Heartwishes (30 page)

“Church?” she asked.

He was smiling. “Yeah, church. You are going with me, aren’t you?”

“I thought we were going to keep us a secret.”

“No need for that. Last night I told Mom and Dad that I’d broken up with Jean. And I said you and I were now a couple.”

Gemma glanced skyward for a second. “They’re going to hate me.”

“Far from it,” Colin said. “Actually, now that I think about it, they seemed almost glad.”

“
Glad
that you broke up with a woman they love and ran off with someone they barely know?” When Colin didn’t say anything, just kept staring at her, she said, “What is it?”

“My mother.”

“What about her?”

Colin came out of his trance. “I was just thinking about how my mother is a force of nature. And when she wants something, she goes after it.”

“And what she wants is—” Gemma took a step back and put her hands up. “Rachel said your mother wants grandchildren.” Her eyes widened. “From
me
? I’m still trying to figure out what you like for lunch! I’m not ready for anything else. We need to—”

He kissed her on the mouth. “I know. Talk, get to know each other, that sort of thing. So you know where the church is? No, wait. I’ll pick you up and we can go together.”

“That’s a lot of trouble,” she began. “I’m—”

“I agree. It is a great bother,” he said quickly. “If you were living at my house, it would be much easier on both of us.” With another quick kiss, he turned away.

“It’s too early to even think of that!” she called after him.

He turned around, walking backward down the center of the street, his arms outstretched. “What more could you want, Gemma? What man have you ever met who comes with a whole town attached to him?”

“Yeah, that’s the problem,” she called back. “I’d be moving in with all of Edilean.”

“Sounds like heaven to me,” he said as he got into his Jeep.

“And maybe to me too,” Gemma said quietly as she opened her car door. She grinned all the way back to the guesthouse.

“Why didn’t you tell me that we were expected to have dinner at your parents’ house?” Gemma said to Colin. They were in his Jeep and heading toward the Frazier estate.

“I didn’t know,” he said. “But my sister and her boyfriend flew in from California last night. It was totally unexpected. I’d like to see them and for you to meet them. I think you’ll like Frank. He’s Mike’s best friend. They’re both policemen about to retire and they both love all that kicking and boxing stuff that you do. How’d you like church?”

“It was nice,” she said, thinking of what he’d just told her and what she’d seen this morning. “The people seemed . . .”

“Seemed what?” he asked.

“I’m sure I’m wrong about this, but they seemed almost relieved that I wasn’t Jean.”

Colin laughed. “People in Edilean don’t hide their feelings very well.”

“So you agree that they don’t want you to be with a tall, gorgeous lawyer?”

Colin groaned. “I’m not touching that one! I think you’re beautiful just as you are. As for Jean, she’s a difficult person to know, and she’s not one to attend the local Scottish Fair. Speaking of which, you better put in your order with Sara now for your dress. What medieval person do you want to be?”

“A tall, gorgeous one. Think Sara can do it?”

Colin pulled into the driveway, turned off the engine, and looked at her. “What’s really bothering you?”

“I’m afraid of facing your mother. Will your whole family be there?”

Colin glanced at the half a dozen cars around them. “Yes. Everyone wants to see Ariel and Frank. Even Pere is here, and you haven’t met him.” He took her hand in his. “Gemma, if you want to go somewhere else, we can. But the truth is that I’m beginning to think that everyone is glad that I broke up with Jean.”

“Maybe your friends, but I saw how friendly Jean and your family were with one another, and—”

He kissed her hands, front and back. “If anyone is the slightest bit less than welcoming to you, we’ll leave, all right? We’ll go to my new house and eat cold chicken off each other’s naked bodies, and I’ll drink champagne out of your bedroom slipper. Sound good?”

“I like that idea. How about if we do that instead of this?”

“I’m thinking that way too,” he said as he reached out his arms to pull her to him.

But a sharp tap on his window made him turn. A man with a beautiful face and the big Frazier body was outside.

Colin put the window down.

“Everyone is here and we’re hungry, but Mom won’t let us eat until you two are inside. Is this the famous Gemma I keep hearing about?”

