Patchwork Family

“Where is this one going?” he asked, while he considered how to bring the conversation around to the reason for his visit.

Merry Linton, another newcomer to the group, smoothed a loving hand across the patchwork quilt. “It’s lovely, isn’t it? It’s called Bachelor’s Puzzle.”

He nodded, still tangling with his own puzzle.

Bea answered his question. “That lovely young woman with the new bed-and-breakfast has purchased it.”

He choked on a cookie crumb. Clearing his throat, he asked cautiously, “Do you mean Molly Blake?”

Martha and Tillie exchanged a look he couldn’t interpret, but it put him on his toes. Something was up.

Martha smiled. “Why, yes, dear, have you met Molly? Isn’t she wonderful?”

Quinn frowned. He could agree that Molly was attractive. Wonderful? The distraught, angry woman he’d faced in his office that morning was hard to fit into the simple word wonderful.

Complex, challenging, sexy. He shook his head. No, not sexy—

“You haven’t met her?” Tillie asked, obviously interpreting his shake of head as a no.

“Yes, yes, I have. This morning, in fact. So, you like the idea of a new bed-and-breakfast?”

“Oh, yes,” Emma Finklebaum said with a sigh. “Such a lovely idea. A romantic bed-and-breakfast. And she’s going to plan the decor of each suite around one of our quilts.”

“Ah,” he said, like Sherlock Holmes uncovering a vital clue. “You’re glad because you’ll make money!”

The ladies chuckled. Through the years, they’d expressed amazement at the rising value of their efforts.

“It’s more than that,” Martha said. “She’s a lovely person…and the best mother in the world.”

“Mother?” That subject hadn’t come up in their visit that morning.

“Oh, yes,” Merry agreed. “Her little Sara is a charmer. Molly brings her to visit us sometimes.”

“Sara likes my candy,” Martha added, as if that were a vital piece of information.

Quinn smiled, charmed by Martha’s pride. He wouldn’t tell her that every kid liked candy. He would never do anything to make Martha feel less important than she did.

Tillie, who had remained silent until now, asked, “Why did she come to see you? Is there a problem?”

At her question, all the ladies stopped plying their needles and stared at Quinn.

He held up a hand. “Client confidentiality,” he murmured, then waited quietly for their response. He wasn’t disappointed.

“Ursula!” Bea exclaimed.

“I can’t believe she’s still causing difficulties,” Merry exclaimed.

But, then, sweet Merry never believed the worst of anyone.

Emma leaned even closer. “What’s the problem?”

Quinn carefully phrased his question. “I wondered if any of you had been approached about signing a petition.”

“Of course we have!” Martha exclaimed, adding a snort of derision. “That woman thought we’d want to sink poor Molly’s plans. As if we would!”

“Why does she want to stop the opening of the bed-and-breakfast?” he asked.

Tillie leaned closer. “She says it’s because the business will destroy the peace and quiet of Ivy Lane.”

“But you don’t believe her?”

“Of course not,” Bea, unusually animated, replied. “She thinks Molly stole Christopher from her Lila, don’t you know.”

“As if he were a prize,” Emma added.

Quinn tried to picture Christopher as the answer to a woman’s dream. In particular, Molly’s dream. He’d been trying to do so ever since Molly had left his office.

“And he wasn’t?”

The ladies all looked at one another. Finally Martha responded. “No, Quinn dear, he wasn’t. He was a selfish, egotistical man. A playboy!” She put all her disgust into her last words.

Quinn cleared his throat. “I’m considered to be a playboy, too,” he reminded her.

Martha leaned over to pat his cheek. “But we know better, dear.”

Quinn smiled but shook his head. Maybe that was why he loved these ladies. They saw him through a proud mother’s eyes. Instead of a mother who’d obviously been so unhappy she’d run away and left her three sons—with no word for over twenty-three years.

“Do you think the neighbors will go along with Ursula?” he asked.

All the women proclaimed their hopes that Molly would come out on top.

Emma capped off their remarks with, “Ursula needs to get a life!”

Such a flippant, with-it comment from eighty-year-old Emma brought a smile to Quinn’s face. “I believe you’re right, ladies. And I’ll see what I can do to help things along.”

Amid their praise, he eased himself from the room, promising to visit them again soon.

