Amelia (7 page)

“I promised Vivian her kids would be taken care of and they will be.”

A smile formed on Sam’s lips.

“What?”

He sat back in his chair. “You scared me the moment I met you. I didn’t expect you to be this nice.”

“I’m not nice.”

“Yes you are. You don’t want to be, but you are.”

“I get my dedication from my mother. The nice and nurture come from my father.”

“It’s sexy.”

“You’re making a move on me again.”

“I’ll apologize in advance. I assume that’ll keep happening until you tell me to stop.”

She gave him a shrug. “I’ll let you know.”

That smile was back on his lips. What a prime opportunity to just dive across the table and yank that tie again, but she didn’t. There were other issues at hand.

“We can’t just divide up the money—or what there is of it. We need to clear his debts and take care of the kids. All three of them.”

“Okay, what do you suggest if you don’t divide it up?”

“See the money will run out. It’ll go too quick. They both have expenses. Vivian has two mouths to feed and clothe. There’s daycare and now she has to get a job. Penelope has nowhere to go. She has no job. No house. She’s going to need prenatal care and eventually she’ll have to pay for the delivery.”

Sam laced his fingers behind his head. “You’ve given this a lot of thought.”

“I think fast in what I consider crisis mode.”

“And this is a crisis?”

“To them it is. I don’t want any of this. I couldn’t give a rip what he has. But he put me in charge for a reason.”

“I assume he knew what he was doing.”

“That’d be a first.”

Sam stood and walked to the seat that Penelope had occupied. He reached across to his pile for a legal pad and a pen and then looked at her.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.”

~*~

At ten o’clock the next morning, Sam could hear his mother escort people into the room across the hall from his office. He hadn’t had much sleep thinking about what Amelia had said to him. And it wasn’t her plan that had kept him awake, it was the words
I guess tomorrow I’m going house hunting.

He hadn’t been able to think of anything else. She was staying in Parson’s Gulch. She was going to embrace her Oklahoma roots. She was going to be near—him.

He hadn’t made any more inappropriate moves and she hadn’t done anything but tell him goodbye when she’d helped Penelope out of the office yesterday. But it was a good sign that she was staying.

Sam looked around his desk and began to gather up everything he needed when there came a tapping at his door.

He looked up expecting to see his mother, but instead there was Amelia smiling.

“I like you in glasses. You look very sophisticated.”

Quickly he pulled them off his face. “They’re kind of my nerdy secret.”

Her lips pursed to conceal her smile.

She looked more comfortable today—more herself. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She had on a pair of jeans and a beaded tank top, much like yesterday’s, which showed off those amazing shoulders he’d love to rub. Around her neck, she wore a necklace with something on it. He’d have to ask her about it.

“Heads up, Vivian needs to get out of here in an hour. She already has an employment interview.”

He nodded. “I think I have everything put together so it shouldn’t take long if they just go with the plan.”

“I guess we’ll see.”

He stood and started for the door as she turned around and walked to the room. Sam slowed his pace. He was enjoying the view in front of him.

Penelope, who looked very tired, sat in the same place she had the day before. She wore a tank top and a pair of shorts that Sam was sure she wouldn’t be wearing much longer. Vivian sat in the same seat she’d occupied the day before as well. She too had on a pair of jeans and a fitted T-shirt. Her hair was straight and hung over her shoulders. Today she sported glasses. It was then Sam realized she was much younger than he thought she was. He did some quick math to realize that if she’d married Adam when she was twenty and had been
married
for ten years she was only inching into her thirties.

“Good morning, ladies.” Sam put on his professional smile and waited for them to return the gesture, but he wasn’t going to get that. He was use to that. “Amelia Monroe, who as we established yesterday as the sole heir to Adam Monroe’s assets, has proposed a plan to secure the assets for long term gain for you, Vivian, and you, Penelope, to ensure for the caring of your children.”

Sam pulled out a packet for each of the women and handed it to them.

“Adam had incurred a substantial debt while away as well as having invested some of his savings. Mrs. Monroe would like to pay off the debts and then use the money left for capital toward a business venture.”

