Free Patchwork Family by Judy Christenberry Page A

hospital. Why didn’t she send me some muffins? I’m the one who made her well.”
    Quinn sipped his coffee and avoided looking at his relatives.
    “A looker and she can cook like this? I think I want to meet this lady,” Elias said.
    “You’ll have your chance. She’s having an open house for the entire town next weekend,” he said,determined to keep everything impersonal. “She owns the new bed-and-breakfast in town, on Ivy Lane.”
    “The old Blake house?” Brady asked. “I heard something about that, but I hadn’t made the connection to Molly. Interesting. Did she buy it?”
    “She inherited it. She’s Christopher’s widow.” Quinn remembered their last conversation. Not a grieving widow, she’d told him. He was surprised at how much relief that thought gave him.
    “Christopher Blake was no prize,” Elias said.
    “I don’t remember much about him,” Brady said. “What was wrong with him?”
    Quinn waited for his father’s answer with great curiosity. He remembered the man vaguely, but they’d never been friends.
    “He was a pretentious snob, interested only in himself. He neglected his mother shamelessly.” Elias didn’t forgive a lack of family consideration.
    Molly had said Christopher ignored her and Sara. An even greater sin than ignoring his mother, in Quinn’s eyes.
    “What’s the blonde like?” Elias asked.
    Quinn considered his answer. He didn’t want to sound too enthusiastic, because his father would read more into it than he intended. But he had to be honest. “She’s a ray of sunshine. She and Sara. And a hard worker. Wait until you see the house. She’s done wonders with it.”
    “Hasn’t Jenna been working with her? Seems to me I’ve heard her mention something about a bed-and-breakfast.” Brady stared at Quinn, waiting for his answer.
    He nodded.
    “I believe I’ll plan on going to that open house. When did you say it would be?” Elias asked.
    “Next Sunday afternoon.”
    “You going?” Brady asked.
    Quinn realized both men were watching for his response. Damn. He hadn’t been able to throw them off the trail. “I guess so,” he said, trying for an offhand manner. “After all, she’s our client.”
    “Ah,” Elias said. “Maybe we can all go together, so you can introduce us. I’d like to thank her for the muffins.”
     
    W HAT A HECTIC WEEK !
    In addition to the open house on Sunday, Sara’s birthday fell on Friday. Four days a week, Sara was at the preschool program at Kaity’s Kids day care until three-thirty. On Friday, though the day care center remained open, the preschool ended at noon. It was the perfect time for Sara’s birthday party, so Molly was hosting twelve four-year-olds for the afternoon.
    Kaitlin Rodier, the owner of the day care, was coming, of course. Her workers would take care of the other age groups at the center. But Sara had insisted her teacher be invited.
    Since Kaitlin was one of Molly’s closest friends, she was delighted to have her come, but she was also afraid it would seem like work to Kaitlin. After all, she would’ve already spent the morning with the small guests.
    But Molly could use the help.
    Since she was inviting the entire town to the open house, she’d decided the best way would be to put an invitation in the paper on Friday, Saturday andSunday. Jenna had promised to take care of that chore, and she stopped by on Wednesday morning with the ad to show her.
    “Oh, Jenna, that’s wonderful!” Molly enthused. The large square had the rose and tulip entwined with ivy. “And they’ll be able to print it in color?”
    “Yeah. It’s going to look terrific.”
    “Yes, it will. Eden is going to do some flower arrangements that will reflect our logo.”
    “She does very good work. I’ve been in there several times,” Jenna agreed.
    “And how are you feeling? You’re not doing too much, are you?” Molly asked. Jenna had recently married, but she was already pregnant. The entire town had been talking