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“Tragedy makes me ill.”
    “Ha!” Vashti spread honey on her three biscuits and bit into one with the air of a woman who has had the final word.
    Rachel was so anxious to get away from the subject of her interest in Jacob that she made a fatal mistake.
    “As soon as you’ve finished your breakfast, Benjy, we’ll go to the park.”
    “Yea!” Benjy bounced up and down in his chair, stopping long enough to grab Jacob’s hand. “Can he go too?”
    “I’m sure he has other things to do.” Rachel shot Jacob a don’t-you-dare-contradict-me look.
    He ignored her. “I’d love to go. Do you have a ball and bat, sport?” He ruffled Benjy’s hair.
    “You bet.” Benjy jumped up from his chair and started toward the door.
    “Benjy,” Rachel called. When he whirled back around, she put on her best stern mother look. “Your breakfast. You hardly ate a thing.”
    He bounced back to the table, took a big gulp of juice and crammed a dripping buttered biscuit into his pocket. “I gotta get my ball.”
    When Benjy was out of earshot, Rachel turned her wrath on Jacob.
    “Your tricks will get you nowhere, Jacob Donovan. You may fool my son, but you can’t fool me. I know exactly what you are.”
    Grinning, Jacob tipped back in his chair. “And what is that, my fiery beauty?”
    “You’re a crafty, conniving blackguard who will do anything to get what he wants.”
    “Tell me more, love. I’ve always enjoyed your temper tantrums.”
    “Temper tantrums!” Out of control and not caring, Rachel jumped up and dumped her orange juice over his head. “Now let’s see who goes to the park.”
    Jacob roared with laughter. “Do you think a little orange juice will stop me? It just makes me a bit sweeter.”
    Rachel was astonished by her own behavior. She’d spent six years being a perfectly refined lady. But since Jacob Donovan had been in town, she’d rolled in the dirt and fought and spit like an alley cat.
    Still grinning, Jacob wiped at the orange juice with a napkin. “The mosquitoes are going to love me.”
    Rachel had to smile. Being totally uninhibited felt good; it felt damned good.
    “I don’t know what came over me. I do apologize.”
    It was the most unctuous and false apology he’d heard, and he was delighted.
    “How can I resist such a sincere apology? You’re forgiven, Rachel. And just to show you there are no hard feelings . . .” Jacob’s arm snaked out and swiftly pulled her to his chest. Before she could protest, he bent down and took her lips. The kiss was amazing and thorough.
    Vashti buttered another biscuit. “Looks like old times are here again.” She didn’t try to disguise her glee.
    “Vashti, don’t you dare encourage him.”
    “Well, it appears to me he’s doing all right on his own. A man like Jacob Donovan never did need any encouraging.”
    “You’re a wise and wonderful woman, Vashti.” Jacob leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Now, if you’ll show me the shower and lend me a clean shirt, we can all go to the park.”
    “Use your own shower, Jacob Donovan.” Even as Rachel spoke, she knew it was useless. Vashti was already leading him off toward the shower. They were laughing and talking together like the conspirators they were.
    She sat down in her chair and picked up a biscuit. She might as well eat. She’d need all the strength she could muster to deal with that fast-talking Irishman. In spite of the way things had turned out, she grinned. Darned his handsome hide. He still had charm.
    She was into her second biscuit when it occurred to her that she’d better go upstairs and see what was going on. It would be just like Vashti to be turning the entire house over to Jacob.
    Another thought struck her. Had she left that letter lying on her desk? What if Vashti had let him use the shower in the master suite?
    Panic sent Rachel running up the stairs. “Vashti. Vashti!”
    At the head of the stairs she almost collided with Benjy and Vashti.
    “Lordy have mercy,