Page 10 of Miracles and Marriage

She didn’t tell Chloe about Cal’s help for two days. Her sister would jump to erroneous conclusions.

“Fast worker. How are you feeling about that?”

“He seems nice.”

“Yuck, the kiss of death. No one wants to be nice. If he’s only nice, he’s not for you.”

Zoe laughed.

“Don’t be silly. Of course I want a nice man for a husband. What—do you think I should have someone not nice?”

“How would you describe your boss?”

Zoe went still for a moment. “Why?”

“I figured you would fall for someone like him. You and I are alike and he’s the closest man to Gabe I know.”

“He’s nothing like your husband.”

“Maybe not superficially, but they both have that rock-hard center, they know their way around the world and give me the feeling of being able to take on anything—and come out the winner.”

Zoe nodded, then realized her sister couldn’t see her.

“I guess. But I’m definitely not his type. His latest girlfriend could be a super model. Thin, beautiful and sophisticated.”

“You’re pretty and sophisticated,” Chloe said.

Zoe laughed. “I noticed you left out the thin part. But I’m not in her league, not that I want to be. Cal’s not for me. Anyway, I’ll let you know more about Mark after dinner tonight. Gotta go.”

She hung up and returned to her task. Her and Cal? Where did Chloe come up with such an idea? She refused to give that a moment’s thought. They were work colleagues—nothing more.

It was after eleven by the time Zoe returned home. Dinner had been at one of the “in” restaurants in Washington. Even on a Thursday evening it had been crowded. Mark had reserved a table so there’d been virtually no wait. Zoe wondered how he’d managed that.

She kicked off her shoes and went into the kitchen. Putting the kettle on, she got tea from the cupboard. A cup of chamomile would help her relax. She yawned, feeling her cheek muscles protest. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d smiled so much. Be polite, she could hear her mother’s voice echoing throughout the night.

The phone rang. She went to answer, noticing the flashing light on her answering machine.

“So how did it go?” Cal asked when she answered.

Zoe was surprised to hear from him. Chloe she expected.

“All right.”

“Only all right?”

“He’s nice.”

“But?”

“Does there have to be a but?” she asked, stalling. Mark was Cal’s friend.

“Yes, with that lead-in, there does.”

She hesitated a moment. It would serve no purpose to delay, time wouldn’t change anything.

“He’s nice and still hung up on his ex-wife. If I had to listen to another word about how he’d screwed up and how she’d been an angel only he hadn’t seen it in time, I thought I would scream.”

“The man has rocks for brains,” Cal said. “Did he talk about her all night?”