“Actually, I’d like to see Mr. McKellar, if he can spare just a few minutes.”
The woman eyed her through red plastic-framed glasses. “Can I say who’s calling?”
“I’m his daughter-in-law. My name is Stevie.”
The older woman walked slowly around the end of the counter-styled desk. “You’re Cole’s wife?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Peggy. Cole’s stepmama.” She directed a look at Stevie’s middle, then glanced back up at her face. “Nice to meet you. I was sorry I missed you when you stopped by before.”
So at least Jim had mentioned their visit. “It’s very nice to meet you, too, Mrs. McKellar,” she said warmly.
“Call me Peggy. Nothing’s wrong with Cole, is there? He’s okay?”
“Cole’s fine. He’s out of state on a business trip but he’ll be back in a couple of days.”
Peggy’s eyebrows rose. “Does he know you’re here?”
Making a little face, Stevie shook her head. “No.”
“I’ll get Jim. Move that parts catalog and sit in that ch
air if you need to take a load off your feet.”
“I’m fine, thank you. I can’t stay long.”
Perhaps five minutes passed before Jim stepped in, closing the door behind him. He was wiping his hands on a shop towel, something Stevie now suspected was a habit to keep him from having to shake hands. She didn’t bother to offer hers this time, though she gave him her most winning smile. “Hi, Mr. McKellar. It’s good to see you again.”
He nodded curtly. “What can I do for you?”
She felt her smile dim a little. To be honest, she was so accustomed to rather easily disarming people that she was a little startled Jim was not particularly receptive to her. “I just wanted a few words with you, if you have a couple of minutes.”
“Did Cole send you?”
“No. He’s away on a business trip. He doesn’t know I’m here. It was sort of an impulsive visit.”
“Hmph.” Jim swept her with a look. “When are you due?”
“Early August. It’s a boy. I thought you’d like to know.”
The math was simple enough. He grunted, his face showing no particular emotional reaction to the news that he would have a grandson. Was he really so cold, or was he even better than his son at masking his thoughts?
“So that explains the quickie marriage. One of them ‘have to’ situations, huh?”
“No one ‘has to’ get married these days, Mr. McKellar. Cole and I chose to marry.” For purposes that were none of his business, she added silently.
He shrugged. “I understand he makes good money doing whatever it is he does with computers.”
For a moment she didn’t follow him. The comment seemed to be a non sequitur. When it suddenly occurred to her what he was suggesting, she drew back with a frown. “I certainly didn’t ‘trap’ Cole into marriage, if that’s what you’re implying.”
Jim shook his head. Apparently her words had left him unconvinced. “That boy has always been a sucker for a woman in trouble. He married that last girl knowing she was likely going to die, but she didn’t have anyone else to care for her at the time, coming from the worthless family she had. I didn’t see any reason for him to put himself through that, but he never would listen to my advice. I know he went into debt paying her medical bills. Not that he ever asked for a penny from me, I’ll give him that. So if you think he’s got a bunch of money stashed away somewhere, I’d imagine you’re wrong.”
“Mr. McKellar—”
Either he didn’t notice the signs of her mounting temper or he waved them off as insignificant. “And don’t think you’re going to get anything here, either. Everything I got is sunk into this place. The boy could have had this business given to him outright someday, but he always thought he was too good for dirty mechanic work,” he added bitterly. “Instead, he holes up with his computer and spends all his money helping the women who marry him because they need someone to take care of them.”
Furious now, Stevie drew herself up to her full five feet two inches, clenching her hands at her sides. “You might be my father-in-law, Mr. McKellar, but I’ve got to tell you... You’re a—a...” A word Cole wryly used after frustrating business transactions popped into her head, and she applied it with no trace of humor. “A moron.”