David and John.”
The two rose to shake her hand and were still on their feet when Brad said, “Would you excuse us for a minute?” and led her out of the office. In the hall, he whispered, “How did it go?”
Her meeting with Roy. “Awful,” she whispered back. “They want me to take over as host of the show.”
Behind his glasses, his eyes came alive. “He told you?”
“You knew ?”
“I don’t negotiate the contracts, since I’m not an entertainment lawyer, but Roy told me they wanted the change. This is so good, Jamie. You’ll make an amazing host.”
Jamie was startled because (A) he had known and hadn’t told her and because (B) he thought it was a good idea. “I can’t be the host. Not if it means kicking Mom out.” Brad should have known that. He should have argued with Roy when the issue first came up. “Oh God. Dad asked you to side with him.”
“He didn’t have to. I think it’s a good decision.”
“You think Mom’s not doing the best job?”
“She’s done a great job, but so will you.”
Jamie let out a discouraged breath. “I can’t do it, Brad. This is my mother. And I have a wedding to plan.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry about this morning. My mind’s been on too many other things.”
He shrugged and, in the next breath, asked, “How’s Caroline’s wrist?”
“Better today.”
“Did you wish her Happy Birthday for me?”
“I was barely able to wish her Happy Birthday from me. Thanks to Dad, we didn’t have much time together. Can you and I talk later?” If Roy could enlist Brad to convince Jamie, Jamie could enlist Brad to unconvince Roy. Brad could also advise her on handling Brian and Claire. “What’s your schedule?”
“Lighter than yours. You tell me. What time is good?”
She had clients coming at eleven for a second-round consult on the design of their home, a budget discussion over lunch concerning renovation of a public library, and, when that was done, an on-site check of the construction of one of her banks. Between it all, she had to review her Revit schematic and send it to the plotter so that she would have two full sets to take with her to Atlanta tomorrow.
“Three?” She had a short break then. “Out back, maybe?” There was a large patio behind the office, created to showcase MacAfee landscape designers. Client meetings were sometimes held there, though more often it was where employees went for coffee or lunch. It would be hot today, but there was shade. More important, there was privacy.
“Three, out back,” he whispered. He kissed her lightly, raised a brow and grinned with a touch of mischief that said she was his, and returned to his office.
Jamie should have been reassured by his kiss, his grin, his conviction that she would make a great host. As she headed for the stairwell, though, she was uneasy. She wanted him to side with her from the get-go. He knew what her life was like, and he knew what she felt for her mother. He should have considered all that.
Shouldn’t he have?
four
Caroline hadn’t moved from the porch swing. Granted, it was her favorite spot, but she had never spent the whole morning here. She’d never spent the whole morning off her feet, period—or hadn’t since she’d had the flu, what, four years ago? She was the healthiest person around, and she wasn’t exactly sick now. Her wrist ached, but had it not been her right one, she would have been in the garage working. Gut It! might be done for the season, but other work went on. Most of it involved intricate carving, which was better done here. She had her best tools in the garage, plus ideal lighting and her own music. The guys she worked with liked hard rock. Her sound was more mellow.
Mellow was an apt description for what she felt now, she decided, eyes still closed through a stretch. She had fallen asleep sprawled on the swing after Annie had left, and though she felt sweaty, she didn’t rush to sit up. The birds were
The two rose to shake her hand and were still on their feet when Brad said, “Would you excuse us for a minute?” and led her out of the office. In the hall, he whispered, “How did it go?”
Her meeting with Roy. “Awful,” she whispered back. “They want me to take over as host of the show.”
Behind his glasses, his eyes came alive. “He told you?”
“You knew ?”
“I don’t negotiate the contracts, since I’m not an entertainment lawyer, but Roy told me they wanted the change. This is so good, Jamie. You’ll make an amazing host.”
Jamie was startled because (A) he had known and hadn’t told her and because (B) he thought it was a good idea. “I can’t be the host. Not if it means kicking Mom out.” Brad should have known that. He should have argued with Roy when the issue first came up. “Oh God. Dad asked you to side with him.”
“He didn’t have to. I think it’s a good decision.”
“You think Mom’s not doing the best job?”
“She’s done a great job, but so will you.”
Jamie let out a discouraged breath. “I can’t do it, Brad. This is my mother. And I have a wedding to plan.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry about this morning. My mind’s been on too many other things.”
He shrugged and, in the next breath, asked, “How’s Caroline’s wrist?”
“Better today.”
“Did you wish her Happy Birthday for me?”
“I was barely able to wish her Happy Birthday from me. Thanks to Dad, we didn’t have much time together. Can you and I talk later?” If Roy could enlist Brad to convince Jamie, Jamie could enlist Brad to unconvince Roy. Brad could also advise her on handling Brian and Claire. “What’s your schedule?”
“Lighter than yours. You tell me. What time is good?”
She had clients coming at eleven for a second-round consult on the design of their home, a budget discussion over lunch concerning renovation of a public library, and, when that was done, an on-site check of the construction of one of her banks. Between it all, she had to review her Revit schematic and send it to the plotter so that she would have two full sets to take with her to Atlanta tomorrow.
“Three?” She had a short break then. “Out back, maybe?” There was a large patio behind the office, created to showcase MacAfee landscape designers. Client meetings were sometimes held there, though more often it was where employees went for coffee or lunch. It would be hot today, but there was shade. More important, there was privacy.
“Three, out back,” he whispered. He kissed her lightly, raised a brow and grinned with a touch of mischief that said she was his, and returned to his office.
Jamie should have been reassured by his kiss, his grin, his conviction that she would make a great host. As she headed for the stairwell, though, she was uneasy. She wanted him to side with her from the get-go. He knew what her life was like, and he knew what she felt for her mother. He should have considered all that.
Shouldn’t he have?
four
Caroline hadn’t moved from the porch swing. Granted, it was her favorite spot, but she had never spent the whole morning here. She’d never spent the whole morning off her feet, period—or hadn’t since she’d had the flu, what, four years ago? She was the healthiest person around, and she wasn’t exactly sick now. Her wrist ached, but had it not been her right one, she would have been in the garage working. Gut It! might be done for the season, but other work went on. Most of it involved intricate carving, which was better done here. She had her best tools in the garage, plus ideal lighting and her own music. The guys she worked with liked hard rock. Her sound was more mellow.
Mellow was an apt description for what she felt now, she decided, eyes still closed through a stretch. She had fallen asleep sprawled on the swing after Annie had left, and though she felt sweaty, she didn’t rush to sit up. The birds were
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