Call Me Irresistible (Wynette, Texas #5)(85)

       
         
       
        

"But I got to see a dedicated young educator in action," Ted said gallantly, "and Bennie learned a valuable lesson."

A momentary yearning softened Zoey's features, an indulgence in the memory of what might have been. To her credit, she shook herself out of it. "Bennie's at space camp in Huntsville. Let's hope they do a better job of guarding their toilets."

Ted nodded, but he'd fixed his attention back on his mother. His eyes were steady, his mouth unsmiling. Francesca lunged for her water glass. Emma darted an anxious glance between them and quickly stepped into the breach. "Did you have a successful business trip, Ted?"

"I did." He slowly withdrew his gaze from his mother and focused on Meg. She pretended she didn't notice and served the first of the soufflés with a flourish, as if the dessert was intended to have a giant crater in its middle.

He came toward her, his jaw set in a stubborn line. "Let me help you, Meg."

Yellow caution lights flashed in her head. "No need." She swallowed. "Sir."

His eyes narrowed. She picked up the next pot. Francesca and Emma both knew she and Ted were lovers, and so did the mysterious nighttime Peeping Tom, who might also be her home invader. Was that person here right now, watching them? The possibility accounted for only part of her growing sense of foreboding.

Ted took the ramekin from her and began serving each guest with an easy smile and a perfectly chosen compliment. Meg seemed to be the only person who noticed the tension lurking at the corners of that smile.

Francesca made cheery conversation with her guests, acting as if her son always helped out the serving staff. Ted's eyes darkened when Shelby announced that the bidding to Win a Weekend with Ted Beaudine had hit eleven thousand dollars. "We've got bids coming in from everywhere thanks to all the publicity we've gotten."

Kayla didn't seem as happy about that as the others, which suggested Daddy had cut off her bidding money.

One of the golfers waved to catch his attention. "Ted, is it true a crew from The Bachelor is coming to Wynette to tape background footage?"

"Not true," Torie said. "He couldn't pass their stupidity test."

The tray was finally empty, and Meg tried to make her escape, but as she dashed for the kitchen, Ted followed.

Chef was all smiles when he saw who'd barged in. "Hey, Mr. Beaudine. Great to see you." He abandoned the coffee carafes he'd just filled. "I heard you were out of town."

"Just got back, Chef." Ted's effortless good humor vanished as he focused on Meg. "What are you doing serving at my mother's party?" 

"I'm helping out," she said, "and you're in my way." She grabbed an extra dessert from the counter and shoved it at him. "Sit down and eat."

Chef tore around the center island. "You can't give him that. It's already fallen."

Fortunately, Chef didn't know about the twenty others that had met an identical fate. "Ted won't notice," she said. "He eats Marshmallow Fluff straight from the jar." She was the one who did that, but life in Wynette had taught her the value of prevarication.

Ted returned the dessert pot to the counter, his mouth grim. "My mother set you up, didn't she?"

"Set me up? Your mother?" She lunged for the coffee carafes, but she wasn't quick enough, and he snatched them out from under her. "Give those back," she said. "I don't need your help. What I need is for you to get out of my way so I can do my job."

"Meg!" Chef's already florid face developed a purple tinge. "I apologize, Mr. Beaudine. Meg hasn't served before, and she has a lot to learn about how to treat people."

"Tell me about it." Ted disappeared through the door with the coffee.

He was going to mess everything up. She didn't know how. She only knew he was going to do something awful, and she had to stop it. She grabbed the iced tea pitcher and charged after him.

He'd already started filling cups without asking what anybody wanted, but even the tea drinkers didn't protest. They were too busy fussing over him. Ted wouldn't look at his mother, and twin furrows had formed in Francesca's otherwise smooth forehead.

Meg headed for the opposite side of the dining room and began refilling iced tea glasses. The woman Zoey had identified as Hunter Gray's mother gestured toward Meg. "Torie, that looks just like your Miu Miu skirt. The one you wore when we all went to see Vampire Weekend in Austin."

Ted broke off his conversation with Francesca's agent. Torie flicked her lazy, rich girl's eyes over Meg's skirt. "They knock off everything these days. No offense to you, Meg. It's a fairly decent knockoff."