Undercover Christmas. B.J. Daniels

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СКАЧАТЬ “Nice to meet you,” and drained her wineglass with a trembling hand.

      “Lilly, you’re hitting the wine a little hard tonight, aren’t you, dear?” Vanessa asked too sweetly.

      “I’m worried about Hayes,” Lilly said as she motioned the housekeeper to refill her glass.

      Jabe frowned at the empty chair next to Lilly, then at Vanessa. “Where is Hayes?”

      “He had to go to Bozeman,” Vanessa said.

      “What is he doing in Bozeman?” Jabe demanded.

      “I certainly wouldn’t know. He only told me he planned to be back before dinner. I can’t imagine what could have detained him.” She looked over at Lilly as if Lilly knew but just wasn’t telling out of meanness.

      Jabe sighed and continued his introductions. “My wife, Vanessa.” He skipped over her quickly. “And this is my middle son, Dayton.”

      Dayton Calloway had his father’s blue eyes and a head of dark hair that he’d had meticulously styled, unlike Chase’s more unruly soft locks. A dark mustache curled across Dayton’s upper lip like a thin mean caterpillar. While no way near as handsome as Chase, he was good-looking in a petulant, dark sort of way. Marni got the immediate impression that he didn’t like her for some reason.

      He didn’t get to his feet as Marni was introduced. Instead, he just nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, Marni saw Jabe scowl and mutter something directed at his wife about bad manners. Vanessa frowned and glared at Marni as if it were Marni’s fault.

      “Felicia is Dayton’s wife,” Jabe continued. A sharp-featured brunette with green eyes, a more than ample chest and a bad disposition sat between Dayton and Chase. Marni knew about Felicia’s bad disposition the same way she knew the price of the expensive ethnic-print maternity dress and matching jewelry the woman wore. Marni had sold it to her at her Bozeman boutique—last week.

      “You look familiar,” Felicia said, eyeing her suspiciously.

      The truth seemed the best approach. “I believe you trade at the boutique I’m part owner of in Bozeman.” She looked at Chase to see if he registered any shock to hear she owned a boutique. Chase didn’t look up; he sat turning the thin stem of his wineglass in his strong fingers, showing no sign that he was paying the least bit of attention to any of this.

      Felicia’s gaze narrowed. “Yes, I remember now. But when I saw you last week you weren’t pregnant.”

      Marni laughed. It sounded hollow even to her ears. “You probably have me confused with my sister. We look a lot alike.” Boy, was that putting it mildly.

      Felicia didn’t appear convinced, but lost interest as Hilda served dinner a beef roast the size of Montana, followed by huge bowls of mashed potatoes, brown gravy, fresh green beans, another of hot homemade dinner rolls and butter.

      Marni felt famished, having not taken time all day to eat. She ladled gravy over her beef and potatoes, buttered a hot roll and slathered butter on her green beans. Her love of food was one of the reasons she’d never had Elise’s slim model-like figure.

      Hilda brought Vanessa broiled chicken, cottage cheese and crudit#233;s, and Felicia a plate of what looked like Chinese food. Lilly seemed to be the only Calloway woman who didn’t ask for a special-order meal. She took a spoonful of everything that was passed to her then hardly touched the food she’d put on her plate. But she polished off the remaining wine at her end of the table, ignoring Vanessa’s reprimanding looks. Marni declined wine when Hilda came around to fill her glass, needing all her wits about her. It wasn’t until later that she realized pregnant women weren’t supposed to drink alcohol and she was a pregnant woman, by all appearances.

      Everyone ate in silence, not that Marni minded. She concentrated on the food, rather than the strange family dynamics. The roast was excellent, not in the least overcooked. Halfway through her meal, she glanced up to see Chase staring at her, his expression unreadable. But she noticed he hadn’t touched his food any more than Lilly had.

      “I enjoy a woman who likes to eat,” Jabe said, smiling at Marni.

      “This is delicious,” she said, a little embarrassed by her appetite.

      “You’re eating for two,” he said. “It’s healthy to eat even if you’re not expecting.”

      Vanessa mumbled something under her breath and pushed away her diet plate in what could only be described as disgust. The room grew painfully quiet.

      Marni finished her roast beef, thinking about El and the baby. At least she knew her sister wasn’t going hungry or not following doctor’s orders. By now, Mary Margaret McCumber would have Elise at the family farm. If anyone could get El to do as she was told, it was Mother, Marni thought with a smile.

      The door to the dining room swung open and a man in western attire rushed in, apologizing for being late as he took the chair next to Lilly.

      “Hayes,” Lilly said, lifting her wineglass to him in a less than sober salute. “We were so worried about you.” She didn’t sound as if she meant it in the least.

      Clean-shaven, Hayes Calloway also had his father’s blue eyes, a little lighter version of Chase’s hair color and a softer, gentler, more handsome face than his brother Dayton.

      Hayes seemed to eye his wife warily before brushing a kiss across her pallid cheek. Then he spotted Marni and looked startled to see that they had a guest Marni got the impression the Calloways didn’t have many dinner guests.

      “Hayes, this is Elise McCumber,” Jabe said. “She’s a…friend of Chase’s.”

      Hayes stumbled to his feet, his eyes widening in surprise. “Hello.”

      “Why are you so late?” Jabe demanded.

      He looked past Marni to his father. “The roads are covered in ice and the visibility was so bad I hit a deer on the way home.”

      “Are you all right?” Vanessa cried, although he obviously was fine.

      “What about the damage to the truck?” Jabe asked.

      “The truck?” Hayes asked, anger flickering in his gaze as he sat down and began to dish up his plate. “The truck is repairable.”

      “The truck is the least of our worries,” Vanessa cut in, sending a look at Jabe.

      He grumbled but returned his attention to his meal.

      Marni watched Chase pick at the food he’d put on his plate. He looked as uncomfortable as she felt. She caught both Hayes and Dayton stealing curious glances at her. But then, why wouldn’t they be? They had to wonder who she was, what she was doing at their dinner table, seven months pregnant, and why she was sitting next to Jabe as if part of the family.

      What was she doing here? More and more she felt she was on a fool’s errand. What possible good would it do to talk to Chase after he’d already denied even knowing her. And now it sounded as if the roads were probably getting worse by the minute. But she had to give it one last try with Chase. For El’s sake.

      “I hate to eat and run,” Marni said pointedly to Jabe.

      He СКАЧАТЬ