* * *
It had been a few days since Aaron had left for New York. Slade hadn’t heard a word from him since he’d departed. Constantly wondering if something was going on was making him jumpy, and if he didn’t get a handle on it, Mandisa was going to notice. Hell, Mama Indy already had. Shaking her finger at him, telling him Slade’s dirt would come to light sooner orlater.
He hoped to hell that wasn’t true. He was trying to protect Mandisa and save his company at the same time. She didn’t need to carry around this stress—that’s what he wasfor.
“So where’s that no-’count scoundrel been hidingat?”
Slade looked up from his cup of coffee, blinking until he’d processed what Mama Indy had said. “Who,Aaron?”
“How many other no-’count scoundrels you know on thisranch?”
Slade laughed. He’d never get enough of watching his mother and his bestfriend.
“Mama, why are you so hard on Aaron? You know he loves and respects you just as much as Ido.”
“Hush. This is just how we are. That boy knows I love him. Now tell me, where ishe?”
That certainly wasn’t an easy question. Partly because Slade didn’t truly know where Aaron was, not specifically anyway. Slade had been Mama Indy’s son long enough to know she wouldn’t be pleased with whatever he and Aaron were mixed up in. She’d begged Slade to leave Bull be a long time ago. Let the old coot have the business if he wantedit.
Slade wished it was that simple now—just a matter of letting Bull have what he so desperately appeared to want. But Slade couldn’t, not now. His legacy aside, Slade couldn’t place Mandisa in that man’s clutches. If Slade walked away now, there would be no one there to protect Mandisa from Bull’smanipulations.
“Boy, I know you hear me talking to you. Where is Aaron,Slade?”
“He’s taking care of some business for me. With Mandisa leaving next week, I didn’t want any more of my time with her to be lost on Logan Industries business. Aaron is just handling something forme.”
His mama watched him closely. Like she had when he was a kid, and she was attempting to gauge if he was telling the whole truth of a matter. “You care for that gal, don’tyou?”
Slade grabbed for his coffee cup, using it as a small barrier between him and the all-seeing woman sitting before him. Although he hated when she used her skills on him, he couldn’t curse her ability to read non-verbal cues. Hell, she’d taught him to read people, a trick that proved useful in both his professional and personallives.
The eyes will always tell the truth, even when the lips lie, Slade. Always watch theeyes.
He pulled his gaze from his coffee cup and allowed Mama Indy to see his truth. She placed a hand over her heart as she walked closer to him, pulling his head into her bosom as she cooed, “Oh, baby, you’ve gone and fallen for that pretty thing. Haven’t you?” She didn’t wait for Slade’s response—she already knew it was true. “You know she’s leaving next week. What are you going to do when sheleaves?”
“Ifshe leaves, Mama. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. I’m hoping one of them will get her to see I’m worth giving up New Yorkfor.”
His mother sat in the chair in front of him, keeping her eyes locked on his once she was comfortablyseated.
“Slade, you are worthy of her staying for you. She knows that, and you should too. But that girl has a life of her own, one she seems deeply attached to, one you knew about before you brought herhere.”
She was right, he’d been aware of Mandisa’s life when he’d made that wager. He’d questioned his own sanity in making that bet, wondering why he would go through so much trouble to get Mandisa on his ownturf.
He could lie to himself and say it was all about winning. But the truth was, he hadn’t thought about business at all when he’d begged her to take him up on his offer. The only thing filling his mind were thoughts of their one night together, and the emptiness that threatened to smother him when he thought of never having her near himagain.
“Slade?” Mama Indy’s voice was filled with love as she called his name. It was a balm meant to soothe the raw spots in hissoul.
“Mama, I know what I’m doing. Whether she stays or not, we’ve both agreed to keep seeing each other. She wants this, and I wanther.”
Indira nodded and patted a time-weathered hand over his. “I know you care for her, baby. I knew you did the moment you brought her home. But I don’t quite get the feeling that her life will be easily dismissed. She doesn’t seem wrapped up in that shallow glitz most city folk seem to be so concerned with. It runs deeper than that, bone deep in fact. You and I both know the only thing that runs that deep is family. If she’s anything like you, she’s never gonna leave herfamily.”
Slade saw truth in the old woman’s gray-blue eyes. Her truth rang through his soul, summoning a sadness he didn’t want to acknowledge. A sadness that beckoned to swallow him whole whenever he thought of Mandisa’s impendingdeparture.
The sound of wood creaking behind them let Slade know Mandisa was entering the room. He ran a hand through his hair and took a fortifying sip of his coffee. “Whatever her decision, I’ll deal with it when the time comes. Right now, I’m going to enjoy every second I have left with her and figure out a way to make this work for the long-term.”
“You do what you feel is best, Slade. But be careful. Understand that isn’t just an old mama’s concern for her son, that’s my concern for Mandisa as well. That beautiful soul doesn’t deserve the hurt that could come her way if this endsbad.”
“Good morning,” Mandisa sang as she stood in the doorway of the back door. She walked into the kitchen. She looked around the room for a second, then offered Mama Indy a warm smile as she approached. “I see you haven’t started breakfast yet, Mama Indy. I was hoping you’d be okay with me making breakfast for you thismorning.”
Slade regarded Mama Indy carefully. This kitchen was her domain, and she didn’t allow anyone else to tinker with it. Slade almost felt sorry for the letdown Mandisa was about toexperience.
