The Gift of Love (Finding Love Book 9)

by Delaney Cameron

  “I bet you’ll know a lot more by Monday morning.”

  “I’m not sure what good it’ll do me. Getting involved with someone you work with never ends well. And it’s not like you can keep it a secret. That kind of news spreads like wildfire. I don’t need the aggravation.”

  “That all sounds great, but what happens if you two hit it off?”

  “Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.”

  Evangeline tilted her head to the side. “If he’s the one, there won’t be anything you can do to stop it.”

  “Thanks for the pep talk.” Leah started up the stairs. “Shouldn’t you be in bed by now? You’re getting married tomorrow.”

  Chapter Four

  Leah returned her bridesmaid’s dress to its protective bag. It could now be added to the growing number of such items collecting dust in the back of her closet. Would she ever be walking down the aisle wearing a wedding gown? For no reason she could think of, an image of Stratton popped into her head. Where were these thoughts coming from? With an impatient sigh, she turned back to the mirror.

  Her ‘Adopt a Pet’ t-shirt and jeans were looking worse by the minute, but when she packed for this trip, she hadn’t counted on being asked to dinner. She ran a comb through her hair and swung the bright strands into a ponytail. Then she grabbed her things and opened the door of the dressing room. Stratton looked up suddenly and smiled. It would have taken more resolve than Leah possessed to resist returning it.

  “Ready to go?” he said, stepping forward to take her overnight case.

  She eyed his polo shirt and jeans with relief. She wasn’t the only one dressed for comfort. “Sure am.”

  He let her precede him down the hallway leading to the parking lot. “I’m glad Evangeline and Cecil didn’t have one of those receptions that go on forever. An hour is plenty of time to cut the cake, toast the bride and groom, and renew your acquaintance with people you never see any other time.”

  “You sound like my brother.”

  “Is it just the two of you?”

  “No. I’m one of five. Four girls and a boy. I’m the proverbial middle child that’s supposed to have all the issues.”

  “You bear your affliction well. I’m the oldest of three. My sister says that’s why I’m so hard-headed.”

  “I would have said thorough and uncompromising.”

  He grinned as he came to a halt next to her car. “It all amounts to the same thing: I like getting my own way.”

  Leah opened the trunk so he could put the bags inside. “Don’t we all?”

  “Maybe, but some people do a better job of hiding it. Where are the newlyweds going on their honeymoon?”

  “Ireland. I’m so jealous. That’s one of the places I’ve always wanted to go. My grandmother grew up there. I loved listening to her stories about life in a tiny village where everyone knew everyone else. Living within a stone’s throw of a castle built in the Middle Ages sounds so much more exciting than anything around here.”

  “Maybe you’ll get a chance to see Ireland one day.” He closed the trunk. “If it’s okay with you, I’ll follow you back to your place and then drive us somewhere to eat.”

  “I hope you won’t get impatient. I don’t speed.”

  “What makes you think I do?”

  Leah walked around to the driver’s side of her car. “It’s been my experience that most men view speed limits as suggestions.”

  “I guess I’m in the minority. I prefer to enjoy the trip rather than worry constantly that I’m going to get pulled over.”

  * * * * *

  Before this weekend, Stratton’s knowledge of Leah had been limited to her reputation among the medical staff as an excellent nurse and his own limited observation of her in a few less-than-ideal situations. Having spent some time with her, he could now add enjoyable to be around, quietly confident, and unselfish to the list of her qualities. If he was going to carry out the wild scheme bouncing around in his head, then he couldn’t find anyone better than her.

  It was true that in doing so, he was going beyond his level of comfort, but the circumstances demanded it. Time wasn’t on his side. He might not like asking for help, but what he thought and felt no longer mattered. As for when he was going to broach the subject weighing heavily on his mind, he hadn’t yet worked that out. There was one very important detail to be taken care of first.

  With his thoughts in such turmoil, it wasn’t surprising that the two hour trip from Florence to Myrtle Beach passed quickly. In no time at all, they were pulling into The Beachwood apartment complex. He got out of the truck and met her at the rear of her car.

  “Are you allergic to any pets?” she asked as she opened the trunk.

