"You always look good to me, baby."
"I know that, but what I want to know is, will your mother approve?" agitation edged her voice.
"Are we starting that again?"
"A simple yes or no will do, Andrew," she said tartly.
"I've got to keep you away from my mother," he sighed, "you just met her last night and you're already rivaling her in the 'who's the best at badgering Andrew' contest. You look wonderful," he said.
"Hmph."
"If you're finished primping, can we go, now? I need coffee in the worst way."
"Now who's badgering who? Yes, we can go. If you're going to stay grouchy all day, I'll need that coffee more than you do..."
"Very funny. Come here."
Claudia went to him and he wrapped his arms around her waist. She twined her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. They were a deep, dark blue this morning and despite the playful banter, mock bickering and lovemaking they'd enjoyed, they were serious. Cocking her head to the side, she asked,
"What's wrong, Andrew?"
"Nothing, really. I just wanted to hold you for a minute; I know as soon as we get downstairs, Mom, Dad and Brian will monopolize you for the rest of the day," he sulked. "I should have told them we already had plans for Christmas and locked us away for the duration..."
Her heart skipped a beat. She had had the same thought earlier, that she wouldn't have him all to herself until much later that evening. At the time, it had annoyed her that she thought of his family as competition for his attentions. And as much as she wanted to be alone with him, she didn't want to keep him from spending time with his family. She knew that they were very important to him and as she'd seen last night, Andrew was vital to them as well. The thoughts and feelings that welled up in her at finding out that he had the same jealousies as she did were indescribable.
"Oh, Andrew..." she said, completely at a loss. She couldn't quite bring herself to say all she was feeling. Instead, she closed her eyes, leaned into him and took a deep breath, savoring the scent and feel of him. They lingered in their embrace, then separated, shared a sweet kiss and headed downstairs.
*****
Maggie had spent the morning baking. Andrew and Claudia took the back stairs that led directly to the kitchen and the heavenly aromas of cinnamon and vanilla wafted up to them as they descended. They found Maggie at the stove, pulling cinnamon rolls from the oven. She set them aside to cool and came to them.
"Merry Christmas, darlings. I thought it would be a while yet before you put in an appearance," she said, giving them each a hug and a kiss.
"Told you, Claudia," Andrew said smugly, heading toward the coffeemaker.
"Told her what?"
"I told her that you wouldn't be expecting us downstairs this early. She thought it would be rude to loll around in bed with me..."
"Andrew!" Claudia gasped, blushing.
"What? I'm just saying..." he shrugged.
"Stop teasing her, Andrew. She has more manners and decency in her little finger than you have in your whole body. How I failed so miserably with you, I'll never know," she scolded fondly. To Claudia she said, "We've gotten used to lying in on Christmas morning since we started having the party every year. You would have been welcome to 'loll in bed' with Andrew to your heart's content, dear. But, since you didn't..."
She looked pointedly at Andrew and he groaned.
"See what you did?" he accused Claudia. She had no clue what he was talking about, but whatever it was, she hoped he was in for something bad. He had it coming to him for the way he had teased her in front of his mother.
"Andrew, get the oranges out of the fruit basket and start squeezing. Claudia, take a seat at the breakfast bar and enjoy your coffee."
When Maggie's back was turned, Claudia stuck her tongue out at Andrew. He rolled his eyes and retrieved the oranges. He sat next to her and they squeezed the oranges together. They chatted as they worked and Maggie was delighted to see that Andrew was head over heels for this woman and thankful that Claudia was such a lovely, likable girl. The chemistry between them was undeniable and it was obvious they got on well out of bed, too. They kept up a light stream of chatter, talking about the party and the weather and other inconsequential topics.
Andrew and Claudia thought Maggie hadn't noticed that they couldn't keep their hands off of one another, but she had. She hid a smile when Andrew purposely splattered orange juice and pulp on Claudia and used it as an excuse to lick it off of her. Claudia, of course, tried to stop his teasing, but her protests only seemed to incite Andrew further.
