Mrs. Brinkley smiled over her shoulder at Brenda. She waved at the door leading into the dining room. "Go on into the dining room, and I'll serve you in a minute."
Brenda wanted to squirm at the very idea. Eating in there with Daniel would be bad enough, but she couldn't imagine eating there alone. "Can't I just eat here in the kitchen?" There was a big table in front of an enormous picture window just a few feet away. She'd rather eat there than in the stuffy dining room she could see through the open door. "I'm really not used to formalities."
Mrs. Brinkley nodded. "If you'll give me a minute, I'll take Mr. Axford's lunch up to him, and I'll come down and we'll eat together."
While she was gone, Brenda tried to imagine what Daniel's office would look like. In her mind, it was somewhat like the deck of the Starship Enterprise. There were many people around the helm, tapping away at keys. She stood beside him, in her tiny little regulation skirt. Her shirt would be red, of course. She'd have to be a red shirt.
Brenda smiled. She hadn't planned on spending her wedding day by herself, so she was glad she had someone to spend at least part of the day with. Even if it was just a housekeeper. Maybe she could get Mrs. Brinkley to talk to her about Daniel.
She sat down at the table, looking out the window. She could see the enormous backyard. There was a pool, and a huge garden beyond it. She couldn't wait to get out there and explore her new surroundings. This would be a beautiful place to raise children. She only hoped that she could get to know their father before they came along. He seemed resistant to the idea of her getting to know much about him at all. She still couldn't believe he'd told her that his childhood was off-limits.
She was more nervous about the wedding night than she cared to admit. She'd never been with a man before, and the idea of making love with a stranger was disconcerting. Yes, he was her husband, but he was a stranger.
Mrs. Brinkley came back into the room, interrupting her thoughts. She carried two bowls of the soup she'd made to the table. "I hope you like soup. I like to make soup and sandwiches for lunch most days."
"I'm sure I won't be here for lunch most days. I work Monday through Friday."
Mrs. Brinkley frowned. "You're not going to quit your job?" She seemed genuinely shocked at the idea.
Brenda frowned. "I hadn't really thought about it. What would I do if I didn't work?" The ideas of endless days with nothing to do wasn't appealing, although she'd never been one to let herself be bored. She had no trouble keeping busy.
In her mind, she sat in the small room. Around her were millions of projects that had been started, but only finished halfway. There was a soap opera on the TV, and box of bonbons beside her. No, that wasn't a life for her.
"You don't have any hobbies? I know if I were married to someone with Mr. Axford's wealth, I wouldn't work. Do you enjoy your job?"
Brenda shook her head slowly. "No, I really don't. I'm doing what I went to school for, and I thought I'd love it, but I hate every minute of it. I do it because it's what I'm supposed to do."
"Isn't there something you'd rather do? You could do volunteer work, or you could stay home and work on hobbies. You really have the opportunity to do whatever you want at this point."
"Would it bother Daniel if I just quit my job? I never assumed my husband would support me." She liked the idea of having endless opportunities, though. She'd never imagined she wouldn't have to spend her life working.
Mrs. Brinkley laughed. "I don't see Mr. Axford as someone who would be happy to have a wife working. He'll want you ready to entertain whenever he needs to have clients over. You working would just get in the way."
"I never thought about that." A sudden thought occurred to Brenda. "Do you know how I met Mr. Axford?"
Mrs. Brinkley smiled and nodded. "I know you met through a matchmaker."
"So you know I haven't had time to think about what I would do if I were married to a man of Mr. Axford's wealth. I—guess I could quit my job. I have to think about what I want to do instead." Brenda had recently read in the newspaper about a hospital which was looking for volunteers to hold preemies. She loved that idea.
"There are so many things you could do. If I were you, I would definitely quit the job I don't love, and find something I do. You don't have to worry about making a living anymore."
