know good and damn well how she still feels about you. Donât start something you canât finish.â
Warrick nodded slowly. âI hear what youâre saying, Uncle Randall. Believe me, I do. But Deniece and I have always been up front with each other. Itâs one of the reasons our relationship worked so well in high school. We understood each other. I really donât see anything wrong with two mature, consenting adults enjoying each otherâs company for a while. No empty promises, no strings attached.â
Randall gave him a shrewd, assessing look. âHave you had any false paternity suits brought against you?â
â What? Hell, no! Iâm not stupid. I donât take any chances.â
âGood. Because when it comes to Deniece Labelle, I wouldnât put it past her to try anything to trap you into marriage.â
Warrick chuckled grimly. âDonât worry, Uncle Randall. Nobodyâs trapping me into anything.â He slid Randall an amused sidelong glance. âYou know, youâre the only one in the family whoâs never really liked Deniece. And even after all these years, youâre still hard on her.â
Randall shrugged, poking at the engineâs crankshaft. âMaybe she reminds me a little of your aunt Clarissa. Beautiful to look at, but high-maintenance.â
Warrick grinned. âQualities you can appreciate in a carââ
ââbut not in a woman,â Randall finished.
The two men laughed.
After a few moments, Warrick ventured casually, âHave you seen Raina lately?â
âNot recently,â Randall murmured.
Warrick looked at his uncleâs face, as expressionless as his voice, and knew he wasnât being entirely truthful. While Randall had never made any secret of his dislike for Deniece, heâd always had a softspot for Raina St. James. Growing up, Warrick remembered being both amused and annoyed that his uncle had always brought an extra treat for Raina whenever he visited the house. Heâd always invited her along whenever he took Warrick and his siblings on trips to the amusement park, the beach and various sporting events. And at family cookouts, Randall had always let Raina choose the best steak or burger on the grill; when others complained about the preferential treatment, Randall laughingly explained that people whose names began with the letter R had to look out for one another.
Randall was the only member of the family who didnât blame Raina for what had happened to Yolanda Mayne. In fact, Randall had defended Raina from the start, much to the displeasure of the rest of the family, who viewed his stance as the worst of defections. For several months after the trial, Warrick was the only one who had remained on speaking terms with Randall. But as much as Warrick loved and respected his uncle, even he had a hard time understanding how Randall could so easily forgive Raina for betraying his own niece. But Randall, whoâd always been the maverick of the family, had never apologized for what he believed.
Nonetheless, he didnât exactly go out of his way to remind Warrick that he still kept in touch with Raina. Some things were better left unsaid.
Which was why Warrick hadnât told his uncle about his plans to buy Rainaâs property. He knew Randall wouldnât approve, and although Warrick had always valued his uncleâs judgment, this was one decision he couldnât be talked out of.
âWhy did you ask about Raina?â Randall asked, breaking into Warrickâs thoughts. âDid you happen to see her?â
Warrick hesitated, then nodded. âAt the restaurant last night,â he said, deliberately omitting the part about him visiting her spa earlier that day.
âReally? Raina was at the same restaurant?â
Again Warrick nodded. âSheâs beautiful,â he murmured, the words tumbling out before he could stop himself.
Randall smiled.
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley