‘Working day and night and night and day but I feel as though I’m finally starting to get things under control. Sort of.’ Jennifer smiled.
‘You have a lovely smile, dear, and I do like the way you’re wearing your hair. It suits you. Highlights your pretty eyes.’
‘Oh. Thank you.’ It was strange for Jennifer to receive compliments like that, especially since her own mother had never taken the time to give her any.
Iris leaned a little closer and spoke in an intimate whisper. ‘I think Jasper likes your hair like that, too.’
Jennifer nodded slowly. ‘He did mention it.’
‘Did he?’ Iris’s eyebrows lifted at this news. ‘The two of you becoming…better acquainted?’
For the second time since she’d arrived, Jennifer felt her cheeks tinge with colour and she lowered her head, a little embarrassed.
‘Don’t misunderstand me, Jennifer. I think it’s wonderful. Jasper needs someone like you and the more I get to know of you, the more I’m thinking that you need someone like Jasper.’
‘Hmm.’ She fiddled with the ring she wore on her right hand, still unable to look at Iris, hoping the woman would change the subject.
‘I saw you having a lovely tête-à-tête with Jasper earlier. I could have screamed at Megan for interrupting you. It looked as though you were about to kiss.’
‘Iris, I’m—’
‘I know, I know.’ Iris patted Jennifer’s hand. ‘It’s none of my business but I do want him to be happy. It’s what every mother wants for their children. For them to be happy in love.’ She sighed, her gaze coming to rest on Megan.
‘How’s she doing?’ Jennifer was glad of the reprieve.
‘Not as well as you and Jasper, I’m afraid. Poor Megan. Ian and I aren’t particularly happy with her choice of marriage partner—Megsy’s far too good for him—but she says she’s in love and despite how much heartache the cad seems to cause her, she forgives him.’
‘Love’s a tricky thing.’ Jennifer’s words were spoken softly and Iris gasped as she absorbed their true meaning.
‘You’ve been in love before,’ she stated. ‘Well, no wonder you want to take things slowly with my son. Good for you and good for him.’ Iris placed her hand on Jennifer’s. ‘Just know that if you want to talk about anything, anything at all, you can bend my ear any time, dear.’
Jennifer was so touched by the heartfelt words that tears sprang into her eyes. ‘Thank you, Iris.’
‘Oh, no, dear. Have I said something wrong? I didn’t mean to upset you.’
‘It’s not that. It’s just…my mother and I don’t…’ She stopped and sniffed. ‘Well, let’s just say we’re not at all close. I guess that’s why I’m not all that good at relationships.’
‘Oh, toffle. You have a brilliant and long-lasting friendship with Sara, don’t you? And Matt? What about their boys? And Lilly and Lola can’t stop talking about you. Jasper says you’re doing fantastic things for the department and I know for a fact that he’s quite taken with you. If that’s not having relationships, personal or otherwise, I don’t know what is.’
‘But I’m not good at communicating.’
Iris scoffed. ‘What do you call this, then?’ She indicated the space between the two of them. ‘You don’t give yourself nearly enough credit, Jennifer.’
‘That’s what I keep telling her,’ Jasper remarked as he entered the marquee. He’d been watching Jennifer and his mother talking for quite a few minutes now and was growing restless to know what they were talking about. Was his mother sticking her nose in where it didn’t belong? Was she scaring Jennifer off? It was those thoughts which had made him walk over and pull up a chair on the other side of Jennifer, shifting it a little closer before he sat. As he breathed in, her fresh perfume surrounded him and he felt himself relax. The woman really did have an amazing effect on him.
‘Do you know, she requisitioned a coffee-machine for the clinic and made me put it all in my name?’ Jasper shook his head as though she was a lost cause. ‘I just don’t know what to do with you, Dr Thorngate.’
Iris stood and grinned. ‘I can think of a few things.’ She winked at them both.
‘Mum!’ Jasper was momentarily mortified but then laughed as he watched his mother head over to talk to Sara. Well, at least he now knew his mother was definitely on his side. ‘Sorry about her.’
Jennifer smiled at him. ‘It’s all right. I think it’s nice that she can tease you.’