. I’ve gotten a call or two leading me to believe she’s a bit of a troublemaker, but she’s always been spirited. I plan to go on up there and have a talk with her myself once things settle here.”
Raina shook her head. “Sad when a family doesn’t live like a family.”
“Mother.” Rick reprimanded her with his tone. “Kendall just lost her aunt. She doesn’t need you hassling her. Her life and what she chooses to do with it is none of your business.”
Protective, Raina thought, and though Rick had that streak by nature, this time she sensed his defense of Kendall had a more personal side. A sense of satisfaction pulled at Raina as she watched her son.
“Rick, I don’t mind explaining. Most people don’t understand my lifestyle. Truthfully, if I didn’t live it, I probably wouldn’t understand.” She smiled at Raina. “Considering what an obviously warm, loving family you have, I’m sure my family’s life seems strange to you.”
“Nonsense. Well maybe,” Raina admitted, opting for honesty. People could change, she thought, given the right incentive. “I want you to consider yourself a part of our family. Crystal would want that and so do I.” More than Kendall knew.
From what Raina had seen so far, Kendall Sutton wasn’t only beautiful, she was warm, compassionate, and intelligent. She also had a mind of her own. And Raina assumed her independence held the most allure for her son who’d been bombarded with more domestic-minded women. Raina had only herself to blame for that, but things had changed now.
Rick obviously had fallen for Kendall even if he didn’t know it yet. Maybe if shown love and tenderness, Kendall would learn to love the stability she’d missed out on as a child. And who better to teach her the value of family than the Chandlers? Rick especially.
“That’s so sweet. I don’t know what to say.” Kendall’s eyes held a bright sheen.
“I do. You’ve been conned. By the best in the business,” Rick said wryly.
Raina scowled at her son.
“What business?” Kendall asked.
“The marriage business.”
“Ah, yes.” Kendall leaned forward in her seat and grinned. “I heard all about your matchmaking tendencies, Mrs. Chandler.”
“And I heard all about your auspicious arrival. Now tell me how you ended up on the side of the road in a wedding gown of all things?”
“Mother—”
“It’s a fair question, Rick.” Kendall’s cheeks turned a shiny pink, but she carried on like a trooper. “I was supposed to get married this morning,” she said, embarrassed at admitting she’d been an hour away from saying “I do,” when things had luckily fallen apart. “But we both realized marriage would have been a mistake and my fiancé and I parted ways.”
Raina had been happily married for almost twenty years before John died. She couldn’t imagine agreeing to marry someone she didn’t love or ending things so abruptly. “To call off a wedding so suddenly. Did he cheat on you?” Raina asked, appalled and affronted on Kendall’s behalf.
Rick kicked her lightly under the
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