Iain and Brian came into the kitchen just as they finished preparing breakfast. Maggie and Andrew knew they had timed their entrance perfectly so they wouldn't have to help with the preparations.
"Nice timing, guys," Maggie said ruefully, "we've just finished fixing breakfast."
"Would've been down sooner if there'd been any hot water left," Brian complained good-naturedly. "You guys took forever with your showers this morning."
Claudia blushed and, looking down, fiddled with her coffee cup in an effort to conceal the horror that was surely evident on her face. Showers. Plural. It's possible he hadn't known they were in there together, she thought hopefully.
"What?" Andrew asked, all innocence. Looping an arm around Claudia's neck with the casual intimacy of lovers, he asked, "Jealous, little brother?"
Great. Way to go Andrew, she thought, giving him what she thought was a discreet kick to the shin, advertise to the whole family what we've been doing this morning, why don't you?
"Don't answer that, Brian," Maggie ordered just as Brian opened his mouth to reply. "Andrew, stop embarrassing Claudia, for God's sake. The poor girl looks like she's praying she'll wake up and find out this is a terrible nightmare! I can't say there haven't been times when I prayed the same thing with you three raising hell around here. Here, take this into the family room," she said, handing him a loaded tray. Iain and Brian grabbed the remaining breakfast items and trooped after Andrew into the other room.
Maggie put a restraining hand on Claudia's arm when she stood to follow them.
"You'll never hold your own in this family if you can't take a bit of teasing. My guys - all three of them - can be relentless," Maggie advised. "If you let them know that you embarrass easily, they will tease you mercilessly."
"I know. I can't help it, though. Being an only child, I guess I'm just not used to families and sibling rivalry and all of that..." Claudia tried to explain. Not to mention the embarrassing novelty of having everyone in the house aware of the fact that she and Andrew had had sex twice in less than ten hours, she thought wryly.
"You'll get used to it, don't worry. Let's go get some breakfast before those Barbarians eat it all!"
Maggie had outdone herself with the meal, having prepared a spinach and cheese frittata, crisp slices of bacon, cinnamon rolls, croissants and fresh fruit salad. Always self-sufficient, Maggie had lit a fire in the cozy room and it blazed invitingly. The Christmas tree towered in the corner of the room and the furniture had been rearranged around it. After they ate, Brian, at his mother's command, played Santa, complete with the red and white hat.
Claudia and Andrew had decided not to exchange gifts with one another; they were planning a vacation for after the New Year instead. She had insisted on getting something for each member of his family, though. Finding presents for Maggie, Iain, and Brian had been exceedingly difficult. How do you buy things for people you didn't know? She had managed to find things that were impersonal enough not to cause offense yet made it evident that she had put thought and energy into finding things each person would like.
For Brian, she had purchased hard-to-come by tickets for a Red Sox vs. Yankees three-game series for the coming season. Andrew had told her he loved baseball, and like most New Englanders with any sense, he loved the Red Sox in particular. It was impossible to get tickets to the games and she had used every contact she had in her local entertainment industry ne
twork and called in a few favors to get the tickets. She knew he would love them and harbored hopes that maybe he'd take her to one of the games.
For Iain, a poetry lover and book collector, she had found a 1914 edition of Robert Frost's North of Boston in a rare-books store. The book was signed and dated by the author and was in very good condition. She had been sorely tempted to keep it for herself, but knew it was too perfect a gift not to give.
Maggie had been the most difficult to buy for. She had wide-ranging interests, Andrew had happily told her, so the choice of gifts was wide open. Like most men, he labored under the delusion that a woman with wide-ranging interests was easy to buy for. Claudia had finally found an antique Majolica glazed Wedgwood teapot, circa 1880 for Maggie. The teapot was brightly colored and in perfect condition. Claudia had gambled that Maggie would recognize the pot for the collector's item it was and had been pleased to note the number of antiques that furnished her house. Maggie would know exactly what she was looking at when she opened Claudia's gift.
