"My mother is dead because of my sister. She killed her for money." Aisha moved to the couch and sat down beside her. "I never really liked her … my sister was never nice. Not even when we were children. And I positively hated Jake from the moment I was introduced to him."
"He's being questioned about the things at the college soon. Also, his firm is looking deeper into some of the billing that he faked. I guess they're finding all sorts of things about him. I hated doing this to you, but that little prick was hurting you." Aisha pulled her to her shoulder and held her. "Change of subject. Jorden called here about an hour ago. He asked me to tell you that he has the studio set up for you. He even managed to find a couple of used kilns."
"He's such a nice man. I had it in my head he'd be a lot like Winnie because he's famous and all." Aisha said she beat that out of him at least twice a week. "I don't doubt that you would, either. But he's just a normal person, sort of embarrassed because he's doing so well."
"Jorden said the same thing about you just the other morning. He said he'd never met a more down to earth person, and he is so in awe of you." Harper snorted. "Yes, pretty much the same reaction I got from him when I pointed out he was just as well known."
"I love working with clay. It's so easy to shape and mold the way I want it." Harper handed Shawn to Aisha as she stood to pace. She was actually surprised at how wonderful she felt. "The first time I saw one of Jorden's paintings I was in a gallery that had asked to display my work. I remembered thinking, I'm in the same gallery with the amazing McCade. Then last night, while we were having dinner together, I watched him talk with his mouth full and spill tea down his front, like I do."
"Yes, I did try to raise all my sons to be better men, but they're basically all slobs." They both turned when someone laughed, and Harper smiled at Grady when he entered the room. "Here he is now, the slob of the hour. Grady, you have something on your shirt. Whatever is that?"
"Plaster. I was helping Kenton with a few things at the shelter. By the way, Mom, do you think you could keep an eye on Shawn for a couple of hours later? I'm to take Harper to the studio and show her around. Jorden wants to know her reaction, but he got called away."
"You know I would love that." Aisha asked when his next feeding was and Harper said she could feed him now. "You go ahead and do that, dear. While you're about that, I will go see the cook. I heard that he's made some of those wonderful scones again."
When they were alone, she looked at Grady. He was looking shy and all manly at the same time. Taking Shawn out of the crib again, she sat in the big rocker and started to feed him. He seemed to be an endless pit of hunger. As she nursed Shawn, she asked Grady about his shop. It was safe ground, she thought, suddenly very embarrassed around him.
"I open in the morning. We've sent out flyers and put an ad in the paper." He sat down on the couch. "Are you all right? Do you feel like going out?"
"I do. I want to see your brother's work too." Grady nodded. "Will you take me by your shop? I never got to go and help you that day, just watched as my sister was thrown out on her ass. Not that it wasn't entertaining, but I didn't see your new store, and I really want to."
"We can arrange that. Harper, will you go out with me? I know that sounds stupid, but we're married now with a child, and I just realized that I know next to nothing about you." She nodded, her emotions still on a pendulum all the time. "Good. I've made some arrangements to have Shawn watched. Kenton said he could have a bottle while we were gone if it was too late, and Mom said she'd give him a helping hand should he and Emma need it. I think he'll be all right, don't you?"
"Yes. He'll be just fine with them." She switched breasts, feeling pretty good about how much fun she was having, the first in a long while. "I don't want to talk about Winnie, Jake, or anything like that … is that okay?"
"Perfect." As soon as he left her, she felt the tears fall. She wasn't unhappy, she told Aisha when she came back with a plate of scones, but had only realized she'd fallen in love with Grady McCade.
"Good, because I believe he loves you as well."
Nodding, she watched Shawn nurse. She really did hope so.
Chapter 7
Ollie hated small towns. It seemed like everyone knew not only that you were a stranger, but where you were staying, the kind of car you drove, and what you'd had for breakfast. The little diner he was in, simply called Ma's, was no different than any of the other million and a half places he'd seen in his lifetime, either on the television or in real life. Nosey people looking for some gossip. He turned when the rest of the patrons did when the bell over the door danced a little song. It was like it was programmed into their heads to turn at the sound of the stupid thing.