by Mimi Barbour
A robust man in his late fifties entered the room, a jovial grin on his face. “Ladies, what a pleasure to meet you. Nancy talks so much about you.”
“Here you are, Howard,” Nancy introduced her husband.
“Maria, I feel I already know you.” Senator Howard was as friendly as they come.
His charisma filled the air and he outstretched both arms to enfold Maria’s frail hand between his. With silvery hair at the temples and thin lines underlying his eyelids, he presented a mature and pleasant personality quite in line with his position. Emma flipped a glance from the senator to his son and noticed the subtle smile hovering on Josh’s lips.
He’d settled on the empty sofa and seemed amused by his father’s affable greeting.
Had she missed something?
Chapter Two
Being engaged to Emma wouldn’t be such a bad deal. At the glass and mirror bar separating the family room from the informal dining area, Josh prepared the drinks while he studied his prospective fiancée. Her golden hair pulled back with a rhinestone barrette revealed the perfect oval of her face, her pert nose, and greenish-blue eyes.
He’d have given a lot to know her reaction when her mother had related their three-month arrangement. For the time being, she was studying him as intently as he was studying her.
At first, the demure hair style and light makeup of their guest had surprised him. Emma hadn’t spent a long time in front of her mirror to prepare for her first visit to her prospective fiancé. He chuckled under his breath. She was more than pretty—attractive and delightful. His pulse accelerated at the thought that he would soon kiss her.
Heck, kissing was part of an engagement’s fringe benefits. She’d have to comply with some demonstrations of affection, at least for public relations’ sake and his father’s campaign. Besides, no one would ever believe that Josh Dutton would entertain a platonic relationship.
Would that explain her aloofness?
Don’t worry, babe. He’d guarantee her his best kisses, la crème de la crème. He lowered his eyes to the fancy glass to hide a wicked smile and thoroughly stirred the coconut and pineapple mix. Maybe a tad more rum in her Piña Colada would relax her and loosen her inhibitions until they got to know each other better.
Josh placed the various drinks on a French brass and glass tray-table with wheels and rolled the cart on the parquet floor to the edge of the Persian rug extending between the two sofas.
“Pink lemonades for Maria and Mom.” He handed them their glasses with straws. “Piña Colada for Emma and the same for me.” He placed the tall curvy glasses on the cocktail table in front of his guest. “And a scotch on the rock for Dad. Now I can sit and enjoy the conversation.”
Ignoring his empty space on the long sofa, he pulled a chair next to Emma’s and angled it to better face her.
“May I propose a toast?” Senator Howard stood his glass in hand. “To a new friendship and to your prompt recovery, Maria.”
“Thank you, Senator Howard. Thank you Nancy for all your help.” Her eyes bright with tears, their older guest raised her drink with a shaking hand.
Emma’s lips pinched and her fingers clenched on the stem of her glass.
Bummer, she didn’t seem pleased with their deal. Josh needed to pull her away from this room and talk to her privately as soon as possible. He couldn’t impose a relationship—even a temporary one—that repulsed her.
“My mother mentioned you were in law school,” he said to start a conversation.
Emma arched her eyebrows, a speculative gleam in her eyes. “I studied for two years and then asked for a leave of absence to take care of Mom after her back surgery. I’ll return to school when she recovers.”
Emma cast a quick glance at her mother and then lifted her chin. “How about you? What do you do? Work on your father’s campaign?”
Stunned, he weighed her questions. He didn’t like her tone of voice. Why was she assuming he couldn’t do anything better than work for his father?
“I’m a lawyer. Although my firm handles all type of lawsuits, we specialize in medical malpractice. I defend the doctors who work twenty-four-seven and then are sued by the family of a patient who had the misfortune of dying. No politics in my life.”
A smidgen of a smile finally stretched her full lips and dazzled him.
He’d better not dwell on her luscious mouth too long. At least not for now.
“I didn’t know.” She tilted her head and peered into his eyes, her curiosity evident.
