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"Youhim critically from head to toe

"And you are?"

She put up a hand, a truckload of silver bracelets racking her wrist, then stepped forward and grabbed his hand, pushing her way inside and staring intensely at his pal her head

"Angel?" he said, helpless

"I see you've met Mom"

He glanced sideways at the woman "Not exactly"

Tessa's ed him to have patience Some of her family were apparently a little outside of the loop

Chase studied the woelically smooth, but her mother's hair was red, flame red and ith curls Her slender body was clothed in silks with an uneven, tattered look in shades of blue and purple A ring circled every finger, and Chase resisted the urge to inspect her toes

"Mom?"

Celeste looked up after a moment and s both hands into the pockets of his cutoffs and wishing he were dressed a little better

"Tessa, darling, look at you," herher arht- swung from her arm Her mom's eyes teared "Oh, you're just … just—"

"Pleasingly pluht her mother would cry

Celeste laughed, a soft husky sound, and Chase knehere he'd heard it before: from Tessa, in bed

Tessa closed her ar, and winked at Chase over her shoulder Celeste Lightfoot was a tiny thing

"We were just about to have lunch"

"No red meat, I hope Nitrates, you know"

Chase flung his ar his lips to her temple to smother a snicker If Celeste only kne Tessa had devoured an inch-thick T-bone steak last night, she'd be horrified

"Grilled chicken Corabbed her mother's hand and the tomen headed toward the kitchen

"Chase," Tessa called when he wasn't right behind her She popped her head out of the kitchen,almost panicked

Chase gestured to the door, inching toward it "Ahh, I have a couple errands—"