Her attention was drawn to Heath and Jenny just down the table as Heath cut a tiny piece of steak from his plate and fed it to EJ, who sat in a highchair next to him. The toddler seemed all too happy to mouth that little bit of steak, but apparently, Jenny wasn’t pleased by the action, and her face revealed her pique. She said something that was too low to hear, but that didn’t matter. It was all there in her expression and the stiffness of her body.
Sheridan lowered her voice and leaned toward him. “Look at them. They’re arguing.”
“And?”
“Married couples aren’t supposed to argue.”
“Who told you that?”
“I thought they were happy.”
“They are, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be angry with each other. One can be happily married and still argue. We’re all human. We all have feelings.” He laughed softly. “Do you think my mother and Royce have never had a disagreement or a sharp word for one another? I can assure you they do, usually over an ingredient in a recipe, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love each other.” He sobered. “Have you never seen your grandmother argue with your grandfather?”
“No.” She lowered her gaze and looked at her plate. “I never knew my grandfather. He passed long before I was born. Grand-mère never remarried. She seemed quite content without a man in her life.”
“What about your aunt?”
“She never married.” She glanced up at him. “There were no men in our house other than Gillam. He was our butler. Theonly other man who ever visited was Dr. Fontaine.” She inhaled. “There were no men at the school either, except on visiting day when the families of our students came.”
He suddenly understood. Sheridan had been more than just sheltered. She really had no true-life experience. Coming here, inheriting of all things a brothel, being exposed to so many new people, all with differing opinions and attitudes, must have made her uncomfortable, and yet here she was trying. Coming into her own. Learning. And he admired that.
He glanced down the table and smiled as Heath put his arm around his wife then kissed her on the cheek. “Look, they’ve already made up.”
She looked as well and seemed to relax, then finished her meal without another word.
“Who’s ready for ice cream?”TiaEvie rose from her seat, and all at once, the children started singing about ice cream. The littlest one simply banged on the tray of her highchair.
And he loved this. He glanced at Sheridan. Apparently, she was loving it, too. The frown that had appeared on her face when Heath and Jenny were arguing had completely disappeared.
TiaEvie and Jake left the dining room and came back with two ice cream makers, minus the lids, and several bowls and spoons. “We have strawberry or peppermint. The children made them.” She held up a scoop. “Who wants what?”
The children, as well as the adults, all started giving their preference, though not in an orderly fashion.TiaEvie scooped out the desired selection and Jake passed out the bowls. With so much confusion over everyone shouting their desires, neither one of them missed a beat, and no one received what they didn’t ask for.
“What flavor do you want?” Wyatt asked her.
Sheridan grinned at him. “Definitely the peppermint. I have a weakness for peppermint.”
“You do?”
“I do. Particularly peppermint drops, though I do like a peppermint stick every now and then.”
He’d have to remember that. The next time he was in Goldwater’s or Sullivan’s, he’d have to ask to have a tin of peppermints delivered to her. He looked up at Evie, mouthed the word peppermint and watched as she scooped ice cream into a bowl.
Jake placed the bowl in front of her and handed her a spoon. She dug into the frozen concoction and slipped the spoon between her lips. Once again, that smile he was coming to love lifted the corners of her mouth and her eyes. They opened wide with surprise and pleasure, and all Wyatt could do was watch her, the rapture on her face becoming his own.
“Oh, this is delicious! I’ve never had peppermint ice cream before.” Sheridan dug her spoon into the bowl again. “Are these pieces of peppermint stick?”
“They are,” Jake answered.
A short time later, Sheridan pushed her bowl away. “I can’t eat another bite. Best ice cream I’ve ever had.”
“It’s my favorite,” Savannah told her. “Miguel and I crushed up a lot of peppermint sticks. We had fun doing it, too!”
“I think I need to move. I haven’t eaten this much in…well, ever.” She started to rise just as everyone else was doing the same to bring their dirty dishes into the kitchen.
Wyatt stood and pulled her chair away.
“I think I’ll offer to help with the dishes.” She grabbed her bowl and spoon from the table then his and followed the line of people into the kitchen with the exception of Jenny, who was taking EJ out of her highchair.