Heading back to the office, he thought again about what he’d discovered. Ursula Wilson had filed a request to deny the zoning change necessary for Molly’s inn, as he’d suspected. She had another week to supply the city with her petition. It needed one-hundred names. In the morning, he had an appointment with the mayor to discuss the potential problem for Molly Blake.

He thought the situation was a tempest in a teapot, but he wanted to be sure to cover every aspect. The passion in Molly Blake’s voice prodded him to be thorough.

The woman had intrigued him all day. She’d been a mess, of course, in appearance. But an intriguing mess. A woman who took charge of her future. He’d been impressed with her planning, her hard work.

Then he’d discovered she was a mother.

Any interest disappeared with that information. He’d promised himself never to be involved in a child’s life. It was too great a responsibility. One his own mother had abdicated. And he was her son.

MOLLY STARED AT HERSELF in the mirror.

She couldn’t believe the difference a few hours had made. When she’d reached the street, after her interview with Quinn Spencer, she’d seen her reflection in a plate-glass window. She’d already realized her appearance was less than professional.

But the physical evidence of her reflection shook her.

All along she’d planned to update her appearance, knowing it would be an important part of marketing her bed-and-breakfast. But she figured that part of her plan could wait. There was no urgency.

Seeing herself as Mr. Spencer must’ve seen her, however, changed her mind.

The Hair Affair, the beauty salon on the corner, became her immediate destination. Forget the table waiting at home. She had more important business to conduct.

Now she stood before a dressing room mirror, wearing navy wool slacks topped by a cream turtleneck sweater, her hair feathered around her face. The new short style made her feel younger. The manicure gave her a touch of elegance.

She closed her eyes, seeing Quinn Spencer staring at her, respect and awe in his expression. Then she burst out laughing. Talk about fantasy!

The saleswoman in Gates Department Store, the Neiman-Marcus of Tyler, asked in bewilderment, “Is something wrong?”

“Not at all, Mrs. Bell. You’ve been very helpful. These clothes are exactly what I had in mind. I’ll take them. And also the other two pair of slacks. And the blue sweater.”

The lady beamed at her. “Excellent choices. You have such wonderful taste.”

Probably not what Quinn Spencer would say, Molly admitted, but at least the next time she encountered the worldly Mr. Spencer, she wouldn’t feel like Little Orphan Annie.

After she’d paid for and collected her packages, she realized she had almost an hour before she needed to pick up Sara from her friend Kaitlin’s day care. Instead of heading for Ivy Lane and home, she went to Worthington House.

The quilting ladies had become a refuge of support and love for Molly. With no family of her own, she’d discovered among them a sweetness and friendship that went a long way to counteracting the anger and bitterness of Ursula Wilson.

“Good afternoon, ladies,” she called out as she entered the room where the quilting took place. She always marveled at the women’s patience and hard work.

“Molly!” several exclaimed, smiles on their faces. Then they took a second look.

“Why, don’t you look pretty!” Martha exclaimed.

Merry beamed at her. “So young and fresh!”

Molly smiled at them. “Well, certainly better than I’ve been looking lately. I was so involved in fixing up the house, I forgot to fix me up!”

Emma Finklebaum asked, “What made you get all polished up today?”

Molly felt her cheeks heating up. She certainly wasn’t going to mention Quinn Spencer. Besides, she’d intended to improve herself all along. “Um, I decided I needed a more professional appearance to sell the idea of my bed-and-breakfast. After all, Ursula is trying to convince everyone I’ll be a failure. I didn’t want to help her.”

Tillie patted her hand. “Good thinking. I think you’ve made the right decision. Besides, you look so pretty!”

“You certainly do,” Bea seconded, causing Molly’s cheeks to redden even more. “Why, you might just attract a young man with that pretty smile of yours, don’t you know.”

Molly’s breath caught in her throat and she cleared it before she answered. “Um, no, I don’t think— I’m too busy with my plans to— I have no interest in men.”

Lydia Perry came in at that moment to distract her friends. Molly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Molly, dear, I’m so sorry I upset you this morning,” the lady said as she sat down.

“Oh, no, Lydia, it wasn’t your fault,” she hurriedly assured her. “I should’ve remained calm but—but I had no idea Mrs. Wilson had gone so far in her anger.”

