the right person for the job.”
Something flickered in Alec’s eyes. Before she could figure out what it was, it was gone.
“You don’t think she’s better than she was?” he asked.
“She’s made a lot of progress, but I really thought I understood her and last night proves I don’t.” She thought about the pictures in the various newspapers and had to hold in a groan. “I went and saw my boss this afternoon.”
“For advice?”
“Yes, and to discuss bringing in someone else.” Margot smiled at him. “I don’t know if this counts as good news, but you’re stuck with me. Apparently Bianca has been giving me rave reviews and she flat out told them she wasn’t interested in working with anyone else.”
“What happened with my mother isn’t your fault.”
“I know that in my head, but it sure feels like my fault. I don’t get it. She was doing incredibly well at the event. She talked to a lot of people, she was funny and charming. Then it all went to hell.” She sighed. “Enough of that. How was your day?”
“Quiet.”
“Just how you like it.”
He chuckled. “That is true.” He circled around the island and sat on the stool next to hers. “Bianca will figure it out because she loves Wesley and when Bianca loves, she’s all in. When I was ten or so, she was dating a race car driver who was very macho. I was a brainy little kid and we had nothing in common. I remember one day he wanted me to go throw a baseball with him. I wasn’t interested and we got into it. Bianca got between us and stood up for me.”
One corner of Alec’s mouth turned up. “He said if I didn’t start acting like a man, I was going to grow up to be some pansy-assed homo and it would all be her fault.”
Margot didn’t know which slur to address first. “He really said that?”
“He did.” The half smile turned into a full one. “My mother clocked him. Hit him right in the face. She told him that I was my own person and if I wanted to throw around a baseball, then fine, but if I didn’t, then I should be left alone. As for being gay, she said she didn’t care if I fell in love with a sea cucumber. That I was her son and she loved me and would always support me and welcome anyone I cared about.”
“Wow. Good for her.”
“That’s what I thought. She threw him out and we never saw him again.” He raised his glass. “That’s my good Bianca story.”
“I think we should pass on the bad one today.”
“I agree.”
Margot smiled. “I would have liked to have seen her punch the guy.”
“It was impressive.”
“I’ll bet. So about Merelyn. She seemed nice.”
Alec sighed. “Why did I think I was going to escape without having to talk about her?”
“I have no idea.” She smiled. “So—the ex.”
“She’s not my ex. She was my decorator and we had a couple of weeks together. It was nothing serious.”
“She thought it was.”
He looked at her. “Yes, she did. How did you know?”
“The way she was looking at you. Like she was lactose intolerant and you were a big ol’ bowl of ice cream.”
“I’m not sure about that analogy but I get your point. It wasn’t like that. I quickly figured out she wasn’t my type.”
Margot knew she should quit while she was ahead. She liked hanging out with Alec, and teasing him about his ex-girlfriend, while fun, wasn’t exactly the smartest thing to do. Did she really want him thinking about another woman while he was with her? Still, she couldn’t help asking, “What is your type?”
He took another sip of his Scotch. “It’s more emotional than physical. I like a woman who is intelligent and kind, with a sense of humor.”
“So Merelyn was a humorless dummy who kicked kittens?” she asked hopefully.
He laughed. “Not exactly. She just wasn’t for me.”
“I’m glad.”
The words popped out involuntarily. Margot immediately wanted to call them back, but it was way too late for that. They just kind of hung there in the air before slowly, so slowly, sinking to the floor.
Alec stared at her, his expression unreadable. She succumbed to panic. Was he mad? Repulsed? Confused? Disinterested? She wasn’t sure which of the four would be worse, and if she had time, she would rank them from lowest to highest preference, but there wasn’t and, oh dear God, couldn’t he say something?
She sprang to her feet as