A Great Kisser Page 18

  “Oh, she was beautiful enough to turn any man’s head, but I think the bank balance certainly didn’t hurt.” Jake glanced over at her. “Not to stick my nose in, but are you concerned that Arlen might be after your mother’s money?” He hadn’t thought about that, as Arlen was one of the town’s wealthier citizens, but then he remembered what Ruby Jean had inadvertently let slip, about Arlen still apparently having bigger political aspirations than remaining mayor for life of Cedar Springs. Which put another new wrinkle on things. He’d wondered if Arlen was interested in Lauren’s connections…but maybe her mother had connections of her own. The kind that came with lots of zeroes attached.

  “It’s…crossed my mind.”

  “Well, if it eases your mind at all, Arlen isn’t exactly hurting.”

  Which was true as far as it went. But it took a lot more than a fat personal account to mount a campaign.

  “In a few of the more recent articles, it seemed to me that, perhaps, there has been a bit of a cooling off between him and his former in-laws. Will that affect his personal bottom line? I guess what I’m asking is, how much does he rely on the Covingtons in his personal business dealings?”

  “I’m not sure what might be going on between him and the Covingtons,” he said, which was absolutely true as he really didn’t make it his business to keep up with any of that. That was Ruby Jean’s territory. And anything she’d said to him would have gone in one ear and out the other, which was a long-ingrained habit whenever she started in on what she’d heard. “But I don’t think it would really make that big a difference. If they’d had any real falling out, the whole town would have heard about it.” He wouldn’t have been able to avoid it.

  Lauren seemed to ponder that bit of information, then said, “Do you think they—the Covingtons—like him personally, or—”

  “I think, from what I know, that they will always hold him in special regard, because it was due to his connecting with their daughter, and eventually marrying her, that she came back to Cedar Springs for good, which is where they’d wanted her all along.”

  “Tight-knit family?”

  “Most are out here. But they are particularly so. It’s a very patriarchal family, with very old-fashioned views. The elder Covingtons are in their eighties, and their only remaining child, Charles, Cynthia’s younger brother, pretty much oversees all their interests now.”

  “And how does he get along with Arlen?”

  “Fine, as far as I know.”

  Lauren fell silent again. “Did his first wife resent having to come back home?”

  “I was too young, really, to remember all of that when it was happening, but the story goes that she wasn’t totally thrilled. When Arlen came back to meet her folks, they got to talking about his political aspirations, and I think they saw an opportunity there.”

  “Provide him with backing to run for mayor, and thereby keep him, and their daughter, in Cedar Springs,” Lauren said.

  “Pretty much.”

  “And she came around to that idea?”

  “I don’t really know. Like I said, I was barely a teenager at the time and we were dealing with a lot in our own family.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about, just a fact of life. It’s not town lore, if that’s what you mean. I’m sure most of the older residents probably have some take on their relationship, as they’d have socialized with them, but my parents didn’t, to my knowledge, and I know my grandfather didn’t.”

  “Something specific, or just that their paths wouldn’t have crossed?”

  “Oh, everyone’s paths cross out here, but it was more than that. Patrick, my grandfather, wasn’t particularly fond of the way that the Covingtons lorded it over the area. He was excited when the resort developers came to town, thinking that would balance the political scales a little because the Covingtons had pretty much ruled the area’s interests for a long time. Patrick saw it as a way to help keep the town from dying out, which was something even the Covingtons couldn’t control, as more and more of the younger generations were leaving to find careers elsewhere.”

  “Did it?”

  “Definitely, but you have to remember, those developers bought the initial property for the resort—”

  “From the Covingtons.”

  “Exactly. So, at least at first, nothing really changed much. I only know this from listening to my grandfather gripe about it all the time.”

  “How long has the resort been here?”

  “Almost as long as I’ve been alive. About thirty years.”

  “So it was up and running before Arlen came to town.”

  “Yes, why?”

  “No reason, just trying to add in all the details I can. Does Arlen have any direct business dealings with the resort owners?”

  “He’s mostly into cattle ranching, here at least, which relates directly to his relationship with the Covingtons, and it’s something he’s maintained and grown even though they are no longer directly related. If he has any personal dealings with the resort, I don’t know about it. As mayor, he’s been very much a part of keeping the peace between the ranching community and the resort community. But that’s all I know.”

  “Did the resort help your grandfather’s business in the long run?”

  “Oh, absolutely. He was very much for it, which didn’t make him a favorite of the Covingtons or the other ranchers, but he thought it was what saved Cedar Springs and I’m sure he was right about that. It wasn’t only the newer generations leaving and not staying to maintain their family holdings. Ranching, mining, all of it, isn’t what it used to be in terms of its continued viability. Tourism, on the other hand, is something that is always viable if you have the right product to sell. It kept Cedar Springs from going the way of a lot of the other small mining and ranching towns you saw that we drove through on the way in from Holden.”

  “Yes, I remember. What else can you tell me about Arlen? I know he married again, about five years after his first wife died. He would have been, what, in his mid to late forties then, right? He married Cynthia Covington in his midthirties and she died a few years later.”

