She nibbled on his neck, and soothed the area with a lick of her moist pink tongue. “How much longer?”
“I’m working on it.” He leaned back and regarded her. “As I hope you are, too.”
“Take me to bed, darling. I can’t wait any longer to watch you throw your head back and shout with pleasure.” Gloria’s sultry voice rolled over him like a wave of tropical water. “Then I’ll tell you all about your Mr. Henderson.”
Chapter Seventeen
“She’s driving me crazy.” Heidi leaned her elbow on the table, cupping her chin in her hand. She pushed away the plate with half a biscuit on it.
Michael regarded her. In the four days Mrs. Lester had been staying with Heidi, the delicate skin under her eyes had grown darker. Twice she’d run to the back of the store, gasping, to fix her medication.
“Are you still sleeping on the floor?”
“No. Mrs. Wilson moved a cot into my room she had in the attic. But, she told me this morning Mother is driving her crazy, too. She keeps cleaning everything, following Mrs. Wilson around, redoing everything she does. Mother rearranged Mrs. Wilson’s kitchen, and the poor woman couldn’t find anything.”
Michael shook his head. “What are the chances she’ll move back with your papa?”
Heidi sat back, and sighed. “She won’t even discuss it. All she talks about is getting a job, and taking care of herself. If I didn’t know better, I would swear she’s been talking to Ellie.” Her slight smile slid off her face. “What am I going to do?”
“How is her job search going?”
“Nowhere. I still consider my job a miracle, since I’d never worked before, but Mother is old. Who would hire her?”
Michael chuckled. “Don’t let your mother hear you say she’s old.”
Tears filled her eyes. “It’s not funny. I saw Papa last night, and he wouldn’t even talk to me. He said my actions caused Mother’s behavior, and if I would stop all the nonsense and go home, everything would return to normal.” She touched her handkerchief to the corner of her eye. “Do you think he’s right? Should I give up and go home?”
Michael’s insides shifted, and his heart dropped to his feet. Heidi leave? He didn’t even remember what his life had been like before this bundle of curly blonde trouble arrived in his store. He chastised himself. It didn’t matter. She didn’t matter. If Heidi left, he would merely hire another store clerk, and life would continue.
Lonely.
Cursing himself for the fool he was, he said, “I may be able to help, but keep in mind, my idea could stir things up more.”
Heidi tilted her head, eyebrows raised. “What?”
“My housekeeper comes in once a week to clean and do some cooking. I’ve been thinking for a while now, I could use someone full time. Then I wouldn’t have to drop off and pick up my laundry, do grocery shopping, and prepare my own supper when Mrs. Stevens’ meals run out.” He cleared his throat. “I could hire your mother temporarily as a housekeeper, and she could sleep in the extra bedroom I have.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Really?”
“As I indicated before, the solution could anger your papa further. You realize if your mother can’t find a job, she’ll be forced to rec
oncile with him.”
Heidi wrinkled her nose. “I’m not sure. Mother has turned into someone I don’t even know.” She shrugged. “But, I guess that’s how my parents felt when I moved here, and got a job.”
Michael stood and gathered the breakfast dishes. He wasn’t successful in convincing himself his only motivation lay in trying to avoid hiring and training a new employee if Heidi left.
He dropped the dishes into the sink. “I’m convinced if your mother is out from under your feet, and has time to think about it, she’ll realize now isn’t the time in her life to strike out on her own. Have your parents always gotten along before?”
“Absolutely. Which is why I’m so surprised at her stubbornness.”
“You never did tell me what they argued about to cause this whole debacle.”
“Me.” She mumbled to her lap.
Michael stared at her, waiting. “And?”
“I told Mother I didn’t want to marry Clarence. She tried to talk me into it, which is why she surprised me when she told me about their disagreement.” She stood, and leaned against the sink. “She told Papa the wedding should be postponed until I had more time to ‘reconcile’ myself to it.”