Brenda was still thinking about her discussion with the housekeeper as she wandered around the backyard thirty minutes later. It was strange to her to be able to eat a meal and not have to do the dishes afterward. It was going to take some getting used to being pampered this way. Even when she ate at her parents' house, she still had to do the dishes.
As she walked, she thought about how her day had gone. She'd woken up uncertain about her future, and now, she was married to the wealthiest man she'd ever met. It was hard to wrap her mind around everything.
The wall around the back garden was so high she couldn't see over it, and the grounds were immaculate. Daniel must have someone who came in and did the yard as well. She wondered if there was a Mr. Brinkley who did that. It was the simplest scenario.
She explored the yard for about an hour, before returning to the pool and sitting in a chair beside it. She wondered how often the pool was used, because Daniel didn't seem the type who would take even a couple of hours off work to swim. Of course, he was in excellent shape, so maybe that was how he stayed that way.
There was an in-ground hot tub next to the pool. She wondered if she'd be able to invite her family over. As she looked around the pool area, she could just imagine it filled with people. It was the perfect place to have a party. Maybe she could even have some of the girls from work over. They'd certainly shown her a lot of kindness.
She wished she'd brought her bathing suit, but she hadn't foreseen the need for it. When Daniel took her to get her things the next day, she would need to make sure she grabbed it. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen to the rest of her things. They definitely didn't need them in the house she was in now. Maybe one of her sisters could use them. Or if they couldn't, they could sell the furnishings.
Finally she stood, going into the house to get her Kindle. Reading by the pool sounded like a lot of fun. As she was going down the stairs and back toward the pool, she almost bumped into Daniel. Her mind had been on other things, and she hadn't seen him walking toward her.
He caught her by the shoulders to keep her from falling. "Your mind is not here." He had a grin on his face that told her that he didn't mind.
"My mind is everywhere. It's flitting from thought to thought in a way I hadn't realized was possible. There's so much to think about. I had no idea I'd be moving somewhere like this."
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Is that a bad thing?" He'd not wanted a woman who married him for his wealth, but would Brenda dislike his wealth? He'd heard there were people like that.
She laughed. "I don't think so. I'll let you know in a couple of weeks once I'm used to it."
He shook his head. "Well, I wanted to check on you. I wanted to make sure you were keeping out of trouble."
"I never get into trouble. I found my Kindle and I'm gonna go read by the pool."
"You should go for a swim."
She shook her head. "I didn't think to bring a swimsuit."
"Why not swim in one of my T-shirts and a pair of panties? The only one who would see would be me or Mrs. Brinkley. I probably wouldn't even see. I'll be in my office." His mental image of her in his T-shirt and a pair of panties made him want to forget all about work, which wasn't a good thing at all.
She could picture herself, with the T-shirt clinging closely to her body. Every person who had ever laughed at her in her life was surrounding her, pointing and laughing. No, she'd keep her clothes on.
She blushed, shaking her head. "I couldn't do that."
He reached out and caught her around the waist, pulling her to him for a kiss. His lips pressed against hers, his tongue tracing the outline of her lips. "It wouldn't bother anyone." Even as the word
s crossed his lips, he realized it was a lie. It would bother him a lot. Of course he just drag her off to his bed to do something about it.
She shook her head slowly. "I'll just read today." Her blue eyes were wide as they looked into his brown. "I don't think I could do anything that daring."
He grinned. "You just keep blushing, and I'll do my best to corrupt you." He stole one more kiss, before turning back to his office. Daniel almost wished he'd been able to talk her into it. He'd have to take the afternoon off work, but it would've been worth it.
Brenda hurried out to the pool, clutching her Kindle to her chest. She'd lose herself in a romance, and try not to think about the man who was ignoring her.
* * *
Brenda lost track of time. When she realized that it had gotten dark outside, she shut her Kindle off, and hurried into the house. Stopping in the kitchen, she found Mrs. Brinkley cooking. "Can I just wear shorts and a T-shirt for dinner?" She really hoped she wasn't expected to dress for dinner around here.