“But did you see Amanda Trask? Did she tell you what to do?” Lydia persisted.

With all the ladies anxiously awaiting her answer, Molly couldn’t avoid mentioning the one man she wanted to forget. “Amanda is out of town, but I spoke with her partner. He’s going to look into it.”

The ladies exchanged glances and Molly wondered what they were thinking.

Bea nodded. “You can trust Quinn. He’s the sweetest boy.”

“And very smart,” Martha assured her.

“Such a dear,” Merry added, a gentle smile on her lips.

Tillie agreed. “He’s quite popular around here.”

Molly tried to fit the Quinn Spencer she knew, or rather knew about, with the ladies’ comments. But the playboy, womanizer, jet-setter and all-around man-about-town just didn’t seem “sweet” to her. “I’ve heard he’s a very good attorney.”

“Of course he is,” Martha said, patting her hand. “Don’t worry, dear, he’ll take care of you.”

Somehow, the thought of letting Quinn Spencer “take care” of her left Molly breathless.

“It’s—it’s just until Amanda returns. She should be back in town soon.” She hoped she didn’t sound as edgy as she felt.

If the ladies’ satisfied nods were to be believed, she must’ve have sounded like she had every confidence in Quinn Spencer.

Maybe she was a better actress than she’d thought.

QUINN LEFT THE MAYOR’S OFFICE the next morning, a satisfied smile on his face. The mayor had assured him the entire council was in favor of the bed-and-breakfast. Even if Ursula Wilson got the one-hundred signatures on her petition to bring it before the council, the zoning change would be approved.

He paused on the sidewalk and took a deep breath. It was one of those perfect winter days that occasionally came along, bright sunshine making everything sparkle in spite of the cold air.

Assuring himself that he was only doing so to better serve Amanda’s client, Quinn turned in the direction of Ivy Lane. A brisk walk would be good exercise, and he could personally inform Molly Blake of the good news.

He hadn’t been down Ivy Lane in a while. It was a stately avenue, lined with old homes built years ago. When he reached the Blake home, he noticed the outside of the home had been recently painted and restored.

“That must’ve cost a pretty penny,” he muttered to himself, remembering Molly Blake’s comment about her budget. At least she’d prepared for what was important. A sudden curiosity filled him about the inside. He’d visited Christopher’s home once or twice when they’d been in school. Even then the house had been showing its age.

He trod up the steps and crossed the wide porch to rap on the door. A new door, with a delicate stained-glass oval depicting flowers. With a smile on his face, he prepared himself to greet Molly Blake as the door swung open.

Shock rattled through him.

Gone was the harried, frustrated, angry woman with the messy appearance. In her place was a fashionably dressed young woman with pale blond hair feathering around her face, setting it off like a prized picture in a frame. She was dressed in trim wool pants and a blue sweater that enhanced her eyes.

He assumed the worried look on her face was the result of concern about her future. Hurriedly beginning his explanation, he was shocked again when she scarcely acknowledged his words. When she even began closing the door on him, he put out a hand to stop her.

“Wait. Do you understand, Mrs. Blake?”

“Yes, I—” She broke off as a wail floated down the stairs. She gasped and abandoned the door. “I’m coming, sweetie,” she called as she raced up the stairs.

Quinn frowned as he found himself standing alone in the entryway. He could leave. But then, if he did, he wouldn’t know what was wrong. Not his business, he argued with himself, but he didn’t leave.

Instead, he closed the door and stepped toward the stairs. Before he could ascend, Molly came back into sight at the top of the stairs, carrying a bundle in her arms.

“Is everything all right?”

She appeared surprised to find him still there. “No, my daughter is ill. I appreciate what you’ve done. I’ll—I’ll call later to discuss it. But she needs me right now.”

Quinn had kept his distance from children. And mothers. Too often, he’d seen a woman’s selfish disregard for her child’s needs. He knew how important the bed-and-breakfast was to Molly.

But not more important than her child.

A moan drifted up from the bundle in Molly’s arms. He hadn’t realized she was holding her child. She tightened her arms and murmured soothing words.

“She must be tiny,” he said with a frown, somehow drawn to the invisible child. “Have you taken her to the pediatrician?”

“I called. He can’t see her until late this afternoon.”

