Page 101 of An Unexpected Love

“The only thing that got me through it was knowing I’d be with you again this morning.” He lowered his mouth to hers, and she parted her lips. The kiss was slow and deep and hot.

“Honestly, you two are getting ridiculous,” Carrie said from behind Charlotte. “Even Higgins thinks so.” At the last minute, Carrie had convinced her they should bring the dog. Charlotte wasn’t sure he was healed enough to run around the park, but Carrie had phoned Jason and he’d felt it would be all right.

“You ready?” Jason asked, picking up the wicker basket, his hand around Charlotte’s waist as though, even now, it was difficult to let her go.

“I’vebeen ready for the last ten minutes,” Carrie said pointedly, holding Higgins’s leash and leading him to Jason’s car.

On the ride across town, Jason put on a CD andthe three of them sang along with Bon Jovi. But as they pulled into the massive parking lot, Jason’s voice stopped abruptly.

“What’s wrong?” Charlotte asked.

“Nothing for you to worry about.” He tried to reassure her with a smile, but she wasn’t so easily fooled. She glanced around, wondering what could possibly be amiss. She couldn’t imagine, unless it was a vehicle he happened to recognize.

“I’m going to take Higgins for a walk,” Carrie announced as soon as she’d climbed out of the backseat. Charlotte knew her daughter was eager to show off the dog to Ryan, Ronnie and the other children.

When Jason was opening the trunk of his car and removing his softball equipment, Charlotte spoke.

“Is there someone here you’d rather I not meet? An old girlfriend, a former lover?”

He turned and his gaze met hers. He smiled, a smile that started with his eyes and worked its way down to his mouth. “Nothing quite so dramatic. My parents are here.”

“I see,” she said. “You’d rather I wasn’t with you.”

“No,” he said vehemently, and she realized he wanted her with him as much as she wanted to be. A rugged sigh followed his response. “I don’t like the idea of you having to endure another inquisition.”

“I’m a big girl.”

“You don’t know my mother.”

“I’d like to, though,” Charlotte assured him. She couldn’t help thinking Jason’s parents must be exceptional people, to have raised such a wonderful family. Before meeting the Manning clan, she’d known so little of what it meant to be part of a family, one in which everyonesupported and encouraged one another. Where joys were shared and grief divided. All her life, Charlotte had been on the outside looking in, yearning for that special bond.

“They’re going to drive you crazy with questions,” he said grimly.

“Don’t worry about it. I know how to be evasive. You forget, I’m the mother of a teenage daughter.”

Jason’s laugh was automatic. He grinned over at her, tossed a baseball bat over one shoulder and reached for her hand, linking their fingers. Linking them in a way that would dissolve any doubts.

Charlotte’s heart sang with a joy that radiated from her heart.

They strolled casually, hand in hand, across the freshly mowed lawn. Jason’s steps slowed as they approached the playing field.

Charlotte glanced up to find his eyes on her. “I just pray I can keep from hitting a home run,” he whispered.

Charlotte laughed as they walked toward the older couple talking with Paul and Rich. Jason made the introductions and Charlotte smiled warmly and held her hand out to his parents.

“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you,” she said confidently. “After getting to know Jason and his brothers, I can’t help thinking you two must be very special people.”

* * *

Jason waited a restless twenty-four hours for the summons. It arrived Sunday morning, disguised as an invitation to dinner at his parents’ house that same evening. Jason, however, wasn’t fooled. His mother intendedto feed him, but he knew he’d be obliged to sing for his supper.

He showed up promptly at six and was pleased to see that his mother had gone to the trouble of preparing all his favorites. Homemade rolls hot from the oven. Crispy fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh-picked peas. A molded gelatin salad rested in the center of the dining-room table.

Jason had always been a meat-and-potatoes man, unless he had to cook for himself, which unfortunately he did most evenings. His eating habits were atrocious and he knew it. A homemade dinner like this was a rare treat.

“We don’t see nearly enough of you,” his mother said, as the three of them sat down at the table.

Jason noted that she’d set out her best china and silverware, as well as linen napkins and a matching tablecloth. This was going to be a heavy-duty interrogation. And it didn’t look as if he had much chance of escaping before his mother ferreted out the information she wanted.

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