Lie to Me (Pearl Island Trilogy #4)(44)
“Fear of the unknown is a powerful thing,” Aurora added. “Jack never explained what her life would have been like with him—and I bet it would have been a lot more stable than she imagined. If he’d known how miserable her life was here, maybe he would have tried harder to convince her.”
“Maybe,” Chloe allowed. Then she made a gesture to the opulent mansion around them. “Unless Marguerite loved all this more than the idea of running off with a sea captain and having to scrape by.”
“Or,” Allison countered, “maybe the legend is true, and giving her daughter a stable life meant more to her than being with the man she loved.”
“I’m sorry.” Chloe shook her head. “I’m not buying it. Not all women have a mommy gene as strong as you two. I’m not sure there really are that many women who would sacrifice their own happiness for their children.”
“Chloe,” Allison said gently. “Not all women are your mother.”
“Oh God, my mother.” Chloe covered her eyes as that issue came flooding back. “What am I going to do about her?”
“I take it, then, you haven’t decided?” Allison asked.
“Actually, there’s nothing to decide.” Dropping her hands, Chloe released a breath. “I have to go.”
Even without the threat to her trust fund, she’d rather suffer through a few days with the family than allow Diane to bother Scott and Allison. Or worse, cause a fight between Scott and John with lawyers involved. The tension from something like that would spill over onto everyone on Pearl Island.
“All right.” Allison nodded, accepting her decision without argument. “If I can do anything to help, let me know.”
“Thank you.” Chloe’s throat grew tight.
“So, I guess,” Allison said, “the more immediate question is what are you going to do about Luc, since it looks like he was telling the truth.”
“I don’t know.” Chloe’s heart twisted with longing. “I still don’t understand why he waited so long to tell me about the necklace.”
“Maybe…” A smile turned up the corners of Allison’s mouth. “Having sparks ignite between you two the minute he arrived threw him off course.”
The words, undoubtedly meant to encourage, felt like a cold slap of truth.
“Oh my God, you’re right.” Chloe stared into space as the pieces fell together. “Of course, that’s why he waited. He thought once we did it, I’d go all soft and dreamy-eyed and agree to help him. That manipulative jerk!”
“What?” Allison’s eyes widened. “Chloe, that’s not what I meant.”
“But I’ll bet it’s true.” Chloe paced in agitation. “He was so clever, too, acting like he wanted to wait until we knew each other better. What faster way to seduce a woman than to convince her you want more than sex? Which is exactly why I’m normally more cautious about letting it be anything beyond that.”
“A little too cautious,” Aurora mumbled.
“Not cautious enough,” Chloe insisted. “Men know women are emotional creatures and they use that to control us. It happens all the time.”
“Not all men are like the ones your mother dates,” Allison said. “Maybe Luc got sidetracked because he really is interested in you.”
“Right.” A humorless laugh escaped her. “I’m so disgusted with myself right now. I can’t believe I let him suck me in like that. He made me think he was different, that I might have found what you two found with Scott and Chance.” Anger bubbled beneath the hurt. “Instead, the whole time, he misled me because he thought I’d go along with anything he wanted if I fell for him first.”
“Or because he honestly likes you,” Allison said. “Chloe, not all men are liars and users. Sometimes I love you means I love you.”
“Well, we didn’t go that far, thank goodness.”
“Could it have if not for this thing with the necklace?” Allison asked.
“I don’t know.” Chloe rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know what to think.”
Allison smoothed her hair in a motherly gesture that made Chloe’s heart ache. “You’ve had a rough morning. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? I’ll work the gift shop.”
“No. I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking. I’m offering.”
“But—”
“Maybe,” Allison said with a firm look, “I want to spend some time puttering around my own gift shop. Indulge me.”
“If you’re sure.”
“Positive.”
“All right.” Chloe wanted to turn into Allison for a hug, but checked the impulse. Disappointment lined Allison’s face, adding guilt to Chloe’s misery. Over the years, Allison had tried to make her more comfortable with shows of affection, but Chloe still felt clumsy about it. “Thank you,” she said, hoping to make amends. “For everything.”
Chapter 12
The wind picked up just as Chloe left the inn, headed for her cottage. The scent of rain made her stop and lift her head. The storm had yet to reach the island, but the turbulent weather suited her mood. Too restless to be closed up, alone with her thoughts, she took the path down to the pier and didn’t stop walking until she stood at the end. She stared at the clouds crawling toward the island like a giant, black beast with fangs of lightning. It filled the sky before her, approaching from the gulf, chewing up the blue skies still hovering over the mainland.