The Bachelor Pact (37 page)

"No, the man's too smart to do anything that might be traced back to him. But I'll keep looking into it."

Maybe Chase had been right about Jeff. If so, he couldn't let Maddie reconcile with the man. "What about that Lane woman?"

Knobby chuckled. "Are you kidding? She's definitely an interesting lady."

"So I was right. The lady's up to no good?"

"I don't know about that," Knobby said. "But she's not everything she seems to be on television."

"Could she be the woman whose been inquiring at the hospital?"

"It's possible. Sophie does have an unusual past, but I couldn't find out very much information beyond the basics."

"Her parents?"

"Didn't locate them. Seems she's been on her own for quite a while."

"I wonder why."

"Had a falling out with her old man when she was fifteen, and he threw her out. Turns out he wasn't really her old man."

Reid sighed. "Any connection to the hospital?"

"Her mama worked there right about the time in question."

Reid leaned back in the seat and frowned. Oglethorpe might be a problem. And Sophie Lane might be real trouble. He'd seen the advertisement for her upcoming shows, one of them a piece that was a little too closely related to his father's activities for comfort. Did she plan on using her own history as food for the show? Was she going to try to involve the Summers family?

He couldn't put it off any longer. Much as he wanted to protect Lance and Maddie, he'd have to break down and tell Lance everything. His brother needed fair warning to know what they might be up against. And Maddie needed to be forewarned about Oglethorpe.

* * *

"You actually want my help?" Sophie asked.

Lance almost ducked his head in shame at her condescending tone. He guessed he deserved her scorn, but...

Sophie leaned a sexy hip against the front of her desk, tapping a sleek ballpoint pen on her leg, distracting him. He watched the ripple of silk on her thigh, wishing he could replace the pen with his fingers.

"You haven't exactly been friendly to me, Mr. Summers. In fact, I thought you detested my show—I believe you called me a nosy busybody."

Lance shifted, forcing himself to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry, Sophie. I was out of line. I know you're... you're just doing your job."

She studied him warily. "Give me one good reason I should deceive Maddie and help
you?"

Lance winced. "Because you're her best friend. You want her to be happy, don't you?"

Sophie's green eyes raked over him. "Yes, of course I do."

"She seems upset lately." He scratched his chin, angling his head. "Has she talked to you, maybe mentioned something that's bothering her?"

"She's been busy with work," Sophie said in a noncommittal tone, as if she knew more than she'd ever reveal to
him
—the slime she thought him to be.

"There's something else upsetting her," Lance said. "But she won't return my calls. I'm really worried about her."

Sophie's expression softened slightly. "You really do care about your sister, don't you?"

"My family means everything to me."

Sophie dropped the pen on her desk and pivoted to look out of the window, her silence creating tension in the air. Or maybe she felt the thread of sexual energy rippling between them and wanted to avoid acting on it, the same as he did.

She spun around, crossing one delicate ankle over the other. "All right. But what makes you think Maddie is interested in reconciling with Jeff Oglethorpe? They broke up weeks ago."

Lance shrugged. "I'm not sure. She may not be interested, and if not, that's okay."

"You aren't going to interfere and push her toward him?"

"Are you saying I interfere in Maddie's life?"

Sophie rolled her eyes. "You and Reid are a tad on the sexist, overprotective side."

Lance chewed the inside of his cheek, then finally conceded her point with a curt nod. "We mean well."

"I know," Sophie said, softening. "But you won't force her to go back to Jeff?"

"No." Oglethorpe hadn't exactly confessed his love for Maddie, Lance realized. He'd called her an asset as if being with Maddie was some kind of business decision. Maybe Chase was right about Oglethorpe. And maybe he shouldn't have interfered with Chase and Maddie....

No, Chase might be his friend, but he wasn't the marrying kind, and he didn't want him to hurt Maddie. Besides, Chase had been sneaky; he'd lied to him. And he'd been with so many other women. And he hadn't actually confessed his love for Maddie either.

Sophie folded her arms across her chest. "All right, I have a show already planned that might work. I'll talk to the producer and see if I can fit Jeff in."

"Thanks, Sophie. I appreciate this."

"And I'll talk to Maddie this afternoon. I just hope you know what you're doing."

Lance stood and shook her hand to thank her, his body hardening with desire at her touch, his mind racing with reservations over what he was doing for Oglethorpe. "And I promise, all I'm going to do is to set them up to talk. The rest will be completely up to Maddie."

* * *

Maddie twirled the phone cord around her fingers, shoving her sketchpad and a dozen floor samples aside so she could plop down and rest. She hadn't slept much the last few days, couldn't eat, didn't even want to get out of bed in the morning, much less venture outside. All in all, she'd never been more miserable in her life. "I don't know, Soph. I'm not sure I want to come on the show again. Last time was such a disaster. People will probably remember me."

"But this time will be totally different," Sophie argued. "This is a fashion show. Designers, fancy clothes, makeup artists—it'll be so much fun."

Maddie glanced down at her baggy sweatshirt and jeans. "I don't even feel like getting dressed up, I just want to stay home and look through my decorating magazines."

"That's the very reason you need to come, Maddie. You're depressed, and I don't like it."

"But I look terrible; I have dark bags under my eyes."

"We have a fabulous makeup artist, he can do wonders with any problem. Come on, Mad. He'll make you look like a million bucks, every man in Savannah will be calling."

Except the one she wanted.

Sure, she'd kidded about enjoying the single life, but she had to admit it—she was the marrying kind. And there was only one man for her.

Only he didn't want her.

"You can keep all the clothes you model," Sophie said. "Oh, please say you'll fill in for me. One of the models has the flu, and the show's tomorrow. I'm really in a bind."

