Free The Lies Uncovered Trilogy (Books 4, 5, and 6 of The Dancing Moon Ranch Series) by Patricia Watters Page A

talked," she said. She saw a little flash of alarm cross Jayne's face, which reaffirmed what she'd suspected—Sophie Meecham was not a candidate for wife of her stepson. "It's okay," she said. "We only talked. That's how it is with Rick and me."
    "Maybe it is with you," Jayne said, "but with Rick it's different. It has been for years."
    "It's not that way now," Sophie assured her, and tried not to sound disappointed. "He's busy with his studies and knows it will be years before he'll be ready to marry. We just talked about what happened."
    "With his mother?" Jayne asked.
    Sophie nodded. "It was pretty disturbing for both of us. At least Justine wasn't involved in anything like that." She saw Jayne's brow go up almost imperceptibly, and knew it was a reaction to Justine being Justine instead of Mom. It still seemed odd talking about Justine's disreputable past. Four days ago she didn't know she had one, at least not a past she should hide. Justine had been Mommy from the start, then later just plain Mom, like all the other kids—a mother who went to parent teacher conferences and attended school functions and Christmas programs, and got the family up and off to church every Sunday. Then the seedy side of Justine Page Meecham was revealed in a couple of old letters stuffed in a file folder, and all the pride Sophie had felt for her over the years morphed into disillusionment.
    "Sam told me exactly what happened," Jayne said. "I can see how disturbing it must be for Rick, facing the possibility that his mother could go to prison, especially when it involves an under aged young man. Sam thinks it's best we say nothing to the rest of the family for now and wait and see what comes of it. Rick left for Susan's a little while ago and he plans to lay it all out and give her a chance to do what's right, or at least try to correct a wrong, but if she refuses to turn herself in, then you'll have to file a report, but we'll all be behind you if it comes to that, and Sam will explain to the family so Rick won't have to. It's tough on Sam too because he was married to the woman."
    "I can't help thinking that none of this would have happened if I hadn't come up here," Sophie said. "I really made a mess of things."
    "Honey, what Susan was doing was very wrong, and your finding them will put a stop to it, so don't fault yourself," Jayne said. "I'm just hoping Susan will turn herself in and everything will blow over before Adam and Emily's wedding. Speaking of which, I told Grace I'd make some calls about caterers, so I'd better do that now."
    As Jayne walked off, Sophie glanced beyond her and saw Rick standing at the far end of the great room, where ranch guests were gathering for dinner. Sophie had no idea how long he'd been standing and looking at her, but the expression on his face was weighty. He started toward her, and when he approached, he said, "My mother wasn't there. Don said she had to go to Portland and wouldn't be back until late tonight, so I told him to tell her I'd be by in the morning. I gave no indication why, so he probably thinks I don't know what happened. Meanwhile, Aunt Grace wants you to come for dinner tonight. I told her I'd pass the message on to you."
    Sophie wanted to ask if he'd be there too, but knew her question wouldn't be welcome. From the look on Rick’s face, the barrier between them still held.
    "So will you go?" Rick asked.
    "Of course," Sophie replied. "I've always liked being over there. They make me feel like one of the family." But she wondered if she'd still be received that way. Grace and Jack would know by now that after having a falling out with her folks, she drove six hundred miles to get away from them. Hopefully, they wouldn't know she got drunk, smoked pot, and acted like a slut, but she suspected the older of the Hansen boys would know, since Adam was the one to drive the truck after Rick carried her away from the party. But the one thing she knew Rick wouldn't have told any of them,