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stoves.” He threw his head back and laughed.
    Miss Henderson put her fork down. Max’s gut tightened. Her face leeched of color, her cute little chin trembled, and her eyes filled with tears. Damnation.
    “Excuse me.” She pushed her chair back and fled through the kitchen door.
    “What’s the matter with you?” Max turned to Clay.
    “What? The woman’s a lousy cook. She probably already knows it.” He continued to shovel food in his mouth. “I’ll tell you, though, Helen’s tuna fish casserole is wonderful.” Clay patted Miss Spencer’s hand. Tight-lipped, she pulled it back.
    Max threw his napkin down and strode to the kitchen. Miss Henderson stood at the sink, her back to him, dabbing her eye with the corner of her apron.
    “Miss Henderson?” He walked slowly toward her.
    She turned and took a deep breath. “Yes, Mr. Colbert.” Her eyes and nose were red. Curls were loosened from her bun and hung around her face.
    “Are you all right?” His stomach twisted as he stood in front of her.
    She cleared her throat. “Yes, I’m fine. I thought I’d refill the water pitchers.”
    “They are full.”
    “Well, we probably need more tea.”
    “No, there’s plenty of tea out there.” He tucked a curl behind her ear. “I’m sorry for what Mr. Forest said.”

    “Why? It’s true. The casserole tasted horrible. I’m no cook, probably never will be.” She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. “I tried. I don’t understand what I did wrong. Tori makes it all the time, and I followed her recipe.” Her chin trembled, her eyes begged to understand. “What happened?” She burst into tears and covered her face with her hands.
    Max had the urge to race from the kitchen, leave the building, and never return. Women’s tears brought him to his knees. He could handle anything but that. He clumsily patted her shoulder, and before he knew how or why, she was in his arms, grasping his jacket lapels, sobbing all over his starched shirt. He wrapped his arms around her back, and rested his chin on her head. “Ah, don’t cry, Miss Henderson...Ellie. Mr. Forest is a rude man and doesn’t deserve your tears.”
    She pulled back and fixed her gaze on him, and his heart sped up. The scent of rose water and sugar surrounded her. Her lips, puffy from biting them, drew his gaze. Her breasts were warm and soft against his chest as they rose and fell with her breathing. Ellie Henderson was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
    “Mr. Colbert?” Ellie said as he bent toward her.
    “Max,” he answered as his mouth descended on hers. He moved his hands to the back of her head to take the kiss deeper. At first Ellie stiffened, then her body relaxed into him as he continued his assault on her luscious mouth. He slid his tongue along her lips, and she opened. Max lowered one hand to her waist and tugged her closer. Her palms skimmed his chest to his shoulders, where she clung to him.
    This felt so right. Ellie Henderson fit his body as if made for it. Soft, warm, curved in all the right places. Too bad he would be marrying her off to someone else. Someone who would kiss her like this, remove her clothes, lay her down, make love to her. He groaned.
    “Ellie?”
    Max and Ellie sprang apart like two youths caught behind the wood shed at the sound of Helen’s voice. “Is everything all right?”
    “Yes,” Ellie said breathlessly, as she fussed with her bun and straightened her dress. “Fine. I was just, ah, just, ah, looking for some more napkins.” She raced to the cabinet against the far wall and opened it. She took out a stack of cake plates and marched from the kitchen.
    Max stood slack-jawed as he watched her leave with plates instead of napkins. He turned to Miss Spencer, straightening his tie. “Miss Henderson seemed a bit upset by Mr. Forest’s remarks, so I thought I would comfort her.”
    Miss Spencer nodded, her face a bright red. “Then I’ll just go on out and help Ellie with the coffee and tea.”