Page 31 of Hearts Aweigh
Gerry tapped a few keys on her computer. “How did your date go, Abby?”
“Did he kiss you?” Althea wiggled her shoulders.
“What? No!”
“Strike one,” Gerry said.
Abby waved her free hand. “Norville was, um, considerate. And he has super good manners.”
“Strike two.” Gerry’s laptop keys clicked in disapproval.
“Manners. That bad, huh?” Althea unwrapped a gooey piece of candy and popped it in her mouth.
“He … he’s a very nice man.”
“Strike three.” Gerry snapped the laptop shut.
“Nice? That’s the death knell to romance.” Emily shuddered. “All the qualities you mentioned are positive but uninspiring. What young woman prays for God to send her a nice, attentive, well-mannered man?”
Abby dropped her gaze and toyed with a book jacket, confirming Emily’s suspicions. If the chemistry was missing, there was no use shoving the couple together. Abby needed someone who put a sparkle in her eye.
A bell chimed. Abby pulled out her phone and swiped the screen. The corner of her lips quirked, and she shook her head. “My temporary employer must be anxious to spend time with his mother. He sent a text that sounds like it’s straight out of a legal brief.” She gathered her mouth in a surly pout, waggled her head, and spoke in a deep voice. “Punctuality is the height of professionalism. Blah, blah, blah.”
Emily raised a brow. There it was. A sparkle in Abby’s green eyes. If only it weren’t because she was meeting the unwelcoming but undeniably handsome Spencer.
Another chime.
Abby checked the screen. “Daisy, your son asked if I saw you to give you a reminder. You’re meeting in the tearoom at 8:15.”
Daisy sighed. “And y’all wonder why I refuse to carry a cell phone. Can you imagine the unpleasantness I would deal with?” She rose from her chair and gathered her sweater and pocketbook. “I must go to the cabin and freshen my makeup first.”
Althea patted her arm. “You hurry along, baby. I’ll save your spot till you get back.”
Daisy made her elegant way along the deck in anything but a hurried fashion.
Abby lowered her phone. “I’m on my way to meet Maddie. She’s one of the sweetest children I’ve ever met. I just want to squeeze the stuffing out of her.”
Emily studied their client. Perhaps her enthusiastic eyes weren’t for the man but his daughter. That would certainly make things easier. Even if an obvious chemistry existed between Spencer and Abby, matching them together was impossible as long as Daisy rejected the idea.
Butnodidn’t always meannever.
CHAPTER 14
ABBY ENTERED THEKIDSKINGDOMand looked at the time—7:57 a.m. If there were a giant grandfather clock on the wall, she got the feeling Mr. Masterson would walk in the moment the gong sounded. She hurried to the employee locker room, shoved everything in, and checked her watch.
7:59.
She hustled to the greeter’s desk and ran her tongue over her teeth to eliminate any stray lipstick marks. Twenty seconds later, the Mastersons arrived. Abby chuckled at how predictable the man was. He held his daughter’s tiny hand in his with all the comfort of someone carrying a plastic explosive.
Abby bent and hugged Maddie. “I’m so happy to see you. It’s been ten thousand years.”
The girl giggled. “You saw me last night.”
“Did I?” Abby scratched the side of her head. “Maybe it feels like ten thousand years because I missed you.”
Maddie beamed. “Really?”
“You betcha.” Abby waved them in to the larger room. “Come in. Come in. We’re going to have tons of fun today. First, we’ll watch a magic show. Then there’s a treasure hunt in the Aquarium Room. And a yummy snack when you get hungry.”
