“Please do,” Hallie said. “I’ve already ordered, but I could get you something.”
“Maybe some tea.” She signaled the waitperson. “Raine said he sent you away, so I’ve been looking for you. I’m sorry I haven’t been over to introduce myself, but we thought it would be better to give Jamie some space. We all tend to hover over him. I think we made the right decision.”
“He’s done well.”
“Because of you,” Cale said.
“He’s a strong man and he’s done most of the work himself.”
“I’d heard you were modest, but this is beyond the call. Any physical therapist could have done the bodywork, but you’ve worked on the underlying problem.”
As Hallie’s salad arrived she thought about being gracious and saying thank you. This was Jamie’s mother and one of the bestselling writers in the world. She was a bit intimidating.
Hallie decided on the truth. “I can’t take full credit for his success because everything I did was by accident. There were time
s when I thought he was going to drive me insane. What I had to go through to get his clothes off was a nightmare!”
“Was it?” Cale asked as she sipped her tea. “Tell me every word.”
When Hallie started talking, she couldn’t seem to stop. She started at the beginning, with Jamie’s refusal to undress, then his nightmares and the “sleeping kisses” she’d used to calm him down.
“He was like that as a child,” Cale said. “He was the most affectionate boy there ever was. Todd was always more reserved, but Jamie loved to cuddle.”
As Hallie took a drink of her tea, she thought, He still does. “Why did he go to war?”
“The million-dollar question,” Cale said. “The one we all asked him so many times. It boils down to social conscience. He felt that he has so much while others have so little. He wanted to share his good fortune.”
“That’s what I guessed. He really is the kindest man I’ve ever met.”
“Is he?” Cale asked, acting as though she was calm, but her mother’s heart was doing flip-flops. She loved nothing better than hearing that her children were seen as the magnificent beings she knew them to be.
“I guess you heard what happened earlier.”
“Yes,” Cale said, “I did. In full, glorious detail from Cory. She thinks you’re wonderful, and she usually thinks adults are, at best, overrated. But she loves her brothers very much. When Jamie was near death I feared that we’d lose her too.”
“I’m sorry for that,” Hallie said. “It must have been so awful for all of you.”
Cale was watching her. “From what I hear, you haven’t had such an easy time lately either. Jared told me about your stepsister.”
Hallie leaned back in her chair as the waitress took her plate away. “That problem is being taken care of.”
“If you hadn’t come home early and discovered what was going on, it might have been your untrained stepsister with my son. I don’t like to think about that.”
Hallie laughed. “Shelly is beautiful and always lands on her feet. Jamie would have managed well enough with her.”
“I don’t think you’re right,” Cale said.
“But you’ve never met my stepsister.” Hallie didn’t want to talk about Shelly anymore. “How’s the wedding coming? Oh, no!” She looked at her watch. “I promised Jilly a massage today and it’s getting late. She needs one.”
“Because she’s pregnant?” Cale asked.
“No one’s supposed to know that.”
Cale smiled. “If the Taggerts are good at nothing else, they’re exceptional at making babies, and we know when one’s due. My mother-in-law told me I was carrying twins when I was four weeks along. I laughed at her. I said I was too old and I’d had my children. But as you’ve seen, Cory and Max are here.”
“And aren’t you lucky?”
“Oh, yes,” Cale said. “I am lucky in all aspects of my life. I see you have a few bags with you, but would you mind doing some shopping with me? There’s a jewelry store just down the street, all handmade items, and I’d like to see it.”