Page 50 of The Playboy and the Widow
Diana hedged, trying to recall if she had or not. She had, she thought. “Yes.”
“How come he hasn’t come over since he brought me home from the hospital?”
The tight, uncomfortable feeling returned to Diana’s chest. “I... don’t know.”
“But I thought he would.”
So had Diana. She’d laid her cards out on the table, and the next move was his. He’d been wonderful with Katie that day she’d broken her arm, more than wonderful. While Katie had slept during the afternoon from the effects of the medication, he’d taken Joan out shopping. Together they’d purchased Katie a huge stuffed Pooh bear. At dinnertime he’d insisted on providing Kentucky Fried Chicken, much to her younger daughter’s delight. But after they’d eaten, he’d said a few words of farewell, and that had been the last Diana or the girls had heard from him.
Actually, Diana was grateful for this vacation. These next two weeks with her parents would help all three of them take their minds off one Cliff Howard.
“He didn’t even sign my cast.”
“I think he forgot,” Diana said, sitting on her suitcase in an effort to latch it.
“I think we should call him,” Joan chimed in.
“No.”
“But, Mom...”
One derisive look from Diana squelched that idea.
“What is it with that man, anyway?” Joan asked next. “I don’t understand him at all.”
Joan wasn’t the only one baffled by Cliff.
“I thought he was hot for you.”
“Joan, please.”
“No, really, Mom. The day he brought Katie home, he could hardly take his eyes off you.”
Diana had done her share of looking, too. She’d wanted to talk to him, let him know how much she appreciated what he’d done for her and the girls, but he had left before the opportunity arose, and they hadn’t heard from him in four days. Now that she’d had some time to give the matter thought, she’d decided not to protect the girls from the danger of Cliff denting their tender hearts. She’d seen how wonderful he’d been with Katie and how thoughtful with Joan. He’d never intentionally hurt them.
“Cliff told me he’d take me fishing again,” Katie said. Her cast was covered with a multitude of messages and names in a variety of colors, but she’d managed to save a white space for Cliff under her elbow. “But he said if we went again, it would be up to you. We can go, can’t we, Mom?”
Before Diana could answer Katie, the phone rang. Joan pounced on the receiver next to Diana’s bed like a cat on a cornered mouse.
“Hello,” she said demurely, sat down and grinned girlishly. She crossed her legs and thoughtfully examined the ends of her fingernails. “It’s good to hear from you again.”
It was obviously a boy, and Joan was in seventh heaven.
“Yes, she’s recovered nicely. Katie always was the brave one. Personally, at the sight of blood, I get the vapors. It’s a good thing my mother kept her wits about her.”
Diana bounced hard on the suitcase and sighed when the latch snapped into place. Success at last.
“Yes, she’s sitting right here. She’s packing. You do remember we’re leaving for Wichita tonight, don’t you? You didn’t? Well, that’s strange... Mom claims she did tell you. Yes, of course, just a minute.” Grinning ear to ear, Joan held out the phone to her mother. “It’s for you, Mom. It’s Cliff.”
Diana’s heart fell to her knees and rebounded sharply before finally settling back into place. Joan had to be joking. “Cliff Howard?”
“Honestly, Mother, just how many Cliffs are you dating?”
“At the moment, none.”
As diplomatically as possible, Joan steered her younger sister out of the bedroom and started to close the door.
“But,” Katie protested, “I want to talk to Cliff, too.”
