The Blessing Read online

  “What was what about?”

  David gave her a look that told her she knew exactly what he was talking about.

  “I don’t know. Mr. Wilding and I have gotten along beautifully, but ever since the hairdressers arrived this morning, he’s been insufferable. He stomped around like a bear and made the whole staff, who were so nice to me, run and hide in the kitchen. Charles says the most devastating things about him, and—”

  “Like what? What does Charles say?”

  “That Mr. Wilding once walked past a cow and immediately turned it into frozen steaks. But he also says that Mr. Wilding can boil a kettle of water by looking at it. And, oh, other things. I don’t understand why Mr. Wilding’s been so nice these last days, but today he’s so awful. If the people who came today are gay, shouldn’t Mr. Wilding be nice to them since he’s gay too?”

  “It doesn’t always work that way,” David said, but he could hardly speak because of the effort it took not to laugh. “Ah, what else did Charles have to say?”

  Amy looked at David, blinking for a moment. “Oh, you mean, like that Mr. Wilding doesn’t sweat, doesn’t excrete anything, if you know what I mean.” She turned away for a moment to hide her red face. “That Charles really does have a wicked tongue.”

  David was about to burst with laughter. “And what about women? Surely Charles must have said something about Jason’s women.”

  “You mean his men, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, sure. Whatever. What did Charles say?”

  “Marble goddesses. Charles said that if a woman, ah, burped around him, Mr. Wilding would die of apoplexy. But, David, that’s not true. Last night Mr. Wilding helped me get rid of a migraine. He stayed with me for a very long time, rubbing my temples until I fell asleep.”

  “He did what? I think you should tell me everything.”

  When Amy finished, David was looking at her in astonishment. “I’ve never heard of Jason doing anything like that. He’s . . .”

  “He’s a very unusual man, is what he is,” Amy said, “and I can’t figure him out at all. I just trust Max’s judgment and Max adores him. And I think Mr. Wilding adores Max too.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “YOU REALLY ARE THE MOST WICKED MAN,” AMY SAID, laughing. They were in Jason’s damaged car, driving back to the old, drafty place they called home. “I can’t believe you managed to get a date and tickets to an event like that on such short notice. And what a date! Although I can’t say that she seemed to like you very much.”

  “Parker? I mean Miss Parker? She likes me fine. And I got a date because I’m a damned good-looking guy, in case you haven’t noticed.”

  “Mmm. Well, you’re passable, when you aren’t scowling, that is. So tell me everything.”

  “My hair is natural, my teeth are all mine—”

  “No, idiot,” she said, laughing more. “Tell me about Miss Parker. Whatever did you say to make her laugh like that?”

  “Laugh? I don’t remember her laughing,” Jason said seriously.

  “She is a bit solemn, isn’t she? But you danced with her and she laughed. I heard her. I saw her and it was a real belly laugh.”

  He gave a one-sided grin. “Jealous, are you?”

  “So help me, if you don’t tell me, I’ll . . .”

  “You’ll what?”

  “Tell Charles to stop sending food over and I’ll cook for you.”

  “You are a cruel woman. Okay, I’ll tell you, but all I did was ask her if she was one of those women who falls in love with her boss.” When Amy looked at him in puzzlement, he continued. “You know how some women pine away for their handsome, rich, powerful boss, so they never marry, never have a family of their own?”

  “I’ve seen that in movies but never in real life,” Amy said. “But I don’t understand. Who is the owner of Baby Heaven?”

  “Some guy I know.”

  “Ahhh, I see.”

  “See what?”

  “That you’re not going to tell me. Is her boss gorgeous?”

  “Makes that Gibson guy look like a troll.”

  “Somehow, I doubt that. But, anyway, Miss Parker found the idea of being in love with her boss hilarious?”

  Jason frowned. “Actually, she did.”

  “So why does that bother you?”

  “Who said it bothers me?”

  Amy threw up her hands in helplessness. “I can’t imagine why I thought it bothered you. But then maybe it was just because when she laughed and walked off the dance floor, you stood there for a full two minutes glaring at her back. I was afraid her hair was going to catch on fire.”

  “And well it should!” Jason snapped. “Her boss has been good to her, paid her well for years.”

  “Oh.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing. Just that money is no substitute for personal feeling.”

  “Maybe he didn’t want personal feeling; maybe he just wanted a competent assistant!”

  “What are you getting so angry about? How long did she work for him?”

  “Several years. And what do you mean, ‘did’ work for him? She still does as far as I know.”

  “Well, it won’t be for long.”

  “And what does that mean?” he asked as he swung into the driveway and parked beside Mildred’s Oldsmobile. He knew he was being irrational and short-tempered, but he couldn’t help it. The evening hadn’t gone as he’d hoped. Now that the ball was over, he didn’t know what he’d been hoping for, but maybe he’d wanted, even expected, Amy to . . . What? he asked himself. Declare undying love for him?

  Over the course of the evening he’d tried to keep his attention on Parker, and the others at the party, but he’d only had eyes for Amy. But she had seemed oblivious. But David had noticed.

  “What were you and David arguing about?” Amy asked as he helped her out of the car, taking care that her satin dress didn’t touch the gravel of the drive. She’d looked divine tonight. Pearls and white satin suited her. He gave a little smile at her back as he thought of the engagement ring burning a hole in his pocket. Maybe tonight he’d give it to her.

  Inside the house, Mildred was holding a fretful Max, and when the baby saw Amy, he leaped into her arms, and for a while the two of them held on to each other as though they’d been separated for years.

  “So how did it go?” Mildred whispered as she and Jason stood by the front door.

  “All right,” Jason answered. “Nothing special.” He wasn’t going to tell the town gossip anything.

  “If nothing unusual happened, how come you’re bringing Amy home when she left with your brother?”

  “Sssh,” Jason warned. “Amy thinks David and I are cousins.”

  Mildred turned her head sideways to look up at him. The weight of her hair moved to one side, and for a moment Jason thought she must have astonishingly strong neck muscles to hold something like that up.

  “Have you thought about what Amy’s going to say when she’s told that you’ve played her for a fool?”

  “It’s not quite like that,” Jason said stiffly.

  “Oh? You don’t think buying a baby store, then telling her all that furniture cost two hundred and fifty dollars isn’t assuming she’s an idiot?”

  “She believed it, and that’s all that counts.”

  Amy had taken Max into his bedroom, so he and Mildred were alone in the room. “Look, I’m planning to tell her tomorrow.”

  Mildred gave a low whistle. “Merry Christmas, Amy.”

  “Don’t you think you should go home?”

  “I think you should go home,” Mildred retorted. “I think Amy should be given a fair chance at a man and not be involved in this sick game you and David are playing.”

  “Sick?” he asked, one eyebrow raised. “Isn’t that a bit strong?”

  “So, Jason, how are the men in your life?”

  At that, he opened the front door. “Thanks for taking care of Max.”

  Mildred gave such a g