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Despite the beautiful day, there was a chill to the evening air, and the maid had thoughtfully laid a fire in the hearth. Isabella took a chair and motioned for Aaron to do likewise.
“What do you want to talk about?” he asked, unbuttoning his suit coat to take a seat.
“Your place with my family.”
“Oh?” He looked apprehensive.
“Don’t look so scared,” she said, chuckling. “I know I’ve been mean in the past, and I’m sorry for that. Things are changing for me.”
He seemed to relax. “Go on.”
“I want you to take the job my father has offered you.”
Aaron’s eyes widened. “You do? I thought you found me to be a pain in the neck that you would just as soon be rid of.”
“I did. I also thought I hated your cologne, but over time it’s grown on me.”
He laughed. “Well, at least you’re honest.”
“Painfully so.” She shrugged and looked into the fire. “Mr. Bailey, you were right. I was a spoiled child who wanted her own way. I’m no longer that same woman, however. Seeing my father sick, knowing I’m about to lose him forever ... it’s broken my hard heart.” She lost herself for a moment in memories of the past. As a child she had been so happy. Why couldn’t she grasp just a piece of that happiness again? “I know things will never be the same without him, but I must do whatever I can to see that his absence isn’t a burden upon my mother.” She met Aaron’s gaze. “You can make that happen. And I will do whatever I can to make that easier for you.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“Whatever it takes. I’m sure Papi would speak to the officials at the Santa Fe if necessary.”
“They already know all about it and heartily approve of my taking the job.”
“So what’s stopping you?”
He shifted and looked uncomfortable. “My own selfish desires.”
“I haven’t seen any acts of selfishness on your part. I’veonly observed you doing pretty much whatever my father has asked of you.”
“He’s been after me for over a year to take over his responsibilities. I keep putting him off. I had my own dreams and wanted to see them through. I didn’t want to give up my dreams to take on someone else’s.”
“I understand that.”
He met her gaze. “I know you do. But there’s more to it than I realized at first. I care deeply for your father. He’s my dearest friend and mentor. I think I’m afraid.”
“Of what?” Isabella couldn’t imagine Aaron Bailey being afraid of anything.
Aaron got up and walked to the mantel, where he picked up a photo of Isabella and her parents. He looked at it for several minutes.
She stood and joined him at the hearth. “That was taken shortly before we left California. I was ten years old.”
“You didn’t know you were leaving.”
“No.” She smiled. “How can you tell?”
“Something in your eyes. You look happy.”
Isabella marveled at his astuteness. “I was.”
He nodded and put the picture back on the mantel, but he kept looking at it as if it held some answer to his problem.
“What are you afraid of?” She touched his arm, having never felt quite so intimate with anyone as she did in that moment.
Aaron turned to face her. “If I say yes to your father ... I think he will die.”
