All That I Need (Grayson Friends) Read Free Page A

Thaddeus’s daughter, Colleen, personally picked this out on a trip to England.”
    Fallon snapped a photo, then lowered the camera. “Clearly she intended this for large family gatherings.”
    “Her son, Herbert, was two at the time,” Lance said. “While traveling she wrote that she and her husband wanted more children. Her son understood the legacy. Ten years before his death, he had his last name changed to Yates.”
    Fallon’s fingertips grazed the table’s polished surface. “Like the sterling flatware you showed me in the linen closet, she wanted these things to be handed down to the next generation, but it didn’t happen.”
    Not a flicker of emotion crossed Lance’s face. “No, her son never married.”
    “I hope the new owners love and appreciate the house and the furnishings as much as Herbert’s mother,” Fallon said.
    “Why would you say that?” Lance asked with a frown.
    She hunched her slim shoulders. “She just put so much into this place, had such hopes. It’s sad that they had to die with her son. Maybe with the next family living here, that won’t happen.”
    Fallon heard a door open, then close. Voices.
    “That will be my employees returning from lunch,” Lance explained.
    Fallon glanced at her watch and gasped. Her gaze quickly lifted to Lance’s. She’d been there almost two hours. It had been easy talking and listening to Lance. But he hadn’t given off any signals that he was interested in picking up where they’d left off—before her unfair accusation.
    She had to admit, she was disappointed. She’d certainly messed up. Perhaps it was for the best. She was leaving in less than a week. “I didn’t mean to take up so much of your time.”
    “It’s all right.” He lifted his long-fingered, manicured hand toward the door. “I’ll show you out.”
    Fallon followed Lance out. In the open area, she saw two young men and an older woman going up the staircase.
    Opening the front door, Lance stepped back so she could pass. As soon as she did he said, “Good-bye. If you have any more questions, or want to come back, you’re welcome.”
    “Thanks.” She tossed her notebook in the car and placed her camera in the case, then straightened. Lance still stood on the wide porch. He could just be being polite, but maybe he’d been thinking about what might have happened between them just as she had.
    “You want to meet at Brandon’s restaurant for dinner around seven?”
    Lance’s gaze narrowed. She’d caught him off guard and it pleased her immensely. “It will make up for my poor behavior when we met, and thank you for not holding it against me today.”
    He stared at her a long moment, as if trying to figure her out. She’d like to think she was one of a kind.
    “I’ll see you at seven.”
    She grinned and felt like dancing. She hadn’t realized how important the answer was to her until he’d agreed.
    “Seven it is.” Waving, she got in her car and pulled off. Through the rearview mirror she saw Lance still standing there. He was such a dichotomy. Who was the real Lance, this self-composed man or the flirtatious one she’d met weeks ago? She was determined to find out.

 
    Chapter 2
    Fallon tried to convince herself that it was just a business/thank-you dinner. Not even changing her dress twice before settling on an off-the-shoulder raspberry-colored dress convinced her otherwise, nor did the three changes of sandals and earrings. However, she gave up trying the moment she saw Lance, tall and mouthwateringly delicious, waiting outside the restaurant for her.
    Her heart did a crazy jitterbug; her legs weren’t quite as steady as they’d been moments earlier. He stood a few feet from the long line of people waiting to enter the Red Cactus.
    She was ten minutes early. She’d told herself it was to allow time to park and not because she was anxious to see him again. She rolled her eyes. It was bad when you started lying to yourself.
    Lance reached her in seconds, his