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.“He said ‘you invited my mother to stay?’”“What! That’s it?” She really did yell this time jarring Esme from her nap and making her cry.Jackie stood up and walked around as she rocked her to calm her down.“I can’t believe it.”“Neither could I.I thought he would be happy, I know I was and all he seemed to be concerned about was getting his mother out of the suite.”Jackie grumbled under her breath in French before she said aloud, “Well then.If booting his mother out is the only way to get him focused on the real issue, I’ll go put Esme down and help you throw her out.”Melody sat up.“Jackie we can’t throw her out.That’s—” She reared back when Jackie almost pocked her eye out with her finger.“So help me if you say rude…”Melody lifted her hands in surrender.“Fine, but we can’t be that callous.I’ll just explain to her how things are.That we are going through a rough tide and we can’t handle visitors—especially family—at the moment.”Jackie waved her hand dismissively.“Tell her whatever you want to tell her as long as she knows she needs to leave.”Melody watched her walk away and disappear into the room thinking that was easily said than done.She wasn’t kicking just any one out and she didn’t understand how she was the only one who saw that.Clarissa might as well be a stranger to Ruiz seeing how they interact and she was a stranger to Jackie, so Jackie didn’t count much.What was she to do, knock on her bedroom door and demand she pack up and leave because her son wants her gone by the time he got back?Melody groaned falling back onto the chair and covering her face with her hand.This day wasn’t better, it was worse!“Melody, dear.”She jumped up and turned to face her mother-in-law.“Clarissa! I didn’t hear you come out of your room.”She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.“I’m light on my feet.One thing my husbands both hated and loved about me.” She sat down and crossed her hands over her lap.Melody quickly followed suit.“So, my son wants me gone?”Melody could feel her cheeks turn flaming red.“I’m sorry but you arrived at a really bad time.Maybe we can arrange a better visit later on in the year,” she added, hoping that the later invitation would smooth things over.She chuckled shaking her head.“Not if my son has anything to do with it.My dear, I do have a question for you?”Oh oh! “I’ll try and answer it the best I can.”“Why did you agree to marry my son?”What? “Excuse me, I don’t quite follow.”“You do know he married you for the same reasons his father married me—for my money and social standing.”Melody had to keep herself from laughing.Did this woman know her own son? Mixing with her social circle would be a fate worse than death to Ruiz and her money, she learnt how much he didn’t want her money the hard way.In fact, she was still paying for making that assumption.“No, Ruiz didn’t marry me for my money and social standing.He hates my social circle and he makes his own money.”She shook her head in that ‘poor foolish and clueless girl’ way.“Yes he did.You’ll soon find out after he’s tired of playing family man.The only reason he got you pregnant was to make sure his plans don’t go array.”“Clarissa, your son and I married way before Esme came into our lives and also, he’d have to jump a number of hoops one of them being my brother to access my money.”“He hasn’t tried yet, but he will.What explanation would you give for having not seen him touch or look at his own child even once since I got here?”She had Melody there.How could she possibly tell her why Ruiz didn’t touch or look at Esme without having the tables turned on her and she being painted the monster.Now she understood why Ruiz wanted his mother out of here, she just complicated things even more.Melody stood up, signaling the conversation was over.“Clarissa, what your son does is his business, but he has made it my business to make sure you are gone before he gets back.If you have any complaints to make about that I suggest you go see him in the staff hall, he’s made that his temporary office for the hotel restructuring.I’m sorry you couldn’t visit longer, but please do give your current husband our best.” At that moment, Jackie stepped out of the room minus Esme, but with a hidden smile that threatened Melody’s own.“Jackie will show you out, won’t you Jackie?”“Oui madame,” she answered with a comical bow that did make Melody smile.With that, Melody flounced into her room and closed the door partially to listen to how Jackie was going to get the Clarissa who was already whining and threatening to report her to Ruiz, out of the suite, with a hand held over her mouth to muffle her laughter.* * * *“You surprise me sometimes, Ruiz.That wasn’t the reaction I was expecting.”“What are you talking about?” Ruiz asked absently as he skimmed through the furnishing invoice.Apparently, while he was buried under the covers avoiding the sun that morning, Melody had been putting together a list of office equipment and furniture to replace those the old staff had stolen or sold off [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]