Page 24 of One Texas Night...
“Yes, it is. We should have a beautiful catalog of Jared’s things, unless he decides to keep most of them.”
The sound of the back door closing halted their conversation.
“Hey, there,” Sloan called, sweeping into the room.
She greeted him, and her dad asked if Sloan wanted to join them in a glass of wine.
“Thanks, no. Can’t stay long,” he said, perching on the edge of a chair and turning to her. “I didn’t know you were back in Dallas. Jared didn’t say anything about it this morning at breakfast club.”
“Jared doesn’t always mention things,” she said, thinking about Dawn.
“Not if he doesn’t want me to know about it,” Sloan replied, still studying her.
“How’s the family, Sloan? I haven’t seen the little ones for over three weeks.”
“When this job’s over, you can keep all three of them some evening. That ought to be enough for you,” he said.
“I’d love for them to come and stay all night. We’ll have fun.”
“That’s a deal. You’re a good aunt, sis. And the girls would love to come. The baby is too little to know what he’s doing. I’ll tell the girls, because it’ll give them something to look forward to.”
“Come by and bring the kids to see me first on your way to Allison’s,” Herman said and Sloan nodded.
“Did Jared hang out at his house today?” he asked Allison.
“I haven’t seen Jared today at all,” she said. Then she added, “I’ll probably return to Houston tomorrow.”
“Is Jared going to Houston?”
“You’ll have to ask him, Sloan. I don’t know what he’s doing. I haven’t talked to him. I’ll tell you who I did see. Dawn Rainsford came by in her limo looking for Jared,” she said, knowing that would please Sloan.
“What does she look like in person?” Sloan asked, sounding awestruck.
“She looked just like she does in her movies or on television or in ads. She’s gorgeous.”
“Jared does attract the ladies,” Sloan said. “Dawn Rainsford... Did she come in?”
“We didn’t exactly have tea together,” Allison remarked. “You can save your questions for Sloan. I only had a brief encounter.”
Sloan studied her, and she gazed back, sipping her wine. He stared at her. “So how’s the job?”
“Very good. Ask Dad. Your friend has a great inheritance. That mansion is filled with beautiful antiques.”
“I’m surprised Jared wants to sell the place and almost everything in it.”
“If you could see the mansion, you’d know why,” Allison said. “It’s sort of gloomy.”
“Well, I’d better hit the road because it’s going to be a long commute home in this traffic.” He turned to his sister. “Walk me to the door?”
She followed him to the back door, where Sloan turned to face her. “Don’t go out with Jared,” he said immediately in a hushed tone. “It doesn’t sound as if there’s much danger of that happening, but I’m warning you. He has a trail of broken hearts behind him, Allison. He isn’t ready to settle down.”
“I know,” she said, studying her brother. “To tell you the truth, I’ll be glad to be almost finished.” She looked over her shoulder toward the family room. “I just don’t want to worry Dad about it.”
“Frankly, that’s good news.”
To hurry her brother along, she embraced him. “Tell the family hi and give them a hug and kiss for me,” she said.
“That I’ll do. See you,” Sloan said, leaving. At his car he paused and waved. She watched him drive around the corner before closing and locking the door. Her cell phone chimed, and she took it out of her pocket to see it was a call from Jared. She placed it on a shelf by the back door and started to leave it when it rang again. She glanced at it once more and saw a familiar number. Picking up the phone, she answered to hear her friend Phillip, who asked her to dinner.
