CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Ryan~
Claudia came home alone. Her white face looked drawn and pissed off. His heart sank. The ease they had found on the weekend was gone. This exhausted and distraught woman did not look like his satisfied queen.
“Hey,” he said mildly. “Rough day? You seem to be missing our son.”
“Melissa Babcock took him for a play date with her daughter.”
“The alluring Jessica Rabbit?”
Claudia laughed. “You know about Jess and Jimmy’s run-in?”
“I entertained the Tar and Feather Committee to coffee this afternoon. They told me to get that boy back on the straight and narrow or expect to be run out of town on a rail. Walter Babcock didn’t say anything about a play date.”
“I think it was Melissa’s idea. She feels bad because Jessamine blacked Jimmy’s eye.”
Babcock hadn’t mentioned that Jess had done damage. And like a typical shifter Jimmy had healed completely in a week, leaving no evidence for Ryan to see.
Claudia collapsed into the nearest armchair. Stared at the new couch. “It already came?”
“And the bed too. I set it up in your room.” He thought both pieces of furniture were a huge improvement, but Claudia seemed underwhelmed.
She closed her eyes. “Nice. What is that smell?”
“Dinner.”
Her eyes stayed closed. “Sorry, you are taking me out tonight. We have reservations at the Tidewater Inn. Mom is picking Jimmy up after his play date, and putting him to bed here, so we can be alone.”
The inn wasn’t his idea of alone. “It’s just chicken stew,” he said. Chicken braised in stock, with mushrooms and itty-bitty carrots. Ah, well. Be better tomorrow. “If you want to go out, we will. But you look wiped out.”
“Thanks.” She leaned her head deeper into the cushions. “It’s a command performance. We have to show off our committed relationship to as many people as we can.”
“What time is our reservation?”
“Seven.”
“Gives us three hours. You could take a nap before we go.” Or, seeing as the boy wasn’t here, they could go at it like minks.
“I have to shower and do my hair,” she said wearily.
No mink action then.
“I’ll wake you in two hours, if an hour is long enough to get ready and get into town.”
“Okay. I’m sorry about your meal. It was nice of you to cook.” Her eyes didn’t open.
“We can eat it tomorrow.” And wasn’t making casual plans for tomorrow’s dinner – married plans – a good feeling? Not as good as hot, sweaty sex. But good.
“Sure.” She didn’t move.
“You going to sleep there?”
“I’m too tired to move.”
“Okay.” He turned off lights and hobbled into the kitchen to turn off the stove.
True to his word, he woke her after two hours. Her nap had restored the luster to her eyes and color to her face. By the time her hair was a mass of soft curls bouncing against her blue velvet tunic, she looked so luscious he was even less interested in being on display at the Tidewater Inn.
Claudia slipped on some half boots. The heels brought her honey-colored curls level with his heart. Just a pocket Venus. He made a note to get her some jewelry. Those little pearl studs in her ears were pretty, but not special. His Claudia deserved special.
“I’m ready,” she said. “I don’t think you need a tie.”
“I thought erring on the side of formality would make a better impression.”
“If you don’t mind.”
“Not a bit. Shall we take my vehicle?”
Tiny lines appeared between her brows. “I guess it will be all right, since Jimmy will be with Mom.”
“I installed the car seat this afternoon,” he said.
“It came too?”
He kissed her cheek avoiding her lipstick. “FedEx loves us.”
“Where did the sheets on the new bed come from?” she asked.
“Nordstrom’s. My mom picked them out. I hope that you approve.”
“They’re really pretty. Please thank her for me.”
“I will. I’m glad you like them.” Mom had chosen a comforter cover with a blue toile print of shepherds and shepherdesses swinging in a landscape dotted with sheep. A bit feminine, but if Claudia liked them, he was happy. The sheets and pillowcases were white with a fine blue pinstripe to cut the froufrou.
“Tell me about your day,” he invited as soon as they were on the road.
She sighed. “As soon as I told Morley about us, he hustled off to the Bean to spread the word. I spent the day dealing with the fallout.”
“Good old Nosy. I hear Moira Fairchild threw herself and her unborn child under a bus to save you from the gossips.”
“Who told you that?”
“Tar and Feather Committee consisted of Quinn Drake and his sidekick, Walter Babcock.”
Claudia chuckled. “Moira showed up at the bank in a maternity dress, if that’s what Quinn meant. She invited me to lunch. We had a lovely hour in her back room far away from the chattering tongues.”
“And afterward?”
“The stream of snoops was halved. I guess some folks had to check out Moira’s due date. But I still spent the whole afternoon smiling while people asked intrusive questions and made rude remarks.”
“No congratulations? They’re a tough crowd in Mystic Bay.”
“There were one or two well-wishers. But not as many as you might think. I never knew so many people disliked me.” Sadness had replaced the fire in her voice.
“I think it’s hunters they don’t like.”
She didn’t contradict him. “Hmm.”