“Nice. Leave him debt free and gamble his money.” Vivian pushed aside the plan in front of her.

“Why don’t you listen to the rest of the plan?” Amelia urged through gritted teeth.

Vivian narrowed her eyes at Amelia and Sam cleared his throat. “Amelia suggests that the three of you go into business together.”

Vivian was on her feet. “Are you kidding me? I’m not going to go into business with two women who slept with my husband.”

Sam could see the crust of Amelia’s calm begin to crumble.

“Slept with your husband? This is what you think this was?” Amelia pushed herself to her feet keeping her hands planted on the table and Sam moved to the edge of his chair in case he needed to intervene—though if Amelia made a move, he knew he’d never get her off of Vivian.

Amelia focused her eyes on Vivian. “Listen sister, this wasn’t some one night stand for either of us. I thought I’d married a soldier with decent morals. I was wrong. You were wrong. Only Penelope knew what kind of man he was and she still fell in love with him.”

“What does that mean?
Kind of man
? She knew he was married?”

“No, she knew he was picking up women at bars.”

Sam saw the flash in Vivian’s eyes and then the retraction. “Oh.”

“It never was just the three of us. We were the three he kept. This seems to have been a game to him.”

Vivian lowered herself into her chair. “I never thought about that.” Her shoulders dropped and Sam eased back into his seat as Amelia sat down in her chair as well. Vivian covered her mouth with her hand and then looked at Amelia. “How long were you married to Adam?”

“Two years.”

Vivian batted her eyes fighting back tears which Sam could see forming. She swallowed hard. “When?”

“April—why?”

The first tears rolled and Vivian wiped them clean with the back of her hand. “Did you go on a honeymoon?”

“Quick trip to Florida.”

Vivian nodded. “Lots of sun there.”

“It was very warm. What does this have to do with any of this?”

Vivian blew out a breath. “When Emma was born four years ago, Adam was in Iraq. They did a live feed and he saw her be born.”

“That’s precious,” Penelope finally spoke.

Vivian nodded. “When Ava was born, my sister was there with me. I hadn’t been able to get a hold of Adam. I didn’t even know where he’d been deployed—until now.”

Sam saw the color leave Amelia’s cheeks. “Florida?”

“When he came back two weeks later he had a really nice tan.” There was a bite to her words.

“Oh, Vivian…” Amelia covered her mouth with her hand. “I didn’t…”

“I know. You didn’t know. I see that now.”

Vivian’s cheeks were red, but the tears had stopped. Anger had taken over and Sam wondered what had begun to brew in that head of hers.

“Would you ladies like to take a break?” he offered.

Vivian shook her head. “No. Just…no.” She took a deep breath and let it out. Folding her hands on the table before her she lifted her head and looked at him.

“What does Amelia have in mind?”

Chapter Eight

Amelia reached into the bag which hung from her chair and pulled out a legal pad Sam had given her.

“I made a few notes. But I’m not the one making the decisions. First I think we should look into our backgrounds. What do each of us do?”

Penelope looked between Amelia and Vivian. “I’ve worked in coffee shops, clothing stores, a movie theater.” She thought for a moment. “I’ve washed cars, sacked groceries,” her eyes opened wide, “oh, and I worked at a day care center when I was seventeen. I only worked one summer, but I was really good with the kids.”

Vivian shook her head as if she were disgusted by Penelope.

Amelia shifted in her seat and gave Vivian a glance. “What are your qualifications?”

Vivian’s eyes went dark. “I have an associate’s degree in early childhood development.”

Amelia made some notes on the pad.

“What about you?” Vivian asked. “What skills do you have?”

“I could have broken Adam into a million pieces and no one would have known where I buried him.”

She’d said it matter-of-fact, but it had brought out the strained smile Vivian had been hiding.

“It would be an interesting advertisement for any kind of business we put together,” Vivian smirked.

“Might be big money.”

This time Penelope laughed, then quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

Amelia looked at her very short list. “So the only thing we have in common is child care.”

