Hadn’t he? Linc reminded himself he’d done all the pursuing. If he hadn’t let his feelings for her be known, would she have slept with him? In fact, she’d resisted all his attempts to move their relationship forward. But if he took her at her word and believed she never intended their relationship to be public, then why had she created a fictitious husband?
“We need to get more information before we judge her,” Sawyer continued. “Claire isn’t malicious and I can’t imagine her setting out to hurt you. In fact, when she was talking to those people, I thought she looked afraid.”
He nodded. “I thought so, too.” And suddenly, he couldn’t believe he’d let worry about bad publicity keep him from helping her. “I have to go find her and figure out what’s going on.”
* * *
Claire picked up speed as she broke away from Jasper’s parents and Linc. Uppermost in her mind was escaping the polo grounds and getting to her daughter. The decisions she needed to make could wait until she held Honey in her arms once more.
“Claire!” Everly Briggs was bearing down on her. “Where are you going? I thought we were going to meet up so I could get you the money we owe you.”
“I have the receipts here. Can you mail me the check? I need to leave.”
As she extended the folder to Everly, Claire glanced over her shoulder, looking for the Patmores. But she didn’t see Jasper’s parents. Maybe she’d given them the slip. She sure hoped so. The thought of them following her to Linc’s house alarmed her.
“Is something wrong?” Everly made no attempt to take the folder from Claire. “You seem upset. Has something happened?”
“My address is on the paperwork.” She’d secured a PO Box when she’d first arrived in Charleston and had all her mail sent there.
“Did you and Linc have a fight?”
“What?”
“I saw him a few seconds ago and noticed that he looked angry. Did you fight about how much time he spent with Landry Beaumont today?” Everly’s green eyes gleamed with interest. “Jealousy doesn’t suit you.”
Claire stared at the woman in dumbfounded silence. “I’m not jealous.”
“Because you think he’s going to pick you over her?” Everly laughed, and it wasn’t a nice sound. “That’s never going to happen. You’re not in her league.”
“You don’t think I know that?”
It was hard always being treated like she wasn’t good enough. First, her mother had walked out on Claire. Then her father chose his new family over her. Maybe there was something wrong with her, because she’d become embroiled in a relationship with Linc knowing she was even less suitable than his former fiancée.
“And it doesn’t matter,” Claire continued. “Linc and I aren’t involved.”
“Who do you think you’re kidding?” Everly leaned in and pinned Claire with a malicious stare. “I watched the two of you together and saw exactly what’s going on. You’re sleeping with him.”
Claire recoiled, wondering how such a fun day had gone to hell so fast. She was opening her mouth to deny Everly’s claim when they were interrupted by a familiar voice.
“There you are,” Jasper’s mother said. “Don’t think you can get away so easily.”
“Who are these people?” Everly demanded, assessing the Patmores with a frown. “Did you invite them?”
“No.”
“How did you get in here?” Everly continued.
“Not that it’s any of your business,” Doug Patmore said, “but we had tickets.”
Seeing this answer wasn’t going to satisfy Everly, Claire decided the sooner she got Jasper’s parents out of there, the better. Rather than argue with them any further near witnesses, Claire once again broke off and headed in the direction of the parking lot. As she expected, the Patmores were hot on her heels.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Doug demanded, panting a little as he caught up with her.
“Away from you.” But as they reached the parking lot, Claire slowed down so she could ask the question uppermost in her thoughts. “How did you find me in Charleston and how did you know where I would be today?”
“A woman called us and said you’d moved here,” Sharon said.
Doug nodded. “She said you’d taken up with some ballplayer and were living with him.”