Page 64 of A Whim and a Prayer

Beck grinned. “No, sir.”

Mitch slapped Beck on the back. “Well, either way, we’ve all missed you.”

Beck cuffed the back of his head, the heat climbing up his neck. “Not ‘all,’ sir. Winnie and I sort of had a falling out.”

“Naw, don’t you believe it—Winnie’s been a bear lately, hasn’t she, Jewels? And I think we all know the reason.”

“She definitely has,” Julia agreed with a sober nod.

“And since I’m sure my wife has plans for a reconciliation, I say we get this show on the road—I’m hungry.” Mitch tweaked Julia’s neck. “Go get the bear out of her cave, Jewels, because dinner’s about to be served.” Slipping out of his suitcoat and slinging it over his shoulder, Mitch headed toward the kitchen, tossing Beck a wink on his way. “And knowing my wife? ‘Crow’ could be on the menu.”

Chapter Forty-Two

“So, Beck—Stu tells me you’ve been pulling a lot of double shifts lately.” Winnie’s Father leaned back with his cup of coffee, suit coat draped over the back of his chair. With white dress shirt sleeves rolled and tie loosened, he looked as exhausted as Charity had said, working extra hours on a fundraiser over and above his job as editor. A smile twitched at the edge of Beck’s lips. “And a stupid fundraiser at that,” as Beck recalled her words.

He glanced up from the last of his apple pie a la mode with fork in hand. “Yes, sir, helps me save for law-school night classes in the spring, so I request double shifts whenever I have free time …

Free time ...

Something he had a lot of lately. His gaze flicked briefly from Mitch to Winnie and back, noting her complete fascination with the food on her plate.

“That sure makes Stu happy for the present, I’ve noticed, but I wouldn’t want to be around when you start night school next semester.” He chuckled as he took another sip of his coffee, offering a lazy smile. “He tends to be a grouch.”

Beck grinned, his manager’s crochety reputation common knowledge at The Herald.

“Well, it takes one to know one, sweetheart.” Charity delivered a sweet smile to her husband with eyes a-twinkle before refocusing on Beck as she stirred more cream into her coffee. “And, I for one am ecstatic that you have more free time lately, Beck …”

Beck couldn’t help but notice the flush that crept into Winnie’s cheeks as she played with the food on her plate.

“… because now Julia gets lessons in chess, so I am absolutely thrilled.”

“Oh, me too, Mama!” Julia shot a grin Beck’s way before diving back into her dessert.

“I hope we’re paying him, Charity, because Beck’s time is money, you know.”

Beck shook his head. “Nope, not necessary, sir.”

Mrs. D leaned in to address her husband at the other end of the table, ignoring Beck’s comment. “Believe me, Mitch, I tried to give him money, but he flat-out refused. Would only accept dinner twice a week and all the snickerdoodles and chocolate chip cookies he can eat.”

Winnie’s head shot up, eyes bugging out of her head as her fork dropped with a clatter. “Dinner twice a week?”

Charity’s smile was so innocent, Beck almost spewed coffee out of his mouth. “Yes, sweetheart. As your best friend, Beck is like a member of this family, so I knew you’d be as thrilled as we are.”

“B-But Beck’s busy enough as it is, Mother,” Winnie said, fingers pinched white on the table.

“No, I’m not.” Smiling, Beck relaxed back in his chair like Winnie’s father, coffee cup in hand. “I’m happy to give Jewels lessons in chess.”

Winnie’s gaze was a knife point. “Mother, may I be excused? I have a paper to write.” Her chair wobbled as she bolted to her feet.

“Certainly, sweetheart, after dishes.”

“What? It’s not my week for dishes—it’s Jewel’s!”

“Yeah, Mama—it’s my week,” Julia echoed with a crease in her brow, “not Winnie’s.”

Charity’s performance was stage perfect as she looked at Julia with a tender smile. “I know, sweetheart, but I’m giving Winnie your night of dishes tonight since she didn’t clean her room like I asked.”

She turned to Winnie with an equally angelic smile. “I’m sorry, darling, but your room looked like a bomb scene when I delivered laundry this afternoon, so you’ll do Julia’s dishes tonight and make sure it’s picked up by tomorrow, all right?”