Plus a member of the Fairchild family is giving Emma a painting as a gift, since the foundation exists because of her. I got a call from the publisher of the Tina’s Travels books and they’re donating two hundred books all signed by the author. We’ve got so many people coming to see the paintings, I had to ask the hotel to give us the largest ballroom. Once word got out the author of the books is attending, I got more calls asking if children could attend. I still don’t know if we’ll have enough room for everyone, but at two hundred dollars a plate and the auction, I don’t care.”
Marti’s spirits lifted. “Wonderful. So it all worked out.”
“Worked out. We’ll probably raise more money this year than any other year. It’s funny you said I’d probably get a call by the end of the day, and I did.” Jenna’s last words were laced with suspicion.
“Things have a way of working out.”
“You said that too.”
“What can I get you to eat, Marti?” Elizabeth wanted to get some food into her. She looked exhausted and, well, ill.
“I have the biggest craving for some apple pie. Please tell me you have some,” she pleaded.
“I have a fresh baked one in back. I’ll get you a big piece. How about you, Jenna?”
“I’d love it.”
“Put some chocolate sauce and whip cream on mine.” Marti needed something sweet. She smiled at herself when she realized she was having her first craving.
“What are you smiling about?” Jenna asked, suspicion laced in her words.
“Things have a way of working out in the end. I may not have Cameron, but I did get something out of the last two months.”
“Emma?” Jenna knew how close she was to the little girl. If she could make Cameron marry Marti, she would. They’d all tried and tried to make Cameron see reason, but he just wouldn’t budge. She’d even threatened to fire him if he didn’t marry Marti. He told her to go ahead.
“Emma. God, I will miss that little girl when I leave.”
“You’re leaving?” both Elizabeth and Jenna asked in unison.
Marti grabbed her plate and dug into the aromatic pie. Baked apples and cinnamon. The scent made her mouth water. At the first bite, she moaned with pleasure. She looked over the ledge of the bar and grabbed the bowl of olives. She dipped one in the whip cream and ate it. God, that’s good.
“You are so weird.” Jenna shared a look with Elizabeth.
“I’m hungry. Oh, Elizabeth, I forgot to tell you something about the dress for Emma. Please make sure she wears her necklace from George? She’ll want to wear it like a crown.”
“Okay. I’ll tell Jimmy to bring it when he drops her off at the penthouse after school.”
“Perfect,” she said around a huge bite of pie and whip cream.
“How are things going between you and Cameron? I know he’s miserable. Frankly, you don’t look much better.”
Jenna suspected the strange food combo meant Marti was pregnant.
“Things went from unbearable to downright devastating the other night. Then, he moved his fiancé into my house and she asked me to make her eggs this morning. Over easy, I believe she requested.”
“You didn’t make her eggs,” Elizabeth said.
“No, I did not. Instead, I was a complete bitch to her and implied Cameron and I had slept together the other night.”
“What did she say? Did she ask Cameron if you guys slept together?”
“I doubt it. She’s too stupid to figure out what I meant. Correction, she doesn’t care to figure it out because Cameron is worth too much money for her to care if he slept with me.”
“Do you think she’s pregnant?” Are you pregnant, is what Elizabeth wanted to ask.
“I think it’s more likely Cameron is pregnant than Shelly. He won’t listen, though. After everything I’ve said to him, what he learned about George being his father, and everything else, he still won’t believe she’s lying and only after him for his money. It doesn’t matter to him I love him. He chooses her each and every time I make a case for him to be with me.”
She stabbed at the pie with her fork with each word. “I feel like the more I show him he has a choice, the more pathetic and desperate I look. He made love to me the other night, and in the next breath he tells me he’s holding the wedding at the house, my house, and he and Shelly are moving in the next