“Wouldn’t it show up in an ultrasound?” Mia asked as she munched. “Wouldn’t they see four arms or legs?”
“I’ve only had a couple to make sure things are all right. Nic and I don’t want to know the sex of the baby, and if you keep going, someone is bound to slip. It’s just that at one of the ultrasounds, the technician said there were two babies, but since then, we’ve only seen one.” Brenna tried to lean forward, then sagged back and held out her hand. “Someone give me a brownie, please. I need chocolate.”
Little Haley dove for the brownie Colleen picked up, slipped, and banged her head on the coffee table. She started crying, and Eric joined in, Darcy supposed, to be supportive. Francesca grabbed for one twin, Colleen took the other, and Brenna clutched her brownie.
Mia waited until the sobs had died down, then cleared her throat. “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I called this meeting.”
“You said it was because you thought Paige and Alex have something going on,” Darcy said.
Francesca smiled at her. “They’re your Secret Service agents, right?”
“Two of many,” Darcy said with a shrug.
Francesca rocked Haley. “You must get tired of having so many people around.”
“Yeah,” Brenna said. “I had plenty of that when I lived here.”
Tessa bustled into the room and scowled at her granddaughter. “We’re your family, and you’re lucky to have us.”
Brenna grinned. “I love you, too, Grandma Tessa.”
The old woman’s face softened into a smile.
“Hey, back to my agenda,” Mia said. “Paige and Alex. I haven’t actually seen them doing anything, but there are plenty of longing glances. It makes me wonder what’s up. Darcy. You’re the person most likely to know.”
Everyone looked at her. Darcy held her mug of tea like a shield. “Time out. I don’t know anything. I’ve had Paige on my security team before, but I’ve only just met Alex. To be honest, he’s so by the book, I can’t imagine him with a woman.”
“Still waters,” Colleen said. “Men like that can surprise you.”
Brenna, Francesca, and Mia looked at one another, then Mia said, “Mom, if that is
Colleen’s smile turned smug. “All right, girls, don’t freak out.”
“I’m totally freaked,” Brenna said. “What about you?”
Francesca nodded. “It’s an image I never want in my brain.”
“Alex and Paige,” Mia said. “Stay focused, people.”
Darcy looked at her. “I don’t understand. Do you want to help them get together?”
“Of course.” Mia sat up straighter. “I figure we can trick them into being alone together.”
Interesting plan, Darcy thought. “But they’re already sharing the guesthouse. Doesn’t that mean they’re alone together every night?”
“Oh.” Mia sank back onto the sofa. “Good point. I guess they don’t need our help. So, Darcy, what do you think of Joe?”
Darcy immediately sensed the danger of the situation. Still, she faced the other women bravely and decided the best defense and all that.
“He’s great. What can you tell me about his ex-wife?”
She’d expected a few murmurs about how lovely she was or maybe shrugs when they said they’d never met her. She didn’t expect stunned silence, followed by forty-seven questions at once.
“Married?” Brenna asked. “When did he get married?”
“There’s an ex-wife?” Francesca asked. “Do we know her?”
“Tell me she’s dead,” Grandma Tessa said as she pulled her beads out of her pocket. “Better that than a divorce.”
“I wonder if she’ll tell us what he looked like naked,” Mia mused.
Joe wandered into the kitchen in the late afternoon. He crossed to the refrigerator before he realized Tessa was at the stove. She looked up when he entered but didn’t say anything. Still, the hurt in her eyes was enough to make him feel like a slug.
Dammit, what was he supposed to say to her? He couldn’t give her what she wanted, but that didn’t give him the excuse to be cruel.
He crossed to her and gave her a hug. “I’m sorry about what I said.”
She held him with a fierceness that surprised him. “It’s been three years, Joseph.” She stepped back and stared up at him. “How long? When are we family?”
He didn’t know how to answer that. He wasn’t going to lie, but he didn’t want to hurt her again.
She was so small and frail-she didn’t even come to his shoulder. Funny how she seemed so much bigger when she was bustling in the kitchen or bringing a grown man to his knees with one of her deadly cheek pinches.
Finally she turned away. “I’ll make you some pasta,” she said. “You didn’t eat lunch. You must be hungry.”
His first instinct was to say no, but then he remembered what Darcy had told him. About food being love.
“I’d like that,” he said and was rewarded with a glowing smile.
“Sit, sit. You’ll have bread, too. And salad. Maybe some wine. You like the red, yes?”
“That would be great. Thanks.”
She served the food, poured the wine, then sat down across from him. Later he would swear she waited until he’d taken the first forkful of food and his mouth was full.
“So, Joseph. Tell me about your wife.”
10
“It’s Darcy,” she said. “Is he available?”
“No, honey. He’s in a meeting with China. Want me to interrupt?”
Darcy glanced at her watch. It was nearly five here, which made it close to eight in D.C. As per usual, her father was working late.
“No. That’s okay. Tell him…” What? That she missed him? That would make him laugh. “Tell him I called.”
“Will do. Are you okay? Having a good time?”
Darcy looked around the room, at the familiar furnishings and the view of the vineyard just beyond her window.
“I’m having a great time,” she said.
Darcy’s bedroom door opened without warning and Joe stalked inside. She was about to point out that he should at least pretend to knock-what if she’d been naked-when she saw the slight twitch in his cheek and something that looked amazingly like the need to squash, beat, or maim in his eyes.
She put down the book she’d been reading and held up both hands in a gesture that some might take to be surrender.
“You never said it was a secret,” she pointed out, speaking quickly. “It didn’t occur to me they didn’t know. I mean, come on. It’s been three years and you never bothered to mention to your family that you’d been married? That’s not my fault.”
He closed the door and walked to the bed. She thought about scooting over and patting the mattress in invitation but doubted that was why he was here.
“You’re right,” he said, his voice tight and clipped, which could be caused by his clenched teeth. “I didn’t tell them.”
