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“She’dtell me it’s good genes. When she started introducing otherthings into the relationship, I almost gave in, that was howdesperately I wanted to please her.” He turned to face her,eyes weary and sad. “I was so tempted and would have doneanything to keep her.”
“Only youdidn’t.” She pointed out softly. “You came to yoursenses the way I did. You have to stop beating yourself up.”
“I have a trackrecord.” He reminded her harshly. He could talk to her –she was the only one he could open up to, the only person he didn’thave to pretend with. “And it’s damn lousy.”
“That’schanged now. You had the good sense to ask me to be your surrogate.”She said lightly, desperate to take that look off his face.
It succeeded. Leaningback against the railing, he laughed, arms crossed over his chest,broad shoulders shaking. “Yes, that I did.”
“There you go.”Holding out a hand, she waited for him to come to her and took herhand. Tugging lightly, she persuaded him to take his seat. “Wemade mistakes and hopefully we would have learned from them.
Right now, I’mnot going to allow any negative talk of the past. We’re goingto concentrate on the future, and that future will include a tinybaby. You need to concentrate on that.”
“You’reright.” Taking a deep cleansing breath, he gave her a gratefullook.
“Good.”Squeezing his hand before releasing it, she pushed up out of theswing.
“You’renot wearing shoes?” He noted, staring at the small feet withthe bright-green nail polish.
“Look at that.”Throwing him a teasing smile, she took his hand and led the wayinside. “I have to warn you I gave the maid the day off.”
“I won’tsay anything about the cobwebs I see hanging from the ceiling."He laughed out loud as she stopped and stared upward.
“Imade you look.”
“For that,you’re going to help with the dishes.” Leading the wayinto the cozy yellow and white kitchen, she went to get an apron,tying it around her slender waist. “I made chili and a salad,and we’re eating right there.” She pointed to the smalltable under the large bay window.
"I’venever washed dishes in my life. Oh, the wine."
"Go and get itand you’re going to learn today. I’m not doing this bymyself."
"Yes ma'am."He gave her a mischievous grin and hopped off the stool to go backoutside.
Odette liked the facthe was feeling much lighter. She’d been away when she heardwhat happened to him and had reached out immediately. He’d beena wreck - not just from the disappointment and loving a woman who wasas crazy as hell, but that same woman had almost ended his life.
The double blow hadleft him reeling. He’d gone into a depression that had lastedmonths. To her credit, his Mother had fought to get him back and shecould see he was getting there.
Getting the saladtogether, she was chopping lettuce when he came back in with a bakerybag and the wine.
"I picked updessert as well."
"Please tell meyou know me well enough to pick up strawberry shortcake."
"I know you verywell."
"Remind me tokiss you when I’m done." She pointed to a space on thecounter. "Open the wine and let it breathe." She squintedat the label and nodded in satisfaction. "Cabernet. Perfect."
"Shall I pour usa glass?"
"I’malmost finished here and yes, I could use one."
"How’s thedesign going?" He went to fetch the glasses and came back towork the cork out of the bottle. It was strange how at home he felt.It wasn’t just the coziness of the place, but her company aswell and it’d always been that way between them.
Taking the glass fromhim, she dumped the greens into the bowl and took an appreciativesip. "I’m stuck."
"You’renever stuck."
"Well, I am now.I’m supposed to be designing these period costumes for themovie - Loving Elizabeth - as in Queen Elizabeth and I’m wayoff. I’ve read the script and done my research, but I stillthink there’s something I’m not getting."
