Page 12 of Valentines In The Presidential Suite

Simon expertly opened a bottle of red wine, poured two glasses, and handed her one. “Here’s to friendship.”

“Yes,” said Morgan, clicking her glass against his.

She took a sip and let out a murmur of approval. “It’s delicious.”

“One of my favorite pinot noirs,” said Simon. “My doctor thought it was a wise idea for me to have a glass of wine in the evening. Nothing more than two.”

Morgan followed him to the living room, passing an eating area in the kitchen that doubled as a dining room.

“Have a seat,” said Simon. He winked at her. “I’ll let you choose which one you want.”

She laughed and sat on one of the chairs beside the couch.

He sat on the end of the couch closest to her. “This couch has a couple of sections that can lean back. My grandson, Jake, told me to get one.”

“It looks comfortable. I’m glad you’re in touch with Jake. I never had grandparents around.”

“He’s a nice kid, and I’m lucky to have him in my life,” said Simon. “Both of them. I’ve ordered a salmon dinner for us. I hope that’s all right.”

“It sounds delicious,” Morgan said, taking another sip of her tasty wine, proof that Simon didn’t buy the cheap stuff in the supermarket like her budget called for.

Simon’s cell phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and put it aside.

When it rang again, Simon sighed and answered the call. “Hello, Constance.” His expression grew more annoyed. “What are you insinuating? I’ve made a reading friend who enjoys the bookstore as much as I do. We’re doing book reviews for the owner.”

He listened. “No, you can tell your friend to mind her own business. You don’t need to worry about me. Understand?”

He was quiet. “No, I haven’t heard from Jake. I tried to call him, but he didn’t answer. He left me a message that he’d be in touch over the weekend. There’s no need to keep checking on me, Constance. I find it annoying. Goodbye.”

Morgan held her tongue. She could see that Simon was upset, but she didn’t want to get into the middle of a family feud.

Simon gave her a woeful look.

“I’m sorry,” she finally said.

“I’m not going to let it ruin the evening, but I worry that Constance is meddling in my life for nefarious reasons.”

“I know,” Morgan said. “Again, I’m sorry.”

“Let’s forget her and enjoy ourselves,” said Simon.

“Tell me about Africa. I hear it’s beautiful and that seeing the animals in their natural habitat is an unforgettable experience.”

“Indeed, it is,” said Simon. He told her about the first safari he and his wife took when William was just a boy. “We thought it might help William to see the animals in the wild because, as a boy, he’d always wanted to be a veterinarian. But he ended up in business, like me. Still, it was a wonderful time for everyone. We took Austin when he was of an age to enjoy it, and finally, we took Jake.”

“I think giraffes are my favorite,” said Morgan.

“Eleanor always loved the elephants. And I, macho man as she teasingly called me, loved the lions.”

Morgan looked at the wall covered with photographs and said, “The photos are gorgeous, even from this distance. Did you take them?”

Simon shook his head. “No, Eleanor did. These are but a few of them.” He got to his feet. “Come, have a better look.”

Morgan followed him to the wall and studied the array of photographs. In one, a tall, striking blonde was smiling at a younger Simon while a boy stood beside her.

“That’s Eleanor, William, and me on our first safari,” said Simon.

“Nice,” Morgan said, turning as Simon pointed to another photograph of the same woman, a bit older, with Simon and a different boy. “That’s Austin with us.”