The Trouble with Angels (Angels Everywhere #2)(48)

"Ah, thanks, but no.”

He laughed, but this too was for her ears alone. "I’ll miss you. Don’t worry, I’ll show our girls a good time.”

Maureen changed her mind a dozen times or more before Thom arrived to pick Karen up Friday evening. Viewing the Christmas lights was something she’d always wanted to do, and the temptation to join him and the girls was strong.

When she was with him, Maureen found it easy to forget her resolve. He was gentle and patient and a good father—everything that Brian had never been, except perhaps in the beginning and on rare occasions afterward. It irritated her how quickly she was pulled into the force of his personality.

Shortly after seven Thom and Paula called for Karen, who’d packed enough clothes for a two-week visit. The thought of spending an entire day at the ranch with her favorite twenty-five horses and newfound best friend was like being granted a weekend pass to paradise.

"Hello again,” Maureen said, stepping aside to allow Thom into her home.

"Gone off on any long walks by yourself lately?” he asked, removing his Stetson. His presence seemed to fill the small house.

"A gentleman wouldn’t remind me of that.”

Thom’s grin was off center. "I never claimed to be a gentleman.”

Karen and Paula came out of the bedroom hauling Karen’s three packed overnight bags.

"You’d think she was moving in,” Maureen joked, then added, "No need to worry, there’re some Barbie dolls and enough clothes to bankrupt Ken in there as well.”

"You sure you won’t change your mind and come with us?” Thom asked.

Maureen was tempted. More tempted than she cared to admit, even to herself. "No thanks. I’ve got a full evening planned.”

"A hot date?” He actually looked worried. Maureen could have kissed him for that.

"Not exactly. I’m going to give my hair a hot oil treatment, change the polish on my nails, and read a murder mystery I’ve been saving. A woman murders her ex-husband and gets away with it,” she said with a laugh.

"I’ll give you a call in the morning,” Thom promised, and then he did the most unexpected thing. He leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn’t even a real kiss, more a peck on the cheek. A way of telling her he wanted her to enjoy her evening alone. A way of saying he was going to miss her. A way of saying he couldn’t wait until he could see her again.

Maureen pressed her hand against her cheek for several minutes after they’d left. Then a smile touched her lips, one that grew until she was on the verge of giggling like a schoolgirl.

On her way into the bathroom to run a tub of hot, sudsy water, Maureen paused and reached for the phone. Her mother answered right away.

"Hello, Mom, it’s me.”

"Maureen. My goodness, I haven’t heard from you in ages! I thought now that you lived closer we’d see more of you. I’m sorry we weren’t able to take Karen out for her riding lesson the other day.”

"It was no problem, everything worked out. But I did want to talk over something with you. I didn’t say anything earlier because I was afraid you and I might have words over it.”

"But, honey, what did I do?” Her mother sounded shocked and confused, and Maureen felt mildly guilty. Everything had turned out for the good, and Karen hadn’t suffered from a nightmare in weeks.

"It’s all right, Mom. Don’t worry about it,” Maureen hurried to reassure her mother. "But I really wish you hadn’t phoned Thom Nichols and given him my name. I was going to call about the riding lessons for Karen, really I was, but before I could—”

"I didn’t phone Thom Nichols,” Beverly Shields insisted.

"You didn’t?”

"No. How could I? You took the brochure, remember?”

"But then who did?”

"Shirley?” Mercy called sweetly. "You want to tell us all about a certain phone call to Nichols’s Riding Stables? Goodness and I are all ears.”

"I?” Shirley pressed a hand over her breast and wore a shocked look, as if she would never be caught doing anything so underhanded.

As far as Mercy was concerned, the older prayer ambassador did a poor job of feigning innocence.

"And after the lectures she’s been giving us about keeping our feathers in a row.”

"That’s ducks in a row, and it’s a valid point,” Shirley insisted.

"Perhaps. But what do you think Gabriel will think once he learns about the stunt you pulled?” Mercy wagged her finger at her friend. "And so soon after our arrival on earth, too.”

"I had to do something drastic,” Shirley insisted righteously. "It was apparent Maureen wasn’t going to call the stables. Goodness slapped that brochure across her windshield, and the woman didn’t even read it. She would have forgotten about the whole thing. That brochure could have stayed in the backseat of her car for months.”

"One question.” This came from Goodness, who looked rather peaked, Mercy thought. "Did you know Thom Nichols was a widower with a daughter the same age as Karen?”

"No. That came as a surprise. A pleasant one, I might add.”

Goodness nodded. "Have you ever noticed how neatly everything seems to fall into place for Shirley?” she asked Mercy.