light, with a smooth finish.”
“And you?” the waitress asked Curtis, straightening and thrusting her breasts out.
“A vodka tonic,” he said. “Thanks.”
After the waitress left, he turned to Blythe. “How was your day?”
“Not the best,” she said. “We’ve discovered some financial problems at one of the stores. It’s disheartening.”
“Oversight of any financials isn’t easy,” he said. “In the family’s foundation, we get many requests for money from legitimate companies and others that aren’t so honest. It involves a lot of investigation on our part. Even though we pay someone to do the day-to-day stuff, we need to make sure things are in order.”
Their drinks came.
Curtis raised his glass. “Here’s to better days!”
“Absolutely,” Blythe said before taking a sip of the wine. “Thanks for inviting me out. It’s a little weird that we might end up being related.”
Curtis leaned forward. “What is this business with your grandmother and my dad? Do you think it’s real? They certainly seem in love, but it’s all so sudden.”
“You’re not a romantic guy?” Blythe said. “Your hero is.”
Curtis gave her a shy grin. “My hero is a fictional character. Believe me, after living in the same house with Donovan and my mother fighting all the time, any idea of romance was destroyed.”
“My parents divorced when I was young, and though my father remarried, I wouldn’t say his relationship with my stepmother is very romantic. But Gran and Papa, her first husband, inspired all who knew them with the promise of romance. She loves Donovan too.”
“A lot of women have wanted to entrap Donovan not only for his looks but for his money. I’m glad she’s not like that.”
“Wow,” Blythe exclaimed. “You’re a cynic about relationships. No girlfriends for you?”
“Not at the moment. I had a serious relationship that went kaput when she found out I wanted to be a writer. And then when I hit it big, she called and wanted to get back together.”
Blythe swallowed a sip of wine before speaking. “I was fooled by a guy I thought I’d marry one day. But then I discovered the attention I enjoyed from him in the beginning was more about control than anything else. I have enough to worry about without juggling the demands of a relationship.”
“What about Logan? I saw the way he looked at you.”
“Logan? No, we’re just friends. Besides, Gran has set a rule that as long as we’re working together, we can’t date.”
“In that case, will you go to dinner with me again? I’m leaving for Florida in the morning to meet up with Logan to go over a few things with him for the foundation. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. When I return, I’d like to take you out. I like you, Blythe, and like the fact that there’s no pressure to do more than go out from time to time. Right?”
“Right.” Her dating life was just starting, and already she was feeling like a total loser. Apparently, nothing but friends were in her future.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
AGGIE
Aggie lay in bed next to Donovan feeling a sense of gratitude. The dinner she’d worried about the day before had turned out to be wonderful. Curtis was a kind man who obviously loved his adopted father. At evening’s end, he hugged her warmly and wished them both the best. He’d seemed a bit lonely to her and liked Donovan’s suggestion that he and Curtis spent much more time together while he regrouped.
Her thoughts went to the business. Blythe had told her that before he left for Florida to pack up his belongings to move to Boston, Logan had uncovered some issues they needed to talk about. As much as Brad sometimes chafed against the detailed work he was required to oversee, Aggie knew how important it was to the business. She hoped this discovery wasn’t proof of Brad’s growing disinterest.
“Hey, you,” whispered Donovan. “Stop thinking and come cuddle with me.”
Smiling, she turned to him. She loved that he was so affectionate.
Soon all thoughts of business faded.
###
A couple of days later, after a short stint in the workout room to strengthen her hip and leg, Aggie and Donovan joined the other residents in the dining room for their morning meal. Donovan was already making friends with a group that used the health center in the morning and another group that played bridge in the afternoon. When he wasn’t occupied with those activities, he was at his desk working on his family’s foundation matters.
After breakfast, Aggie headed for Brad and Constance’s house. With all