She had gone way over her budget on the gifts for Iain, Maggie and Brian, but she didn't regret it. They had each been genuinely delighted with their gifts. When it came time for Claudia to open the joint gift the three of them had gotten her, she was stunned to find a necklace, earrings and ring by her favorite designer, Margaret Wynchell. Each piece was fashioned of one smooth, thick piece of sterling silver in a design that made you think they were liquid and flowing, instead of solid and substantial.
"I hope you like them, darling," Maggie said, "They were specially designed for you based upon what Andrew had told us about you."
"Specially designed? You mean you know Margaret Wynchell?" Claudia asked excitedly.
An uncomfortable silence greeted her question. Andrew got up from his seat next to her and began messing around with the fire.
"Andrew, you didn't tell her?" Maggie asked incredulously.
"Tell me what? I absoulutely love her work! I can never resist buying it, even when I don't have the money; it's my one guilty pleasure. I know that I should tell you that it's too much and that I can't accept it, but I'm way too in love with it to do the right thing!" Claudia gushed, rushing to get the words out, trying to soothe the tense atmosphere by reassuring them that she truly liked the gift. "I already have three complete sets, four including this one. The jewelry I had on last night was hers, too."
"I know, dear," Maggie said patiently, "I am Margaret Wynchell."
"You're Margaret Wynchell?" she asked weakly.
"One and the same. I had an inkling that you didn't know who I was when I commented that the pieces you wore last night had been some of my favorites to work on; you looked completely confused." Maggie gracefully and calmly attempted to diffuse the tension and put Claudia at ease. "I apologize for not having time last night to explain, but when it comes right down to it, Andrew really should have told you. He knew all along whose designs you were wearing, because he told me you admired my work."
"Yes, indeed," Claudia said, quietly fuming, feeling awkward and gauche for the first time since meeting the family, but also trying to maintain some semblance of composure. She felt like the biggest kind of idiot and it was Andrew's fault. "Andrew really should have told me. I feel so silly, going on and on about how much I love 'Margaret Wynchell' when I've spent the night in her house, eaten her homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast and am in the midst of spending Christmas with her family. How mortifying..." She trailed off, her old insecurities boiling up inside her. She had thought she was well-prepared for Andrew's family and now this.
"I thought it would be a good surprise, babe. That's the only reason I didn't tell you. I thought you'd get a kick out of it," Andrew offered lamely.
"Woof-woof! You're in the doghouse, now, bro!" Brian chortled, obviously enjoying Andrew's discomfiture.
Claudia glared first at Brian, then at Andrew. "Well. It was a surprise and I certainly dofeel like I've been kicked. We'll talk about this later, Andrew," she said with asperity.
Turning to Maggie, she inquired about the woman's career as a jewelry designer. Maggie was eager to talk about her art with a fellow artist, someone who admired and understood what it meant to create. Though they worked with different mediums – music for Claudia, metal and gems for Maggie – the two women spoke the same language, if slightly different dialects, when it came to the arts. They talked for some time, while Andrew, his father and brother spoke about other topics. By the time their conversations dovetailed once again, the tension that had gripped the room at the revelation that Maggie was Margaret Wynchell had dissipated.
The rest of Christmas day with the Conal family had been peaceful. They watched Christmas-themed movies and snacked on festive homemade cookies and candies while Christmas dinner was cooking. Again, Maggie outdid herself with the meal. The herb-crusted standing beef rib-roast, creamy garlic-parmesan mashed potatoes and haricots-vert were all done to perfection, making for a simple yet elegant meal. Another of Maggie's talent areas was baking. Along with the cookies and candy they'd eaten earlier in the day, she had baked an apple pie, a pecan pie and a coconut cake for dessert – each a favorite dessert of her three 'guys'.
Eventually, it was time for Andrew and Claudia to bid his family good-bye. Claudia thanked Maggie and Iain profusely for their hospitality and told them she hoped to see them again. They made her feel like one of the family when they told her that they definitely expected to see her as often as they saw Andrew – if not more so. Maggie promised to meet her for lunch and shopping when she was next in Boston. She knew that in spite of having been caught flat-footed with the bombshell that Maggie was Margaret Wynchell, she had made a good impression. She was pleased with how her visit with the family had panned out. She liked them and was sure that she would enjoy getting to know them better.
