As soon as he opened the door to the kitchen he smelled the aroma of roasting meat. Garlic was in the air, too. Not something Ida usually used very much. No one was in the kitchen, and it had been so long since he’d gotten home this early, he didn’t know if that was the norm or not.

He peeked into the living room, and then the family room. Not a soul was around. Laughter came from down the hall and he stopped to listen.

Beth was still here.

Her soft yet uninhibited laugh was unmistakable, and an unexpected sense of peace warmed him. Perhaps because he didn’t have to wonder where she’d found shelter for the night. After all, no one was using the guest room….

His mother walked out of Beth’s room, still laughing over something but immediately sobered upon seeing him. “David, you’re home.”

“So I am. Excuse me. I was about to change.” He tried to sidestep her.

“David? Is anything wrong?”

“No. Why?”

“You haven’t come home this early since…” She shrugged, her speculative gaze drawing toward Beth’s room.

Great. Just great. “I have a lot of work to catch up on and the office was too distracting.”

She smiled, nodded, her expression annoyingly patronizing. “We’ll be having dinner in about half an hour. I’m delighted you can join us.”

“I’m afraid that isn’t possible—”

The words died when Beth walked out of the room. Her hair was down, the coat was gone and the way the lavender dress hugged her slim curves nearly knocked him off his feet.

She gave him a shy smile. “Hi.”

“You’re still here.”

Her expression fell.

“David!” His mother’s appalled voice jolted him.

Beth looked helplessly at her.

“I only meant—” He cleared his throat. “I was simply surprised.”

“I had every intention of leaving this morning,” Beth began, “but—”

“I talked her out of it.”

David looked at his mother, her eyes narrowed in warning. He gave her a look of his own, one that meant they’d talk later. “I’ll be in my study.”

“Fine.” His mother smiled. “I’ll let you know when dinner is ready.”

About to tell her he wouldn’t be joining them, he glanced at Beth again. She did look rather stunning, her hair so shiny it looked like spun gold. The exhaustion and strain were gone from her face and she was much prettier than he’d first thought.

He could make time for dinner. Why not? By tomorrow she’d be gone. It wouldn’t hurt him to be sociable for an hour.

“All right,” he said and started to loosen his tie. “I’ll go change and then check with you before I start in on my reading.”

“Splendid.” His mother clasped her hands together and looked adoringly at their guest. “We’re in for a treat. Beth cooked tonight.”

He frowned. “Is anything wrong with Ida?”

“No. Beth insisted as a sort of interview.” His mother smiled. “I talked her into staying and filling in while Ida’s gone.”

Beth couldn’t imagine what everyone thought of dinner. The pork chops tasted like cardboard. Not even the rich brown mushroom sauce salvaged them. And the potatoes…oh, God they stuck in her throat like wallpaper glue.

“This meal is fabulous.” Maude sat at the head of the table. She put down her fork and looked at Ida. “I thought you said pork chops were too dry, that’s why you don’t make them.”

“They wouldn’t be dry if you let me fix them proper like.” Ida sniffed. “You’re always too worried about fat and calories.”

“This sauce doesn’t taste fatty at all.”

Ida cocked her head to the side. “No, it doesn’t. What have you got in here, Beth?”

“Chicken stock thickened with pureed roasted vegetables instead of butter and flour. Lots of garlic, too.”

They were being nice, probably didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Why hadn’t she left this morning? By now she could have been halfway to…Good question. She still hadn’t figured that out yet. But she’d better do it quick. After this disastrous dinner, she’d be lucky to keep the temporary job.

Of course the possibility existed that dinner wasn’t so horrible. That it only tasted that way to Beth because her mouth was drier than the Mojave Desert. Being nervous always did that to her.

She slid David a furtive glance. He sat silently at the other end of the table while the other two women chatted about sugar and carbohydrates. At least he had an appetite. In fact, he’d already polished off half the food on his plate. His expression hadn’t changed though. He still had the same sullen look he’d had from the time his mother announced Beth would be staying.

“Beth?” Maude stared at her with concern.

“I’m sorry. Did you say something?”

Ida snorted, and Maude gave her a censuring look.

“I’d really like you to give Ida this recipe. David, isn’t it wonderful?”

He nodded, and then took a sip of the wine he’d brought up from the cellar. When he hadn’t poured any for Beth, Maude said nothing, but Ida asked if he’d forgotten his manners. Beth knew right then that he’d told his mother about the pregnancy. But no one had told Ida. That they had protected her privacy in that small way gave her a warm fuzzy feeling.

Maude sighed. “Really, David, you could show a little more enthusiasm for all the work Beth put into dinner.”

Beth groaned inwardly.

“Speaking of work…” He set down his fork, pulled the napkin off his lap, folded it in two and set it beside his plate. “Thank you, Beth, for an outstanding meal.”

He picked up his half-full wineglass as he stood. Beth’s gaze drew to the snugness of his jeans and she quickly looked away.

“You can’t leave yet,” Maude said. “We haven’t had dessert.”

“I’ll pass.”

“You can’t. Beth made a peach parfait.”

“That’s all right,” Beth said quickly. “It’ll keep.”

David eyed her, his expression unreadable, and then his gaze swept the table. “Excuse me, ladies.”

Maude started to say something, but refrained when Beth threw her a pleading look. No one said another word until David left, and then Ida spoke.

“That boy is going to work himself to death. He’ll end up having a heart attack just like his daddy.” She sent Maude an apologetic glance. “God rest his soul.”

“Yes,” Maude said absently, clearly distracted as she stared off after David. “But he did come home early. That’s something.”

“That it is.” Ida glanced at Beth and then tried to hide a smile behind her napkin.

Beth saw it though and wondered what the heck that meant. “He probably wanted to make sure I’d left. I promised him I’d be gone today.”

Maude’s brows rose sharply. “David wouldn’t expect you to leave with no place to go.” Her gaze flickered. “He told me a little about your situation. I hope you don’t mind.”

Beth shook her head, and noticed that Ida’s interest had suddenly piqued. Maude would have a time evading her questions. Beth didn’t care. She set her barely touched food aside and stood.

Maude’s concerned gaze met hers. “You haven’t finished your dinner.”

“I’ll be back to clear the table after you’ve had dessert. It’s in the fridge.”

“But where are you going?”

Beth took a deep breath. She hated nothing worse than confrontation. “To talk to your son.”

THE KNOCK at his study door was too soft to be either his mother or Ida. That left Beth. For a moment he thought about not answering. But that would be childish. Anyway, she’d corner him sooner or later.

He hadn’t even opened his briefcase yet and he quickly placed a stack of papers on the desk in front of him. “Come in.”

The door opened but he didn’t look up right away. He made a production out of dragging his gaze away from the top sheet as if it were the answer to the national debt instead of a proposal for the company Christmas party.

“I know I’m bothering you but this can’t wait.”

The determination in Beth’s voice surprised him and he leaned back and gave her his full attention. “No bother. Have a seat.”