Page 96 of Marrying the Nanny

The server arrived with the tea. It gave Emma the space to suggest they fetch their breakfast.

When they sat again, she stuck to neutral topics, complimenting Miriam on her gardens and listening to her plans for a long cruise next year.

“Reid doesn’t want me to go. Not until the resort sells. What’s happening there? Are the other boys fighting it? Why hasn’t it sold yet?” she demanded.

“I don’t know much more than you do. I know they have to wait for probate to finalize. They want full bookings so the promise of income is there for whoever might be interested in buying it.” Emma could see Miriam delving between the lines of every word she spoke, searching for inconsistencies and untruths. “I’ve helped with painting the house, but the business side isn’t something I pay much attention to, since I don’t have a horse in that race.” She sidestepped mentioning the round table discussions that happened over dinner nearly every evening. That information was for Reid to share, not her.

“But once you’re married, you will.”

“We’re going to sign a prenup.” Emma hoped that eased some of Miriam’s concerns. “I won’t have an interest in Raven’s Cove.”

“I should have done that. My father should have insisted.” Emma could see the agitation was still there behind the curtain Miriam’s pill had pulled across her emotions.

She was searching Emma’s gaze, perhaps trying to catch Emma in a deception, but also seeming to pull at her, wanting approval maybe. There was definitely a neediness there. A confused anguish similar to the unrestrained emotion Storm displayed when her world wasn’t right, and she couldn’t express it any other way but with a tantrum.

Emma realized then how taxing it was to spend time with an adult in that state. She had to stay on guard and filter every word so as not to trigger a reaction in Miriam.

She was searching for another innocuous topic when Miriam said, “Reid said you’re marrying today. That he wants me there.”

Emma’s heart jolted, but she nodded. “I’d like that, too.”

“I don’t know.” Miriam cast her a despairing look into the middle distance. “I mean, of course. Yes. I don’t mean to be…. Olive wants to go and insists I’ll regret it later if I don’t. I would. It’s just… Emma…” Her eyes welled and overflowed. Tears tracked down her cheeks. She glanced self-consciously to other tables and pulled her napkin from her lap to press it to her eyes.

Emma’s heart throbbed with agony for her.

“Miriam, can I tell you something about myself?” She waited until Miriam had caught hold of herself a little. “I felt very out of step with my family. They didn’t back me up when my husband cheated. I don’t believe Reid would ever be so quick to turn on anyone close to him. That’s why I’m attracted to him. He would never put me before you unless my appendix was falling out. And that’s already happened so you don’t have to worry about it,” she joked lamely.

“What sort of family do you have? Won’t you miss them, living so far away?”

Emma told her about her parents and brother, how they were academic and analytical and very career oriented.

“I was quite good at real estate, actually. I listened and found ways for buyers to see themselves in a particular home. Every month I was in the top three, but they didn’t see that as an accomplishment. They knew how to network and cut a deal so they thought anyone could sell a house. What I did wasn’t very special to their mind, but I wanted people to be happy.” She sighed. “Sorry. I’ll stop before I depress us both.”

“The real estate market is very hot here.”

Emma could see where Miriam was going and smiled gently.

“Let’s see how my immigration paperwork goes. Maybe once that’s done, I’ll look into getting my license.”

“Do you have a dress?”

“A dress for what?”

“I was looking at that woman over there. Her dress is perfect for a civil service wedding. What are you wearing?”

“Oh.” Emma switched gears, trying to catch up to Miriam’s lightning change of topic. “I have a skirt from my friend Sophie. It’s a straight, dyed silk. Not fancy, but it’s blue and borrowed, which seemed appropriate.”

“We should go shopping for something proper. I’d like to buy you a dress, Emma.” She sounded very determined.

“Let’s check in with Reid after we eat, so he knows where we’re headed.” And could stop them if he thought it was a terrible idea.

*

Reid knew how much his mother resented taking tranquilizers. He and Velma hadn’t pushed it, but that had meant a lot of hours of listening to her rant, wearing herself down until she finally accepted that sedating herself would give her room to think more rationally.

Leaving his mother and coming to Emma at the hotel had felt as disloyal as leaving his mother always did, but he’d felt like a jerk for sending Emma back here alone.

The whole day had been a push-pull with a peripheral knowledge that Storm was being looked after, but was another important person he had to get back to. That tension had been wearing him down even before his mother had put him through the ringer.

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