And it was all because of Michael. The warmth she saw in his eyes, the quiet joy in his smile, made her feel as though she truly belonged somewhere—and that scared her. She didn’t want to get too close to him and his family, but she couldn’t bear to keep her distance, either. She needed this too badly.
“Dinner was great, Mom.” Michael smiled as he folded his napkin and leaned back in his chair, looking over to Jessy. She returned his smile and quickly looked away. Prolonged eye contact with him still made her feel antsy and way too warm.
“Well, it wasn’t all my doing.” Lyssa looked to Ben and smiled. “I had some help, didn’t I?”
“Yeah,” Ben said, flashing Jessy a snaggle-toothed smile. “I helped make the tea.”
“Daddy says we make the best tea in the world,” Marie said proudly.
“And your daddy’s absolutely right.” Jessy took another sip of tea and smiled at Michael over the rim of her glass. He grinned and lazily draped an arm over the back of Ben’s chair, unabashedly staring at her.
Hoo boy, Jessy thought as she struggled to swallow the tea without choking. That man knows how to use those eyes. He’s lethal.
“Michael tells me you’re a woman of mystery,” Lyssa said with a teasing smile. Jessy gratefully turned her attention away from Michael’s disconcerting stare, even though she had a bad feeling some personal questions were coming up. “What exactly do you do in Kentucky?”
“I teach third grade.” Jessy managed to keep from glancing back to Michael, even though she could feel him still watching her.
Lyssa’s smile widened—and if Jessy wasn’t mistaken, she thought she could see something like approval in the older woman’s eyes. “So you like children, I take it?”
“Yes, Mom,” Michael said as he stood and began gathering plates. “Especially broiled and served with carrots.”
Lyssa laughed. “Okay—point taken. I’m getting snoopy.”
“But we love you anyway,” Michael said, pausing just long enough to kiss the top of his mother’s head as he passed behind her chair. Jessy, smiling, caught Michael’s eye as he haphazardly stacked the rest of the dinner dishes. As he walked out of the room she forgot herself for a moment and stared at his broad back and shoulders, admiring his effortless grace, his easy strength, his jeans clinging so tightly to his—
Lyssa cleared her throat and Jessy, red-faced and flustered, looked back to the table. How could she lust after him in front of his own mother?
“You know, I feel like I should thank you.” Lyssa glanced over to Marie and Ben to make sure they weren’t listening. Instead, they were embroiled in a take-no-prisoners game of thumb wrestling. “With everything that’s been going on here, it’s just good to see Michael smile again.”
Jessy’s smile half-slanted into a frown. “Thank me? Why?”
“Well—” Lyssa lowered her voice and leaned forward slightly. “I’m sure Michael’s mentioned his—situation.”
“Situation? He hasn’t really said anything—”
“No, Michael wouldn’t.” Lyssa sighed and frowned slightly, shaking her head. “I probably shouldn’t be saying anything, but I think you should know.”
The bad feeling in the pit of Jessy’s stomach was getting worse by the second. “Is everything okay? Is it one of the kids?”
“Oh, no—thank God, no. It’s nothing like that.” Lyssa smiled faintly as her gaze went back to Marie and Ben. “It’s his ex-wife, Ann.” Lyssa dropped her voice to a whisper. “She’s talking about asking for custody of the children.”
Ben leaned against Jessy’s arm. “Can I sit on your lap, Jessy?”
“Sure, honey—” Distracted, Jessy helped him crawl up to her lap, more than a little stunned by Lyssa’s words. Custody?
“I want to sit on your lap, too,” Marie said, climbing aboard before Jessy could say anything. Laughing, she helped Marie squirm into a comfortable spot. She’d forgotten how heavy a six-year-old could be. Two of them at the same time made her legs go almost instantly numb.
Ben cuddled close to Jessy, slinging one arm high around her neck, and cocked his head so that he could look up at her. Marie mimicked the gesture, playing idly with a lock of Jessy’s hair.
“Jessy,” Ben said as he copied Marie and twirled a curl of Jessy’s long hair, “do you like kids?”
“Well, sure. I used to be one, y’know.”
Ben grinned, his nose crinkling. “Did you like dinosaurs?”
>“Like >dinosaurs?” Jessy’s smile widened. “I used to ride them to school.”
