earrings danced at her dainty ears. She carried in her hands a platter that Melissa assumed was the famous fudge she’d promised Henry the day before.
“Merry Christmas, Mary and Melinda,” Hilary replied.
“Melissa. My name is Melissa.”
“Of course,” Hilary said, then turned her attention to Henry. “Could I speak to you privately for a moment?”
“Okay. Let’s go into my study.” Henry gestured her down the hallway.
“I can’t imagine what he ever saw in that woman,” Mary said the minute they had disappeared.
“She’s very beautiful,” Melissa said as she put the last of the wrapping paper into the trash.
“Maybe on the outside, but it’s inner beauty that really matters. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go help Etta with the lunch preparations.”
“And I’m going to put the boys down for their nap,” Melissa replied. Minutes later Melissa stood in the doorway of the room she now thought of as the nursery. Joey had fallen asleep almost immediately and James was almost there, fussing a bit as he fought sleep.
As he finally gave up the battle, Melissa turned from the door and gasped in surprise at the sight of Hilary in front of her.
“He won’t marry you, you know,” she said softly.
“I don’t expect him to marry me,” Melissa replied.
Hilary smiled. “He’s not going to marry me, either. I’d hoped that eventually I could wear him down, but Henry has no interest in being married. You seem like a nice woman and it would be a shame for you to get hurt.”
“I appreciate your concern, but trust me, Henry has made it clear to me a hundred different ways that he’s not the marrying kind. Besides, what makes you think I would want to marry him?”
Hilary looked at her and released a dry laugh. “You’re kidding, right? I mean, he’s good-looking and nice and wealthy. Why wouldn’t you want to marry him?”
Melissa couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with a woman who had been Henry’s lover. “My life is in Amarillo. I’ll be going home tomorrow to my life.”
“Well, in any case I just came up here to tell you that it was nice to meet you and I hope you have a safe trip home.” With a curt nod, Hilary turned around and walked down the stairs.
Melissa drew a deep breath and went into her bedroom. While the morning had been one of the happiest she could ever remember, she felt a sudden burn of tears in her eyes.
There was no way she’d ever to be able to provide for the twins like Henry could. Would she be denying her sons by choosing not to move here? She didn’t want to do the wrong thing, but she didn’t know what was the right thing. Maybe she should just take a look at the carriage house and keep an open mind.
Still, she couldn’t ignore the fact that somebody was trying to hurt Henry and it was possible she and the boys might become accidental victims.
“Melissa?”
She whirled around to see Henry standing in the doorway. “Everything all right?” he asked.
“Everything is fine,” she replied.
“I know Hilary came up here. She didn’t say anything to upset you, did she?” He gazed at her worriedly.
Melissa smiled. “Not at all. She simply told me that it was nice to meet me and she hoped I had a safe trip home.”
He seemed relieved. “Hilary tends to have a bit of a sharp tongue.”
“Don’t worry, Henry. I’m a big girl and I can take care of myself.”
He nodded. “I was wondering if while the twins are napping if now would be a good time to take you to see the carriage house.” He smiled, that slow sexy grin that heated every ounce of blood in her body. “I was also wondering when I was going to get to see that blue sweater on you.”
“Why don’t you give me five minutes and I’ll meet you downstairs and we can take a look.”
“Great. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
The minute he left the room she closed the door and pulled the sweater out of the box. It fit perfectly and was exactly the color of
“Merry Christmas, Mary and Melinda,” Hilary replied.
“Melissa. My name is Melissa.”
“Of course,” Hilary said, then turned her attention to Henry. “Could I speak to you privately for a moment?”
“Okay. Let’s go into my study.” Henry gestured her down the hallway.
“I can’t imagine what he ever saw in that woman,” Mary said the minute they had disappeared.
“She’s very beautiful,” Melissa said as she put the last of the wrapping paper into the trash.
“Maybe on the outside, but it’s inner beauty that really matters. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go help Etta with the lunch preparations.”
“And I’m going to put the boys down for their nap,” Melissa replied. Minutes later Melissa stood in the doorway of the room she now thought of as the nursery. Joey had fallen asleep almost immediately and James was almost there, fussing a bit as he fought sleep.
As he finally gave up the battle, Melissa turned from the door and gasped in surprise at the sight of Hilary in front of her.
“He won’t marry you, you know,” she said softly.
“I don’t expect him to marry me,” Melissa replied.
Hilary smiled. “He’s not going to marry me, either. I’d hoped that eventually I could wear him down, but Henry has no interest in being married. You seem like a nice woman and it would be a shame for you to get hurt.”
“I appreciate your concern, but trust me, Henry has made it clear to me a hundred different ways that he’s not the marrying kind. Besides, what makes you think I would want to marry him?”
Hilary looked at her and released a dry laugh. “You’re kidding, right? I mean, he’s good-looking and nice and wealthy. Why wouldn’t you want to marry him?”
Melissa couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with a woman who had been Henry’s lover. “My life is in Amarillo. I’ll be going home tomorrow to my life.”
“Well, in any case I just came up here to tell you that it was nice to meet you and I hope you have a safe trip home.” With a curt nod, Hilary turned around and walked down the stairs.
Melissa drew a deep breath and went into her bedroom. While the morning had been one of the happiest she could ever remember, she felt a sudden burn of tears in her eyes.
There was no way she’d ever to be able to provide for the twins like Henry could. Would she be denying her sons by choosing not to move here? She didn’t want to do the wrong thing, but she didn’t know what was the right thing. Maybe she should just take a look at the carriage house and keep an open mind.
Still, she couldn’t ignore the fact that somebody was trying to hurt Henry and it was possible she and the boys might become accidental victims.
“Melissa?”
She whirled around to see Henry standing in the doorway. “Everything all right?” he asked.
“Everything is fine,” she replied.
“I know Hilary came up here. She didn’t say anything to upset you, did she?” He gazed at her worriedly.
Melissa smiled. “Not at all. She simply told me that it was nice to meet me and she hoped I had a safe trip home.”
He seemed relieved. “Hilary tends to have a bit of a sharp tongue.”
“Don’t worry, Henry. I’m a big girl and I can take care of myself.”
He nodded. “I was wondering if while the twins are napping if now would be a good time to take you to see the carriage house.” He smiled, that slow sexy grin that heated every ounce of blood in her body. “I was also wondering when I was going to get to see that blue sweater on you.”
“Why don’t you give me five minutes and I’ll meet you downstairs and we can take a look.”
“Great. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
The minute he left the room she closed the door and pulled the sweater out of the box. It fit perfectly and was exactly the color of
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