The Bad Luck Wedding Cake Read Online Free PDF Page B

thought. That’s all he was, a big teddy bear.
    The sudden vision of this particular teddy bear propped up against her bed pillows along with the other mementos of her youth brought a warm flush of embarrassment to Claire’s cheeks. Must be all this silly talk of aphrodisiacs .
    She cleared her throat. “Well, Miss Maribeth, I think your uncle has a point. Another four-footed animal might have made this mess.”
    Hope lit Maribeth McBride’s expression. “So if we’re not positive Ralph broke Rule Number Three, we don’t have to give him away?”
    Tye reached down and ruffled her hair. “Not as long as a trio of two-legged little girls work hard to clean this place up.”
    “The piano lesson should be almost over. I’ll go tell my sisters to hurry up.” Maribeth hopped to her feet and darted out the back in a flash.
    Claire laughed as the door banged behind the girl. She scooped up the basket lying at Tye’s feet and deposited the pincushion inside. After kneeling to retrieve more of the basket’s contents, she looked up at him and observed, “You’re the Menace, Mr. McBride. Lying to that child. Really now, an aphrodisiac?”
    Tye stood frozen in his tracks as he caught a whiff of her perfume. Fresh paint with an overriding scent of Magic.
    Damn right an aphrodisiac .
    He wanted to reach down and pull her up. Up into his arms. He wanted to taste Claire Donovan’s Magic.
    A loud harrumph shook him from his trance. Glancing up, he spied Trace’s housekeeper, Mrs. Wilson, standing in the doorway. He stifled a groan. This day was riding a fast train from bad to worse.
    Scandal bristling in her tone, Mrs. Wilson glared at him and said, “Lies and wickedness. You should be ashamed, Tye McBride.”
    He sighed. Just his luck the old biddy arrived in time to witness his story about animals and aphrodisiacs. Knowing her, she had decided he’d hosted an orgy in Jenny’s shop. Wonderful. Just wonderful.
    Claire rose to her feet and faced the housekeeper. Disapproval flattened the baker’s smile, and for the first time since his brother left town, Tye felt like he had somebody on his side. Despite the tension of the moment, he grinned.
    Tye and Mrs. Wilson had been engaged in something of a turf war since the moment Trace and Jenny stepped aboard the outbound train. She didn’t trust him with her beloved charges, and he didn’t like her bossy attitude. The girls, being the intelligent scamps that they were, had used it to their advantage by playing one against the other until Mrs. Wilson left to care for her daughter. While he admitted to needing help with his nieces, Tye found he didn’t look forward to a resumption of hostilities now that the housekeeper had returned.
    To that end, he decided to ignore her censure. “Good afternoon, ma’am. Welcome home. How is your daughter’s leg coming along? Is it healing all right? Are you back for good?”
    She gave an exaggerated sniff. “I’m just here in Fort Worth for the afternoon to check up on the girls and pick up a few necessities from my house. My daughter is doing tolerably well under the circumstances, thank you, which is more than I can say for both Fortune’s Design and Willow Hill. Why, I’ve never seen such a mess in my life!” Turning to Claire, she asked, “And who are you? I won’t tolerate him bringing his doxies around my Menaces.”
    Anger flashed like lightning. “Now wait just one minute,” he began.
    Claire smiled and extended her hand, deliberately treading on Tye’s foot as she took a step toward the housekeeper. “Please excuse my appearance. I’ve been painting and I do look a fright. I’m Claire Donovan, Mrs. Wilson. I’ve rented the shop space next door from Mr. Trace. I met Mr. McBride and the girls this morning. Those children are so delightful and they had so many nice things to say about you.”
    “They are precious girls, aren’t they?” Mrs. Wilson beamed.
    Tye figured Claire had handled the insult to herself, so he