“Mom’s never mentioned him.”
“He’s a banker, one of Jase’s contacts. I even ran into him yesterday in the hallway of the title company when I went in to sign the final papers. I tried to laugh it off by saying something stupid about a man on the move having to get around, but all I did was make him nervous. He has one of those really pale complexions, and he turned red as a beet, blurted out that he came to the title company all the time for First National, then made a run for it.” She laughed. “It was funny, Sarah. He acted like he’d been caught spying on me.”
“Well, just so he doesn’t follow you into the ladies’ room.” Sarah went to the sink to refill her cup with water. “Hey, what’s with the roses?”
“I haven’t figured them out, but they’re from Jase.”
“Was there a card enclosed?”
“Just Love, Jase.”
“That’s pretty powerful, Laurel. Sounds like somebody’s trying to get a message across to you.”
Laurel shrugged. “Too late. I’ve got a one-year contract with Brownsville. Anyway, I think he got his message across pretty darn well when he left town after he learned about Daddy.” She glanced at the wall clock. “I’d better get a move on. The cab should be here right about now. I’m supposed to be at the airport by four to go through security.”
“Relax. Taxis are always late.”
A honk sounded from the driveway.
“Oops. My bad.” Sarah rose from the table. “I’ll go tell him you’re coming.”
Laurel looked around the foyer one last time. The stairwell seemed naked with the family portraits gone—and they’d been the very devil to get down too, as if they didn’t want to leave the house.
Sarah came back in. “I moved my car into the parking area and told the cabbie you’d be out in a minute. Anything I can help with?”
“Would you ask him to carry the kennel to the cab for me?” Laurel snapped a leash onto Hugo’s collar.
Sarah nodded. “Yeah. I’ll go tell him you need help.” She raced out of the house and returned immediately, followed by an older man wearing a shirt with the cab company logo embroidered above the pocket.
He made a motion as if tipping his hat at Laurel, but backed off at the sight of Hugo. “That dog bite?”
“I’ll be handling him. Just put the kennel in the cab, and I’ll get him in it. There won’t be any problems.” At least she hoped there wouldn’t be any. She’d had Hugo sleeping in the thing for a week.
“Whatever you say, lady.” He hefted the big cage and was out the door.
Laurel picked up Hugo’s leash and grabbed the handle of her carry-on. “Well, I guess this is it.”
Sarah took charge of the remaining suitcases, one in each hand, and pushed the screen door open with her shoulder. “I’ll carry these things out. You’ll have your hands full protecting the driver from your big, bad dog.”
“Thanks. I’ll just be a second.” She checked herself out in the hall mirror. Most people wore jeans when flying, but she still had enough of Mama in her that she’d opted for a nice summer dress.
But before she could step outside, Sarah had burst back in, her eyes wild, her cheeks flaming.
“He—he took your luggage from me and put them in the back of his car!”
“The cabbie?”
“No. It’s Jase! Jase Redlander is out there, and he’s arguing with the cabdriver, trying to pay him off and make him leave!”
Dropping her carry-on to the floor and handing off Hugo’s leash to Sarah, Laurel hurried outside.
Jase’s Cadillac was parked at the curb, blocking the driveway, and, just as Sarah said, her two big suitcases were sitting in his open trunk. She charged toward him. “Jase, give me back my luggage and go back to Dallas! Why are you here?”
Jase turned and gave her the dazzling Redlander smile. “Because I love you.”
“No, you don’t!” She glared at him, wishing her hair was writhing Medusa snakes that would turn him to stone. “You just thought you did because you admired my father! And now that you know about Daddy, you don’t want me anymore!” She started toward the driveway. “I’m getting my stuff out of your car and putting it in the cab!”
Hugo barked from behind her, and Laurel realized Sarah had followed her outside.
Jase followed after her. “Laurel, can we talk inside?”
She stopped and turned on him. “No, anything you have to say, you can say right here!”
The cabdriver stepped forward. “Need me to call the cops, lady?”
“Don’t you dare!” Sarah yelled, advancing toward him. “Let them work this out for themselves! Put that cell phone away, or I’ll sic Killer Dog here on you!” She snapped Hugo’s leash, and he growled.
Jase reached for her hand.
“Let go of me, you—you Neanderthal!”
But he reeled her in, and his voice dropped into a whisper as he leaned close to her ear. “That wasn’t what you told me to do when we were rolling around on the front room floor.”