to know exactly how to use Ski’s considerable talent.
"In case you forgot," Joey said, "that bitch has plenty of dough. You saw what they’ve been doing--fixing up the whole damned house. She’s probably been paying for it with my money."
"Yeah, you’re right. So what are we gonna do?"
"I got an idea. Even if it turns out Meri doesn’t have any money left, I bet the old man or her boyfriend does. Did you see that fancy Jeep parked in the driveway? Those cars don’t come cheap."
"You’re right, Joey."
"Yeah. All we gotta do is take our time, figure out a plan, then go for it. Somebody’s got money." Joey looked back at the house, watched the upstairs light go out.
A slow smile spread across his face. "Somebody’s got money," he repeated. "And I’m going to have something they want bad enough they’ll be more than happy to give it to me."
CHAPTER EIGHT
Meri spent her last day working in the dining room, cleaning and polishing the furniture and the beautiful silver tea service. Even the glass chandelier over the table sparkled and gleamed.
She had told Daniel and Ian she planned to leave in the morning. Both of them had tried to talk her into staying but her mind was made up. Every time she looked at Ian, her heart hurt.
Stupidly, she had let herself fall in love with him, and it was a crazy, ridiculous thing to do. Ian had never hinted at any sort of feelings for her, nothing, at least, beyond the physical attraction he felt, and even that he had determinedly avoided.
If she stayed, she was going to get very badly hurt and worse than that, so was Lily. Her little girl was falling in love with Ian and Daniel, too. If Meri didn’t get her daughter away from there soon, leaving the men was going to turn into a terrible trauma for Lily.
Meri sighed. Tonight was their last night in the house and though her heart felt heavy with the thought of leaving in the morning, she wanted to make this last night special.
With Daniel’s permission, she set the long mahogany table with Emma’s best china and sterling silver, got out the pink, stemmed glasses that went with the set, and put candles back in the silver candelabra she had found in the sideboard.
The room looked beautiful. No one had seen it yet, but she was sure Ian and Daniel would be pleased. She had also cooked a special supper of old-fashioned roast chicken, biscuits, carrots, and potatoes. The food wasn’t fancy, but she had learned that it was a meal Emma had cooked for them, and it was one of their favorites.
She had taken one last risk and asked Daniel if she could invite Heddy Peterson.
"She was very kind to Lily and me," Meri said. "I’d like to include her if you wouldn’t mind."
Daniel’s smile came slow, but it spread across his face. "One more change, Meri, honey? Is that what you’re thinking?"
She blushed, knowing he had read the truth in her face. "I was thinking it might be good to have a friend again."
Daniel nodded. "You could be right. Invite her if you want. I’m not sure she’ll come, though. I haven’t treated her too well these past few years."
But Meri was certain Heddy would come, and when she had phoned the woman, the older woman had enthusiastically agreed.
"I’ll bring my famous rum and chocolate-chip bread pudding. I got the recipe from Emma years ago. Daniel always loved it."
"That would be perfect, Heddy."
As soon as everything was ready, Meri went upstairs to change for supper. She dressed Lily in the one nice outfit she had packed for her, a pretty little sky-blue chemise dress with a ruffle around the hem. She brushed Lily’s dark hair and helped her into her best shoes, a pair made of shiny black patent leather.
"I look so pretty, Mama." Lily twirled in front of the full length mirror in the corner, her dark, chin-length hair whirling around her face. "I like wearing pretty dresses."
Meri felt a twinge.
"In case you forgot," Joey said, "that bitch has plenty of dough. You saw what they’ve been doing--fixing up the whole damned house. She’s probably been paying for it with my money."
"Yeah, you’re right. So what are we gonna do?"
"I got an idea. Even if it turns out Meri doesn’t have any money left, I bet the old man or her boyfriend does. Did you see that fancy Jeep parked in the driveway? Those cars don’t come cheap."
"You’re right, Joey."
"Yeah. All we gotta do is take our time, figure out a plan, then go for it. Somebody’s got money." Joey looked back at the house, watched the upstairs light go out.
A slow smile spread across his face. "Somebody’s got money," he repeated. "And I’m going to have something they want bad enough they’ll be more than happy to give it to me."
CHAPTER EIGHT
Meri spent her last day working in the dining room, cleaning and polishing the furniture and the beautiful silver tea service. Even the glass chandelier over the table sparkled and gleamed.
She had told Daniel and Ian she planned to leave in the morning. Both of them had tried to talk her into staying but her mind was made up. Every time she looked at Ian, her heart hurt.
Stupidly, she had let herself fall in love with him, and it was a crazy, ridiculous thing to do. Ian had never hinted at any sort of feelings for her, nothing, at least, beyond the physical attraction he felt, and even that he had determinedly avoided.
If she stayed, she was going to get very badly hurt and worse than that, so was Lily. Her little girl was falling in love with Ian and Daniel, too. If Meri didn’t get her daughter away from there soon, leaving the men was going to turn into a terrible trauma for Lily.
Meri sighed. Tonight was their last night in the house and though her heart felt heavy with the thought of leaving in the morning, she wanted to make this last night special.
With Daniel’s permission, she set the long mahogany table with Emma’s best china and sterling silver, got out the pink, stemmed glasses that went with the set, and put candles back in the silver candelabra she had found in the sideboard.
The room looked beautiful. No one had seen it yet, but she was sure Ian and Daniel would be pleased. She had also cooked a special supper of old-fashioned roast chicken, biscuits, carrots, and potatoes. The food wasn’t fancy, but she had learned that it was a meal Emma had cooked for them, and it was one of their favorites.
She had taken one last risk and asked Daniel if she could invite Heddy Peterson.
"She was very kind to Lily and me," Meri said. "I’d like to include her if you wouldn’t mind."
Daniel’s smile came slow, but it spread across his face. "One more change, Meri, honey? Is that what you’re thinking?"
She blushed, knowing he had read the truth in her face. "I was thinking it might be good to have a friend again."
Daniel nodded. "You could be right. Invite her if you want. I’m not sure she’ll come, though. I haven’t treated her too well these past few years."
But Meri was certain Heddy would come, and when she had phoned the woman, the older woman had enthusiastically agreed.
"I’ll bring my famous rum and chocolate-chip bread pudding. I got the recipe from Emma years ago. Daniel always loved it."
"That would be perfect, Heddy."
As soon as everything was ready, Meri went upstairs to change for supper. She dressed Lily in the one nice outfit she had packed for her, a pretty little sky-blue chemise dress with a ruffle around the hem. She brushed Lily’s dark hair and helped her into her best shoes, a pair made of shiny black patent leather.
"I look so pretty, Mama." Lily twirled in front of the full length mirror in the corner, her dark, chin-length hair whirling around her face. "I like wearing pretty dresses."
Meri felt a twinge.
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