“You’re right. They didn’t want to. But they felt they had to.” Charlotte raised her eyes and met Raina’s gaze. “They flipped a coin. Loser would ante up—get married and have a baby. Roman lost.” She shrugged, but the pain floated in the air, hovering between them, obvious and tangible. “I was the nearest candidate.”
Outrage filled Raina, but her heart clenched, twisting with more than guilt. She’d meant to coerce her boys into their own happily ever after, but she’d never meant for people to get hurt in the process. “Charlotte, you don’t believe Roman chose you because he lost a coin toss. You two had a history, after all.”
Charlotte glanced away. “Roman admitted to losing the coin toss. The rest is painfully obvious.”
“But he didn’t choose you because you were the nearest candidate!” Raina addressed Charlotte’s hurt first. She’d deal with the coin toss and her role in it later. Oh, yes, she would deal with her boys.
She’d lived under the illusion that she and John had set the example of a happy family and a good, loving marriage. Obviously not, but what in heaven’s name had happened to convince her boys otherwise? True, Rick had that painful fiasco caused by his good-natured attempt to help, but the right woman would break through the walls he’d put up since. And Roman—Raina remembered her youngest saying that he thought she’d given up on life. Had that been enough to scare him off marriage forever?
“I really don’t know why Roman chose me, now, do I?” Charlotte’s voice shook with uncertainty. A good omen, Raina hoped.
“I think you know more than you want to admit.” Raina leaned forward and squeezed Charlotte’s hand. “I realize I’m probably the last person you want advice from, but please let me say one thing.”
Charlotte inclined her head. “I don’t blame you, Raina.”
Perhaps the young woman should. Maybe then she and Roman wouldn’t be miserable. “If you’ve found true love, don’t let anything stand in your way. One day, just twenty-four hours, could be one day lost in a lifetime that’s way too short.”
Raina thought she heard a strangled sound come from Charlotte, and she rose quickly, not wanting to intrude a minute longer. Besides, she needed to be alone to deal with herself and decide what she intended to do about the pain and havoc she hadn’t meant to cause.
“Take care.” Leaving Charlotte sitting in silence, Raina walked out. She exited the store and stepped into the sunshine, feeling anything but warm and happy. She was at a complete loss, not knowing how to fix things.
Considering what a disaster her great plan had been so far, she was probably better off staying out of everyone’s lives and concentrating on living her own. Eric had been right all along, but he wouldn’t be pleased to know Raina’s enlightenment had come at everyone else’s expense.
Still, as much as she’d like to withdraw and take the hands-off route, she and her sons had some serious business to discuss. She sighed. What happened to Roman and Charlotte after that was anyone’s guess.
Roman pounded nails into the garage shelving. If he was going to stick around, he might as well make himself useful. For the most part, Chase and Rick handled the upkeep on the house, but when he was home, Roman liked to do his share. And right now, the ability to pound a hammer was a damn good way to release frustration.
Charlotte hadn’t called. Hadn’t returned his calls, to be accurate. At this point he wasn’t sure the distinction mattered.
He raised the hammer and swung at the same moment his mother’s shrill voice reached his ears. “Front and center, Roman.”
The hammer smacked his fingers dead-on. “Son of a bitch.” He stalked out of the garage, shaking his hand to ease the throbbing pain. He met his mother on the driveway, where she was pacing back and forth. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Everything. And as much as I blame myself, I still need answers.”
He wiped his arm across his sweaty forehead. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, but you look upset and it can’t be good for your heart.”
“Forget my heart. It’s yours I’m worried about. A coin toss? Loser gets married and has children? What in heaven’s name did your father and I do wrong that turned you boys against marriage?” His mother’s hazel eyes filled with moisture.
“Dammit, Mom, don’t cry.” He was a sucker for her tears. Always had been, which he thought now was a partial answer to her question. “Who told you?” He put an arm around her and led her to the patio chairs out back.
She narrowed her gaze. “That’s not the point, is it? Now answer me.”
“I don’t want you to end up back in the hospital. That’s the point.”
“It won’t happen. Now talk.”
He let out a groan but noticed she seemed stronger than she’d been since his arrival back home.
“The coin toss, Roman. I’m waiting,” she said when he didn’t respond fast enough for her. She tapped one foot against the patio.
He shrugged. “What can I say? It seemed like the best solution at the time.”
“Idiots. I raised idiots.” She rolled her eyes heavenwards. “Nix that. I just raised real men.”
She was right. He was a typical man, and as a proud, card-carrying member of the species, he wasn’t comfortable discussing his feelings or emotions. But he owed it to the woman who raised him the best she could on her own to explain. He had a hunch he’d have to do the same with Charlotte—if he wanted a second chance.
And he did.
“You and I started talking about this the other day.” Roman leaned forward in his seat. “I was eleven when Dad died. And watching you in so much pain, well, I realized this trip home, it made me want to withdraw from anything that close to me. Being a journalist, by nature of the job, let me remain detached. I couldn’t be detached here at home. Not with you and not with Charlotte.”
Raina expelled some of the obvious anger, fears, and frustration with one long breath. “I’m sorry. For everything.”
“You can’t hold yourself responsible for fate. Or someone else’s reaction to it.”
She met his gaze. “You really don’t understand.”
“I do. And I love you for your concern, but don’t stress over it.” He rose. “If you do, I’ll report straight back to your doctor.” Eric or his associate would give his mother a good talking-to if she risked her health in any way.