“The only thing Penelope and
I
have in common is child care. And children. You don’t seem to fit into this picture.”

Amelia nodded slowly. “I just own the accounts.”

She watched as Vivian sat back in her seat crossing her arms over her chest.

Amelia looked at the list. One of Vivian’s concerns was child care. That was a definite issue with her getting a job. And Penelope didn’t know anyone so how could she get a job if she had to pay out for child care always?

But Amelia didn’t know anything about children—nothing. She’d been one once, but that was as far as it went. But she did understand finances and business—enough.

Of course they could open a store with shirts and skirts and the kids could hang out. Maybe they could have a self-defense studio and she could teach them what to do.

“Are you going to let the rest of us in on your planning?” Vivian sat forward, her arms on the table.

“Sorry,” Amelia said as she set the pen on the pad. “The common factor we have here are kids. Your two and Penelope’s. No matter what we do or what jobs either of you take on you’re going to have to find child care.”

“Yeah, bosses aren’t real fond of kids hanging around,” Vivian snapped.

“No one is going to hire Penelope either.” She looked to her side and saw that had brought a tear to Penelope’s eye. “They don’t want a pregnant woman who will leave and they will have to pay out medical benefits on.”

“Where is this going?”

“My first thought is
we
go into child care.”

Vivian let out a snort and sat back in her chair. “You’re going to take care of children?”

“I was thinking I’d be the executive side. The two of you seem to have more knowledge about kids.”

“Ya think?”

Amelia swallowed hard. If Vivian Monroe had crossed her path prior to Adam’s funeral she was sure she’d have given that dark hair a firm yank that brought her to her knees. But as it was she was also the peace keeper, so she’d refrain from ripping Vivian Monroe to pieces.

“I’d love to work with kids,” Penelope spoke softly. “I have four sisters and they were much younger than I was. I’ve done a lot of babysitting.”

“This is more than babysitting,” Vivian added.

“Oh, I know. But I like the thought that I could be with my baby too.”

Vivian’s eyes softened. “That is a plus.”

Amelia watched Vivian process it. “It would mean thinking about it. A place, licenses, advertising. There is a lot to consider.”

“It would take a while to get it all together. That’s quite an undertaking,” Penelope added.

“I agree. I could teach some martial arts and self-defense classes for a bit. That would help earn us some revenue.”

“I could find a job for a few months. It’s summer and the seasonal jobs which are filled by kids will need people to fill in,” Penelope said as if she knew the facts behind that.

Vivian looked down at her hands clasped on the table. “I’ll still need to find a job and have someone watch the kids.”

Amelia pushed her shoulders back. “You have me and Penelope. We’re a team now, even if we didn’t plan that.”

“You don’t know my kids.”

Amelia grinned. “I train soldiers. I can keep tabs on your two girls.”

Vivian met her grin with one of her own. “You might be in for a lesson.”

“I like a challenge.”

Vivian actually laughed before she looked down at her watch. “I have to go.” She reached for her purse and hiked it onto her shoulder. “So is this what we’re doing?”

“Let’s talk again. Give it some thought. Penelope and I need to find places to live. And we have to secure his debts too. I don’t know what we’ll have left. But without a plan…”

“We won’t know where we’re going,” Vivian added.

“Right.”

Vivian nodded. “Why don’t you both come by my house tonight for dinner?” She stood. “I promise not to poison anyone.”

Amelia laughed, but she noticed Penelope’s eyes opened wide.

“I think that would be nice. I’ll bring wine,” Amelia offered and Vivian acknowledged with a nod before leaving the room.

Amelia sat back in her chair. “That went better than I thought it would.”

“She doesn’t have much choice,” Penelope said softly. “She’s broke, no job, two kids, debt. You’re her saving grace. You’re mine too.”

Amelia’s chest grew warm. She certainly hadn’t planned on saving anyone but herself.

Penelope looked toward Sam who had been sitting quietly at the head of the table. “You don’t by chance know of anyone who needs a temp? I can answer phones, file, email, fax—all that stuff.”

Amelia tucked in her grin. Penelope was young, but she couldn’t help but really like her.