Chapter 17

Chapter

Seventeen

Sloan excused herself to use the bathroom when Papa got back with the tea and chocolate. Mama heated up the water and steeped the tea for her and Sloan. Papa and Rhett didn’t want any. Apparently, Papa and Mama had been to a movie and just decided to come visit. Of course they walked in like they always would.

Rhett couldn’t help but think of what they’d interrupted. He would’ve loved to keep kissing Sloan. Mama had been praying for an angel to find him? Sloan coming to town and grabbing his heart like she had wasn’t a coincidence.

Mama was gushing, quietly, about how impressive Sloan was, and of course wanting to know why she hadn’t heard anything about her before walking in on them kissing like … “Well son, kissing like that can lead to … marriage before you’re ready. You know that, right?”

Rhett felt his neck get hot. “Thank you, Mama. I do have some self-control.” He rubbed at his neck, wondering what Sloan was thinking of all of this. She’d hugged Mama tight and they’d had a great conversation about Presley. Even the determined and compassionate Mama Millie Coleville hadn’t been able to draw Sloan out about her father and losing her mother. She was hurting and she’d lashed out a few times because of it, hiding that hurt.

How could he help her heal, let down her walls, and know she didn’t have to be brave all the time? How could he keep her from pushing him away?

She walked out of the bathroom, thanked Papa, and sipped at the tea. Her dark eyes were guarded.

“Now,” Mama said as they gathered around Rhett’s large counter. “Let’s open up some of this chocolate and get to know you, my dear.”

Sloan’s face blanched. Rhett wondered how she’d change the subject now. Should he tell Mama she shouldn’t push when he was yearning to have Sloan open up as well? Was this the wrong way to go about it?

For Sloan it was. She wasn’t ready and there wasn’t any rush. He’d keep working to earn her trust fully and help her know she could let down her guard with him. He could see the real Sloan and she was beautiful all the way through.

“Mama,” Rhett began. He had to dissuade her and protect Sloan. “Did we tell you Sloan has a master’s degree in construction management and technology?”

Sloan smiled, relief softening her features as they exchanged a look. She was comfortable sharing about safe subjects and his protection of her past was earning her trust.

“That’s impressive, dear.”

Sloan’s phone rang. She yanked it out of her pocket and looked at it. “I apologize. I have to take this call. If you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course.” Mama smiled. “We’ll be waiting here.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s going to be a very long call. I’ll just head home to take it and talk to you all later. Thank you.” Sloan turned and hurried for the entry.

Mama blinked in surprise. “All right. Goodbye, dear. See you soon.”

“Goodbye. It was wonderful to meet you. Thank you.” Her voice quavered and her dark eyes looked sincere and emotional at Mama’s warmth and both of his parents’ acceptance.

Just as quickly, she shuttered. She lifted a hand to them and put the phone to her ear with the other hand. “Hello. Ah, Kathy. Thank you.” Then she was in the entryway and pulling the front door open.

Rhett looked to his parents and murmured, “I’ll be right back.”

“Yes, you’d better see her on home. Did you not pick her up for the date?”

Rhett half-smiled. “I did. She’s staying two doors down.” He kissed his mama’s cheek, shook his papa’s hand, and then he sprinted for his entryway, grabbing his hat and plunking it on before racing out the front door.

“Goodbye, dear,” Mama called.

“Bye,” he called back, “Love you!” He shut the front door and ran down the walk.

Sloan was barely to his driveway, speed-walking in her heels. Her phone not even in sight. She heard him, looked back, and her face blanched.

“Sloan.” He ran after her, reaching her side quickly.

She looked up at him, her dark eyes guilt-ridden. She focused on the trees lining the road, the buds turning to small leaves and giving the hope of warmer weather coming. Did he have any hope that he and Sloan’s fragile relationship could bud and grow into something special?

“I … have to call her back, but I need to be home. It’s a private matter.”

“I see.” He didn’t see anything, not in the way of understanding. He did see that she’d probably texted Kathy in the bathroom and asked her to call to get Sloan out of an uncomfortable situation. He thought he was protecting her from Mama’s prying, but she’d found a way to protect herself without upsetting Mama.

“Look, Sloan. Nobody is going to force you to share about your family or your past. Mama was just trying to get to know you, but I will talk to her, explain you need some time to trust all of us.” Most importantly, trust him.

“I … okay.” Her voice was full of misery and her shoulders rounded. She walked quicker, not saying anything and not looking at him. They reached the Hammers’ house, and he followed her up the stairs.

At the door, she turned to face him. “Rhett. If this doesn’t prove that you need to get away from me, I don’t know what does.”

“Pardon me?” Get away from her? Where had that come from?

“Your mama is an angel, and your papa going to get tea and chocolate for us, both of them so accepting and kind and …” She sniffled, and a tear crested her eyelid and traced down her cheek. “I can’t even open up and answer some questions about my family. With kind people who I know wouldn’t want to judge me. How messed up is that? You need an angelic woman like your mother, not a closed-off, selfish, career-oriented person like me who is unable to trust or rely on anyone.”

“Whoa, whoa.” Rhett touched the moisture on her face and then slid his hand along her smooth cheek, cupping it in his palm. “Sloan. My mama is an angel, but I’m not looking for someone just like her. She and my dad fit perfectly. Me?” He swallowed and studied her, willing her to believe him. “I want a hard-working, brave, funny, and unexpected lady … just like you.”

More tears rolled down her cheeks. She shook her head and bit her lip. Rhett didn’t know how she’d respond.

Her phone rang again. Rhett gritted his teeth. “Kathy?”

“She called to get me out of there, but then she had to say goodbye to her date before she could call me back and actually chat.”

Rhett held her cheek with his palm and appraised her. “Do you need to take the call?”

“No,” she admitted. “But I want to. To get out of this uncomfortable conversation.”

Rhett’s brows rose. He released her face and straightened. “Sloan, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“I know. It’s not your fault.” She shook her head, and the phone finally stopped ringing. “But do you see what kind of person I am? Rigging phone calls to get me away from your sweet mother trying to get to know me. And she didn’t even get upset that we were in full-on make-out mode when they walked in. Oh, Rhett, you are all much better off without me.”

“I’m not.” He eased in and wrapped his hands around her lower back. “I’m much better off with you. And you just reminded me where we were when my parents interrupted.” He lifted his eyebrows. Could another doozy of a kiss heal what was between them, or was he thinking with his hormones instead of his heart?

Sloan laughed and bit at her lip. “Rhett.” Her deep, sexy voice shot thrills through him. “I would love to kiss you for hours.”

Now they were talking. He bent down closer. Her head-clouding gardenia scent filled his senses.

“But that would only be selfish on my part, when I know we could never be together for the long term.”

Rhett jolted in surprise at those words. “That’s not true.”

“It is. Far too true.” Her dark eyes were full of sadness.

Her phone rang again.

“Goodnight, Rhett.”

She punched in the code and turned the knob, saying hello to her friend as she cast one more look over her shoulder at him.

Rhett let her go. It was either the most understanding thing he’d ever done or the stupidest.

He was leaning toward the latter.