Chapter 16

Chapter

Sixteen

Sloan pushed away all the reasons she should be running out the door, and she bought Rhett’s plea to be there for her and believed that somehow she’d overcome her fears, this man would stand by her side, and she could fully trust someone besides Kathy and her Savior. Leaning into him and loving him wouldn’t make her a wimp; they’d be stronger together.

She bought it hook, line, and sinker.

Sloan arched up and kissed him and every worry in the world fled. She didn’t have to deal with her dad on her own and wonder when she’d break and give in to the monster. She didn’t have to put on a brave face or fight to be independent and successful alone because Rhett would support her, love her, and they would be even better as a team.

This kiss promised all of that and more.

She was his missing piece. Had any line ever been more tender and deep than that?

She threaded her fingers through his thick curls and kissed him with wild abandon. Rhett lifted her clean off her feet and kissed her as thoroughly and beautifully as she’d ever been kissed. He pinned her body against the railing, and she was filled with joy and heat as he took their kisses to the next level.

Her mind was in the clouds, her body was on fire, she was surrounded by Rhett’s wood shavings, pine, and vanilla scent and his strong body. Her lips were meant for Rhett Coleville and Rhett Coleville alone. At this moment, if he asked, she’d pledge her heart, and her lips, to him forever.

“Oh, my! I think our timing is something awful,” a female voice said from behind them.

Sloan yanked herself from Rhett’s alluring mouth and looked around. The door was open and a middle-aged couple stood framed in it. Their mouths were slightly ajar and their eyes wide, but they both had a twinkle in their eyes.

Rhett gently set her heels on the floor, releasing her from the intensity of his embrace as she unwound her fingers from his hair and straightened. He kept one arm around her, turning to face the couple. “Sloan … these are my parents.”

No! His parents? Oh, no.

She could easily see the resemblance in his dad’s blue eyes and strong jawline. She should’ve recognized them from the pictures she’d seen online.

Rhett didn’t even shift uncomfortably. He smiled at his parents and then at her as if he couldn’t have orchestrated a better first encounter.

Sloan’s stomach was doing backflips. This was a nightmare of epic proportions. Why oh why hadn’t she been strong enough to walk out that door? She would’ve missed the kiss of the century, but at least she wouldn’t be in this insanely awkward and tense moment, wanting to hide from his parents.

“Mama, Papa, this is Sloan Jensen.”

Sloan waited for his parents to explode. They’d just caught them kissing, very passionately, and maybe they’d heard all about ‘Sloan Jensen’ the developer who wasn’t doing ‘his’ job.

Papa offered her a half smile, most likely feeling as uncomfortable as she did.

Mama looked from Sloan to Rhett and back again and then she did explode.

“Oh, my, goodness! You beautiful lady, you! I changed my prayers for my baby boy a few weeks ago.”

Sloan almost smiled at tough Rhett being called a ‘baby boy’, but this situation was nothing to smile about.

“Instead of praying he would find his right one, I started pleading that you would find my boy, and here you are like the answer to all my heartfelt prayers. Thank you, Lord.”

Mama rushed across the space and hugged her tight.

Sloan lost the ability to breathe or think straight. Praying for her to find Rhett? Mama didn’t even know her. She was no kind of answer to this generous woman’s prayers. What would Mama think if she knew Sloan had pushed Rhett away or cussed him? What would she think if she knew Sloan was only strong because of Jesus and terrified to encounter her own dad?

But Mama’s acceptance proved impossible to resist. She found herself leaning into this incredible motherly hug, returning it despite her embarrassment and misgivings. She clung to Rhett’s mama like a bear cub that had found its lost mother.

Finally, she regained her senses and sanity overtook her longing for a mother like this one in her life. Her mom had been gone for fifteen years and had never really been there for her when she was alive. Sloan hoped it wasn’t revealing all her weakness that she’d let down her guard like this.

“Please forgive me, Ma … Mrs. Coleville.”

“It’s Mama to you,” she insisted. “And oh, I love that throaty voice of yours.”

“Mama.” The word felt unfamiliar but remarkable. “Please forgive my lack of restraint. My mother died fifteen years ago, and you are just so loving and accepting.” She shouldn’t have said any of that. Just like she shouldn’t have returned the hug so enthusiastically.

“Oh, no!” Mama cried out. “You poor, sweet thing.” Mama took her hand and tugged her toward the living area. “Rhett, do you have any herbal tea? Lavender and chamomile would be just the thing right now.”

“Um … all out of herbal tea, Mama,” Rhett said, following behind them and exchanging a look with his dad over his shoulder.

“I’ll run and get some,” Papa offered. “Lavender and chamomile? Do you need anything else?”

“Hmm …” Mama was still looking far too compassionate, but she got a gleam in her hazel eyes. “Chocolate?”

Sloan gave a surprised laugh and met Rhett’s gaze. He appeared completely at ease with his parents catching them kissing. He looked very happy at Mama’s statement of praying for Sloan to find Rhett and her hugging Mama.

“I do love chocolate,” she admitted.

“Me too.” Mama squeezed her hand and tugged her toward the coach. Rhett followed them while Papa hightailed it out the front door. “Rhett, love, do you want to go with Papa?”

Rhett focused on Sloan, asking her with his gaze what she wanted. She wanted him by her side. Even if it was selfish and she would thrust him away sooner or later.

“Papa will be fine,” Rhett said. “I don’t want to leave Sloan.”

Sloan’s heart beat quicker. He cared about her. Far too much. Three days ago, she had been the failure of a developer in his mind. Now he wanted to stay by her side, wanted her in his life. His missing piece.

Was he crazy? Was she?

“Ah, that is very sweet.” Mama beamed proudly at her son. “Now let’s sit down and get to know you, beautiful angel.”

Sloan felt the familiar defensiveness rising in her throat. She tried to swallow it down but found she couldn’t swallow at all.

Redirect. That was what she always did when someone wanted to know too much about her.

“Mama.” The word felt unfamiliar on her tongue but oh so right. “Tell me about your family first.” What was the granddaughter’s name? Grandmothers went crazy over their grandchildren. She knew the name but at this moment she couldn’t think of it.

Rhett knew what she was doing. He studied her as if willing her to let down her guard. To not redirect. How did he know her so well? How had she let him past her walls and into her heart?

“We’ll get there, sweetie,” Mama said.

“Presley!” Sloan spit out the name. “I need to hear all about Presley. How old is she? Five?”

“She just had her fifth birthday,” Mama began, eyes lighting up. “Oh, and she is smart as a rocket scientist. Do you know what she said to me the other day …”

Sloan smiled, nodded, oohed, and laughed as she drew out stories about Presley, looked at pictures of the darling girl on Mama’s phone, and tried to avoid Rhett’s gaze. He was kind and patient, but he was also a strong and successful man, confident, and he knew what he wanted.

How soon would he realize Sloan was not what he wanted? That all her bravery was a farce? That as soon as her dad somehow found her, he’d find a way to kill her confidence and ruin their relationship?

Her heart stuttered at that. She managed to keep a smile on her face and keep up her end of the conversation. She was still stunned that Mama had accepted her so warmly, walking in on them kissing like she had.

Yet Mama didn’t know that Sloan would never be a ‘partner’ for a tough and with-it man like Rhett. Even though her bravery was fake, her need for independence defined her interactions. They’d have a blow up sooner or later and Rhett would see the truth. He needed a sweetheart who could support him and stay at home in this gorgeous house. Her gaze traveled around the house longingly and landed on the man himself even more longingly.

She bit down the desire and focused on Mama.

She’d never be part of a family like the Colevilles.