Chapter Thirty
I felt like I was walking on eggshells Friday morning.
Especially when I brought Henry in to Miles for their dance party and found Penelope already there, sitting on his desk in a skintight black body suit.
I guess black was her signature color. Like I said before, she wasn’t necessarily gorgeous, but there was something about her that was appealing.
She carried herself well and she had that artistic vibe going for her.
Even her asymmetrical haircut played into her persona.
Her stunning violet eyes didn’t hurt either.
When I walked in, Miles was taking my sketch out of her hand and placing it back on his desk where it belonged. Penelope threw me a snide look.
“Good morning.” I tried to pretend that it was business as usual. I set Henry free and he ran to his uncle.
Miles took Henry up in his arms. “Good morning, mate. Did you sleep well?”
Dang. Miles was even more attractive with Henry in his arms. At least I thought so. Penelope’s slackened mouth said she was horrified.
Henry shouted, “I want to dance!”
Penelope rubbed her finger against her ear. For goodness sakes, he wasn’t that loud. Had she never been around a child?
Penelope reached out and petted Miles’s arm. “Only five more years until you can send him to boarding school.”
I gasped and held onto my chest. Miles wouldn’t do that, would he?
Miles’s eyes hit mine. He swallowed hard several times.
Penelope offered me a smug smile. “Is something wrong? Afraid you’ll be out of a job?”
“Enough, Penny.” Miles stood with Henry in his arms.
I wasn’t worried about job security. I was sick thinking about the little boy I loved so much being all alone at a boarding school.
“Are you ready, love?” he asked me.
Distracted, I pulled out my phone to record his dance.
Miles used his phone to pull up a song by the band Wings called “Silly Love Songs.”
Penelope came and stood next to me. Oh joy.
As soon as Miles turned up the music and before I could hit record, she whispered in my ear, “Don’t think he’ll be content to play house with you forever.”
She stalked off before I could tell her that at least he wanted to play with me. That sounded kind of kinky. Maybe it was a good thing that didn’t come flying out of my mouth.
I watched and recorded Miles’s silly dance. The song repeatedly said “I love you” throughout. I foolishly wished that maybe someday he would point at me and repeat those words. But I was happy he was directing them all at Henry.
When they were done, Henry ran back to me saying, “Let me see. Let me see.” He loved watching himself on the screen. I handed him my phone and caught Miles’s attention across the room. “You’re not thinking of sending him to boarding school, are you?”
Miles gave me a pained look. “That is several years away, and nothing has been settled yet.”
“So you’re thinking about it?”
He released a heavy breath. “Aspen, my life has been turned upside down the past several months. And you won’t be around forever. I have to keep my options open.”
I wasn’t ready to let it go. “But boarding school?”
“They can be quite lovely.”
“Surely not as good as being with you.”
He flexed his fingers several times. “Aspen, you don’t know that. I’m not the man you wish me to be.”
“How do you know what I wish for?”
He lowered his head. “Because I know you, and it’s the same thing I wish for.” He took his seat at the desk. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot to accomplish.”
I stared at him for a moment. Did he truly wish for the same thing as me?
Henry tugged on my hand. “Again.” He handed me the phone.
I picked him up and kissed his head, wishing I could do it every morning until he was at least old enough to drive a car. But from the sounds of it, I wouldn’t be getting my wish. Like Miles said, I wouldn’t be around forever. The thought stabbed me in my heart.
I left Miles to his brooding ways and took Henry to the cottage with me.
Chloe was bubbly this morning. She was feeling good about her report and she was looking forward to the dance tonight. She had her beautiful dress laid out on her bed so she could admire it while she got ready for school.
I loved having both kiddos at the table eating my blueberry pancakes. Chloe was so good with Henry and he was the happiest when he was around her. I didn’t blame him; she was amazing.
After I dropped Chloe off at school I stayed in town as long as I could.
Anything to stay away from Penelope, and if I was being honest, Miles too.
Unfortunately, it was too nippy to stay at the park for long and Henry wasn’t in the mood for the library again.
He begged to go home so he could play with his trains.
How could I say no to his cuteness? Seriously, I could kiss his cheeks all day long.
