Her Foreign Affair (21 page)

“Ah, tea time. Nothing like it in the world.”

“Well this is supper, not a fancy party tea. I can make more sandwiches if these won’t hold you.”

Drew winked from across the table while Birdie poured from the super pot. “If it doesn’t hold us, I’ll buy the pizza later.” He eyed the six inch high stack of sandwiches as if he were considering not sharing. She’d forgotten just how much a young man could eat. Good thing Drew didn’t live here full time. Of Birdie’s friends from high school, the boys had been the hardest to satisfy. The food bill had plummeted the moment Birdie went off to college.

Court merely rolled his eyes and turned to Randi. “Martha came through. The arrangements are all made.”

“Arrangements?” Birdie looked up as she set down the teapot. “What arrangements?”

The smile Court put on his face seemed to come to him easy enough, Randi decided. More practiced schmoozing? It seemed to work on Birdie, at least when she was focused on him. When it came to Randi, Birdie had developed an all-too-new cold shoulder. “I’m taking your mother to New York with me on Sunday. I’m just sad your school schedule is so demanding at the moment; I’d have liked to take you along as well and spend a week spoiling my girls with some Big Apple Christmas shopping.”

Drew choked on his tea and had to reach for a napkin. “Wow, I never heard you offer to go shopping before.” His wide grin showcased perfectly straight white teeth.

“I’d stay here and take everyone into San Francisco if I could, but Attenborough won’t come this far west. He’s agreed to New York, though. Otherwise, my next plan was to steal Randi off to London.”

His hand on her leg was intimate and not missed by either of their kids. Drew’s eyes sparkled, but Birdie’s darkened and dulled.

Randi reached for the pot and hefted it to fill Court’s cup. The extra, small grip on the front of the pot made it easier to lift and pour. The ritual of playing Mother allowed her to focus on anything but Birdie’s displeasure, which added significantly to Randi’s guilt. All day she’d tried to ignore the growing feeling inside.

The morning tastings and a stop for lunch had been pleasant and a lesson in how Court did business as he bought several cases at each stop. In fact, Randi nearly found herself turning green with envy over the unseen wine cellars in both his London flat and the country estate he bought the wines for. Almost. In fact, she’d been too busy watching Birdie getting to know Drew to think too much about Court’s apparently endless funds.

Over lunch, Drew had told the story of how he’d waited to get Birdie’s attention.

With a sheepish grin, he’d confessed. “I tripped her.”

Randi had stared at first Drew, then Birdie. “How did it happen?”

“Well.” Suddenly, a touch uncomfortable, which had been fascinating to see, Drew had played with his spoon while his ears turned red. “I’d noticed this little blonde from time to time over the semester. About a week ago, I was in the café and had the perfect opportunity to meet her. So as she came toward my table, I stuck out my leg and she tripped over it. I didn’t expect her to really fall on her face.”

“You tripped me on purpose?” Birdie’s brows had practically flown into her hair line.

“Well, yeah.” Drew grinned. “I couldn’t think of another way to get your attention so fast. I wasn’t expecting you to saunter right on by me.”

“I almost broke my arm, you idiot,” Birdie said with a roll of her eyes. “And with my thesis due, where would I have been then?”

“I probably would have ended up typing it for you.”

“Sounds a little too familiar to me,” Court had muttered.

After lunch, Birdie had made a point of walking and talking with Court, and Randi had watched true affection grow on his part. What Birdie felt was still Birdie’s secret, which, frankly, disconcerted Randi the most about this whole business.

Not that Court seemed to plan on denying his daughter. In fact, he seemed quite enamored with the change in his life and had focused on Birdie without ignoring Randi or Drew. Wyatt had never dreamed of denying Birdie, and she had reveled in his affection. In fact, due to the influence of her grandfather and Wyatt, Birdie related well to older men and seemed to respond to the father figure in Court. However, something remained under the surface, which Randi didn’t recognize. A hint of suspicion? Wariness? An unnatural edge of aggressiveness that made Randi question Birdie’s motive.