Libby rolled her eyes and groaned, but Ben and Marie were delighted. “Really?” Marie asked.
“Uh-huh. I even had one as a pet.”
“Was it friendly?”
“Oh, yeah.” Jessy leaned forward, grimacing as she wrinkled her nose. “But cleaning the litter box was yucky.”
Ben and Marie giggled, and even Libby cracked a smile. Jessy glanced over to Lyssa and saw whole-hearted approval in the woman’s expression. Great. Once again, Jessy Monroe impresses the bejeebers out of a guy’s mother. If everything goes as it’s always gone in the past, that means that Michael will have less than zero interest in her.
“Hey! Anybody home?”
The unexpected voice was unbearably cheery, and as Jessy saw the look of excitement that passed between Libby and Ben and Marie, she knew there was only one person the unannounced visitor could be.
Ann Forrester stepped into the dining room, thoughtlessly shaking snow from her hair and coat onto the carpet. Jessy’s heart sank as she got her first look at her. Of course Ann was gorgeous. Of course. In jeans and a sweater, with her honey-blonde hair perfectly styled to fall over her shoulders, Ann looked like the girl-next-door turned perfect wife and mom. Watching her as she hugged Ben and Marie, Jessy felt her stomach turning inside out. Here was that other shoe she’d been expecting, and it packed a wallop.
Michael stepped out of the kitchen, his expression neutral. He dried his hand on a dishtowel and slung it over his shoulder, a muscle in his jaw twitching as he stared at Ann.
But Ann wasn’t aware of Michael just yet. Her smile had frozen on her lips as she fixed on Jessy, a strained politeness that didn’t quite mask the unpleasant look in her eyes.
Jessy managed to smile pleasantly back to her. After all, just because the woman was beautiful didn’t necessarily mean she’d be judgmental. Jessy always hated it when people made assumptions about her personality just because of the way she looked; she could at least extend that same courtesy to Ann. Even if she was Michael’s ex.
Then in the next instant Jessy was dismissed from Ann’s attention as she knelt to scoop Ben into a bear hug. “Look at you, Benny-boy!” Ann laughed as she picked Ben up and squeezed him. “You’re getting so big! And Marie—you’re getting prettier and prettier every time I see you!”
Libby joined them, smiling brightly. “Hi, Mom!”
Ann’s reaction to her oldest daughter stunned Jessy. The smile slid away, replaced by disappointment. “Oh, Libby—you promised me you’d lose some weight!”
Jessy inhaled sharply, offended on Libby’s behalf. The girl’s smile dropped instantly, the pain in her eyes obvious to everyone in the room but Ann. Michael stepped out of the kitchen doorway and went to his daughter’s rescue.
“It might be nice to say hello to your daughter before you start criticizing her,” he said quietly.
“Hello, Mike.” Ann’s voice, husky yet soft, seemed inordinately loud in the quiet of the room. The affection in it sent an unpleasant shiver of premonition down Jessy’s spine. “I’ve missed you.”
Ann suddenly blinked, catching herself after an obvious moment of hesitation, all the better to allow the full impact of her slip of the tongue to hit home. “And the kids,” she added feebly. “All of you. Even Mom.”
“I’m not your mother, Ann.” Lyssa stood and walked out of the room, surprising Jessy with her abrupt coldness. She looked back to Ann just in time to see her roll her eyes impa
tiently.
And at that moment, Jessy instantly knew what kind of woman Ann was.
“It’s been too long,” Ann said, gaze softening as she smiled wistfully. “I can only stay for dinner, unfortunately. I have to get back to Chicago to interview the mayor and—” She sighed, still smiling. “And never mind all that right now. It’s just good to be home.”
“This hasn’t been your home for a few years now,” Michael said mildly, leaning against the back of a chair. “Or have you forgotten?”
“I could never forget you. Or the kids.”
Jessy had never felt so conspicuous, so overwhelmingly out of place, in her entire life. She forced herself to stand her ground, to at least have the dignity to act unaffected by the entire show. She had the distinct feeling that Ann was marking territory, letting her know exactly where she stood in the grand scheme of things. And for some reason, that triggered a stubborn streak that Jessy hadn’t realized she’d possessed. If this was going to be a battle of wills, then damned if she’d be the one to break first.
