For a woman whose main focus in life until now had been her career, the shock of running head-on into such blatant sexual discrimination had been hard to take.
But now that she was pregnant, Colby told himself, Diana had better learn there were other important things to focus on in life besides a career. Twenty years ago, when he’d found himself about to be a father at the age of nineteen, he’d had to learn that lesson the hard way. Babies had a way of reprioritizing one’s world.
“Here you go, Evelyn,“ Colby said as he handed Mrs. Thorp the glass of wine. He gave Diana a glass of mineral water. “Diana was thinking about looking for a new job to start in the fall, but she’s recently had to make a few changes in her plans. We’re getting married.“
Diana’s head snapped around in shock. Her beautiful turquoise, gold and green eyes blazed at him.
“Congratulations,“ Evelyn exclaimed, apparently oblivious to Diana’s stunned expression. Oblivious, or perhaps too polite to show she’d noted it. “How exciting.“
“Nice going, Savagar,“ Gil said with an easy grin as he raised his glass of whiskey in a small salute. “I’ll say this much for you, you’re showing a lot more sense this time around than you did the last time.“
“I’ve had twenty years to figure out how to do it right,“ Colby said blandly.
“Excuse me, I’d better go check on dinner.“ Diana shot to her feet with an awkward movement that sent her glass of mineral water flying. “Damn,“ she muttered and started blotting uselessly with a tiny cocktail napkin.
Specter, her massive brindled dog, lumbered to his feet and wandered over to take a few sample licks of the mineral water.
“Get out of the way, monster,“ Colby ordered the dog, who ignored him, as usual. “I’ll take care of the spilled water, Diana. You go check on the food.“
She nodded quickly, managed a weak, apologetic smile for Gil and Evelyn and rushed to the kitchen.
“Is she all right?“ Evelyn asked worriedly.
“She’s nervous about the marriage,“ Colby explained in a confidential tone. “Diana’s never been married, and I think she’d decided she probably never would tie the knot. I guess I sort of rushed her into a decision this afternoon.“
“You always did tend to take charge and do things your way,“ Gil observed. “What made you decide to try marriage again after nearly twenty years of single parenthood?“
Colby hesitated and then grinned slowly. “Thought it might be interesting to try double parenthood.“
Evelyn blinked. “Oh, you’re planning on starting another family?“
“As soon as possible,“ Colby said easily as he finished mopping up the small spill. He heard a clatter from the kitchen. Diana had dropped a pan on the floor. The sound told him she’d overheard his words. “Diana’s thirty-four, you know. Biological clock’s a factor now. We can’t wait around and take our time.“
“Well, from the sound of things, you did all right with your first boy,“ Gil said. “Heard he met Margaret Fulbrook while he was here in town.“
“The old bat connived a meeting one day when Brandon went into town with Diana. I was irritated when I found out about it.“ That was an understatement. “But maybe it was for the best. Like it or not, the old lady is Brandon’s grandmother. I guess he’s got a right to meet her.“
“I heard her tell you at Cynthia’s funeral that she never wanted to see you or her grandson again. That you’d never get a dime from her.“ Gil sipped his whiskey thoughtfully. “You stood there in the rain beside the grave, as cold and proud as Lucifer himself. I remember you had that little baby in your arms, and you told Margaret Fulbrook to go to hell. You and Brandon were going to make it on your own, you said. Everyone there heard you. Talked about it for months afterward. No one had ever told a Fulbrook to go to hell.“
“How terrible,“ Evelyn whispered, obviously shocked. “To send you away like that with a baby when you were hardly more than a boy yourself.“
“It was time I grew up,“ Colby said, shrugging.
“You know something, Colby?“ Gil said quietly. “The day of the funeral was the day I knew for sure you would make it. I’d always thought you had what it took to pull yourself together and make something of yourself, but that day I realized you’d really go out and do it.“
“People change,“ Evelyn mused. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Margaret Fulbrook has had a few second thoughts over the years.“
“I’ll tell you one person who hasn’t changed,“ Colby said. “And that’s Harry the Ox.“
“Harry Gedge? Mrs. Fulbrook’s odd-job man?“ Evelyn looked at Colby inquiringly.
“Yeah.“
“He’s not a very pleasant person, is he? I’ve often wondered why Margaret Fulbrook keeps him around.“
“Because he obeys her unquestioningly,“ Gil told his wife. “Aren’t many people left here in Fulbrook Corners who take orders from a Fulbrook the way Harry does.“
“Why does Harry Gedge devote himself to Mrs. Fulbrook?“ Evelyn asked with genuine curiosity.
“If you ask me, it’s because he figures he’s going to come into some cash when Margaret dies.“ Gil swirled the whiskey in his glass. “No one else left to inherit the Fulbrook fortune, you know, except the Fulbrook Community Hospital Foundation. Cynthia was the last of the line. Margaret’s become very dependent on Harry Gedge, and he encourages that dependency.“
“What about Brandon?“ Evelyn pointed out. “Colby’s son is Margaret Fulbrook’s grandson.“
“She made it very clear long ago that Brandon would never get a penny of her money,“ Colby explained. “And that
’s exactly the way I want it. She ignored him for nineteen years. She can damn well go on ignoring him.“
“Nothing here in Fulbrook Corners is quite the same as it was twenty years ago, Colby,“ Gil said. “Not even Margaret Fulbrook.“
“Could have fooled me,“ Colby drawled.
“You’ve been away a long time, Colby. Like Evelyn said, things change. People change.“
“Maybe.“ He didn’t believe anything in Fulbrook Corners ever changed but he didn’t want to argue with one of the few friends he had from twenty years ago. “Excuse me a second. I just want to check on Diana. Be right back.“