There’d never been any friction between mother and daughter over Wyatt’s attention. Court was a new game, and the rules were changing faster than Randi liked. Birdie probably didn’t recognize her feelings of rivalry, but to Randi, they became clearer with each passing hour. Even though it was hard to tell how much Birdie liked Court, she seemed to not like his attention to Randi at all and angled to be the focus of the limelight. Not that Randi intentionally gave her much competition. Birdie redirected a large portion of Court’s intense focus away from Randi, allowing her a chance to process everything as it happened. He and Drew had slipped right into the fabric of their lives, and it felt eerily natural. So natural that Randi was trying to figure out if she felt threatened or not. Birdie’s uncharacteristic reaction didn’t help. The talk of a trip to New York didn’t seem to soothe unsettled feelings at all.

“You know, Court,” Randi said carefully, “maybe we should put off the trip until Birdie graduates. It’s only a few weeks. We could all meet in New York after Christmas. Between semesters.”

Court was already shaking his head. “The tickets are bought, including great seats for
Mama Mia
on Broadway. I don’t want to back out now. We’ll come up with something, perhaps talk you two into coming to England for a bit of winter in the country.”

“Oh, now there’s an idea,” Drew agreed. “We have a good long break between semesters, Bird. It would be perfect if you could come for Christmas.”

Randi so hated to be in her position. Although hope flared in Birdie’s eyes. Maybe she liked him a little. “We’ll need to talk to Grandpa. He’s got something in mind, and I don’t know if he’s committed yet.”

“We have the entire family coming to Lynford Hall.” Court glanced from Drew to Randi and back again. “Including Bea’s parents this year.” His grimace to Drew was on the apologetic side. “It’s the first time we’ve scheduled a gathering in years. They want to see Drew….”

“And you certainly don’t want to flaunt your new family from the other side of the woodpile in front of them,” Birdie interrupted. With a deep frown she drank down the rest of her tea, wiped her mouth, and stood from the table in the stunned silence filling the room.

Randi had never heard such bitterness from her daughter, and her mouth gaped in surprise. Before she could protest, Birdie spoke again. “It’s for the best. Well, I don’t know about you folks, but I’ve got a weekend of work ahead of me. Drew, if you want to come back with me, you’d best get your gear. Otherwise, I’m sure Mom wouldn’t mind getting you back to campus.”

“Birdie.” Randi, Court, and Drew all said her name at once.

“Sit down, baby girl,” Randi said.

“It isn’t like that at all,” Court added right on top of her words. It was enough to get Birdie to stand still. “I don’t give a rip what they think. I’m more worried about what they might say to
you
. You have a grandmother, aunt, uncle, and cousins over there, all of whom are coming for Christmas. In addition, there will be Drew’s other grandparents and half the neighborhood for Christmas dinner. I’d love to introduce you to all of them. I didn’t think you’d be up for all that attention. Most of which will be curiosity, but there’s a possibility of antagonism.”

“With Mum’s side around, there usually is,” Drew said. “Not sure I’d want that show to be my introduction to the family.”

“Well, it’s moot anyway,” Birdie said with a shrug. “I have to finish my thesis and figure out my finals schedule. So, Drew, you coming or staying?” Birdie pushed in her chair and gathered her dishes. Obviously, she expected Court would stay.

“May I take my sandwich to go?” he asked Randi.

“I’ll wrap up sandwiches for both of you and get the leftovers.” Randi stood to gather the food.

Court put a hand on her arm before addressing their daughter. “Birdie, what’s this really all about?”

“I have to finish my degree. School takes priority over family drama. Which I’ve had my fill of, thank-you-very-much.”

“Well, when you’ve had time to sort some of it out in your head, I hope you’ll give me a call. I’m available to you at any hour. Pretty much as I’m sure your mother is.”

Randi nodded, hoping Birdie would take the offer of a bridge.

“I’ll think about it.”

“I mean it, Birdie. Anytime, anywhere. You want to talk, I’m there, even if it’s by phone from across the world. Should you ever make it to England, my homes are open to you, and the family and staff will know it.” Court stood, his hand resting on Randi’s shoulder a connection of solidarity. Two adults standing together in the attempt to connect with the children. Or rather, child, in this case. It was important Court stood beside, not in opposition to her. That meant something, but the real question was how did it affect Birdie? Did it calm her or enflame this unprecedented and lingering anger?

“Drew, I’ll be ready in ten minutes.”

“So will I, Bird.”

Heavy heart dragging at her, Randi led Court into the kitchen.

“Do you think—” Court started to ask, but Randi shook her head to cut him off.