“I didn’t expect you to have company, Michael.” Ann’s voice was as annoyingly insincere as her smile.
“Jessy’s a friend,” Michael said quietly. “Jessy, this is Ann Forrester—my ex-wife.”
“Dating so soon?” Ann’s smile was venomous, not quite making its way up to her eyes. “She doesn’t seem to be your type, sweetie.”
Jessy managed a pained smile. She couldn’t ever remember disliking someone quite so much on just a first impression.
Lyssa came out of the kitchen with dessert—a tray filled with pies and cakes—and, with a cool glance in Ann’s direction, placed it on the table and left the room. Ann’s smiling mask slipped as she watched Lyssa go, her narrowed eyes blazing for just an instant before she refocused her attention on Michael again. The whole drama happened so quickly, no one else noticed.
But Jessy had.
Libby had taken a small sliver of pecan pie, as well as a small sliver of pumpkin, and was beginning to spoon whipped cream on top when Ann reached over and snatched the plate from her hands. “Honestly, Libby—do you really think you need dessert?”
Libby’s face turned crimson in humiliation, and Jessy had to grit her teeth, gripping her fork so tightly she thought she might bend it in half. She glanced across the table and saw that Michael was just as furious.
“Ann—” Michael’s voice held a note of warning that Ann ignored. Jessy could see that Michael’s ex was either quite good at remaining blissfully ignorant, or she just didn’t care. She had a feeling it was the latter.
“Michael, Libby’s already at least fifty pounds overweight. Do you want her to blow up like—” Ann’s eyes cut to Jessy—a subtle, yet meaningful glance—before she continued. “Like a whale?”
“It’s okay, Dad,” Libby said quietly, pushing away from the table. “I’m not hungry anyway.”
“Honey—”
“Let her go,” Ann said. “It wouldn’t kill her to miss a few meals.”
On the verge of tears, Libby walked out of the dining room. Michael helplessly watched her go, then pushed himself away from the table. “I’m going to go talk to her.”
“Don’t,” Ann said coldly. “You shouldn’t go running every time she gets her feelings hurt. She’s a big girl. She’ll get over it.”
Michael slumped back in his chair, shaking his head in disbelief. “What do you want, Ann? Are you trying to give her an eating disorder?”
“I just want what’s best for her. She’s too fat.” Ann took a dainty bite of Libby’s pumpkin pie and dabbed at her lips with a napkin. “And she’ll never have a boyfriend while she looks like that.” Ann looked to Jessy and smiled. “Right, Jessy? I mean, you must know.”
“Ann—” Michael’s voice rose slightly, his eyes darkening with anger.
“Anyway,” Ann continued, unfazed, “you haven’t even asked me why I’m here.” She mock pouted, acting coy, and Jessy’s dislike for the woman quadrupled.
“Well, I’d assumed you were here to visit the kids, since you’ve only seen them three times this year.” Michael leaned back in his chair and leveled Ann with a steady, no-nonsense gaze. Jessy silently watched the exchange, feeling conspicuous and intrusive. But there was no way she’d leave yet.
“I do want to see the kids,” Ann said with a slow, suggestive smile. “But I kinda missed you too, cowboy.”
Cowboy?
“But since you didn’t ask,” Ann continued, ignoring Jessy completely, “I came here to talk to you—about what we discussed earlier.”
Michael cut his eyes toward Jessy, a less than subtle attempt to stop Ann from saying too much. Jessy leaned back in her seat, a sickly feeling uncurling in the pit of her stomach. As if she needed to feel more conspicuous.
“Now’s not the time, Ann.”
Ann abruptly focused her attention on Jessy again. “So you picked up my husband on a bus,” she said with forced mildness. “What happened—was the street corner too cold?”
“Excuse me?” Jessy sat up straighter, feeling her face flush with anger. This was getting uglier by the second.
Ann flashed her a brilliant and totally insincere smile. “It’s a joke. I’m joking. Mikey knows how I like to kid, don’t you, sweetie?”
“Mmm-hmm—and by the way, I’m your ex-sweetie.” Michael cleared his throat, flashing Jessy an awkward apologetic gaze as he shifted in his seat. “And Jessy did not ‘pick me up.’ We met—” His gaze touched upon Jessy’s, the faintest of smiles on his lips. “We met during a dinner stop.”
