Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses(99)

“Easy,” Robin said. “I’d throw tutoring into the contract.”

Caroline smiled at this. “You’re making it difficult to pass up, Robin.”

“The loft is much smaller than this,” she waved her arms around the giant living room. “This house is huge. And! Nick’s going to need someone to decorate his new apartment, I’m sure. We could do a two-for-one deal.”

Abbey laughed, the excitement getting to her.

“I’m serious,” Robin said. “It would probably only take three or four weeks. I don’t have a crew like you had here. I only have cleaning. We’d have to move all the furniture in ourselves unless you’d like to negotiate a staff…”

“Are you still serious?” Abbey asked.

“Yes. But I have to warn you, my friends are going to die of envy when they see your work, and you might get busy.”

There was no long-term security with the decorating job, even though her prospects were promising. What would happen when she’d exhausted Robin’s friends? Then what?

“Say yes.”

Abbey surfaced from her thoughts to see Robin awaiting an answer.

“I’m dying for your expertise.”

She knew that if she didn’t take the chance now, she might not get it again. Here were possibly two more opportunities to decorate and add to her portfolio. If she didn’t make the leap now, she never would.

“Just think about it,” Robin said as she stood up. “I’m going to check to see if lunch is ready.”

When Robin had left the room, Caroline leaned toward Abbey. “Are you going to take Robin’s offer?” she asked.

Abbey had told Caroline about Gramps. “I worry about leaving Gramps,” she said, voicing her fears. “But I know it’s a good thing. I’m seriously considering it.”

“I understand.” She looked thoughtful. “You are very thoughtful to consider your grandfather, but I’m sure, if he’s anything like me, he’d tell you to go for it.”

“Look who I found when checking for lunch!” Robin’s voice broke into the conversation between them. Abbey turned around to see a striking woman, maybe in her sixties, her dark brown hair positioned into perfectly sprayed waves, an enormous pair of sunglasses pushed up on top of her head, causing the waves of hair to cascade symmetrically on either side of her face. She had red lips and long eyelashes, her fur coat nearly reaching the floor, allowing a view of her fashionable high heels. She carried a designer bag in the crook of her arm.

Caroline stood up and Abbey followed suit. “Susan,” Caroline said with a welcoming smile. “I’m so glad you decided to come visit your family.” It was clear that she was teasing and Abbey noticed no hostility whatsoever. “We have missed you.” As Caroline got closer, she ran her hand along the coat. “Dear Lord, child, is that fur?”

“Faux, of course.” Susan kissed Caroline on each cheek. “I’ve made a lot of changes in my life, but my personal values haven’t changed a bit.”

“Still eating only salads then?” Caroline allowed a chuckle.

“How else can I fit into this dress?”

The two women had an easy way of talking to each other, although their conversation was so different to any that Abbey had had with her own friends. Watching their interaction was mesmerizing—like watching a movie on TV. Right in front of her were three generations of wealth. Caroline was refined in her actions, Susan, more open but clearly affected by it, and then Robin who, while wealthy, was so down to earth that Abbey barely noticed the money that surrounded her. It was so interesting to watch them.

“The house is stunning!” Susan said, her eyes roaming the room. “Has Nicholas found himself another little trophy who decorates?”

Abbey felt her eyes widen at that statement and she had to consciously hide her astonishment.

No one answered, and Susan added, “If so, this one knocks Sarah right out of the park in decorating. Sarah was lovely, though, wasn’t she?”

There was an uncomfortably giddy silence still lingering.

“What?” Susan said impatiently.

Caroline put her hand on Abbey’s arm. “Susan, this is Abbey… My nurse.”

Susan seemed a bit taken off guard, having been pulled from the line of conversation, but she recovered and reached a delicate hand out to Abbey. “Oh, forgive my rudeness. It’s so nice to meet you,” she said, smiling warmly at her. “I’m Susan, Nicholas’s mother.” She let go of Abbey’s hand and looked around the room as if she’d lost her keys. “Where is Nicholas anyway?”