A Bravo Homecoming by Christine Rimmer Page B

but still, I knew how I felt even then. I took my dad’s side when she left.”
    “And why wouldn’t you take your father’s side?” Aleta asked sharply. “I’m sure you felt abandoned. I’m sure you…” She cut herself off. Pressing her lips together, she lowered her head for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was calm. “I apologize for jumping to conclusions.”
    Sam grinned. “Hey, jump away. I did feel abandoned. And I hated her for it.”
    Aleta frowned. “And do you still hate her?”
    Sam shrugged. “Not so much anymore. I’m older. I can see her side of it, too, now. We…keep in touch. Maybe a phone call at Christmas or my birthday. But we’re not close. I don’t think we ever will be.”
    Aleta reached across the space between them to clasp Sam’s hand. Her touch was light. And reassuring, too. “I’m glad that you don’t hate your mom. Hatred doesn’t do anyone any good—and I’m so pleased to see you and Travis together. I’ve been worried about him, and driving him crazy, I know. Trying to get him to start dating again. To find someone special.”
    “You’ve been matchmaking.” Sam shook a finger. She hadn’t expected to feel so instantly comfortable with Travis’s mom. But she did—comfortable enough right off the bat to give her a hard time. She leaned closer to the older woman, lowered her voice to a confidential whisper. “Travis told me everything.”
    Aleta laughed and confessed, “I have been matchmaking. I admit it.” She grew serious again. “You do know about Rachel—and Wanda?”
    “Yeah, I know. My dad still owned the ranch and I was working on a land rig, coming home for weekends, when Travis and Rachel got engaged. Travis brought her to meet us. It was a Saturday. She stayed for dinner. I really liked her.”
    Aleta made a sad little sound in her throat. “She was a lovely girl. You know he met her through me? Wanda, too.”
    “Uh-huh.” Sam had met Wanda once, too. And she’d liked her well enough. Not as much as Rachel, but she’d seemed like a nice person. At least at the time.
    Aleta gazed out the window. “I thought it would kill him when Rachel died. I was sure he’d never try again. But he did. With Wanda. And then I felt so guilty, the way that turned out. I wanted to make up for steering him wrong.”
    “Aleta, not your fault.”
    Travis’s mom straightened her shoulders, refolded her hands on her linen-covered knees. “You’re right, of course. And as it turns out, my efforts to find him someone new weren’t required because there was you.”
    They both heard the hall door open in the room next door. “Sam?” Travis appeared in the open doorway between the rooms and spotted them. He leaned against the doorframe. “Okay, what are you two up to?” He was teasing, but there was a note of real suspicion in the question.
    His mother rose. “Talking about you, of course.” She went to him, kissed his cheek and patted his arm. “I was just seeing that Samantha was comfortable in her room.”
    Sam stood up, too. “And I am. Very.”
    “So, then. I’ll leave you two alone.” Aleta crossed to the door and paused before she went out. “Dinner at two.”
    “We’ll be there,” Sam promised.
    Aleta shut the door behind her.
    Travis waited until they both heard her footsteps moving toward the stairs before he said, “Mercy told me she saw Mom dragging you up here.”
    “She didn’t have to drag me. Really. I like her. A lot.”
    He came toward her, looking much too manly and handsome in jeans and a sweater the color of dark red wine. “She’s a charmer, all right. People jump through hoops for her. She’s got that sincerity thing going and she has all the right connections.”
    “I think she is sincere.”
    Travis shook his head. “You’ve fallen for her. Just like everyone does.”
    “Fallen?”
    He moved a step closer, lowered his voice. “I mean she’s charmed you. And you trust her.” The light from the windows