Mrs. Brinkley nodded. "Mr. Axford is as likely to come to dinner in jeans as he is in a suit. It depends on whether or not he remembers to change."
Brenda shook her head. "If he were a woman he wouldn't forget. As soon as you walk in the door that bra comes off."
"Oh definitely. I wish I could do that here."
"Do you live here?" Brenda had no idea.
Mrs. Brinkley nodded. "Yes, I do. There's an apartment above the garage that I share with my husband. He takes care of the grounds."
"Where is he today?"
"His mother is ill. He went to visit her in the hospital. I'm sure he'll be back in a few hours."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I hope it's nothing serious."
Mrs. Brinkley frowned. "I'm afraid it is. She has ovarian cancer. She won't last much longer."
"I lost my grandmother to breast cancer when I was in high school. It's hard."
"Yes, it is. I've never been close to my mother-in-law, but I wouldn't wish this illness on anyone. It's been awful to watch."
Brenda knew she didn't have the words to make it better, so she asked about dinner instead. "What can I do to help?"
Mrs. Brinkley shook her head. "It's all under control. I'll have everything on the table in about fifteen minutes."
Brenda glanced at the time on her Kindle, before running up the stairs to use the restroom and brush her hair for dinner. She felt like she should be formal at all times in this house. She didn't know what it was about it, but somehow the house itself intimidated her.
She was in the dining room exactly fifteen minutes later. Daniel walked in right after her. He had changed into jeans and a T-shirt. Somehow she was relieved that he was casual as well.
"Did you have a good day?" he asked, moving around to sit at the head of the table.
"I did. I explored the grounds, and I checked out my room, and I read by the pool for hours. I can't wait to get my bathing suit here so I can swim. With as warm as it's been I should be able to swim at least for another week."
"The pool is heated. You'll be able to swim until the snow starts to fly. And I use the hot tub year round."
Mrs. Brinkley brought in dinner. Brenda waited until she was finished serving them before asking her question. "Do you use the pool?"
"I do. From spring through fall I'm using it practically every day. I swim laps every morning. Do you enjoy swimming?" Maybe that was something they could build on. He needed to find common ground with her other than a mutual desire for children.
She nodded. "I was on my swim team in high school. It's my favorite exercise. Of course, it's the only exercise I like, so it makes sense that it's my favorite."
"I went to college on a swimming scholarship. I raced competitively."
"I decided to give up swimming after high school. And went to college on an academic scholarship."
He smiled. She had brains. That's what he was looking for. "What was your major?" he asked, as he forked up a bite of food.
"Finance. It seemed like the way to go. Now that I'm working in the field, I hate it. I had no idea how monotonous it would be."
"Are you going to continue working?"
"I'm not sure. How do you feel about it?" She really had no idea what he wanted. Mrs. Brinkley seemed to think he would want her to quit, but she wanted to hear the words from him.
"If you loved your job, I would say keep doing it. But if you hate it, there's no reason for you to continue." He really did want her to stay home, but he didn't want it to come across as an order. It would be better if she made the decision on her own.
"What would I do?" Brenda had never even dreamed that someday she could not have to work. Even when she thought about having children someday, she'd always thought she would be working full-time.
"I have no idea. Once the babies come you could raise them. Until then? You're on your own."
"What if I want to open a bookstore?" She loved books and being surrounded by them seemed like the perfect job for her.
He shrugged. "You can do that. I don't think there's any money in print books anymore, but I don't know a whole lot about it. Try it if that's what you want to do. I can certainly front you the money." He'd rather she didn't work at all, and opening a business was the last thing he wanted her to do, but if it made her happy, then he would help her. He believed everyone should be able to work for themselves if it was their desire.
Brenda frowned. He made everything seem so easy. "How about I do volunteer work?"
"Sounds good. We don't need you to make money." He liked that idea much better.