As Brian, Maggie and Iain saw them to the car and made sure they were safely buckled in, another vehicle swung into the drive and pulled up alongside the house. Andrew was puzzled at first, but then realized to whom the late-model Jaguar sedan belonged.
"Oh. They're late; I figured they weren't coming by this year," he said absently. "Do you mind if we go in and have another cup of coffee or a drink? Paddy and Pam are my parents' oldest friends. It's tradition for them to come by on Christmas night."
"Not at all," Claudia assured him, "I'd love to meet your parents' friends."
They got out of the car again and saw Maggie, Iain and Brian standing on the walkway perpendicular to the driveway, exchanging greetings with a middle-aged couple. Watching the flurry of chatter, hugs, back-slapping and exclamations, Claudia smiled, warmed at the sight of Andrew's parents' excitement at seeing their friends. Her smile faded as the group turned toward them and she was able to make out the faces of the new arrivals.
No... This cannot be possible, she thought dazedly. In less time than she had available to fully comprehend what was happening, she would be meeting her father face to face for the first time in her life. Oh, my God! she thought, panic racing through her. Time seemed to stop as her father and his wife made their way toward where she and Andrew stood. Claudia stood rooted to the ground, stunned, feeling detached from her body. With rapid-fire quickness and without her conscious direction, her brain catalogued the scenarios that would result if she gave in to either of the two instinctive responses that came naturally when a person was faced with a threat: fight or flight. None of the scenarios yielded positive results, of course, so she just stood there, not knowing what to do. She came to her senses just as her father noticed her standing there.
"Well, well... Andrew, what have we here?" her father – her father! – asked. Claudia felt fury boil up inside her at his mocking tone and leering, assessing gaze. He sized her up as though she were a piece of meat.
"Good to see you, too, Patrick," Andrew said, laughing. Then with a note of pride in his voice, he said, "This is my girlfriend, Claudia Beaumont – known as Claudia to friends and family. Claudia, these are great friends of
our family, Patrick Gates and his wife, Pamela."
Claudia shook hands with first the wife, then Gates himself and murmured polite hellos. Patrick Gates kept her hand in his and examined her more closely. The others moved up the walkway towards the house and didn't notice that Claudia and Patrick didn't follow them.
"Beaumont, was it?" he asked.
"Yes, Beaumont," she responded with a shade of defensiveness.
He was looking at her closely, even went so far as to lift a hand to her chin and tilt it back and forth so he could see more of her face. Claudia knew exactly what he was seeing. Had seen it herself countless times when she'd opened the newspaper's business or society pages. When she was younger, she had held his picture next to her face, looking for signs of kinship, and compared their features. They shared the same almost-jade-green eyes, the long straight nose, the bowed upper lip and full lower one. She knew she had inherited her height and slim build from him, too, because her mother was petite and curvy.
His fingers tightened on her chin and his green eyes narrowed to slits. He pressed his lips together as though to stop himself from making an outburst. Claudia narrowed identical eyes at him and jerked her chin away defiantly. With haughtiness she didn't know she possessed, she called out to Andrew,
"Darling, I'm afraid I don't feel up to coffee after all. Would you mind if we went home?"
Andrew walked back to where she stood and looked at her closely. Apparently he didn't like what he saw.
"Are you OK? You don't look like yourself. Maybe we should go back inside where you can rest for awhile."
"No!" she said firmly. Then more calmly, "I really think it's best that I leave, Andrew. Now. Please," she added as an afterthought. Turning to his parents, her face a cool mask of formality, she said, "Mr. and Mrs. Conal, thank you for your hospitality. Good night."
With a polite nod for them and Brian, she stiffened her spine, turned and headed for the car without waiting for a response from her hosts. She knew they would try to convince her to go inside and lie down and she didn't want to face their concern over her suddenly changed demeanor.
The Seduction Of Claudia Page 13
