“And bring along your handsome husband. He helped so much last time.”
“I’ll ask him.”
“Wonderful. Then I will expect the two of you, along with your marvelous cookies, at eight o’clock sharp.” She made a mark in the notebook, then snapped it closed and nodded. After taking a few steps she turned back. “Oh, Tori. Make it seven-thirty again, so Mr. Cochran can set up the chairs for us.”
“Yes, Mrs. Boswell,” Tori mumbled.
She complained at length to herself as she walked home. It was impossible to refuse Mrs. Boswell, and Tori hated being bullied. But the only other way to handle it was to be downright rude.
Why is it bullies never mind being rude?
But first she had to deal with Michael and his strange reluctance to turn in the paperwork for a scholarship, then see Jesse about tomorrow’s meeting. She’d bet he wouldn’t be too thrilled.
Tori knocked on Jesse’s door, then walked in without waiting for a response. He sat behind his large desk, reviewing paperwork with a client. The slender brunette, somewhere in her twenties, seemed familiar. She twisted a handkerchief she’d used to dab her eyes. Not wanting to disturb them, Tori wandered to the back of the house, studying the parlor and then the kitchen she was in the process of decorating.
The carpenters Jesse had hired had done an excellent job. The kitchen now included a huge window above the sink with a view of a small garden area. Long wooden counters with several shelves lined one wall, with a china closet built into the opposite one. A large walk-in pantry occupied space at the far end. A Beacon wood cook stove and a modern sink completed the room. She could make some pretty good meals in this kitchen.
While she mused about different colors to use in the room, voices drifted from the front of the house, and then the front door closed. She turned as Jesse walked into the room.
“Hi, honey, what are you doing here? I’m not complaining, mind you,” he added, wrapping his arms around her from behind, then nuzzling her neck.
“Did I see Miriam Fenwick in your office?” She broke from his grip and turned.
“Yes, you did. Her father recently passed on,
and she needed some advice on his estate.”
“She’s very pretty.”
“Is she? I hadn’t noticed.” He gazed around the room.
“Liar.” Tori laughed, and poked him in the side.
He pulled her back to nibble on her ear. “Now, honey, you know when you’re near, I don’t notice anyone else.”
Rolling her eyes, Tori pulled away a second time and straightened her hat. “I want to talk to you about something.”
“Well, since there’s no furniture to sit on, why not come into my office?” Jesse put his hand on her lower back to escort her down the hall. “Unless you want to sit on the bed. We could have our discussion there,” he whispered in her ear.
“The office is fine.” A shiver ran down her spine.
Tori settled in her seat, trying to forget her urges. “Something’s wrong with Michael.”
“Is he sick?” Jesse’s brows furrowed.
“No. It’s strange. Remember the note Rachel brought home? Well, I saw his teacher Miss Evans at the school today. She said Michael has a very good chance of getting a scholarship for college.”
“That’s great.” Jesse leaned forward in his chair.
“I agree. And I would have thought Michael would be excited also.”
“Isn’t he?”
After she filled in the details, Jesse sat back and tapped his pencil on the desk. “That doesn’t sound like Michael. And you’re sure he wants to go to college?”
“Rachel tells me college is all he ever talked about before my brother died. His father’s greatest desire was to have him go. Henry even managed to put away some money for school, which we lived on before we came here.”
“Do you think Michael’s worried about making money?” Jesse stopped the tapping of his pencil as their gazes locked.