She couldn’t talk right now. The little bit of tea she’d sipped churned in her stomach. What was going on inside Birdie’s head? She was angry, but at who? At her and Wyatt because they’d never told Birdie of her true origins? At the necessary change of relationship with Drew? At Court for showing up out of the blue? Was Birdie mad at both her and Court for thinking about resuming their relationship? Certainly, that had been obvious by the way Court had stayed close beside Randi, touching her at every opportunity. Just small touches. A hand on the small of her back, brushing aside hair the breeze had whipped across her face, holding hands with their fingers laced together. All familiar touches Birdie had witnessed her entire life, but from another man. A man she’d believed with her whole heart had been her father, for whom she still grieved.

In the fuss of leaving, Drew found a moment to give Randi a hug and thanked her for the holiday. A simple, “I’ll call,” from Drew was enough to convey a message from son to father.

Randi forced Birdie into a hug and whispered, “I love you,” to her daughter. Birdie clung for a moment with a hint of desperate emotion, then pushed away without a word.

Heart breaking at the inability to ease her daughter’s distress, Randi stood in the driveway with Court as the kids pulled out and turned down the road. They watched until Birdie’s vehicle, Wyatt’s old sedan, disappeared around the corner.

“I take it that’s unusual behavior for her.”

Court’s voice was quiet beside her, his arm behind her back comforting. A quick swipe of her hand across her cheek took care of the tear trickling down it.

“Yes. That’s not my baby girl. That’s a confused and angry young woman who has never lived in this house before. I don’t know what to say to her. Sorry isn’t enough. Explanations seem pathetic. I don’t know how to atone for the grave disappointment I suddenly am to her.”

Court drew her around and up against his chest. She snuggled into his embrace. “Hush, love. She just needs time. It was a big shock and not delivered in the best way. Not that I’m sure there was a better way. Is there a right way to impart such news? I’m still reeling from the shock. You alone carried all the pieces of the puzzle, and it was a shock to you. How can we expect her to easily accept so many changes in so little time? And without Ferguson here to add his point of view… Well, it will just take time for her to adjust.”

“You’re right. But I feel terribly guilty for leaving right now.”

“Shush.” Court tipped her head up and feathered a kiss across her lips. “As hard as it is for me to take it in, the simple fact is, our daughter is an adult. Can’t hold her hand forever, Jeannie-mine. She’ll need to deal with this in her own way and in her own time. We need time too. Time together. Time to soak it all in, time to know each other again. Time to slow down and find our way onto a more stable path. We’re full adults now. In charge of our destiny.”

Breathless, she looked up into those blue, blue eyes, glowing in the dusky evening falling about them. “You sound like you’re talking forever.”

“Perhaps.” His eyes searched her face. “It’s fast, I know, but the last thing I want is to lose touch with you again. Promise me that one thing for now. Promise me now we’ve found each other, whatever comes, we won’t lose the connection. I don’t care how we stay connected—phone, internet, mail, you in my bed, me in your bed—just as long as we do stay connected.”

The intensity of his feelings was all there in his eyes for her to see. Some of it lived in her heart, tempered by her daughter’s distress. The feelings this man stirred up in her hit with the speed and impact of a tornado, all the heat of a firestorm, completely overwhelming while promising to carry her away. After all that had happened, right now, she wanted to be carried away. A short time of living the fantasy couldn’t be bad, could it?

“For tonight, anyway, I think we can try out the latter.”

“Ah, me darlin’, now you’re talkin’.” Court’s accent thickened to Cockney, sending a finger of thrill through her. Not enough to banish her guilt over Birdie, but enough to ease it just a little. Enough to build on.

“I love it when you talk that way,” she murmured.

Something of her sadness must have been in her eyes as Court gazed at her. “What say you we go in, chuck the tea, crack open a fine bottle of wine, then go for a hot tub? I dare you to do it in the altogether.”

Tiny though it was, a smile lifted one corner of her mouth. “I’ll race you there.”

Randi hesitated only a moment before lifting her chin and heading toward the plane. Court heaved a sigh, flashed the gate attendant a smile along with his boarding pass, and followed. The woman still had a walk that drew male eyes like a magnet. Tottering on her modest heels, Randi sauntered down the ramp, her black gabardine trousers cinched at the waist framing her hips in an extremely flattering manner. Her ivory silk blouse, every bit as elegant as any on New York’s Fifth Avenue, draped her curves perfectly.