Page 65 of Halstead House

Mother’s hand shot out to shake his, something she hadn’t bothered to do with the rest of the staff. “What a divine property you have here,” she said, the very definition of warmth and congeniality. I had the strange urge to cry.

“Thank you. I understand you’ve come to visit for a few days,” Lucas replied.

“Yes, my dear Grace simply disappeared on me and came running down here. I had to come check up on her myself and make sure she hadn’t gotten into any trouble.” She laughed airily. “I truly hope she hasn’t been a burden on you and your aunt.”

Lucas’s eyes met mine. That fierce look was back. He made no indication of what he was thinking, yet somehow I knew that he was debating on how best to respond to Mother, while not hurting me in the process. Gratitude and something sweet flooded from my head to my toes as his body shifted slightly toward mine. The eye contact lasted only a second, but my heart was pounding as he looked back to Mother.

“Grace has been an asset to Halstead House ever since her arrival. You’ve raised a remarkably kind, intelligent, and hard-working daughter.” His voice was firm and low, defensive without giving offense. I wanted to throw myself into his arms and never let go.

“Well.” Mother cleared her throat. “I’m grateful that she’s carried herself well. I did my very best to instill those traits in her.”

“I understand our families have been acquainted for years,” Lucas remarked.

“Oh, yes, of course. Your Aunt Mary was the dearest friend of my mother-in-law. She was so gracious to step in as a substitute grandmother for Grace. We’ve all missed her since her passing.” Mother’s smile would have been convincing to someone who didn’t know her well. Lucas nodded, while I struggled to keep my jaw from hitting the floor over the fact that Mother had actually referred to her as Mary rather than Mrs. Reed. She was up to something. “Grace and I are headed out to dinner. Would you care to join us?” Mother asked.

My startled eyes flew to his face, but his polite mask was on and he showed no sign of being as surprised as I was.

“That’s a tempting invitation. However I don’t want to get in the way of your reunion. It’s up to you, Grace.” He turned to me with a masterfully casual expression. He couldn’t have possibly had any idea how deferring to me would be taken by my mother. Then again, perhaps he did.

I followed his lead and with great effort kept my eyes on him rather than looking for her reaction. I offered him a polite—if a little wobbly—smile of my own. “We’d be happy to have you join us, of course, but I know how busy your schedule is. Was there somewhere else you were expected tonight?”

“Not at all.” He gestured back toward the garage. “After you, ladies.”

I seriously considered asking Lucas to drive, as his car would serve to impress Mother further. However, he’d nudged me to take charge, and I wanted so desperately to do just that. So, I led the way to my rental sedan and unlocked the doors. Lucas politely opened the passenger door for Mother before settling himself in the back seat.

“What restaurant do you recommend, Mr. Halstead?” Mother asked when we were all seated.

I caught his look in the rear view mirror. “I’m sure Grace has already considered where to take you, and I’m happy to eat anywhere she chooses.”

Mother flashed me an irritated look when I turned my head to start backing out of my stall. “Of course, I’m sure you’re right,” she said. “It’s just that Grace has been quite busy settling in, working a new job, and... well, you must know that she’s also been going on dates. I’m sure she hasn’t had the time to completely plan out my visit,” she replied.

Lucas said nothing, but our eyes met once again in the rear view mirror. I could tell he was caught off guard by the announcement I was dating, but I couldn’t quite decipher how he felt about it. Either way, Lillian Burke was making an impression.

“Actually, Mother, I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the Historic District. There are some nicer restaurants there to choose from. It’s a beautiful place.” I pulled out and drove that direction.

Eventually we arrived and I parked. Her pinched face told me she wouldn’t be happy with anything that was going to happen that night, and I prepared myself for the worst while wishing I could do the same for Lucas. As it was, he was in the frying pan now.

The food was too ‘foreign’. The waitstaff was slow, and she couldn’t understand their Southern accents. Rather than eating her food, she picked apart my life, Lavender Island, and even took a few digs at Lucas for still living at home.

The walk back to my car was tense. Mother was several feet ahead, marching along like a general, having given up on her campaign for the evening. Lucas walked next to me. His presence had been an incredible gift that evening. I felt horribly guilty for being grateful that he was there.

“I hesitate to ask if she was on her best behavior tonight or not,” he said into the stillness.

A laugh burst out before I caught it back. “You’re saying you think it’s possible she could be worse?”

“All I can say for sure is that she’s not to be underestimated.”

The statement brought a smile to my face. “Believe it or not, when I’m doing the things she wants me to do she can be quite pleasant. Tonight was about delivering one shot after another to wear me down.”

“I noticed. She brought some pretty heavy artillery to dinner.” I made a sound of agreement. “Look, Grace, I’m sorry for not taking you more seriously when you were upset about her coming to town. I thought I knew the type of woman she was, and I’ve dealt with them before, but now I’m...” He seemed unable to finish the thought.

“Sometimes there are no words.” I shrugged as he looked down at me for a moment.

Our eyes caught and something in his gaze looked different. It was as though he were actually looking at me. He wasn’t just seeing blonde hair and a dove gray power suit, gray eyes, and stuffy heels. He was seeing inside of me. I felt vulnerable as he peeled back the layers.

“I’m an idiot,” he finally said.

“Why?”

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