“Gemma, meet my brother Peregrine, Pere for short.”

He reached through the window, across Colin, to shake her hand. “I saw you on YouTube and I hear you’re good at boxing. I’m a wrestler myself. If you want to learn how, I’d be happy to give you lessons.
Lots
of lessons.”

“Arm out before I break it,” Colin said good-naturedly.

Grinning, Pere did as he was told and opened the door. “Come on, I need to get back to Richmond, and Lanny’s got a new girl.”

“Lanny always has a new girl,” Colin said as he got out, then went around to open Gemma’s door. He held her hand as the three of them walked toward the house.

Pere paused at the front door and looked at Gemma. “I hope
you’re ready for this. Nobody knows why, but Mom’s like she’s been wired to a jet engine.”

Gemma took a step back.

Colin pulled her forward. “I’ll be there. Any problems, let me know.”

Pere was grinning broadly. “So, Gemma, what’s
your
mother like? What’ll she think of ol’ Col here?”

“My mother worships my father’s memory and compares all men to him. She’ll think Colin is too big, that his job is too dangerous, and she’ll probably lecture him on gun control.”

“Is that right?” Colin asked, looking worried.

“Every word of it.”

“I’d like to see that meeting,” Pere said, smiling as he opened the door.

Gemma’s first impression was of cheerful chaos. Mrs. Frazier was ordering her family about, and everyone seemed to be talking, laughing, and arguing at once. It was a very loud group of people.

A tall, red-haired, beautiful young woman was standing to one corner, close to a man who was just barely as tall as she was, and it looked like his nose had been broken several times. He had to be Frank. She could tell that under his clothes his body was as toned as Mike’s. Gemma gave him a quick smile of recognition of athlete to athlete before Mrs. Frazier took her arm, pulled her forward, and began introducing her to people.

The pretty young woman was Colin’s doctor-sister Ariel, and the man was Frank Thiessen.

“Mike’s told me about you,” Frank said as he shook her hand. “Maybe we can work out together sometime.”

“I’d love that,” Gemma said. It was a high honor for athletes like Mike and Frank to ask her to join them. She wanted to stay and talk to him, but Mrs. Frazier pulled her away.

Next came Lanny’s new girlfriend, Carol, who seemed even
more overwhelmed than Gemma did. Pere’s tall girlfriend was called Eloisa and looked vaguely familiar. Rachel had said that Pere’s heart was “spoken for,” but somehow, this bored-looking young woman didn’t seem to fit that bill.

“She’s a model,” Rachel said as she came by with a tray full of hors d’oeuvres.

“Need any help?” Gemma whispered. “Please?”

“Sure,” Rachel said as she went back to the kitchen, Gemma close behind her. “Welcome to Frazierland,” she said as soon as the door closed. “Can you get the bread out of the oven?”

Gemma took a pot holder, opened the oven, and pulled out the sheet of hot rolls. It reminded her of the time Jean had been in the kitchen. “I bet they’re regretting that Jean isn’t here to cook some fabulous dish. I mean, not that what you cook isn’t—”

“I know what you mean. Stir that red pot, will you? Has Jean given you any problems?”

“No,” Gemma said. “I’ve heard nothing from her. Have you heard anything from the family?”

“Nothing, and that’s interesting. I figured they’d have a lot to say. And I was sure Jean would have raised a big stink. She really loves drama.”

“What about in town?” Gemma asked. “What are people there saying about the breakup?”

“I haven’t heard any gossip at all. Everyone is talking about Colin buying Luke’s house and spending time with you.”

Gemma groaned. “Everything is happening too fast!” She wanted to change the subject to something other than herself. “So is the model the one who stole Pere’s heart?”

Rachel dropped a stainless bowl on the tile floor and it clattered loudly.

Gemma was staring at her because Rachel’s face had turned
bright red. It looked like the person who wanted Pere’s heart was Rachel. “You—” she began.

“If you say a word, I’ll poison your dinner,” Rachel said. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“I don’t mean to sound like a first grader, but does Pere know you . . . like him?”