  “Not that I know of.”

  “I ask because I sometimes keep animals from the shelter here. At the moment, there’s only Aristotle.”

  “So you’re a fan of Greek philosophy?”

  “Not really,” she answered as she led the way around to the side of the building. “Aristotle belonged to one of my neighbors. When Ben had to go into a nursing home, he asked me if I’d take the bird. I wasn’t sure how things were going to go. I’ve never had a pet that speaks English before.”

  “I guess that would take getting used to.”

  Inserting the key in the lock, she stepped through the door and waited for him to join her inside. He glanced around with interest. The décor was functional and tasteful. Unlike his sister who tended to fill every space with something, the white walls and tabletops were for the most part devoid of anything except family pictures, scented candles, and pottery.

  “You can put those bags down anywhere. I’ll deal with them later.”

  He did as she said and then followed her into the living room.

  “Stranger danger,” a squeaky voice called out loudly.

  Stratton found himself being surveyed by a pair of pale yellow eyes. He turned to Leah. “What kind of bird is he?”

  “An African grey parrot. Aristotle, say ‘hello’ to Dr. Levy.”

  “Howdy, partner.”

  “Hello, Aristotle.”

  “Got milk?” the bird asked.

  “Er, no, I don’t. Sorry.”

  Leah reached her fingers through the bars of the cage and stroked Aristotle’s head. “Ben watched a lot of television so Aristotle’s got a repertoire of one-liners and commercial slogans. This translates to me getting a lot of unwanted advice.”

  “I wish Denver could see him,” he said, not realizing he’d spoken aloud.

  “Who’s Denver?”

  Stratton turned to face her. “He’s my son.”

  Her lovely eyes widened. “I had no idea…how old is he?”

  “He turned six a few weeks ago.”

  She sent him a speculative glance. “You could bring him over to see Aristotle tomorrow afternoon. I should be back from the baby shower by five.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Of course I’m serious. Aristotle loves to meet new people.”

  Without thinking, he reached out and touched her arm. Her skin was warm and silky soft. “Thank you, Leah. This will mean a lot to Denver.”

  For a long moment, their glances clung and then she looked away. “It’ll mean a lot to Aristotle, too. He gets bored with just me.”

  Feeling as if he’d embarrassed her, he removed his hand and stepped back. “I made a reservation at El Toro’s. I hope that’s okay.”

  She picked up her purse from the coffee table. “I’ve never been there, but I hear the food is good.”

  “I think it’s the best Mexican restaurant in town.”

  During the short trip to El Toro’s, Stratton downplayed what happened in Leah’s apartment. These feelings he was experiencing weren’t anything to worry about. Any man would find her company stimulating. He just had to stay focused on what was really important.

  * * * * *

  As Leah pretended an interest in scenery she’d seen dozens of times, she hoped Stratton hadn’t noticed
the tremor that slid through her when he touched her arm. He hadn’t meant anything by it, which made her reaction all the more ridiculous. In the last twenty-four hours, everything to do with him had been flipped on its head and nothing was as it had been before. It was a little disorienting to say the least.

  When she saw the line of people waiting outside the restaurant, she was glad he’d thought to make a reservation. The only problem with picking such a popular place was the increased risk of running into someone from work. She could only imagine how their presence together would be misconstrued.

  All these thoughts came to a screeching halt when she felt Stratton’s hand resting lightly on the curve of her spine. A rush of warmth spread through her body. This was twice in twenty minutes. What was wrong with her? In a haze of confusion, she heard Stratton speaking to the hostess as they were shown to a table. When he removed his hand to pull out her chair, she released the air she’d unconsciously been holding. Then she took refuge behind the menu while she attempted to regain her composure.

  “I’m not very adventurous when it comes to food,” he said after a few seconds, “but I can recommend the steak fajitas and the pulled chicken tacos.”

  She lowered the menu a few inches and met his smiling glance. “I was thinking of trying the beef tamales.”

  “That’s what my brother-in-law gets. I can’t vouch for them myself, but he seems to like them.”

