A Mother's Secret. Gabrielle Meyer

think. I didn’t know you were here. I thought this would be an uncomplicated transaction. I’d just walk in, fix things up a little and oversee the sale.”

      Her heart pounded hard in her chest, but she kept her voice low. “I can’t look my kids in the eyes and tell them they have to move—again. The boys lived in four different foster homes—and I don’t know how many other places—before I brought them here two years ago. I told them I would do everything in my power to make sure they didn’t have to move again.”

      “I don’t know what to say, Joy—”

      The door to the kitchen opened. “Is it you, Chase?” Mrs. Thompson’s round cheeks were pink and her gray hair was pinned in a loose bun at the back of her head. Delight filled her eyes at the sight of Chase. “When Kodi told me Mr. Asher was here, and I heard that rich baritone voice of yours, I could hardly move fast enough to lay eyes on you again.”

      Chase extended his hand and walked toward her. “Hello, Mrs. Thompson.”

      She reached out and pulled him into her plump embrace. “Only a hug will do after four years apart.” She squeezed him, her mouth working in a prayer of thanksgiving, no doubt. Mrs. Thompson made no excuses about her faith, and she was always the first to offer God thanksgiving for his many blessings.

      But Joy didn’t see Chase’s arrival as a blessing. He had come to take away Bee Tree Hill, and, if she wasn’t careful, he could take Kinsley and Harper, as well.

      “I’m sorry I didn’t make it home for Mr. Thompson’s funeral,” Chase said. “I—”

      “No need to apologize,” Mrs. Thompson said. “I received your beautiful card and flowers.” She released him from the hug, but held on to his hands. She wasn’t a very tall woman, so she had to look up at Chase, who stood at least six feet tall.

      In the years since Chase left, his arms had grown more muscular, his shoulders had become broader, and his face had become more handsome, if that was possible. Was he married?

      A quick look at his ring finger revealed no wedding band, but that didn’t mean anything.

      Chase glanced in Joy’s direction and caught her looking him over. She dropped her gaze in embarrassment, wondering what he thought about her after all this time. Did she look more timeworn and stressed? Did the years of being a single mother show on her face? Was she as washed out as she felt? She had worked a half day at Timber Falls Elementary, where she was a social worker, and had come home, thrown on some black yoga pants and a T-shirt and was vacuuming bedrooms when Harper ran upstairs to tell her a stranger was in the house. She must look a fright.

      “What are you doing here, boy?” Mrs. Thompson asked Chase.

      “Unfortunately,” Chase let out a breath, “I came to Bee Tree Hill to get it ready to sell.”

      Mrs. Thompson’s smile fell and she searched his face. “Sell Bee Tree Hill?”

      Chase nodded, his eyebrows tilting together. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Thompson. It’s not my choice. The board met just a week ago and made the decision. I was sent to oversee the details.”

      Mrs. Thompson nodded slowly. “I understand.” She patted Chase’s cheek and winked. “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. We’ll let the good Lord figure this one out for us. Now,” she put her hands on her hips, “where will you stay?”

      “I thought I’d be staying here.” He shrugged and glanced at Joy again. “But, under the circumstances, I don’t think it would be best. I can go to a hotel.”

      A hotel as far away from Bee Tree Hill as possible.

      “Nonsense.” Mrs. Thompson grinned. “You can stay above the carriage house, just like your uncle Morgan was doing. He had the place updated just a couple years ago when Joy and the kids moved in here. I cleaned it myself right after he went into the hospital last month, so the place should work just fine for you.”

      Chase searched Joy’s face for her approval. “Would that work?”

      If she had her choice, she would say no. But it wasn’t her place to make that decision. He represented the rightful owners. “That’s fine.”

      He nodded. “I’ll get my things out of the rental car and be out of your way—”

      “No, you won’t.” Mrs. Thompson took his arm as Chase was about to turn away. “You’ll stay here for supper and we’ll have a nice long visit before you head down to the carriage house later.”

      Joy stepped forward to protest the invitation, but Chase responded faster than her.

      “I don’t want to impose,” he said.

      He didn’t want to impose? Joy almost snorted. His very presence in the house was the biggest imposition of her life. What was she going to do? How would she keep the girls’ identity a secret from him? All he would need to do was find out how old they were and he’d probably guess. They were small for their age, so he might think they were younger than three—but if he asked them, they’d tell him the truth.

      “Fiddlesticks,” Mrs. Thompson laughed. “I’ll leave you and Joy to chat for a bit while I get the kids their snacks.” With that, she disappeared back into the kitchen, closing the door soundly.

      Joy’s mind raced with all the implications of Chase’s arrival, but there was only one thing she could focus on. She would do whatever it would take to keep the house for the kids, and protect her girls from Chase’s family.

      He sighed as he faced Joy. “I’m going to see what I can do about this mess. If the board knew you and the kids were here, I don’t think they would have sent me. Somehow, Uncle Morgan’s wishes were not made known to the corporation.”

      Hope sprung up in Joy’s heart at his words. “Do you think there’s a way we could still keep the house?”

      “I’ll see what I can do. I’ll call my father and tell him what happened.”

      It wasn’t much, but at least Chase was willing to do what he could. A part of her wanted to believe he would do the right thing, while the other part remembered how much pain he had caused her when he walked away without an explanation. A couple weeks after he left, when she had found out she was pregnant, she had tried to contact him, but he never returned her calls. Eventually, the number was disconnected. After she learned she was expecting twins, the desire to protect her babies from the Asher family had overwhelmed her, so she had kept her secret. If they knew the girls existed, what would stop them from fighting for custody? They had a fortune at their fingertips and she was a single mother who didn’t even own the home she lived in.

      Thankfully, Uncle Morgan had let her stay on at Bee Tree Hill while she went to school, and Mrs. Thompson had helped with childcare once they were born. Both Uncle Morgan and Mrs. Thompson had wanted Joy to tell Chase the truth, but she had kept putting it off—and made them promise not to tell.

      But now? Now she might be homeless and would have no excuse left to keep the girls’ identity from their father.

      “I appreciate whatever you can do to help,” Joy told Chase, forcing herself not to think about the inevitable conversation they must have. For now, they had other things to worry about.

       Chapter Two

      Chase pulled his phone from his back pocket and stepped out the front door of the house. Bright sunshine filtered through the massive pine trees lining the circle drive. An old tennis court and pool house sat on the sprawling front lawn, and stone pathways crisscrossed over the property, leading down the hill at the back of the mansion to the river beyond. Why had Chase waited so long to return to Bee Tree Hill? He had been in Italy on business when he got word that Uncle Morgan had passed. It had been impossible to get a flight home on such short notice, so he had missed the funeral. He should