Heiress for Hire (Cuttersville #2)(41)
Author: Erin McCarthy

That shut her up. The blonde tucked her palms under her legs and pursed her lips closed.

Willie quickly picked out gravel with the tweezers, dropping the bits into the wastebasket she’d moved next to her feet. "Funny thing about the hawks… my nephew Owen got married two years ago to a real piece of work. Thought she was something. But we saw through her—she couldn’t look any of us in the eye, if you know what I mean."

"Oh, I know what you mean."

And given the tone of Amanda’s voice, Willie was certain she did.

"But Owen, he was determined. He thought we were a bunch of nosy old women and what did we know? So she plans this whole big ridiculous wedding, with limos and tuxedos and doves. Can you imagine? She said the pair of doves represented their love and should be released on the steps of the church after the ceremony. So they hired this handler to let those rented doves loose."

It still made her chuckle just thinking about it. "And off this perfect pair of white doves goes up into the summer sky… and one of them gets picked off by a hawk not sixty seconds after their release."

"Are you serious?" Amanda snickered.

Willie moved to her other knee. "It was a sight… the whole crowd gasping. And not six months later Owen finds the slut with an eighteen-year-old bag boy from the grocery."

"They got divorced?"

"Yep. He kicked that trash out to the curb where she belonged." Good riddance, the whole family had thought. "He’s dating a nice girl now."

"That’s an absolutely horrible story," Amanda said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "But really freaking funny." She started to laugh. "I shouldn’t laugh, it’s terrible."

Willie chuckled. "I always thought it was funny myself. That’s why I told you the story in the first place."

The blonde was okay, Willie had to admit. When she didn’t have anything to do with her son.

"You know, Amanda, I don’t have anything against you." She started dabbing her knees with the washcloth. "You’ve been good to my granddaughter. But my son seems to have developed a crush on you, and I’m hoping that you’ll discourage his interest."

There, that sounded damn polite.

"Why?" Amanda asked through gritted teeth.

Willie eased up with the washcloth, wondering if she was being too rough. She stood up and went for the shoulder wound. "Why? Because you’re not the kind of woman Danny needs in his life. He’s looking for a farmer’s wife, someone not afraid to work hard and be around for the long haul."

The bleeding had stopped, so Willie made quick work of Amanda’s shoulder. She’d use butterfly tape to keep the wound closed, and they could skip the stitches. It wasn’t that deep or long.

"Danny hasn’t met a lot of women like you—any, for that matter. He’s attracted to you, and that’s understandable. But he’s got a child now, and he really can’t be fooling around with a rich girl."

"Are you finished?"

"Hmm?" Willie pulled the backing off the bandage. "Not quite, I have to tape this dressing down and then you’ll be all set."

"No, I mean are you done warning me not to get involved with your very-much-grown son?"

That was a belligerent tone. Willie shifted her eyes to Amanda’s. The blonde was holding her head high, haughty, looking cool and unimpressed. It was a good trick, that confidence and self-important presence. It reminded Willie that in her own way, Amanda was formidable. She was used to walking into a room and commanding attention.

"Yes, I believe my point is clear."

"Then let me give you my opinion on the matter. If I were interested in pursuing the attraction between Danny and I—which I’m not—it would be none of your damn business. He is an adult who can date whoever he wants, and he does not need his mother telling him who to marry any more than I need my father telling me to find a real job. It is possible that we’ll both make mistakes, but those mistakes are ours to make, and perhaps you should focus on your own sex life more than your son’s. Your husband looks a little neglected."

Willie stared at Amanda Delmar for a long minute before she burst out laughing. "You know, I really do kind of like you. You’ve got guts for a skinny girl."

She taped the bandage down over the shoulder wound. "Too bad you’re rich. That’s one flaw I’m not sure I can get past."

Amanda gave her a rueful grin. "I’ve been disinherited, remember?"

Willie had thought about it and come to her own conclusions. "Your father is just trying to get you to bend to his will. He has no intention of cutting you off for good."

"Maybe." Amanda pushed off on the counter and stood up, giving her knees a tentative bend. "But I wouldn’t bet the farm on it."

And Willie had to laugh.

Chapter 15

Danny Tucker didn’t think he could handle any more worrying. He’d done enough of it in the last two weeks to set him up for life, and Piper wasn’t even half grown yet.

Between always watching his daughter, always wondering if he was doing the right thing, worrying over every last word that came out of his mouth, he was just about worn out.

There had been no resolution on the custody issue, since the lawyer said no one seemed to actually have legal guardianship of her. Her stepfather did by default, but anyone could contest that. Danny needed a DNA test, and he needed it before he filed his claim and riled up any relatives who might change their mind and want Piper.

Then there was his fear that Piper wouldn’t adjust to the farm, to going off to school, that she still didn’t completely trust him.

Now on top of all of that, he found himself worrying about Amanda.

She’d proven she was tough this afternoon, but underneath the outer layer she rivaled him for softness. And he was worried about her, about what she was going to do if her father never forgave her.

He was worried that she had her pressure point, and once she reached it, she was going to hare off and return back to her old life.

Before he’d had a chance… a chance to do something. Tell her something. Touch her and… something.

Or something.

His brain hurt from trying to make sense of out things.

"I’ve got it." Amanda juggled her dog’s leash, her purse that couldn’t hang over her injured shoulder, and her house keys all in one hand.

"You don’t have it. Stop being stubborn." Danny took the keys away from her, passed the dog leash to Piper, and gave Amanda an exasperated look.

He was feeling strung-out and dangerous, a feeling so foreign he wasn’t sure what to make of it. But all the worrying, and the wondering, all the thousands of little details that needed to be tended to had him a bit edgier than normal.