[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
warm. She could chew him out, yell at him, but then she turned into a nurturer. And
goddamnit, he d wanted to climb out of his own bed and go to her, beg for more of that
comfort.
She does have some experience with children, Mrs. Brocton said softly. She has
three nephews she s taken care of.
Jacob turned away from the window and focused on the woman. So she s a
babysitter? You had me turn over my daughter to a woman who s babysat a few times?
I did a thorough check on her, Mr. Stone. You know I would never put Angelina in
danger.
He knew that. He sank into his chair. I m sorry. I know you love Angel.
Did you know that Mary married a friend of her father s when she was only
sixteen? The man was twenty-five years her senior, but she did it so she could raise her
younger sister, not lose her to foster care.
99
Leanne Karella
Jacob s head came up. Sixteen?
Mrs. Brocton nodded. Her sister was only fourteen at the time.
How do you know this? I can t imagine Mary told you.
No. I spoke with her last employer. A Calvin Anderson. Her only employer, really.
She d been working for him since she was fourteen. Mrs. Brocton folded her hands in
her lap, met his gaze levelly. Her parents were killed in an auto accident just before her
sixteenth birthday. There was no other family, but her parents had made a man named
Sheldon Douglass their legal guardian. He was over forty. Not much better than the town
drunk. He was going to turn them over to child protective services, but then decided he
wanted a wife.
My God. Jacob felt truly ill. What happened?
She turned sixteen and filed for emancipation from Douglass, hoping to get custody
of her sister, but the local judge wouldn t agree to it. She was too young to care for a
minor. When Douglass offered her marriage, and the chance of keeping her sister with
her, she took him up on it.
Jacob s hands fisted. Sixteen. He couldn t fathom it. When he was sixteen he was an
obnoxious sophomore, trying his best to get into Shelly Efferson s pants behind the
bleachers at the high school football game. At that age, he couldn t imagine being
responsible enough to care for another child.
Yet, Mary had married and raised her sister.
What do you know about her divorce?
Not much. Mr. Anderson said Mary became more reserved over the years. Didn t
say much about her home life, except to talk about her frustrations with her sister.
Apparently the woman s been married several times and has three kids. Mr. Anderson
said every time the sister wound up without a husband, Mary was the one to jump right
back in and support her.
Mrs. Brocton s eyes looked sad. Mr. Anderson said Mary wound up with some
health problems. One day she came into his store and turned in a two-week notice. She d
walked out on the Douglass fellow, told Mr. Anderson she was starting a new life for
herself, and left for college before the ink was dry on the divorce papers.
Jacob just shook his head, unable to believe that sweet Mary had been through such
hell. Anything else?
Well. Mrs. Brocton adjusted herself in her seat. Mr. Anderson was very talkative,
and it was obvious he cared very much for Mary. He said Mary s dream was to go to
some fancy art school. His words. But she needed a job that would pay more than he
100
COURAGE TO BELIEVE
could ever afford. That s why she got the office admin degree. She d been keeping the
store s books for him for years.
Jacob leaned forward in his chair, rested his elbows on the desk. Glanced down at the
damning photos. And now her face is splashed across this garbage. They accuse her of
sleeping with the boss because she s a money-grubbing gold digger.
Right.
He scanned the article again, taking in all the hurtful things her sister said about her.
How she d never had any money, so working for someone like Jacob Stone was a coup.
That she probably had to lie to get the job because she d gone on a dozen or more
interviews before being hired. And then, as the article changed tone, he could tell that the
sister hadn t had a clue she was a nanny, for it was as if she got nastier. Saying Mary had
no experience with children. That she must have really lied to get that job.
Her sister sounds like a bitch.
Jacob s gaze snapped back to Mrs. Brocton s. He d never heard her use one bad
word in all the years he d known her. I agree, he said.
One other thing, Mrs. Brocton said softly as she stood up. Today is Mary s
birthday. I seriously doubt she ll be getting any warm wishes from a woman who could
say those things about her. She pointed at the paper as if the evil sister was right there. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl akte20.pev.pl
warm. She could chew him out, yell at him, but then she turned into a nurturer. And
goddamnit, he d wanted to climb out of his own bed and go to her, beg for more of that
comfort.
