but youâre wearing me down. Every day you have some new demand.â
âI donât think my expectation of functioning accommodation is a demand,â Amanda said in a huffy tone, her eyes spewing her disgust at him.
âI didnât mean that,â he said quietly. âOf course Iâll have the plumbing in your bathroom checked. But the way you askââ He saw her stiffen as if preparing for battle and sighed. âNever mind. Iâll have the plumber come tomorrow morning, I promise. And Iâll ask Cora to cut down on the salt in your food. Anything else?â
âPlenty. But those two are the most troublesome.â She tugged at the hem of her suit jacket then threw her shoulders back. âAlso, I would like to know your plans for Christmas.â
âMy plans?â He sensed something big was about to break. âWhat do you mean?â
âYou must be planning something with all thatâs been going on around here.â
âNothing unusual that I know of.â Where was this leading?
âThenâ?â
Following the wave of her hand, Wade glanced around the room. It brimmed with festive decor. Lopsided angels balanced on coffee tables. Strings of popcorn and paper chains of colored paper dipped and bowed across walls and windows.
âI would prefer it if you would instruct that nanny of yours to stop polluting this house with her inferior decorations.â Amandaâs scathing gaze rested on a particularly unround wreath propped against a wall.
âUh,â Wade gulped. He could imagine telling Connie to stop planning Christmas about as well as he could imagine Amanda enjoying the festive season.
âYou can hardly find even a doorknob that isnât adorned.â Amandaâs exasperation grew. âItâs not as if theyâre well-done decorations either. Theyâre handmade.â She spat out the words as if they carried a bad odor.
âBy Silver,â he said. âWho is only four.â
âAlmost five. Sheâll soon be going off to school. She should know whatâs proper for an Abbot.â
âProper? I did the same thing when I was her age,â he said with a smile.
âAnd look how you turned out.â Amanda sniffed in disgust. âI do hope youâre not planning some maudlin singsong around the fireplace on Christmas Eve.â
âNo, Iâm not planning that.â But Connie might be.
All at once, her eyes widened. âYouâre not going to put up a tree, are you?â
âWhy not?â he asked stupidly, then wished he hadnât.
âBecause they make a mess, drop sap onto the floorsand smell up the house. Itâs all silly and sentimental nonsense anyway.â Her voice had grown progressively more harsh.
âAmanda.â The time had come to stand his ground. Wade tried reasoning with her. âI know itâs a difficult time for you, and I empathize, truly. But Silver is a child. Every child looks forward to Christmas. Danny did,â he said quietly.
âDonât you dare speak his name!â Amandaâs beautiful face hardened. âNot when youâre the reason he isnât here.â With a shudder, her harsh mask dissolved, and a grieving mother slipped into its place.
Wade wanted to comfort her, but when she stormed out of the room he let her go, staring into the empty fireplace and wondering if he should plan on celebrating Christmas somewhere else.
âAm I interrupting?â Connie hesitated in the doorway.
âItâs fine.â Wade sank on the arm of the nearest sofa.
âIs something wrong?â
âJust that I canât seem to say the right thing where Amanda is concerned.â He sighed, then noticed how well dressed she was. âWhere are you off to?â
âSilver and I are going to church. I wondered if youâd care to join us?â She waited still as a church mouse while he thought it
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