What the Heart Wants (What the Heart Wants, #1)(72)
Sawyer enjoyed several more spoonfuls of his Blizzard, then started in again. “Now, about your plans…”
“I’m not holding back on you, sir, but I’m unsure yet what my plans are. I bought the old Anderson tract east of the river, and I’m negotiating on a smaller lot, but that’s all I can say.”
“The Anderson tract. That’s within spitting distance of the Espinoza addition, isn’t it?”
“Fairly near. They’ll probably tie in eventually, but I’m not assuming anything right now. It’s an investment, that’s all.” He’d reached the cone, the crisp, crunchy, sweet cone.
“Do you think you and Raymond might get together businesswise at some time?”
“Maybe.” Crunch, crunch. “Who knows? I’ve always dealt in land, but I might go into homebuilding at some point.”
“Even in this economy?”
Jase wiped his hands on a paper napkin and shrugged. “There’s always opportunity.”
Sawyer’s eyes lit up. “There’s always opportunity! I like that!” He scribbled in his notebook, then made a big show of replacing it in his pocket.
“Strictly off the record, what about Laurel Harlow?”
Jase was caught completely off guard. “I, uh, we’re friends, close friends.”
Sawyer glanced at his rumpled shirt, the same one that Jase had worn at the Bosque Club, and raised his eyebrows. “And where did you spend the night?”
“Not where you think,” Jase countered. Not where I would have liked to. “I slept in my car.”
Sawyer nodded like a wise old owl. “She kicked you out?”
“No, I…yeah, she kicked me out.” He couldn’t say he’d left Laurel because he was mad at her father. It didn’t make sense even to him.
Sawyer looked at him as if reading his mind.
“Now, listen to me, young Jason. Every person on this planet, no matter how good, has feet of clay. People are a mixed bag, and Edward Harlow was no exception. He did some terrible things, but he also did some good things too, some very good things. This doesn’t excuse him, but it’s important to recognize both sides of the man. People around here have not only vilified Edward Harlow, but they’ve also extended their anger to his family. Dovie Kinkaid was one of the sweetest, gentlest women I’ve ever known, and they drove her to suicide. Laurel is stronger than her mother, and I think she’ll make it, but she’s got to get the hell out of Bosque Bend.”
Sawyer tilted his cup up to get a last swallow of his Blizzard, put the cup down, and looked Jase in the eyes. “I came in on the end of Betsy Simcek’s tantrum last night and saw Laurel’s face. And yours. I can’t tell you what to do except that you can never go wrong by doing the right thing. You said there’s always an opportunity, and I’ll add to it: There’s always an opportunity to do the right thing.”
Jase nodded. “Don’t worry about my relationship with Laurel, sir. I’ll be back in Bosque Bend in a day or two. I just have to—to figure everything out.”
*
Sarah poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table across from Laurel. “Okay, spill. What’s been going on over here?’
“Nothing much. I’ve been answering the phone all morning. First there was a guy who wanted to contact Jase, then Jase, then my Realtor—it looks like the house might sell.”
“What about the call from Jase?”
Laurel shrugged. “He said he’d stay in touch, whatever that means—I’m not holding out any hope.”
“What I’m asking for is that you tell me what the heck’s been going on this past week?”
Laurel shrugged. “I think it’s fairly obvious. I’ve been having an affair with Jase Redlander, and now it’s over.”
“Bullshit. And don’t get that mulish expression on your face, Miss Priss. He adores you, and you’ve been in love with him since you were fifteen.”
“He left me.”
“He left you because Betsy Wetsy made a spectacle out of herself?” Sarah frowned at her. “Wait a minute—are you telling me Jase didn’t know about—about your father? You never told him?”
“How could I? All he could talk about was how great Daddy was, how much he’d influenced his life. I was afraid once he found out, he’d leave me. And he did.”
Sarah’s face hardened. “Then he isn’t worthy of you. Hold your head high. You didn’t do anything wrong. My father was a lawyer, and, as far as I know, children are not accountable for their parents’ crimes.”
“Maybe not legally, but the whole town hates me for what Daddy did, and when Mama was alive, they hated her too. You and your mother acted like we were dead.”
“That’s not true. My mother tried to be supportive of you and your mother, but your mama turned her away at the door, then sent us a letter saying our attentions were not welcome. Mother decided to give you all some private time, but the last straw was when Dad died last year and neither of you attended his funeral.”
Laurel hung her head. “She didn’t want to embarrass you.” Also, Mama had begun blaming Charles Bridges for the situation, as if his arrangements had caused them to have to withdraw from public life, not what Daddy had done.