She does have some experience with children, Mrs. Brocton said softly. She has
three nephews she s taken care of.
Jacob turned away from the window and focused on the woman. So she s a
babysitter? You had me turn over my daughter to a woman who s babysat a few times?
I did a thorough check on her, Mr. Stone. You know I would never put Angelina in
danger.
He knew that. He sank into his chair. I m sorry. I know you love Angel.
Did you know that Mary married a friend of her father s when she was only
sixteen? The man was twenty-five years her senior, but she did it so she could raise her
younger sister, not lose her to foster care.
99
Leanne Karella
Jacob s head came up. Sixteen?
Mrs. Brocton nodded. Her sister was only fourteen at the time.
How do you know this? I can t imagine Mary told you.
No. I spoke with her last employer. A Calvin Anderson. Her only employer, really.
She d been working for him since she was fourteen. Mrs. Brocton folded her hands in
her lap, met his gaze levelly. Her parents were killed in an auto accident just before her
sixteenth birthday. There was no other family, but her parents had made a man named
Sheldon Douglass their legal guardian. He was over forty. Not much better than the town
drunk. He was going to turn them over to child protective services, but then decided he
wanted a wife.
My God. Jacob felt truly ill. What happened?
She turned sixteen and filed for emancipation from Douglass, hoping to get custody
of her sister, but the local judge wouldn t agree to it. She was too young to care for a
minor. When Douglass offered her marriage, and the chance of keeping her sister with
her, she took him up on it.
Jacob s hands fisted. Sixteen. He couldn t fathom it. When he was sixteen he was an
obnoxious sophomore, trying his best to get into Shelly Efferson s pants behind the
bleachers at the high school football game. At that age, he couldn t imagine being
responsible enough to care for another child.
Yet, Mary had married and raised her sister.
What do you know about her divorce?
Not much. Mr. Anderson said Mary became more reserved over the years. Didn t
say much about her home life, except to talk about her frustrations with her sister.
Apparently the woman s been married several times and has three kids. Mr. Anderson
said every time the sister wound up without a husband, Mary was the one to jump right
back in and support her.
Mrs. Brocton s eyes looked sad. Mr. Anderson said Mary wound up with some
health problems. One day she came into his store and turned in a two-week notice. She d
walked out on the Douglass fellow, told Mr. Anderson she was starting a new life for
herself, and left for college before the ink was dry on the divorce papers.
Jacob just shook his head, unable to believe that sweet Mary had been through such
hell. Anything else?
Well. Mrs. Brocton adjusted herself in her seat. Mr. Anderson was very talkative,
and it was obvious he cared very much for Mary. He said Mary s dream was to go to
some fancy art school. His words. But she needed a job that would pay more than he
100
COURAGE TO BELIEVE
could ever afford. That s why she got the office admin degree. She d been keeping the
store s books for him for years.
Jacob leaned forward in his chair, rested his elbows on the desk. Glanced down at the
damning photos. And now her face is splashed across this garbage. They accuse her of
sleeping with the boss because she s a money-grubbing gold digger.
Right.
He scanned the article again, taking in all the hurtful things her sister said about her.
How she d never had any money, so working for someone like Jacob Stone was a coup.
That she probably had to lie to get the job because she d gone on a dozen or more
interviews before being hired. And then, as the article changed tone, he could tell that the
sister hadn t had a clue she was a nanny, for it was as if she got nastier. Saying Mary had
no experience with children. That she must have really lied to get that job.
Her sister sounds like a bitch.
Jacob s gaze snapped back to Mrs. Brocton s. He d never heard her use one bad
word in all the years he d known her. I agree, he said.
One other thing, Mrs. Brocton said softly as she stood up. Today is Mary s
birthday. I seriously doubt she ll be getting any warm wishes from a woman who could
say those things about her. She pointed at the paper as if the evil sister was right there. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]