Tailored for Trouble (Happy Pants #1) - Mimi Jean Pamfiloff Page 0,107

broken his trust in the worst kind of way, so she wasn’t sure she deserved any thanks.

Mrs. Wade continued, “It’s like a huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders and now he’s opened up. I had no idea what he’d been carrying around all these years, and while it breaks my heart to learn I never met my grandchild, I thank God my boy was spared that day. It was a miracle. A damned miracle. And I think he was saved so he could do good in this world.”

Taylor agreed. Wholeheartedly.

“And what about you? How are you feeling?” Taylor asked.

“Oh. You know. My son has me seeing all of these crazy doctors—he thinks I’m an old fool for simply accepting my diagnosis.”

“He loves you.”

“I know. But when my time is up, it will be up. There’s nothing Bennett can do to stop that. But who knows, maybe I’ll live long enough to meet my second grandchild. Now that would be something, wouldn’t it?”

Taylor began to cry as it sank in that she was carrying that second grandchild. And she wanted so badly to say something, but telling Mrs. Wade before telling Bennett didn’t feel right. On the other hand, if Bennett refused to talk to her, she had an obligation to the woman.

Fine. I’ll try one more time to get ahold of him, then that’s it. She had to start getting on with things no matter how devastated she felt. And being sad couldn’t be healthy for the baby.

Wow. It was crazy how quickly she’d mentally shifted gears to thinking like a mother. When the hell did that happen?

Uh. When you got knocked up?

Oh yeah.

“That would be something wonderful, Mrs. Wade,” she sniffled. “By the way, I really need to talk to Bennett. It’s important. Do you know how I can reach him?”

“Oh, Taylor. I am so sorry, but he is a stubborn mule like his father. I tried talking some sense into him, told him to at least hear what you have to say, but he won’t have it. He insists it will be a cold day in hell when he ever speaks to you again.”

It was as Taylor feared. “I never meant to hurt him—I mean, I did at first. I was really, really mad at him, but then I got to know him and…” What was she doing? Commiserating with his mother?

“I’m sure that whatever happened, dear, that you’re not a backstabbing shyster.”

What? He’d called her that? Taylor’s temper began to sizzle. “I did not stab him in the back. I tried to help him and maybe I broke his trust, but…Ugh. Never mind. It’s pointless. Please, when you speak to him, tell him that…” She almost spilled the beans. Almost.

“You are going to Ms. Luci’s party, aren’t you?”

Taylor had gotten another invitation in the mail, which had been odd because she’d never given Luci her address. Maybe Robin had provided it? In any case, she hadn’t really thought about going. She’d had too much on her mind.

Mrs. Wade continued, “Because Bennett will be there. He apparently promised Ms. Luci he’d help her bartend, if you can imagine that. My Bennett is skilled at many things; however, waiting on others is not one of them.”

“Now that you mention it…I guess I’ll be going to the party. Thank you, Mrs. Wade.”

“Call me Mom, dear.”

Taylor smiled. “Okay, Mom.” This time, it didn’t feel so strange. No, not anymore.

CHAPTER 20

The warm, mid-summer Napa Valley evening air heated Bennett’s sweaty face as he moved through the crowded party tent in his tux, wanting to beat the crap out of every guest who asked him for a goddamned refill. For the record, he did not mind pouring champagne as much as he minded what happened next. How much more of this “good will” could one man take? Case in point…

“Ohmygod!” a redheaded woman in a shiny mess of a blue evening gown screamed at the top of her lungs, pointing in his face. “You’re Bennett Wade!”

Bennett bit back a growl and forced a polite smile to his mouth just as his mother had taught him. “Always be gracious,” she’d say. “Remember that not everyone in this world has it so lucky.”

He cleared his throat. “Yes. I am Bennett Wade. And yes, you may take a damned picture with me.”

The woman squealed and clapped. “Ohmygodohmygod!” She dug out a phone from her little purse and handed it to the man who stood by her side, looking like he wanted to take a