“Pere doesn’t know I exist. You saw the kind of woman he likes.”

“I can understand that,” Gemma said. “On the other hand, when I met Jean I thought she was the kind of woman Colin liked. But now . . .” She shrugged.

For a moment Rachel paused, a pot lid in her hand. “The Fraziers are from generations of money. As upper class as you can get in the U.S. They don’t fall for the hired help.”

“You could join the rest of Edilean and make a Heartwish for him,” Gemma said, trying to lighten the mood.

“You think I haven’t? I’ve been thinking of nothing else since I heard that story.”

“You think the whole town knows about the Stone?” Gemma asked in horror.

“No. Only the seven families. If outsiders heard of it, this house would be picketed. The only reason I know of it is because I overheard Mrs. Frazier bellyaching about her nonexistent grandbabies.”

“Don’t remind me. I’ve become a fanatic about taking my pills.” Except for the first time, she thought but didn’t say.

“Can you mash potatoes with a hand mixer?” Rachel asked.

“Sure. Just point me to it.” Minutes later, Gemma had on an apron and was whirring away at a huge pot full of cooked potatoes.

When Rachel went out, Mr. Frazier came in. He took a stool across the counter from her and helped himself to Rachel’s tray of olives and cheeses.

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you,” Gemma said as she turned off the mixer.

“What’s that?” There was caution in his voice, as though he dreaded what she was about to say.

“Do you think they really sent a repairman for a broken axle, or did the Rolls-Royce people just make up that story?”

Mr. Frazier laughed. “I’ve always wondered that too. What do you think?”

“My dad said the story was true. How many Rollses do you own?”

“One Rolls, one Bentley,” he said.

The kitchen door opened, and Pere came in. “I thought I’d find you in here,” he said to his father. He looked at Gemma. “So you
can
cook.”

“I can push the button on the mixer and use it on potatoes Rachel cooked.”

“Better than I can do,” Pere said. “What about you, Dad?”

“Much better. I thought mashed potatoes came out of a box.”

“Actually, they come out of a transmission case,” Gemma said solemnly.

“No, it’s a crankshaft,” Pere said.

“Fueled by the pistons,” Mr. Frazier said.

The door opened and young Shamus came in, art case in hand.

“Too noisy for you?” Gemma asked.

“Ariel,” was his reply as he sat down beside his father and brother.

Gemma ran a big spoon around the mashed potatoes. It looked like a giant lollipop. She handed it to Shamus.

“Hey!” Pere and Mr. Frazier said in unison.

Gemma opened drawers until she found more spoons, then gave the two men each his own helping. She saw the gray duct tape on the corner of Shamus’s wooden box. “What happened?”

“Broke,” he said as he licked his spoon.

“My son the wordsmith,” Mr. Frazier said, also licking.

“Wow!” Lanny said from the doorway as he looked at his father and two brothers sitting at the island with their big lollipops of mashed potatoes.

Gemma got another spoon, filled it, and handed it to him as he took the last remaining stool.

“So what are we talking about?” Lanny asked.

“I don’t know,” Pere said.

“Ask Shamus,” Mr. Frazier said. “He’s leading the conversation.”

The door opened again, but this time it banged against the wall.

“Uh oh,” Mr. Frazier said as he quickly cleaned his spoon. “I know that sound.”

It was Mrs. Frazier, and she was drawn up to her full height. “Out! The lot of you! And you too, Gemma. No more hiding in the kitchen.”

Gemma removed her apron and ran after the departing men. But Mrs. Frazier caught Gemma’s arm, then kissed her cheek. “Welcome, Gemma,” she said softly. “And thank you.”

“It was nothing. I just gave them some potatoes.”

“No, thank you for Colin. I haven’t seen my eldest son smile so much since . . . Since he got out of college.”

“I’m sorry about Jean. I know how much all of you like her.”

“Jean is champagne. You can’t live on wine, no matter how fine it is.” Mrs. Frazier smiled. “But the Irish proved that you
can
pretty much live on potatoes. Now go!”