"I'll think about it then." She ate quietly, thinking about the possibilities. If he really didn't care, she could do anything she wanted.
Daniel watched her as they ate. He could see by her expression she was lost in thought. Unsure of what her decision would be, he let it go. Hopefully she'd do what he thought was right.
Four
After dinner, Daniel invited her to go for a walk in the garden with him. He wanted to at least attempt to do something romantic with her on their wedding night, and it was all he could come up with. He didn't find movies romantic because you couldn't talk to the other person, and he didn't want to go anywhere anyway. He liked the solitude of his estate.
Brenda nodded. "I'd like that. Your grounds are beautiful."
Taking her hand, he led her outside. "The house was owned by an elderly couple before I purchased it. They had let it go before I moved in, but I hired Mr. and Mrs. Brinkley as soon as I could. Mr. Brinkley had free rein with the garden. I think he's done a fabulous job."
"Definitely. I could get lost back here." The paths were lit with a low light, and the moon shone brightly overhead. Many of the flowers were still in bloom as they walked.
He led her to a corner of the garden she hadn't found yet. There was an old-fashioned swing, and they sat side-by-side. "This is really nice. I don't see you as the type to get out here much though." She hoped she was wrong, and they would spend time together out here as much as possible.
"I don't get out here nearly as much as I should. I wish I had more time for things like this." Sitting in the quiet had always been calming for him. He wanted to be able to be with his children in nature someday. The way he looked at it was the more he made now, the less he'd need to work when they came along. "Are you someone who enjoys the outdoors?"
She nodded. "I don't like the endless months of cold we have here in New England, but I love being outside. A couple of months of winter typically makes me happy, and I enjoy sledding and building snowmen with the best of them." Some of her best memories had been playing outdoors with her sisters and friends. She'd even had a fun snowball fight on campus in college.
"Sledding? Do you enjoy skiing?" He had never been, but it was something he wanted to try someday. He'd been working on his business non-stop almost since he'd first started college. He'd gotten a dual major in computer programming and business management, so he could run his business.
S
he shrugged. "I've only been a few times. My sisters both love it, but I really like to just go sledding on the hill." She knew he'd probably think she was a dork, but skiing had scared her when she'd done it. She was much happier on a sled.
"Are you even allowed to do that?" he asked.
She could just imagine what he was thinking. She saw herself on a sled, zipping in and around the skiers' legs. She jumped over a ski jump, did a flip, and landed on her face in the snow.
"Most resorts have a hill or two set aside just for sleds. I really like being a lodge bunny as well. It's fun to sit by the fire inside, drinking hot chocolate."
He slipped his arm over her shoulders. "Maybe we can do that this winter." He would find some time to take vacations with her. He knew she'd expect it. It was strange, but in his mind, every time he'd pictured having a wife, there were already children.
"It could be fun. I'd be just as happy to stay here and build snowmen in our backyard. This place is amazing."
He looked around as if seeing his property for the first time. "I've lived here for about five years. I tend to take it for granted now."
"Well you should stop! A place like this should never be taken for granted. It's too wonderful. I can't wait to get my bathing suit so I can try out the pool." The idea of having a pool in her backyard thrilled her. She'd spent a lot of time on the beach over the years, but she preferred pools.
"We'll do that tomorrow. Will you be ready to go in the morning? We can drive over to your apartment, get whatever things you feel like you need, and pick up your car at the church. I have a second sensor that we can put in your car, so it will always open the gate." Daniel didn't want her to be stuck outside, wondering how to get back in.
She was almost embarrassed at the thought of taking him to her apartment, having no idea what his background was. She didn't know if he'd always been wealthy, or if that had come with his business. "That works, as long as you promise not to judge me on my apartment." She didn't want to even try to see it through his eyes. A man who could take the huge estate they were on for granted, would not be impressed by her tiny apartment.
Blushing in Boston (At the Altar Book 7) Page 4