Quinn could tell she was trying to remain calm, but he heard the panic in her voice. “Is she running a fever?”

“Yes. It’s very high.”

He stepped even closer and pulled back the blanket, revealing a small face, quite similar to her mother’s, with the same pale hair and big blue eyes. “Hello there,” he whispered.

The little girl tightened her hold on her mother.

Okay, so he’d never been good with children. Never wanted to be good with children. But he couldn’t quite bring himself to walk away from this duo.

“Want me to call my brother?”

Molly blinked those big blue eyes of hers several times before she asked, “Why?”

“Sorry, I forgot you wouldn’t know. My brother Brady is a doctor at Tyler General. He might be able to see her now.”

He’d offered women gifts before, even occasional favors, but he’d never seen such intense gratitude in response. She even reached out to grasp his lapel.

“Oh, yes, please. With her fever so high, I’m—I’m worried.”

He patted her hand and asked for the phone. She led him to the small desk beside the staircase, standing beside him as he called, cuddling her daughter.

“Dr. Spencer, please. It’s his brother, Quinn.”

He covered the receiver and said, “They have to go get him.”

She nodded, hope in her gaze.

“Brady? It’s Quinn. I need a favor. A—a friend has a little girl running a high fever. The doctor can’t see her for seven or eight hours. Could you take a look at her?”

His brother’s hurried agreement had him hanging up the phone at once. “We need to get her there in fifteen minutes. Do you have a car? I walked.”

“Yes! Thank you! Thank you so much. My keys are in the kitchen. I’ll just—”

“Give your little girl to me,” he ordered, reaching out his arms.

She hesitated, as if not sure she should entrust her precious bundle to him, but then she handed over the child.

Quinn felt the heat rising in waves from the child and understood Molly’s fears. The child was very hot. He smiled down at the miserable face. “We’re going to take you to the doctor, and he’ll make you feel better.”

She whimpered and ducked her head against him. He cuddled her closer, surprised at the protective feelings that filled him.

Molly returned, shrugging into her coat. She scooped the little girl out of his arms and handed him the keys, all at the same time. “You drive, please.”

His eyebrows rose. “You want me to drive your car?” he asked, not sure he’d understood.

She nodded as she turned to lead him through the kitchen to the garage. “Yes, please. I have to hold Sara.”

Such motherly devotion filled Quinn with stark terror.

Chapter Three

All Molly could think about was Sara. She murmured soothing words to her daughter as Quinn Spencer drove them to the hospital. Sara had never been sick, other than occasional sniffles, in her four years of life. It unnerved Molly to see her baby in such straits.

“She’s so hot,” she muttered, scarcely aware she had spoken out loud.

“I’m sure Brady will be able to help her,” Quinn assured her. He pulled into the emergency parking area and came to a stop.

Molly was out of the vehicle, Sara still clutched to her chest, before he could come around and assist her. “Will your brother meet us here, in the emergency room?”

“Yes. He should be waiting.”

Molly scanned the medical personnel as they entered the hospital. It didn’t take her long to identify Brady Spencer. His hair might be darker than his brother’s, but they had the same eyes. Besides, he was hurrying toward them.

“Is this my patient?” he asked, voice filled with gentle reassurance. “What’s her name?”

“Sara,” Molly told him, but she was reluctant to release her child, even to the doctor.

“Hello, Sara,” Dr. Spencer said, pulling back the cover to see her daughter’s face. “How about we see if we can make you well again? Want to come with me? I may even have a lollipop for you.”

Sara nodded. The doctor scooped her from Molly’s arms. Molly reached out as he moved away, afraid to lose sight of her daughter.

Strong arms came around her. “She’ll be all right, Molly,” Quinn whispered in her ear. “You can trust Brady.”

With a strangled sob, she instinctively turned into those strong arms and buried her face in his chest. All she could think about was her precious child.

It had been so long since she’d had anyone to lean on, to share her burdens. The comfort the attorney offered was too tempting. She remained there, absorbing his strength, until other feelings invaded her concern.

She jerked herself from his embrace, embarrassed. How could she think about a man, any man, when Sara was ill? She certainly wasn’t a lonely widow looking for some man to rescue her. No! She and Sara were a team. They didn’t need anyone.

But, for a minute, she admitted, having someone to lean on had felt good.