Maddie sighed. "All right. What time?"

Sophie filled her in on the details, and Maddie reluctantly agreed, deciding a new look might help her attract a new man. Then she might be able to finally forget about Chase Holloway.

Chapter 28

"You are going to knock his... I mean the audience's socks off with that dress," Sophie said.

Maddie turned sideways to study herself in the mirror. The royal-blue silk piece shimmered beneath the bright lights, the low-cut neckline and foot-long slit up the side revealing more body than she'd ever dared expose. Except to Chase.

Dammit, this show was supposed to help her forget the infuriating man.

"Are all the models wearing such provocative outfits, Sophie?"

Sophie eyed the form-fitting sheath with a gleam in her eyes. "I told you I'd pick out something special for you, something you can keep to entice the single men in Savannah. You'll have them down on their knees in no time."

Maddie laughed. There was only one man she wanted on his knees—proposing to her. But that hadn't happened and never would. "I'm through with men," Maddie said. "I really don't think—"

A knock rapped at the door, and she looked up in shock to see her brothers standing in the doorway.

Lance's smile looked fake. "Hey, mind if we come in?"

"What in the world are you doing here?" Maddie asked.

Her brothers exchanged guilty looks. Maddie's stomach suddenly contracted with nerves. "What's up, guys?"

Lance shrugged. "We heard you were going to be on the show today, and we thought we'd join the audience and watch."

Reid hooked his thumbs in his belt loops. "We've never been to a live show before."

Maddie gaped at him. "I thought you guys hate... didn't watch the show."

Sophie backed toward the door, shooting Lance and Reid an odd look.

Maddie's queasiness escalated. "Wait a minute, Soph. What in the world is going on?"

Sophie froze and bit down on her lip.

Reid sputtered something about seeing the models, which would have been believable if he'd been able to maintain eye contact.

Lance began to tap his heel on the floor in a nervous gesture.

Then she spotted Jeff Oglethorpe being whisked into the green room across the hall.

Maddie planted her hands on her hips. "The truth, guys? This isn't about a fashion show, is it?"

Sophie shook her head with remorse.

Maddie pointed to her older brother. "Lance, you made it plain how you feel about the show." She shot Sophie a suspicious look. "And the last I knew you two weren't speaking."

Sophie threw up her hands as if she didn't know what to say.

"We reached an understanding," Lance said.

"What?" Reid sounded surprised. He shot a nervous glance at Sophie. "Lance, we have to talk."

"About what?" Lance asked.

"We can't discuss it here," Reid said, glancing between Sophie and Maddie. "Not in front of them."

"You mean, us ignorant, helpless
women?"
Maddie asked.

Reid's face flushed, and Lance shook his head. "Look, Mad, all we've ever tried to do is take care of you—"

"I don't need taking care of."

Lance inched inside the room. "We love you, Maddie, it's natural to want to protect you."

"Yeah," Reid said. "And I wanted to protect both of you."

"You wanted to protect me?" Lance asked, clearly stunned.

Maddie folded her arms, furious. "Protect me the way you did when you asked Chase to baby-sit me, because you didn't trust that I could decorate the homes for the tour?"

Both her brothers' gaped at her. "You knew?"

"I heard you talking to Chase after the tour."

"Geez, Mad—"

Reid reached for her. "Just listen—"

Maddie backed away from both of them. "No, I told you once to stay out of my business and I meant it. You even followed me to that nudist colony!"

"Well, what in the hell were you doing there?" Lance asked.

"That's not the point!" Maddie shouted.

Reid cleared his throat. "Look, Maddie, forget about that. Just let me tell you about Oglethorpe."

"You're doing it again—interfering!" Maddie jammed her hands on her hips, pacing across the room and peering out the door. "Is Chase here, too?"

"What would he be doing here?" Reid asked, puzzled.

"Aw, blast it all to hell." Lance rammed his hand through his hair, narrowing his eyes at her. "You
are
in love with him, aren't you?"

Sophie answered for her. "She's been miserable without him."

"Maddie's in love with Chase?" Reid asked.

"So, what if I am?" Maddie cried.

The boys exchanged confused looks.

"That depends on whether or not his intentions are honorable." Reid finally answered.

"His intentions are to leave me alone," Maddie said.

"We'll talk to him," Reid began.

"No, stay out of it. You guys have humiliated me enough." Tears stung Maddie's eyes. "And now you're involving Sophie in your devious plans. How could you?"

Reid gestured toward Sophie. "I still have to talk to you about
her."

This time Sophie spoke up. "Why do you have to talk to him about me?"

"It's family stuff," Reid said.

"We should have a private family meeting then," Lance said.

"Anything you have to say about our family can be said in front of Sophie," Maddie said.

Both her brothers stared at her in shock. "What are you saying, Maddie?" Reid turned pale. "That Sophie is part of the family?"

Lance gripped the doorjamb as though he needed it to support himself. "Oh, Lord."

Maddie sighed in exasperation. "What in the world is wrong with you guys?"

Lance dropped into a chair, looking ill. "I was attracted to my own sister?"

"Sister?" Sophie shrieked.

"Technically she'd only be our half-sister," Reid clarified.

"You were attracted to me?" Sophie asked.

"But we don't have a sister?" Maddie cried.

"We might," Lance said.

Reid cleared his throat. "Or we might have a bunch of half-sisters and half-brothers we don't know about."

"You mean you know about Dad?" Lance asked.

"You do, too?" Reid said.

Lance cleared his throat. "I found a letter from Maria—"

"I'm not your half-sister," Sophie cut in.

"Who's Maria?" Maddie asked.

"The woman Dad was having an affair with," Lance answered.

"The nurse at the hospital," Reid said.

They looked at each other in surprise.