Had her stepmother neglected to give Emma the basic information about him, his career, his lack of involvement in politics?
Had they even talked about her playing the role of his fiancée for three months?
A peek at the older folks reassured him they were busy discussing the unfairness of medical insurances and couldn’t hear his exchange with Emma. To be on the safe side, he lowered his voice. “Did anyone tell you that my picture appears in the tabloid magazines regularly?”
“Really? Why?” Twinkles sparkled in her eyes and her smile broadened, tugging at the base of his heart.
He pushed his chair closer to hers and breathed her sweet perfume—a scent that suited her delicate features and attracted him as much as it curbed his eagerness. Emma was so different from the women who’d traded kisses and night of pleasure with him. “I’ll tell you a secret. They consider me an interesting case.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Hmm, tabloids like playboys and bad boys. They think I’m one of the worst.”
Her head tilted to one side. “Are you?”
“I don’t believe so.” He brought his palm to his heart. “I’m a good honest man, without an ounce of hypocrisy, but I’ve been unlucky enough to be caught in, hmm, compromising positions.” He cleared his throat and looked into her beautiful eyes. How would she react to his confession?
She chuckled and leaned forward. “Did they take pictures of you kissing a woman or more...”
“Not even kissing. Just dancing, or boating, or swimming. Nothing more, but you should have read the captions under the pictures. They made Senator Howard blow his top.”
A fit of laughter shook her. She was adorable, so genuine, so feisty. The temptation to take her in his arms and kiss her stirred his insides and he clenched his fingers.
“Do you still have these magazines? Can I see them?” Mischief danced in her eyes.
“No way. I prefer not to darken your opinion of me.”
Sobering, she shrugged. “I find the whole thing entertaining, but it’s none of my business what you do with your girlfriend.”
“I have no girlfriend, Emma. No one special in my life. These pictures were of different women at different times. My father’s rivals are using them to hurt him and steal his voters.”
“I can see why your father would be upset.” She grimaced and slanted a look at his parents, then faced him again. “Can’t you make an effort and behave for a while... Sorry, I mean, can’t you avoid the paparazzi?”
“I try.” He captured her gaze, two limpid aqua pools, the color of a Caribbean sea.
Obviously, Emma had no inkling of his parents’ deal with her mother. A twinge of guilt poked at his conscience.
Roberto, the Dutton’s cook for thirty years, entered the room with several folding tables. “Ms. Nancy, I will bring dinner now.”
“Yes, please. We’ll eat here in order to keep Maria comfortable,” Nancy announced.
Josh helped Roberto set the tables in front of everyone. The cook left and returned a moment later pushing a wooden cart with several covered dishes warming over heating trays. On each folding table he placed printed place mates and a set of silverware, and then he uncovered the pans. “We have grilled chicken, filet mignon, glazed carrots, green beans almandine, potato au gratin, and in this basket an assortment of breads.”
“I’ll help Maria.” Nancy took a plate from the cart while Emma watched her intently.
“Only a small piece
of chicken and a spoon of potato,” Maria instructed. “Thank you, Nancy.”
“Your mother is so nice to my mom,” Emma commented with a confused expression. “Although they have nothing in common to justify this friendship.”
“My mother genuinely likes Maria,” Josh explained. “Don’t search for a hidden agenda.” Yet it hit him that his parents had concocted a whole deceitful plan based on this friendship.
“In that case I’m happy for Mom. She has very few friends.” Emma released a sad sigh that clutched his heart. This young woman had too many responsibilities. “Except for me and Mrs. Dutton, and a neighbor who often comes to visit, Mom doesn’t have many people to talk too.”
And since Emma spent most of her time at her mother’s side, she, too, probably had very few friends. Josh wouldn’t mind spending a few agreeable hours in her company, not to further his father’s political ambitions but to know her better.
