Page 48 of Lakehouse Promises

She sat there stunned, not sure what to say. His words rang true but at the same time, she couldn’t accept them.

“Hello? Carolina? Where are you?” A voice called out in the house.

Carolina felt the blood drain from her face. “Dear God no.”

“Who is it?” He stood and looked at her.

“My former mother-in-law.”

Chapter 26

Thomas followed Carolina inside. Janice stood in the middle of the living room.

Carolina frowned. “Janice, what are you doing here?”

“I called Chris on my way back to his house. He told me he and his wife were in Paris and didn’t expect to be home for weeks.” She looked more than a little put out.

Carolina crossed her arms over her chest. “That still doesn’t explain why you arehere.”

“He wouldn’t give me the code to open his house so I could stay there,” her former mother-in-law explained.

“Why not?” Carolina looked over her shoulder. Thomas was standing there sizing up Janice.

Janice spotted Thomas and narrowed her eyes. “Who is that?”

“This is Thomas Harding. He’s the one putting a roof on the house.”

Thomas didn’t offer a greeting so Carolina turned her attention back to Janice. “If you came back here to get a key to the house it won’t do you any good. Chris changed the locks while we were in court.”

“I’m not here to get a key. I’m here to stay with you until Chris comes back.”

“What?” She gasped.

“I’ll take the spare bedroom.” She picked up the luggage by the door that had escaped Carolina’s attention. “Just point me in the direction.”

Carolina was so stunned she couldn’t speak.

“Never mind I’ll find it.” Janice marched off down the hallway to one of the guest bedrooms.

“I’m guessing this is a surprise.” Thomas said.

She spun around. “I don’t understand. She hates me. Why would she want to stay here? Why doesn’t she go to a hotel?”

Thomas slowly folded his arms across his chest. “I’m sure she doesn’t hate you.”

“She gave me a girdle for Christmas one year. I’m pretty sure she hates me.”

Thomas gave her a horrific look. “You’re kidding, right?”

She shook her head and motioned for Thomas to follow her outside and then closed the door behind them. “I don’t get it. This makes no sense to me at all.”

He cocked his head. “Think she’s trying to start trouble?”

“Thomas, that woman is nothing but trouble. Maybe she’s staying to spy on me. Maybe she thinks I have something that Chris didn’t get in the divorce.” She shook her head and glanced down at her hand.

“That’s it. She’s here to get my engagement ring. It belonged to Janice’s mother.”

Thomas’s gaze dropped to her hand. “I’ve been meaning to ask why you are still wearing it.”