When Lily went to take a seat, she noticed something hanging on the wall opposite the couch. “Oh, my.”
Jenna looked over. “It’s all right, isn’t it?”
“Why, yes, of course.” She stared at the matted and framed picture she’d drawn of Jenna. “At least I got to finish it.”
“You’re very talented, Lily,” Gil said.
“Thank you. My mother started me young.”
A silence invaded the room like an unwanted guest. She had yet to tell Gil the details of what had happened to Cameron and whenever something like this came up, it was awkward.
“She continued to draw? She was really good in high school.”
“Yes, I know. I found some of her work in the boxes you left out.”
Gil’s eyes were sad. Lily said no more about Cameron and Simon tried to cover for the awkwardness. “Did I tell you the advertising income for the paper has gone up by a third this quarter, Gil? I’ll show you the figures later.”
The unhappiness faded from her grandfather’s face. “That’s terrific. I’m guessing that some folks have taken out classifieds just to make contact with our new helper here. I even saw Mike O’Malley being nice to her the other day.”
Lily chuckled. She thought the same thing about the ads and people’s attitudes. It was wonderful for her battered ego.
“Eddie McPherson stops in all the time,” Jenna said, mentioning a local firefighter. “I think he likes her.”
Lily shifted uncomfortably. Gil looked away and so did Simon.
“What did I say?” Jenna asked.
“Lily’s married, honey.”
“Yeah, but she left her husband. She’s living here, now.”
Reaching out, Lily touched Jenna’s arm. “I did more than that, sweetie. I’ve sent him papers asking for a legal separation.”
“So, good.” Jenna went back to her cards. “But watch out for Eddie. They call him Fast Eddie.”
“Jenna!”
“I’m not a baby, Grandpa.”
Simon chuckled. “You get no argument from me about Eddie. I went to high school with him. That was his nickname then, too.”
“Speaking of names, do you have them picked out for the babies, Lily?” Gil asked.
“No, not yet.”
“What are you considering?”
“I’d like to keep that to myself for now. As soon as I decide, I’ll let you know.”
A buzzer went off in the kitchen. Simon rose. “Dinner’s ready. Jenna, you can help me. Gil and Lily, why don’t you go into the dining room.”
When they were all seated and the food was in front of them, Simon said grace. And Lily was mesmerized by the soothing rhythm of his voice, raised in prayer. She was also struck by the notion that this must be what a real family dinner was like.
She’d never experienced one before in her life.
SIMON LOOKED OVER at Gil from his desk as he read a spreadsheet, a copy of the one Gil held in his hand. Gil said, “This is good, don’t you think?”
“Yes. Though I wish we could widen the market in Gainesville.”
“Let’s talk about how to do that.”
Simon glanced at the door, thinking of Lily and how pretty she looked in the peach linen slacks and long-sleeved shirt she was wearing tonight. Her hair was soft and shiny, too, and curled a bit from the rain. “They’ll be okay?”
“We were in the way. Jenna was dying to get Lily up to her room. I heard some rumblings about makeup.”
“She’s a little young for war paint.” And Lily certainly didn’t need any.
“I hate to break it to you, Simon, but girls start with all that at about eleven.”
“God forbid.”
Leaning back in his chair, Simon watched the man he’d come to think of as a second father. Patrick McCarthy could never be replaced, but there was a unique spot in his heart for Gil. To ease this particular burden, he asked, “Lily hasn’t said anything about what happened to Cameron?”
“Just the bare bones. I asked her to elaborate a few weeks ago, and gave her another opportunity just now, but she didn’t take it. I’m guessing it was bad. I almost don’t want to know how Cameron lived. Or how Lily grew up.”
“Sometimes knowing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.” Simon was sure of that.
Gil cocked his head. “Can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“You didn’t like her at first. Why?”
“Because I was worried she was using you. I was afraid she was out to get whatever she could from you.”
“That’s about the last thing that’s happening.”
“I see that now. She seems to want to stand on her own two feet.”
“She told you about Wakefield, didn’t she?”
“Uh-huh. I felt bad for her. I hope he agrees to the separation.”
“Mac is worried about his family. They’re powerful people in New York. What changed your mind about her, Simon?”
“Seeing her interact with people on a daily basis. She’s formed a bond with Jenna that can’t be faked. Mr. Martini and Mrs. Billings and Miss Jameson come in just to see her.” He smiled fondly at Gil. “And there’s a spring in your step that I haven’t seen in a long time.”
“I’m happy, Simon.”
“Good to see.” He waited a beat. “Jenna was right. Eddie sniffs around her.” Not that he blamed the guy.
“With good reason, don’t you think?”
Simon smiled. “I’m male and healthy. Who wouldn’t think that? She’s very pretty.”
“And she has an inner beauty.”
“Does she?” He was reserving judgment on that.
“I want you to be friends.” Gil waited a minute. “You know she’ll never replace you or Jenna in my heart, Simon.”
“Hell, I hope I’m not thinking that way.”
“Probably not. I just wanted to say it out loud.”
He nodded. “Let’s get back to how we can increase circulation.”
“All right. Just let me say thanks for accepting Lily as much as you have. It means a lot to me.”
“I know.”
JOHANNA WAKEFIELD stared at the legal document Derek had received earlier this week. As usual, her white hair was exquisitely styled, and her taupe pantsuit showed off her slender form. At sixty-three, she was still an attractive woman. “Well, she didn’t waste a lot of time.”
“No. She must really want to get away from me. With good reason.”
His mother’s blue eyes turned cold. “It’s Liliana’s style. She’s not to be counted on.”
“Father likes her.”
“He has a soft side where people are concerned. It doesn’t always serve him well.”
“I gave her cause, Mother.”
“A