The perfect hostess, Nancy had served Maria and now turned to Emma and Josh. “Help yourself.” A mouth-watering smell of garlic and spices emanated from the food cart. Josh followed Emma to fill their plates.
“How about a glass of wine, sir?” Roberto asked Senator Howard. “Chardonnay or Bordeaux?”
“Chardonnay,” Senator Howard decided.
“Emma?” Josh asked.
“I’m not an expert on wines. A glass of white will do. Thank you.”
Roberto poured the wine for Emma, Josh, and his father and refilled the ladies’ glasses with pink lemonade.
At the end of the dinner, Roberto returned to clear the tables and announced he would bring coffee and dessert in half an hour.
Josh dabbed his mouth with his napkin and stood, eager to be alone with their pretty guest. “Emma, my mother designed the most beautiful landscape. It’s still day light. Would you like to take a tour of the gardens?”
“We can’t leave just like that.” The young woman sneaked a quick look at her mother.
“Go ahead, sweetheart, go have a breath of fresh air outside,” Maria nodded with understanding.
“We’re here to help your mother if she needs anything. Don’t worry.” Senator Howard granted them a paternal smile. “We should thank both, you and Josh, for attending our senior gathering.”
Since they had the blessing of all three parents, Josh tugged at Emma’s hand. “We won’t be long.”
~*~
A walk outside would allow Emma to reassess her thoughts. For some reason she couldn’t grasp, she had trouble breathing in the senatorial family room. Yet Nancy had been as gracious and affable as possible; Howard Dutton, jovial and benevolent; and Josh, funny and candid, not at all the jerk she’d imagined him to be. Why couldn’t she relax with these people?
After strolling through a spacious dining area, her companion opened a sliding door and let her out into the backyard.
The April breeze greeted her with the fragrance of new flowers on both sides of the three-step stairs. A cobblestone pathway led to a magnificent tiled terrace surrounding a huge swimming pool, and beyond that a tennis court. What a fabulous place.
Yet she couldn’t help the bitter frustration that needled her. Some people had it all, and others like her stepmother struggled with money to keep healthy—although Dad had made sure that his wife and daughter lived comfortably, until a scumbag like Scott Garett had ruined the shops and darkened Emma’s life.
Maybe Nancy Dutton had realized their situation. Was it the reason she was helping Mom?
“My mother has two gardeners but she planted these hyacinths herself,” Josh explained as they strolled to the terrace.
Two white dogwood trees threw some shade over a parterre of yellow and pink tulips. Fuchsia and purple azaleas shrubs painted a fiery background to the well-manicured lawn. The sight of spring and the heady perfumes wafting around them restored a sense of peace in Emma’s heart.
“What’s beyond the hedge?” She pointed at the faraway bright yellow wall of forsythia blocking the horizon. “Another mansion?”
“Yes, good friends of my parents. We played with their kids years ago.”
“We? Any brothers or sisters?” she inquired, her curiosity piqued about this political family who wanted to play benefactors to her mother. Were they genuinely good-hearted or bloodsuckers in disguise?
“Three brothers and a sister.”
“Do they grace the tabloids with spicy tidbits as you do?”
He chuckled and held her hand. “My two older brothers, David and Ethan, did. They got away with murder, years ago—or more realistically with their share of problems. Dad claims that he owes them most of his white hair.” Josh’s arm casually enveloped her back.
Hot tingles shot to her stomach and her pulse raced. Wisdom warned her to beware of this sinfully good-looking man oozing charm and rugged confidence. His beguiling smile drew her closer. Josh was so easy to talk to, to befriend, to enjoy…
“David finally married and Ethan now lives with a steady girlfriend. My youngest brother, Brian, is a resident in psychiatry. He smartly keeps his many conquests within the boundary of his hospital and away from the paparazzi’s cameras.”
She laughed, already liking his brothers. She’d bet they were all handsome devils. “What about your sister? Is she the only angel in this family?” She slanted an ironic glance at him.
