A Silken Thread - Brenda Jackson [21]
Unable to resist, she said, “Same here, Griff.”
He cut her a look that said he would get her for that the next time they ran into each other.
He gave her a smile before he and his bed partner turned and walked away.
“They’re sleeping together, you know.”
April turned to Neil and frowned. “And your point in telling me that?”
Neil chuckled. “Not the same point she wanted to make in dropping her hint, evidently. But there was something I detected, something in your reaction to seeing him with her, that gave me notice. Makes me think there’s something there.”
She picked up her wineglass to take a sip and laughed some what nervously. “You’re imagining things.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.” Her response had been quick. It had sounded confident. But she knew that she hadn’t fooled Neil.
She couldn’t help glancing over to the table where Griffin and the woman were now sitting. Her gaze met Griffin’s and she wasn’t sure if she was imagining things or not, but she could swear there was an intense look in the dark depths of his eyes that she’d never seen before.
Chapter Six
“Do you have any idea how disastrous last weekend was?” Karen asked her daughter as she stared at her from across the kitchen table.
Erica looked up from the table, where she had several sheets of paper spread out in front of her, deciding not to be bothered by her mother’s negative attitude and constant complaints. “No, I thought everything went fine. In fact, Brian and I are pleased with how things turned out,” she said in a pleasant tone.
Karen rolled her eyes. “It’s quite obvious the two families won’t mesh.”
Erica chuckled. “Mom, it doesn’t matter if the two families mesh. Brian and I mesh and that’s what counts. Now, are you going to help with this list or not? I don’t want to offend anyone by not inviting them to the bridal shower April is giving me in a few weeks.”
“I’m surprised she didn’t come to your engagement party. She was invited.”
“April had business to take care of in New York.”
Karen gave a dignified snort. “Considering she is supposed to be your best friend, I would think your engagement party would have taken precedence over any business matters.”
Erica leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. Her mother was always trying to chomp away at her and April’s friendship. “April didn’t have to be here for me to know I have her support. Besides, I’m sure she figured she would make things easier on you by not showing up.”
Other than rolling her eyes Karen didn’t make a comment. Erica knew there was nothing her mother could truly say. At fifty-seven her mother would never change her way of thinking. It was an ingrained part of her. Erica’s position was and would always be that her mother’s opinion wasn’t her own. Ninety-nine percent of the time it wasn’t.
Erica gathered the papers together in front of her, slid them into her purse and stood up. “Since you don’t seem to have anything nice to say today, Mom, I’d rather be somewhere else. Your negativity is draining and I’m still tired from this weekend.”
“Before you go there is something we need to discuss.”
“What?”
“Brian’s mother and that outfit she wore. Makes me cringe to think what she might wear to the wedding.”
Erica turned to leave thinking that holding a conversation with her mother was becoming excruciatingly difficult. For once she would like to visit without feeling resentful and wondering just how her father managed to put up with it.
Undaunted, her mother continued. “Do you think it would be out of line if I were to suggest that Harriet give her a call?”
Erica swung back around, her eyes full of anger. “Don’t you dare, Mom.” Harriet was her mother’s personal clothes designer and for some reason her mother thought if Harriet hadn’t made it then it shouldn’t be worn.
Erica pulled in a deep breath thinking she’d had enough. She had tried being patient with her mother, even a little under standing. Now here it was just three months before