Part 19 (1/2)

Sterling nodded, not knowing what to say but knowing he had to be completely honest with Nicholas Chenault about how he felt. ”I started not to come. I didn't want to at first, but now I'm glad I did. I had to close this chapter in my life.”

They were still at the hospital and Dr. Thorn had given them the use of his private office to drink some much-needed coffee and to talk.

Nicholas got up and walked over to the window and looked out. ”I hope you'll reconsider that, Sterling.”

Sterling lifted a dark brow. ”Reconsider what?”

”Closing this chapter in your life. How do you think I feel just finding out I have a brother?”

Sterling sat back in his chair. ”I don't know. How do you feel?”

Nicholas turned to face him. ”Shocked, surprised, betrayed. I felt all those things at first but now I feel glad and overwhelmed. And to think all those years I thought I'd been an only child.”

Sterling shrugged and took another sip of coffee before saying, ”You were.”

”You still haven't forgiven her, have you?” Nicholas asked after a few minutes had pa.s.sed.

Sterling took his hand and rubbed it down his face. ”Yes, I've forgiven her.”

”Then why do you want to close this chapter in your life? Why not fully open it and get to know Angeline.”

Sterling sighed deeply. He wondered how he could make Nicholas understand. Colby was right when she'd said forgiving wasn't so hard, but forgetting was. ”It's for the best, Nicholas. I've forgiven her but a part of me won't let go and forget just yet. You don't know what it's been like for me. You don't know all the garbage I had to deal with all those years.”

Nicholas came back to the chair across from Sterling and sat down. ”I think I have a good idea. Mom told me everything before she got sick. She even told me what she did to you that day in North Carolina when you were only a little boy. And while she was telling me I couldn't believe it. It was like we were talking about two different people. The mother I know and love just could not and would not turn her back on her child. But she convinced me she wasn't the same person then. When she walked out on you and your father she was barely seventeen.”

Sterling drew back wearily. ”Barely seventeen or not, she was still Chandler's wife and my mother.”

”I know that and again I think I understand how you may feel, but I'm asking you to accept her now as she is, a warm and loving person. And accept me as I am, a man who desperately wants to get to know his brother.”

Nicholas took a deep breath before continuing. ”Don't close this chapter in your life. Give yourself a chance to know the Angeline Chenault that I know, and in time, hopefully you'll be able to forget the pain. And I want you to give yourself a chance to know me. There's more than just you and Angeline involved in this now. There's me.”

Nicholas stood. ”Have a safe trip back to North Carolina and tell your wife that I send my congratulations. I hope to get the chance to meet her one day.”

Sterling nodded. ”I'm sure that one day you will.” Then he glanced down at his watch. ”I've a couple of hours before my plane's ready to take off. How about lunch? I think you need a break from here. Do you know of any place nearby where we can grab a couple of sandwiches and engage in a private conversation?”

”A private conversation about what?” Nicholas asked.

”About you.”

Nicholas frowned. ”What about me?”

”Some weeks ago Kyle Garwood approached me about a business proposition concerning you and Chenault Electronics. At the time, because of personal reasons, I wanted no part of it. Now I'd like to take another look at it.”

Nicholas's mouth tightened. ”That's not what this is about, Sterling. That's not what I want from you. I'd much rather have a brother than a business a.s.sociate.”

Sterling heard Nicholas's words and felt the truth in them. A tender smile touched his lips. ”How would you like to have both?”

Silence settled around the two men as the meaning of Sterling's words became clear. Nicholas returned the smile. ”I'd like that.”

Colby enjoyed her walk, which covered the vast area of Sterling's property. The trees were a mixture of pine, hickory and oak. She also noticed signs of birch, maple and hemlock. She smiled. Her cla.s.s at school would have loved taking a field trip here during back-to-nature week.

She sniffed the air to smell the fragrance of the camellias, dogwoods and orchids. When she made it to the edge of the property she turned back around and took in her surroundings. The land that belonged to Sterling was beautiful.

In the distance, from where she stood high on one of the smaller mountains, she could see Sterling's home. And not too far away was the older house where he was born, the one Chandler had preferred living in until the day he had died.

Brus.h.i.+ng off an old tree stump, she sat down. She had missed Sterling's phone call that morning while she'd been in the shower, and the only message he had left with Mac was that he would be coming home sometime today.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when in the distance she heard someone call her name. She lifted a surprised brow when she recognized James's tall form. She stood and began walking down the mountain toward him. When she got closer she saw the angry and intense look on his face.

”James? What is it? What's the matter?”

”I want the truth, Colby. I want to know the real reason you married Sterling Hamilton.”

Chapter 20.

Colby turned away from James and let out a long, shaky breath while she nervously ran a hand through her thick hair. ”I don't know what you're asking me, James.”

He gently turned her around to face him. ”Don't you? If not, then let me explain things. I received a visit from Homer Morton of Morton Industries, and he's made some serious accusations. He's claiming his company tried to take over Wingate Cosmetics and in retaliation, Hamilton purchased a number of controlling shares of stock in his company and has placed them in your name.”

Colby shrugged. ”So, what's wrong with that? Sterling didn't do anything illegal did he?”

James frowned. ”No, but I'd like to know how Sterling knew about the Morton Industries takeover attempt when I didn't, and why he purchased those shares of stock for you. What's he getting out of all of this?”

When Colby didn't answer, James took her hand in his. ”We've never kept secrets before, Colby. I need to know the truth. Morton is not a happy camper. There's no telling how far he may take this, and I need to be prepared. He thinks I worked some deal with Hamilton and married you off to him to save Wingate Cosmetics. You and I know that's not true, but others may see it that way. So you have to tell me why you and Hamilton got married.”

Colby looked at James before giving him a nervous little smile. ”I married Sterling because I love him.”

James nodded gravely. ”I believe that. Now why did he marry you?”

Colby's eyes slid from James and she released her hands from his. ”You don't think he could love me?”

”I'm not saying that and you know it. To be quite honest with you, I was totally convinced Hamilton loved you. But now...”

”Yes?”

”But now I don't know what to believe. I keep playing my conversations with Hamilton over and over in my mind, and I suddenly realized that at no time has he actually admitted to me that he loved you. He just acted like he did, and very convincingly I might add. And that's what worries me. I'm not sure if his actions were sincere or if it was playacting on his part.”

Total silence surrounded brother and sister. After a few minutes had pa.s.sed, Colby said, ”Okay, I'll tell you everything, but please try to keep an open mind about what I'm telling you.”

When James didn't say anything Colby went over and sat back down on her tree stump. ”You may as well make yourself comfortable on that one,” she said to James, indicating the other stump across from her. ”This may take a while.”