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Mia’s warning came back to him, complete with an icy trickle of dread down his spine. Selina and Regina were too alike not to be friends, or at least well-connected enemies. A moment ago, Jarvis had wanted to get out of Selina’s reach as fast as possible; now he needed to drag things out just in case this conversation could be of help to Mia.
He turned the water on again and tested the seals and flow on each fixture. Taking far more time than the task required, he racked his brain for an excuse to get into the house and closer to Selina’s office.
Gathering up trash and old fixtures, he caught a break to hear that she’d stopped in the kitchen. “What’s the occasion?” Selina paused, listening. “Aren’t you thoughtful? Norton will love that.”
The comment dashed any hope that Selina wasn’t speaking with Mia’s stepmother. “Why isn’t Mia helping? I know the baby is still so new—”
Selina went quiet. Regina must have interrupted.
“Well, I suppose the silver lining is you won’t have to see her flaunting all that baby weight as if it’s a badge of honor. That’s just the worst.” She added, “As if I’m in the wrong because I chose to take care of my body. After all those years modeling, I expected her to have more pride than that.” Regina’s reply brought out Selina’s catty laughter.
Jarvis had a sister and, though his aunt and mother had died, he was aware of how some women could act toward one another. Mia’s fuller figure was beautiful and real, whether or not she was still carrying baby weight. He bristled with an inexplicable urge to defend Mia. And if he did, she’d be in more trouble.
“Do you think her ex wrote that in to the prenup?” Selina queried under her breath. “What? He never wanted kids? So all those rumors about his brilliance are true,” she muttered. “There’s a man with my kind of priorities.”
Grinding his teeth, he continued with his work. Two by two, he carried wine from the outside cooler into the kitchen, avoiding eye contact with Selina. She didn’t seem the least bit perturbed that he could hear her end of the call. At least this uncomfortable scene would help him reassure Mia that her stepmother wasn’t onto her current location.
When the wine was out of the way, he disconnected the old cool
er and pulled it out of the space. While he was unboxing the new appliance, he heard Selina return, her call apparently over.
“Jarvis?”
He didn’t turn around, his hands full as he carefully lifted the wine cooler out of the protective packaging. “Selina?” he mimicked her tone.
“Turns out I need a bit more help. From you.”
“How’s that?”
“My friend has an important gathering coming up. Important to her, anyway. I could use a date with a handsome cowboy. How about you?”
He pretended to read the installation manual. “Cowgirls are more my type,” he replied.
With an amused giggle, she came around to help with the clingy packaging on the wine cooler. “What about this cowgirl? I need a date hot enough to make Regina Graves weep with envy.”
He didn’t think a woman who could threaten a baby could cry real tears. “That’s quite a compliment,” he said. “Who is Regina Graves?”
“Just another second wife, though she’s still married to her musty old wallet,” Selina said.
“You mean old man?”
“Semantics. I mean she’s still earning her keep. It’s a lot of work making a man believe you’re in love with him. She’s stuck and I’m free to date without any worries.”
Jarvis barely kept his opinion locked down. “As long as your date makes her jealous.”
“Especially on this occasion. Come on, Jarvis. You’re a man.” She licked her lips. “You don’t need to understand the female mind in this instance. This can’t be the first time someone asked you out because of that jawline or those shoulders. Not to mention...” Her gaze ventured south. She didn’t need to finish the sentence.
“You don’t think your friend is happy in the marriage?”
“How would I know? I don’t even care.” But the expression on her face said she knew all too well that love and devotion weren’t Regina’s motives for staying married. “What is wrong with you today? Have you met someone?”
“No,” he replied. “I’m as free to date as you are.”
“Then stop being a prude about this and say yes.” Selina hopped up on the counter and crossed her slender legs at the knee. “Norton Graves has money growing out of his hairy ears and Regina loves to flaunt it. She’s throwing a party next week and I could use a date. A really hot date. Say yes and I’ll owe you.”
Jarvis eyed her. It felt like a trap. The last time he’d seen Norton Graves, speaking at a luncheon before he’d left his career for ranching, the man’s ears had been perfectly normal. Maybe Selina was right and guys didn’t notice those details.
“Oh, don’t get too excited there, cowboy. This is a one-night-only deal. I don’t do relationships.”
