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RHEA PLACED THE LETTER shamelessly in front of her son, enjoying the perturbed look he’d sent her. She’d shown up a few minutes after she’d known he’d be out of bed, on the excuse that the letter had come to her house instead of his by mistake.
She’d snagged it out of the mail yesterday. She’d gotten enough of those damned service-to-the-community-awards envelopes from Masterson to know exactly what it most likely was. Someone on the hospital staff got one every year, it seemed.
It was perfect.
Nate would have to go, of course, and he would need an escort.
He opened it and read it with the irritation she’d expected from her surliest son. She hadn’t resorted to opening the letter, of course. But she knew...
Perci was at the stove, making breakfast for Ivy. Rhea took a moment to study the girl. She was such a pretty little thing, with just enough fire to combat Nate’s fierceness. The two were good for each other. Why wouldn’t they just admit that?
“You’ll need an escort, of course. I suppose you can ask one of your sisters-in-law, but that might be a bit too confusing. And I’m sure Phoebe and Joel are already going. Pan may not even be in town. Perci, would your twin be willing to spend the evening with Nate at the country club?”
“Probably not.”
“So, unless Nate has someone in mind, I can go. Unless...Perci, would you be willing to go with Nate and represent the hospital?” Rhea sent a smile at the girl. “It would save him from the embarrassment of going with his mother.”
“I can get my own dates just fine, Mother.” Nate’s irritation was clear. “Perci may be busy that night.”
“Not with that attitude you won’t. What woman would have you?” Rhea sent a bland smile at him next, then reached over to brush the blond curls of her future grandbaby. Ivy gave a shy smile in return.
“When is it?” Perci asked, her wariness very evident. Her son saw her as irritating at the moment, meddling. But Perci...her future daughter-in-law knew exactly what Rhea’s intentions were. Suspicious girl, this one. More so than the others.
Now, how was she supposed to use that against the two of them? “I would happily stay here with the little one. You two go represent the hospital we all love. As the next generation. Your father and I went so many times.” Rhea let herself get choked up, knowing it would push her son’s buttons perfectly. Nate was such a sensitive, compassionate soul under all that gruff. “I don’t know that I can go again. Not so soon.”
Daniel was probably spinning in his grave, seeing what she was doing to their boy, but it was worth it. Her husband would want her sons to be happy. The same way they had been.
Nate wasn’t truly happy. Not yet. He was just too alone. But Rhea had a plan.
She shot another look at the young woman across the room. Yes. She’d guessed right. The compassion in Perci Tyler was enough to have the girl falling in line exactly as Rhea needed.
She masked her satisfaction by bending over and kissing Ivy’s sweet little blond curls. A sweet new daughter-in-law, a precious new grandchild—what more could a woman ask for?