  “They were married about seven or eight years. Car accident. It was a real tragedy here. Her family was just beside themselves. And as the mayor’s wife, it was…it was a tough time for everyone.”

  “Was she well liked?”

  “Well respected was more like it. She was every bit the local heiress, our own Jackie O of sorts.”

  “Did you know her?”

  “I remember her, but no, not really. I mean, we all knew each other to a certain degree, but I was definitely not from a family with that kind of pedigree. Even in a small town, there are social strata. We didn’t run in the same circles, even as small as those circles might have been.”

  “But people looked up to her.”

  “Envied her, certainly. I don’t really know much beyond that. I’m a guy, we don’t pay attention.”

  She smiled. “And you were a young teenaged boy, so I’m sure you had a few other things on your mind.”

  “Exactly.”

  “They never had any children. Was that any kind of a ‘thing’ or was it just the way it was.”

  “As I recall, there was some talk of whether or not they’d start a family—everyone wants newlyweds to have babies, after all.”

  Lauren gave an exaggerated shudder. “Not every newlywed.”

  Jake laughed. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”

  She laughed with him. “Go on.”

  “Anyway, I just remember there being talk, mostly, I think because of the money, her family, having an heir and all.”

  “Did her brother ever have kids?”

  “No. Never married.”

  “Gay?”

  Jake slanted her a dry look. “Not in that generation.”

  Lauren shot one right back at him. “But is he?”

  He smiled. “I don’t honestly know.”

  “So there is no d
irect heir, then, after him?”

  “I guess there isn’t. I don’t know about Lars Covington’s relations—he’s the senior Covington—so there might be someone on the family tree somewhere.”

  “But not directly in the picture?”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  “Would Arlen be in line for any of it?”

  “I don’t know the details of Lars’s will, or what he’d be likely to do. Not a big one for talking—never was. But, I guess it’s not outside the realm of possibility. It’s not talked about, though, so if he is, it’s not common knowledge I don’t think.”

  “When Arlen remarried, did it anger the Covingtons?”

  “Not that I know of. I don’t think they’re the type who’d expect him to mourn for the rest of this life. It was several years later that he began seeing Paula Slattery, and they were married a few years after that, so there was no scandal that I can recall.”

  “I dug up a story about their divorce that said their marriage was strained due to their inability to have children.”

  “She was a lot younger than he was, wanted kids. I don’t know that Arlen did or didn’t, but it was talked about in town circles. Gossip mostly. I didn’t really pay attention, but it wasn’t exactly a secret that the mayor’s wife’s clock was ticking.”

  “Did their inability to conceive bother Arlen?”

  “Well, I can’t imagine he was happy about it, at least in the sense that he’s a man’s man kind of guy, and in the west, well—”

  “I get it. It’s not macho to be infertile, even if it’s the wife’s problem.”

  “More or less,” Jake said wryly.

  “So, their marriage lasted about as long as his first one, until he was in his early fifties; she was almost forty. Was it just about not having a family?”

  “So the gossip goes, yes. And before you say anything, there is no escaping some gossip here. But beyond that, they kept their personal life very personal. Paula was not like Cindy Covington, not remotely. She didn’t really involve herself in town functions or organizations and pretty much stayed out on their ranch most of the time.”

  “Polar opposite from a Jackie O type.”

  “Very much so.”

  “How did the town react when they divorced?”

  “No scandal. I don’t think anyone was surprised. Arlen is definitely the sort to want something bright and shiny on his arm—” He glanced at Lauren. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I don’t mean he escorted sweet young things, but he is a social creature and everyone thought he’d marry someone who was far more like Cindy.”

  “Was Paula connected?”

  “Do you mean was she loaded?”

  Lauren’s smile was dry. “I meant did she have political or family connections that might have benefited Arlen? And yes, that would extend to whether or not she had personal wealth. I ask, because if she wasn’t the social butterfly Arlen would have typically gone after, then I was just thinking maybe there was another reason.”

  “Maybe he just loved her.”

  “Is that what you think? You know him.”

  “Not well enough to know that kind of thing, but I think we’re all prone to falling. Even—”

  “—someone like the mayor? Meaning that you’d be more inclined to think he’d marry for…other things?”

  “Again, this is where personal disposition comes into play, and I’ll be up front and tell you my answer would be colored by my personal feelings of the man.”

  “So noted. And?”

  “He might have been in love, but I don’t know that he’d have married her if he didn’t think there was something else in it for him. Sorry.”

  “Nothing to be sorry for. Do you think the same about his marrying my mother? And you can be frank; it’s okay.”

  “He’s gone it alone for a much longer time this go around, so I really don’t know. And I’m being honest. A man gets to be in his senior years, and it’s hard to say what might motivate him to pair up again.”

  “But putting that aside, it would be keeping with character for him to choose a mate for things other than his heart being in play?”

