That much was true, and since Katie had already guessed that she was, at some slight level, emotionally involved with Mason, there was no reason to argue the point. “All right. So I’m interested. A little.”

“A lot, I’d think.”

“A little.”

“Okay, okay. The way the story goes is that Mason had an affair with Terri Fremont years ago. She got pregnant and he, after losing his job at John’s, er, your—well, my dad’s place, too, I guess. Gosh, this is complicated. Anyway, Mason married her and moved to Montana or somewhere. His sister—you remember Patty, don’t you?” When Bliss shook her head, Katie waved her hand as if to dismiss the girl. “She was a wild one and Mason felt like he had to take care of her after his mother died. Anyway, she moved in with Mason and Terri, and I suspect there was hell to pay. Then Terri miscarried and the marriage was in trouble. The baby was all they had in common, the only reason they had walked down the aisle.”

“Miscarried?” Bliss repeated, jolted. “But Dee Dee . . .”

“Deanna. I know. She came along right after the miscarriage, I guess.” Katie’s face twisted thoughtfully. “I don’t exactly know all the details, probably no one does, but I’m sure . . . Well, I think I’ve got the story pretty much straight.” She took a long sip through her straw. “As I said, I really don’t know Terri that well and Mason’s pretty tightlipped about everything concerning his private life. All I’m sure about is that the split wasn’t amicable at all. They were separated for a couple of years and ended up getting a divorce. Terri, who hired some hotshot attorney from Portland, came out smelling like a rose.”

“How’s that?” Bliss asked, knowing she shouldn’t be listening to such blatant gossip, but she couldn’t help herself. When it came to Mason, she couldn’t seem to learn enough. The thought rankled her. She detested women who were forever trying to find out more about certain men, but here she was, pumping her half-sister for information on the one guy she should forget about.

Katie swirled her drink with her straw, and shaved ice danced in the glass. “Because by that time Mason had done well for himself. He’d saved for years, bought a ranch in Montana, discovered oil on the property and then started buying other places. He threw himself into his business as if he had something to prove. Worked twenty-hour days if you can believe the local gossip. Terri left the marriage a wealthy woman—well, wealthy by Bittersweet standards. I doubt if she’d cause much of a stir in New York or L.A.” Katie tossed down her straw and gulped down the remainder of her drink.

“What about his sister?”