When we arrived back at the house, I was grateful to find only Oscar and Molly sipping tea at the island. Apparently, Penelope was off taking pictures of the landscape. I was surprised she wasn’t in Miles’s office trying to seduce him.
“Can I make you something to eat?” I offered the pair since I had to make Henry’s lunch anyway.
Oscar set down his teacup. “You are a doll, that would be lovely.”
Molly’s eyes followed me wherever I went, from placing Henry in his booster chair and giving him some fruit snacks to tide him over to when I walked over to the refrigerator. “You are certainly different from Miles’s usual type.”
“Quite right you are,” Oscar agreed with her.
I opened the refrigerator and stuck my head in it. Can we say awkward? “Um . . . he’s my boss.”
“He must be a wicked boss. Wicked Mr. Wickham,” Molly said, making them both laugh.
I set down the ham and cheese I retrieved from the refrigerator on the island and tried not to make eye contact with Oscar and Molly, but they weren’t going to let this go.
“Does she remind you of someone?” Oscar asked Molly.
“Oh, yes, now that you mention it. She’s practically the spitting image of the only woman Miles has ever loved,” Molly replied with glee.
That got my attention. My head popped up and was greeted with two mischievous grins.
Oscar ran his finger around the rim of his cup. “It’s like Isabella has come to life.”
“No wonder our mate has transformed into a domestic god. He’s met his match.” Molly dared me to challenge her.
Oh, I would be. “We have a professional relationship.” They didn’t need to know any different.
Their laughter pealed through the house.
“Please, lovey,” Oscar could hardly contain himself, “the sexual tension between you two is delicious.”
“Now we know why he didn’t dash back to London like we all thought he would despite the promise he made to Sophie,” Molly added.
Oscar gave me a good once over. “Looking at you, he may never come home.”
“That’s not true.” I began arranging bread for grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. “Do you mind if we change the subject?” I tried to keep the pain out of my voice, but I didn’t do a very good job. They had no idea how I wished Miles and Henry would stay.
“Oh, dear, we’ve upset you. I’m sorry,” Molly said. “It’s just, you don’t know what a transformation has taken place in Miles. You have had quite the effect on him. Let me say it is a good one.”
I set down the butter knife I was getting ready to use. “What was he like before?” I couldn’t help but ask.
Oscar reached over and stole a piece of sliced cheese. “He was always a good mate, but a bit self-absorbed.”
“A bit?” Molly ripped a corner of cheese off Oscar’s slice and helped herself. “He missed Penny’s first wedding because she got married during one of his polo matches.”
“She was married?”
“Twice,” they said in unison.
“What happened?” I asked.
“Besides her loving nature?” The sarcasm oozed out of Oscar. “She’s never gotten over Miles.”
I gripped the island’s edge. “They dated?”
“Off and on for a couple years a long time ago,” Molly responded. “For Miles’s part, he was up front with her and he let her down gently.”
I turned on the griddle. “Maybe they’ll finally work things out.” My stomach turned at the thought. Not only did I not want Penelope with Miles, I hated to think of her as a parental figure for my sweet Henry. She’d ship him off to boarding school for sure.
They fell onto each other, chuckling.
“Listen to her.” Molly snorted.
Oscar reached his hand out to me. “Lovey.”
I cautiously took his well-manicured hand.
He held my hand between his own. “I don’t know the exact arrangement between you and our mate, but believe me when I say the man is besotted with you. Perhaps even with the new life he is living here in the Wild West. It will be interesting to see how it all works out.”
Things certainly took an interesting turn.
Miles came down to have lunch with us. He kept casting me furtive glances from across the table while his friends regaled me with tales of them closing down pubs, singing for their dinner in poorer days, all the way to holidays in Monte Carlo where Miles was stalked by several cougars in their sixties.
While we were all laughing about how Miles had to hire security to save him from senior citizens, Penelope walked in with a camera case slung across her shoulder and a look that said she wished I’d never been born.
I was thankful my mom called, giving me the excuse to walk into the kitchen and answer my phone.
Granted, Penelope could still see me, but the kitchen was full of weapons in the event I needed to protect myself from her.
