CHAPTER FOUR
Desperate to make a good impression, Stella rushed to fill the silence.
“Good morning, Mrs. Marshall. I’m so thrilled to meet you, and to be here in your wonderful home,” she said breathlessly.
Finally, Mrs. Marshall’s expression warmed.
“It’s wonderful to meet you, too, Stella. Please, call me Cecilia. And welcome to our family. We’re so pleased to have you here. When Vaughn said he’d met the love of his life in Chicago, we couldn’t wait for him to bring you home.”
She embraced Stella. Her scent was subtle, evocative of roses and musk. Stella hugged her back, relieved that she’d ended up getting such a warm greeting from this intimidating woman. In her nervousness, she must have misread her initial body language.
“Come in, please. Gordon is on his way. He’ll be home any
