Read Online Cautious Lover by Stephanie James - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stephanie James
Ads: Link
been pestering you?"
"No, but she will as the time of the stockholders' meeting gets closer," Elly predicted. "Aunt Clara is very persistent, especially where money is concerned."
"I've been thinking about that situation, Elly ." Jess suddenly sounded all business. "Why don't I look into it for you? If Aunt Clara and the family knew you had some, er ..."
"High-priced firepower to back me, she might stop bothering me?" Elly concluded with a quick grin. "Jess, I couldn't afford even half your usual fee."
"For you I'll work cheap."
"How cheap?"
He paused and then said blandly, "An answer to my proposal would be sufficient. A yes answer, that is."
Elly's brief humor faded. "Jess, please don't push."
"Honey, there's no reason to hesitate and you know it." He seemed to want to pursue the argument but instead changed the subject. "Carrington hasn't shown up has he?"
"No."
"Good. I want you to let me know immediately if he does. Understand, Elly ?"
"I understand." Elly wondered how Jess could suddenly sound so cold and forbidding. Only a few seconds ago he had been trying to coax her into agreeing to marry him.
"Eating dinner?"
"How did you guess?"
"Just a hunch, based on the fact that I'm about to eat mine. What are you having?"
"Leftover lentil casserole and a glass of that Washington State cabernet wine I had tucked away in the cupboard."
"Sounds good. Better than the frozen dinner I just put into the oven. I'll be down early on Friday, Elly ."
Elly's hand clenched in unexpected nervousness. "Fine."
"I think you should be able to have your answer ready by then, don't you?" The question was cool and pointed. "I—I don't know, Jess."
"I think you do, honey. Stop dragging it out. You know this is what you want. Goodnight, Elly ."
"Goodnight, Jess." Unhappily she replaced the receiver. He had cut off the conversation so quickly tonight. Usually Jess talked for half an hour when he called,
The phone rang almost immediately. Elly reached for it without thinking, and this time it was Aunt Clara. With a stifled groan, Elly forced herself to listen politely while her aunt went through a harangue about the financial reasons for selling Trentco . There was no attempt at a discussion; it was purely a lecture.
Elly was exhausted by the time she hung up and for the first time she wondered if things might not be easier if she let Jess represent her. Dealing with family was always an emotionally taxing situation, especially when the relatives in question were Trents . Maybe a disinterested third party could exert a calming, persuasive influence.
The drawback to involving Jess in the thorny family situation was that it meant involving him more deeply in her life at a time when Elly was wondering if it wouldn't be best to end the relationship.
It was Sarah Mitchell who reminded her the next day of the potluck gathering scheduled for Wednesday evening.
"Good Lord, I almost forgot," Elly exclaimed. "I'm supposed to take my world-famous lentil casserole."
"I didn't know you had a famous lentil casserole. Last time you brought a salad, didn't you?"
"Believe me, this sucker is going to be famous after Wednesday evening. I've been working on it for months. I think I've got it tuned to perfection. Jess seems to like it, at any rate. What are you bringing, Sarah?"
"Thanks to the advance I got from Jess I think I can manage my usual whole wheat pasta salad. By the way, I've already started designing some glass for the entry-way of his inn. I went out to the place this morning and did some studies. I'm really looking forward to doing the work."
Sarah's enthusiasm was heartwarming. Little Compass Rose jabbered contentedly while the adults talked, and Elly privately concluded that both the child and her mother were probably going to be better off without the unreliable influence of Mark Casey in their lives.
That realization made Elly think of Jess. Whatever qualms she had about marrying him weren't based on any fears of his
"No, but she will as the time of the stockholders' meeting gets closer," Elly predicted. "Aunt Clara is very persistent, especially where money is concerned."
"I've been thinking about that situation, Elly ." Jess suddenly sounded all business. "Why don't I look into it for you? If Aunt Clara and the family knew you had some, er ..."
"High-priced firepower to back me, she might stop bothering me?" Elly concluded with a quick grin. "Jess, I couldn't afford even half your usual fee."
"For you I'll work cheap."
"How cheap?"
He paused and then said blandly, "An answer to my proposal would be sufficient. A yes answer, that is."
Elly's brief humor faded. "Jess, please don't push."
"Honey, there's no reason to hesitate and you know it." He seemed to want to pursue the argument but instead changed the subject. "Carrington hasn't shown up has he?"
"No."
"Good. I want you to let me know immediately if he does. Understand, Elly ?"
"I understand." Elly wondered how Jess could suddenly sound so cold and forbidding. Only a few seconds ago he had been trying to coax her into agreeing to marry him.
"Eating dinner?"
"How did you guess?"
"Just a hunch, based on the fact that I'm about to eat mine. What are you having?"
"Leftover lentil casserole and a glass of that Washington State cabernet wine I had tucked away in the cupboard."
"Sounds good. Better than the frozen dinner I just put into the oven. I'll be down early on Friday, Elly ."
Elly's hand clenched in unexpected nervousness. "Fine."
"I think you should be able to have your answer ready by then, don't you?" The question was cool and pointed. "I—I don't know, Jess."
"I think you do, honey. Stop dragging it out. You know this is what you want. Goodnight, Elly ."
"Goodnight, Jess." Unhappily she replaced the receiver. He had cut off the conversation so quickly tonight. Usually Jess talked for half an hour when he called,
The phone rang almost immediately. Elly reached for it without thinking, and this time it was Aunt Clara. With a stifled groan, Elly forced herself to listen politely while her aunt went through a harangue about the financial reasons for selling Trentco . There was no attempt at a discussion; it was purely a lecture.
Elly was exhausted by the time she hung up and for the first time she wondered if things might not be easier if she let Jess represent her. Dealing with family was always an emotionally taxing situation, especially when the relatives in question were Trents . Maybe a disinterested third party could exert a calming, persuasive influence.
The drawback to involving Jess in the thorny family situation was that it meant involving him more deeply in her life at a time when Elly was wondering if it wouldn't be best to end the relationship.
It was Sarah Mitchell who reminded her the next day of the potluck gathering scheduled for Wednesday evening.
"Good Lord, I almost forgot," Elly exclaimed. "I'm supposed to take my world-famous lentil casserole."
"I didn't know you had a famous lentil casserole. Last time you brought a salad, didn't you?"
"Believe me, this sucker is going to be famous after Wednesday evening. I've been working on it for months. I think I've got it tuned to perfection. Jess seems to like it, at any rate. What are you bringing, Sarah?"
"Thanks to the advance I got from Jess I think I can manage my usual whole wheat pasta salad. By the way, I've already started designing some glass for the entry-way of his inn. I went out to the place this morning and did some studies. I'm really looking forward to doing the work."
Sarah's enthusiasm was heartwarming. Little Compass Rose jabbered contentedly while the adults talked, and Elly privately concluded that both the child and her mother were probably going to be better off without the unreliable influence of Mark Casey in their lives.
That realization made Elly think of Jess. Whatever qualms she had about marrying him weren't based on any fears of his
Similar Books
