Page 28 of Hearts Aweigh
Abby jerked her hand from the minister’s and turned to her temporary boss.
“I apologize for disturbing your meal.” He looked at Abby and motioned to the other table. “Madeleine seems distressed about something, but she won’t tell me what it is.” He directed his attention to her date. “Ms. O’Brien is my daughter’s nanny for the night. Could you possibly spare her a moment? Perhaps she can find out what’s bothering Madeleine.”
“Absolutely.” Abby shot from her chair. “I should help Maddie.”
“Will you be returning?” Norville asked. “Our Alfredo—”
“Of course Ms. O’Brien is free to return.” Spencer glanced at his watch. “Her shift doesn’t start for another twenty-five minutes. Plenty of time to enjoy her pasta.” Abby winced, and he paused. “On the other hand—”
Was he being too presumptuous? Just because the woman didn’t like the menu didn’t mean she wanted to end the date.
Spencer faced Abby. “If we escort Madeleine to the suite, it might be easier to find out what’s bothering her. What do you think is best?”
She smiled. “Maddie will be more comfortable in the suite. Why don’t we take her back and order room service?”
Norville stood. “Perhaps we can continue this another time.”
“Please don’t get up.” Abby grabbed her tulip bouquet from the table. “You enjoy your meal.”
“When might we reschedule our—”
“Madeleine’s waiting.” Spencer clasped Abby’s elbow and steered her away.
“Goodbye, Norville,” Abby called over her shoulder.
They collected Madeleine, and the three of them walked through the dining room. They passed a table where his mother’s friends sat, and Abby waved.
“Hello, ladies. I had to leave the date for a—”
“Childcare emergency.” Spencer interrupted before the meddling senior citizens could ask any questions. No sense encouraging their matchmaking mischief.
He speed-walked them through the entrance and down the hallway. When they reached the elevators, Abby jerked to a stop. Spencer followed suit.
“Let me be clear,” she said. “I only let you get away with that because it rescued me from an unpleasant situation. If you ever interrupt one of my dates again, I’ll …”
Spencer waited, his hand still holding on to her elbow.
“I’ll …” Abby floundered.
“You’ll …?” His eyebrows rose.
“I’m not sure what I’ll do, but I promise you it will be painful.” She nodded. “Remember my two older brothers? I learned quite a few ingenious torture methods from them.”
Spencer released her and took a step back. “Threat received.”
He reached around her body, his arm close enough it almost brushed her waist, and pushed the elevator’s call button. His face came level with hers in the process.
Abby blinked, moved away, and took Madeleine by the hand. “Did you like the dinner?”
His daughter grimaced. “Not really.”
Why did she confide in Abby and not him? Spencer considered the woman at his side. What was it about this pint-size princess that made people want to tell her their secrets? And not just Madeleine. Spencer might unburden all sorts of information if she ever asked.
But she wouldn’t.
She was busy dating the minister. Abigail O’Brien showed zero interest in Spencer as a man or even as a human being. If it weren’t for his daughter, he imagined Abby would never speak to him.
Logic and order regulated his life. Anything outside of the plan was unacceptable. So how had he found himself on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean? His friend Gideon had warned him when he became a Christian—God had a way of interrupting the course a man planned with unexpected detours.