“Hello.” I kept my eyes on Penelope, who was rubbing Miles’s shoulders. She was making everyone uncomfortable, even Henry, who threw a fruit snack at her. I loved that kid. It was a good aim too. It landed in her hair, making her squeal. I had to hide my smile.
“Honey, it’s Mom. I have some bad news.” This was never a good conversation starter. My heart started pounding wildly thinking of all the possibilities, from my siblings being in an accident all the way to my mom hating Miles’s book. She was currently reading A Rose for Every Season.
I turned around against my better judgment, praying Miles wouldn’t let his ex-lover hurt me. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s your dad. He’s an idiot.”
Oh. That was a relief. I mean, not that I was happy to hear my father was an idiot, but it was better than a paralyzing injury or heart attack. “What did he do?”
“I’ve told him a dozen times not to eat at the gas station near his office, but does he listen? No. He got an egg salad sandwich of all things there yesterday. He’s been up all night having it come out of both ends, if you get my drift.”
Loud and clear. Yuck.
“Honey, he’s so sorry, but he’s in no shape to take Chloe to the dance tonight. He’ll make it up to her.”
I leaned against the refrigerator. “Is he sure he can’t take her?”
“He fell asleep on the bathroom floor and he’s still running a fever. I know this means a lot to her, but I’m sorry, honey, it’s not possible.”
“Okay,” I choked out. “I hope Dad feels better soon.”
“We’ll try and make it to her game tomorrow if we can. I have another report for Miles.” Of course she did.
I hung up, feeling ill.
“Everything all right, love?”
I jumped. I hadn’t realized Miles was standing behind me, too close for my own good. My entire body zinged and zanged. I gazed up into his tell-me-everything eyes.
He hesitantly reached out and wiped an errant tear off my cheek. “What’s happened?”
“My dad got food poisoning and he can’t take Chloe to the daddy-daughter dance tonight. She’s going to be crushed, especially after Leland’s brief appearance and then him skipping town. She was looking forward to dressing up.”
Miles pressed his lips together. I could see the wheels turning in his mind. “What if I took her?”
I could hardly believe I’d heard him right. “You have plans tonight. I don’t want to ruin those for you.” I peeked around him at his friends staring at us, one was shooting daggers at me with her eyes while the other two were egging me on.
He glanced back at them for a moment before focusing right back on me. “Chloe is more important.”
He had no idea what those four words meant to me. I flung myself against him and wrapped my arms around him. “Are you sure?”
He enveloped me in his arms. “Absolutely.”
“Thank you.” I breathed him in.
“It’s my pleasure.”
It was then I realized I belonged in his arms. How I longed to stay there, but I knew he was unsure, so I untangled myself from him.
I was never again placing myself in a man’s arms who wasn’t one hundred and ten percent sure that’s where he wanted me to stay.
“I’m sorry for . . . uh . . . you know .
. . touching you . . . I mean, hugging you.
” Why did I always sound like an imbecile in front of him?
He leaned in and whispered in my ear, “You have my permission to touch me anytime.”
I didn’t get to respond because Penelope cleared her throat so loud I thought she might have coughed up a lung. “You’re abandoning us for the night?”
“We can go out for a late drink when I return from the dance.” Miles tried to placate her.
“Wait.” I thought of something Chloe might find important. At her age, embarrassment was the worst and Miles’s dancing was, let’s say, unconventional. “Do you know how to dance properly?”
Miles wickedly grinned before taking my hand and pulling me to him. Okay, I know I just said I would never place myself in his arms again unless I knew he was sure, but for the record, he put me there, not the other way around.
He held my right hand out while his free hand rested on my back. He stepped forward and back then twirled me around before bringing me in very close to his body, proving he had some moves. “You’re not going to dance like that with Chloe, right?” I asked, breathless.
“That move was for her mother only. I will treat her as if she were my own daughter.” He released me.
He was seducing me with his words. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek without even a second thought. “You don’t know what that means to me.”
Miles rested his hand on the cheek I kissed. “I think I do.”
I was about to get lost in his eyes, but Penelope was tsking and tapping her boots so loudly against the wood floors, it was going to give us all a headache. “So, what are we supposed to do while you’re out playing father dearest?” she spat.
Oscar clapped his hands together. “We will help the lass get ready of course. She will be the belle of the ball.”