  “I feel like I’m not really in a position to know that. But I know what you’re getting at, and my gut answer would be yes.” He looked over at her. “Again, I’m sorry. And, also again, I don’t know at all that my opinion there means squat when it comes to your mother. I really don’t.”

  “Well, to put your mind at ease, he may love her for love’s sake—after all, they did run off and elope—but my mother is definitely connected, both politically and financially. So she wouldn’t be outside the norm for him, in terms of choosing a mate. Other than the fact that she’s more East Coast blue blood than western royalty. I imagine the two cultures are vastly different.”

  “I’d agree. Although the bottom line might be the same. I’ll be honest with you and say I see more of what he’d see in her, given his attraction to Cindy, who might have come from ranching royalty but went to college on the West Coast and definitely had big city polish—”

  “But do you see the reverse attraction?”

  “I don’t know your mother. Other than socially, and even there, it’s not much more than a nodding acquaintance and that mostly because of Ruby Jean working for her husband.”

  “Well, I do…and there isn’t anything in her history that would make falling for someone like Arlen—not insulting, just saying—seem reasonable. Given her past and her choices. I’m still stumped.”

  “Still think he has ulterior motives?”

  “I’ll just say I’m not convinced he doesn’t.”

  “I hope I haven’t colored your thinking too much—”

  “I wanted your honest opinion and I thank you very much for giving it to me. You seem a pretty good judge of character and not someone who shies away from honesty or the truth. Beyond that, I can come to my own conclusions, and yours is just one opinion.” She smiled. “It just happens to coincide with mine, so I find it particularly insightful.”

  “As long as you’re keeping perspective.”

  “Right.” She laughed, then she sighed. “I wish this weren’t so complicated. And I wish my gut wasn’t so intent on telling me something isn’t right. My mother seems happy. Very happy, actually. But the bond between them is…well, not awkward exactly, but not how you’d think a newly married couple would be. Especially a ‘we had to elope’ couple.”

  “Maybe they were just going out of their way to be respectful of your discomfort with their marriage.”

  “Maybe. But it did come up today, and…I don’t know. Maybe tonight will help a little with giving me better perspective with that.”

  “I hope so. One way or the other.”

  They pulled off the main road and started down the long gravel one that led to Arlen’s ranch, which spread out across the flat acreage to the west of the drive. All along the right the ground surged up abruptly into sharp, jagged peaks. They climbed a little before dipping back down to circle around the side of the sprawling ranch house. The elevated part of the drive revealed acreage that extended down a high valley, almost as far as you could see. Not nearly in the realm of what the Covingtons’ holdings were, or even several other large ranches in the nearby area. But it was substantial enough. And impressive enough.

  Jake wondered if her impressions were changing at all, now that she was seeing what Arlen had backing him up. Jake would have said that he didn’t see Arlen marrying for wealth or connections at this later stage of his life, but given what Ruby Jean had let slip, it all was questionable now. He didn’t know what Arlen had in his sights and debated on mentioning that to Lauren, but opted to discuss it with his sister first. After all of this, he wasn’t going to be the one spreading unfounded gossip.

  “Thank you, again,” Lauren said as they pulled in behind Arlen’s pickup truck, which was one of several vehicles of varying sizes and uses parked in the larger paved lot. “For being willing to be h
onest with me.”

  He shut off the engine. “My pleasure.” And despite all the turmoil roiling around, both inside her head…and very likely inside that ranch house, he realized that he absolutely meant it. Which was kind of shocking when he thought about it like that. But at the moment, he was far more concerned with being there for her in whatever capacity she might need him this evening, than whatever his personal discomfort might have been with the proceedings. “Come on. Might as well jump in.”

  “Might as well,” she said, sounding very unenthusiastic.

  He came around and opened her door and helped her hop down. He kept his hands on her waist. “Should we have a signal?”

  “You mean a ‘get me out of Dodge’ kind of thing?”

  He smiled. “Something like that.”

  “I’ll let you know if I need rescuing.”

  “Somehow I can’t see you ever needing rescuing—”

  She laughed. “Says the man who’s done more of it with me than anyone in recent memory.”

  “Well, you might not need it, but if for any reason you want it—”

  “Just…be there for me. Steer me if I inadvertently go off in a direction that’s not going to help my cause.”

  “Help you read the room? The once-executive assistant to a state senator needs my help with reading a room?”

  She smiled back at him but he could see the uncertainty in her eyes. “It’s a pretty intimate room. And I’m obviously a little too close to what’s going on to perhaps see things as clearly as I should. So, it’ll be nice to know I have an outside observer keeping my back.”

  “I don’t know how outside I am…” He leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. “But I’ll do my best to get us both out of there in one piece.”

  “Ulterior motives again?”

  He slid his hand into hers. “Maybe.”

  She held on, then squeezed. “Probably.”

  They headed around to the gate that led to the back of the property, where the rich scent of smoke barbecue filled the evening air. “Is that going to be a problem?”

  “No.” She looked up at him as he held the gate and smiled. “It’s probably going to be my salvation.”