“I’m sorry. I don’t usually fall apart, but Sara’s never been really sick and—and—”

“It’s all right. I guess I’d feel the same way if my child—” He broke off and looked away from her.

She already knew he had no children and never intended to be a father. One night at Marge’s, the local diner, she’d overheard a conversation not intended for her ears. Quinn had been explaining to his companions how he felt about children.

“Children only complicate your life and take up time. I’m always on the go. I’ll leave raising the little rug rats to other people,” he’d said with a laugh.

Which made his assistance today impressive.

“I appreciate your help. High fever always frightens me.” He must think her a real fraidy cat. After all, yesterday she’d been just as frantic. “You must think I’m always— I mean, yesterday—”

He took her arm and drew her over to a row of chairs. “Special circumstances, Molly. Don’t worry about it.”

She sat down because she didn’t know what else to do. She’d wanted to follow the doctor into the examining room, but that hadn’t appeared to be an option, which worried her even more. A nurse had hovered at the doctor’s side, ready to assist him, and Sara hadn’t put up any resistance. Now, Molly clutched her hands tightly together, tensely waiting for the doctor’s —and Sara’s—reappearance.

A large hand reached out and covered her two. Its warmth helped ward off the chill that was racing through her. “It’ll be all right,” Quinn whispered.

“I appreciate your talking your brother into seeing us right away. I don’t know what could’ve caused such high fever. It could be meningitis, or even—” she gasped at the thought “—even leukemia.”

“It’s probably nothing more than the flu, which I’ve heard is going around.”

“You don’t know that!” she snapped, refusing to be consoled.

He squeezed her hands and said, “No, I don’t, but we don’t want to borrow trouble if it’s not necessary.”

She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. “No, of course not. I’m sorry.”

He seemed to take her apology in stride. “Do you have any family, other than Sara?”

She shook her head.

“Your parents?”

She stared at him. Did the man think she could carry on a normal conversation when her baby was desperately ill? “They’re both dead. My mother died when I was twelve, my father three years ago.” Before he could ask, she added, “I was an only child.”

As Sara was and would be. Molly had no intention of ever considering matrimony again, of giving Sara a stepfather who might fail her as miserably as her own father had done. No, it would be just the two of them.

“No aunts, uncles, cousins?”

“Are you asking who to notify in case of an accident? Or—or a death?” she demanded, her voice rising.

“No! I was just making conversation,” he assured her, squeezing her hands again.

She snatched her hands away from the warmth that had begun to seep into her tense body. Denying herself that comfort made her feel closer to her daughter.

“Molly, I wasn’t—” Quinn began, but he halted as Brady appeared, holding Sara in his arms.

Molly exploded from the chair and raced to meet her daughter. “What is it?” she asked the doctor. “Is she okay? What caused the fever?”

“She’s going to be fine,” Dr. Spencer assured her.

Molly’s knees suddenly went weak. She would’ve sagged to the floor if Quinn hadn’t been behind her to support her.

It was Quinn who followed up with questions. Molly couldn’t speak. “What caused the fever?”

“The flu. It’s going around. She got dehydrated, which only made the fever worse.”

“I tried to get her to drink juice, but it kept coming back up,” Molly told him.

“I know. I’ve given her a shot that will settle her stomach and ward off any additional infection, and we put an IV in her. I want you to get some Pedialyte to give her. It comes in liquid and Popsicles. She should be able to keep that down. Wash her face with a lukewarm washcloth to help keep the fever from getting too high.”

Molly nodded even as she reached for her child. Sara snuggled against her mother, but her eyes never opened.

“Is she asleep?” Molly asked, alarmed.

“Almost. The shot made her drowsy. She needs lots of rest and liquids. Feed her soup, keep her still and call if anything worries you.”

“Yes. Yes, of course, Doctor. Thank you so much for seeing us. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate—”

Brady Spencer grinned. “Thank my baby brother. He’s the reason I worked Sara in. But I’m glad I did. She needed attention right away.”

Molly nodded again, swallowing a huge lump in her throat. “Yes, I’ve already told him how much I appreciated his offer to call you.”

The loudspeaker blared out Dr. Spencer’s name, and he excused himself, rushing down the hall to his next emergency, leaving Molly holding Sara close.