“What on Earth were you doing on a bus, Michael?” Ann laughed and tossed her hair, effectively drawing Michael’s attention back to her. “I mean, really—I know the farm’s in trouble, but surely you could afford to buy a plane ticket.”
“The farm’s fine,” Michael said tightly. “My flight was cancelled and I wanted to get home for Thanksgiving.”
“So let me ask my second question.” Ann leaned forward, eyes narrowing slightly as any trace of forced friendliness vanished. “Why are you here, Jenny?”
“Jessy,”
“He invited you! How unbelievably sweet of him.” Ann’s smile was suddenly toxic as she looked to Michael. “Inviting a strange woman into my house to spend Christmas with my children. How wonderful.”
“In case you’ve forgotten,” Michael said, smiling easily if a bit stiffly, “those kids are mine, too. And this house hasn’t been yours since the day you walked out on us. So please spare me the sarcasm, okay?”
“No, Michael. It’s not okay. I don’t know who or what this woman is—and I really doubt you do either.” Ann looked at Jessy again, but this time she didn’t even bother to hide her distaste. “Really, Michael—if you’re going to have your little flings, can’t you do it in private? Do we all have to see what awful taste you have in bimbos?”
Michael straightened in his chair, leaning forward as he glared at Ann. “Now that’s enough. You have no right to walk in like you still live here and—”
“When it comes to my kids I have every right!”
“You haven’t even bothered to call them in three months.” Michael’s voice lowered with anger. “And where were you on Ben and Marie’s last birthday? Or Libby’s, for that matter?”
“I told you—I was on assignment.” Ann’s expression tightened. “I had deadlines and—”
“And meanwhile you can’t be bothered to make a five-minute phone call.”
“Damn it, Michael—I have to have a life!”
“The kids should be your life,” Michael said quietly. “Just like they’re mine.”
“Don’t fight,” Ben whispered, looking very small and very frightened. Jessy wished she could pick him up and hug him until the fear went away. “I don’t like it when you fight.”
“We’re not fighting, baby.” Ann looked almost triumphant as she glanced back to Michael.“Are we?”
“This is ridiculous,” Jessy muttered, pushing away from the table.<
br />
“So what’s your problem?” Ann snapped.
Jessy stood, tossing her napkin down on her plate. “My problem is the way you’ve managed to upset your children in the space of fifteen minutes.”
“My relationship with my children is none of your business.”
Ann glared at Jessy, the facade of forced friendliness gone now. “You have no right to criticize—”
“That’s enough, Ann.” Michael spoke softly, the anger in his voice sharp but controlled. “Jessy is just concerned about the kids.”
“Someone ought to be,” Jessy murmured, unable to resist taking one last swipe. “I’m going to go try to find Libby,” she said, looking from Michael to Ann. “Maybe I can talk to her.”
“She needs to talk to me,” Ann said, standing quickly. “You don’t even know my daughter.”
“I think you’ve said enough already, Ann.” Michael’s voice remained dangerously steady. “You’ve seen Libby three times in the past year. What makes you think you know her?”
At a loss for words, Ann’s cheeks reddened with anger. Jessy took advantage of the silence to speak to Ben and Marie, smiling brightly as she gently guided their attention away from the argument.
“Hey—I’d sure like to see Miss Purty now,” Jessy smiled as she gently wiped away the tears on Ben’s cheeks. Ben managed a slight smile of his own.
“She won’t bite or anything,” he said quietly, taking Jessy’s hand. “So you can hold her and pet her if you want.”
“She’ll poop on you,” Marie warned.
“That’s okay. I’m not allergic to hamster poop.” Jessy smiled and stood, taking Ben and Marie’s hands in hers, and allowed them to guide her out of the dining room. She glanced quickly to Michael, but he was staring at Ann, his eyes dark with anger. Ann returned his gaze as if they were the only two people in the world.
How could Michael ever love someone like Ann? Jessy had seen this kind of thing far too many times in her life. No matter how horrible, how mean, how selfish the woman was, if she had a good body and a pretty face, nothing else mattered. Character and personality had nothing to do with it.
The Giving Season Page 6