“Julia, an angel?” Amusement lurked in his deep blue eyes. “She almost gave our father a heart attack by breaking her engagement a week before the wedding of the century, and going away on her honeymoon with another man. But she married her new friend, a wonderful doctor who managed to win Dad’s approval.”
“Interesting. Not at all how I envisioned a senator’s family,” she mused.
“Exactly. The public expects us to give a good example, to be hard-working, well-behaved and virtuous. We passed the first two and flunked the third one.”
As far as she was concerned, Josh hadn’t flunked anything. More like passing with flying colors the various phases of his life and his career.
They paused on the terrace, contemplating the orange glow of the sunset glitter on the surface of the pool. A flicker of a smile hovered on his lips and grabbed her attention. Those lips were… She swallowed, imagining them on hers.
Had he read her thoughts? His face came closer.
She held her breath, a deep ache squeezing her heart. Her past had been filled with uncertainty, her present with worry and fear. To think of it, she hadn’t been kissed since college.
Could she let go of her restraint and enjoy the moment?
“Relax, Emma. I don’t know if someone hurt you and made you suspicious, but you’re with friends here.”
He had the knack of guessing her thoughts. “Strange...we just met a couple of hours ago.”
“And I told you so much about myself. What about you, Emma?” His smile faded and his expression turned serious. “How do you spend your time?”
“During the day, I stay home and help Mom or I take her to therapy. I work nightshift as a sales clerk in two stores.”
“No sh... Hmm, you work all night long to stay with her during the day? Does Maria need that much help?”
“I’m always worried about her falling and breaking more bones.”
“Did she fall recently?”
“She fell last summer. And before that three years ago. Just after I finished college, she slipped on the ice, broke several vertebras, and had surgery. I spent several months caring for her. Thank God she improved and Dad insisted I follow my dream and join law school. Unfortunately, he died ten months ago when his boat exploded.” The memory brought tears to her eyes.
“I’m sorry. You must miss him terribly.” He squeezed her hand and she heaved a deep breath to continue her explanations.
“Life changed drastically during this past year. Mom fell again and her back pain increased to the point she went through another surgery. That’s why I left law school. As if it wasn’t enough, our auto shops’ business shrunk substantial
ly after Dad’s passing.”
“My poor Emma, you shouldn’t handle all these problems on your own. Is there anyone in the family who can give you a reprieve? Are you an only child?”
“I have a stepsister who’s married and lives in New York. We never see her. Patricia was fifteen when my father married Maria. They didn’t have other children. I can’t afford to get home care for Mom. Unless I find a good job.” She hesitated and then grabbed his arm. “Do you think you can talk your father into hiring me to work on his campaign?”
His eyebrows shot up. She’d startled him with her request.
“I can’t see you in politics, Emma.” He shook his head. “You don’t want to work for Senator Howard. Politics can be awfully stressful.”
“I can handle stress. My life has been one stress after another. But at least I would have a good income. Your parents are so generous, but I hate to...to...receive such help. I mean we’re not poor. Just a bit short on cash because of the medical expenses and...” Darn, accepting charity from the senator’s wife brought a bitter taste to her mouth. She raised her hands in despair.
He considered her silently for a moment and then consulted his smart phone. “I have a better idea. Since you had two years of law studies under your belt, how about joining my firm as an intern and doing research for me?”
“Are you serious?” Suddenly, she had trouble breathing. Please, don’t joke, please.
“Very serious. We can use another intern. But it’s a lot of work.”
“I’m a very hard worker. Believe me, I’m ready to put in long hours. Can I do it part-time or work some hours from home while staying with Mom?” What a tempting offer. Could she leave her mother?
“We only hire for full-time positions. Excellent benefits and a fantastic insurance policy. You’ll have time for your mother in the evening.” His tone sounded so cold and professional.
Still she needed the job, the money, maybe the benefits the position entailed. “Would I be able to claim Mom as a dependent and cover her with the same insurance?”