  A waiter attired in a brightly-hued poncho and sombrero appeared with their drinks and a basket of freshly-made tortilla chips and salsa. After he took their order and departed, Leah noticed a similarly dressed man serenading a young couple in the corner.

  “I wonder if that guy takes requests.”

  Stratton sampled one of the chips. “We can ask him. At some point, he’s probably going to come to our table.”

  “I hope not. This romantic atmosphere is completely wasted on us.”

  “From the look of things, it’s wasted on quite a few people.” He leaned forward on his elbows, his eyes resting on her face with an attentiveness any woman would have found flattering. “Why did you leave Columbus?”

  Leah removed the lime wedge from her tea. “When I was in nursing school, I got interested in sports rehabilitation. One of my instructors told me that if I wanted to work at a place known nationwide for sports therapy, I needed to check out Hutchison Clinic. Everything I read about it confirmed what she said. I went ahead and applied, never imagining they would take a new grad.”

  “It didn’t hurt that you were the top of your class.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Dr. Gorman told me.”

  This conversation was interrupted by the return of the waiter with their food. He seemed overly concerned with making sure everything was to Leah’s satisfaction, much to the amusement of her companion.

  When they were alone again, she said, “Enjoying the entertainment?”

  “It was very enlightening. Now I know how I must have looked the first time I saw you.”

  His inference was obvious. A flush of color entered her cheeks. “It can be very embarrassing sometimes. I’ve even lost a few friends because of it.”

  “I can see where that might happen. You’re a beautiful woman. That kind of thing turns a man’s brain to jelly.”

  This remark sent more color into her face. “I know this sounds ungrateful, but there are times when I wish I was different. I get tired of being treated like an object.”

  “That’s only by those who don’t have or make the opportunity to get to know you. If they did, they’d realize you have something else that’s priceless: honesty. It’s a quality most people take for granted until they find themselves with someone who doesn’t know the meaning of the word.”

  Was that a reference to his ex? “I’ve dated a few people like that.”

  He loaded a chip with salsa. “Dating. There’s something I don’t miss.”

  “You’ve got the perfect reasons to avoid it: a demanding career and a son to take care of.”

  “According to my sister, those aren’t reasons; they’re silent pleas for help. Jade believes herself to be something of a matchmaker. It’s only become worse since she got married. I get the ‘I want you to be as happy as me’ speech at least once a week.”

  “With three married sisters, I get my share of those, too. The problem with dating is that it’s been reduced to a game. Instead of being about getting to know someone, it’s about how fast you can hook up. I’d like to see a return of little things like flowers on the first date and coming to the door to pick me up. I also dislike what’s become of dancing. To me, there’s nothing that can compare with a good old-fashioned slow dance.”

  * * * * *

  Stratton wasn’t surprised to learn that Leah was a romantic. Her remarks about being valued for more than her looks as well as other comments she’d made pointed to a nature that lived on the idealist end of the scale. It was a quality he could both admire and appreciate, but it was also something that could pose a problem for what he had in mind.

  “What you’re describing is courting. It’s a term no one bothers to use anymore, and for good reason. Dating and courting aren’t the same thing. The first is all about individuals. The second is about a couple. Courtship carries an inherent responsibility toward the other person that’s missing in dating. If people did more courting and less dating, there might not be as many unhappy marriages.”

  Leah swirled the ice in her tea. “There’s irony for you. We’re supposed to be living in enlightened times. We’ve got all these devices that should make communicating easier, but at the end of the day, we’re no better off.”

  “That’s because nothing can take the place of face-to-face interaction. I bet over half the people in this restaurant are doing something on their phones right now instead of talking to the person they’re sitting with. I have a rule at my house: no electronics at the dinner table. The only person who has a problem with that is Jade. She’s not happy unless she knows what everyone’s doing.”

  “I’m guilty of that, too. Since I left home, I spend a lot more time on my phone and laptop trying to keep up with my family and friends.”

  “Is Myrtle Beach a place you could see yourself living for a long time? Or do you plan to return to Columbus at some point?”

  “I haven’t thought about it. I love it here, and I’m not so far away that I can’t visit Columbus whenever I want. It also helps that my brother Lance lives in Charleston.”

  “I’ve been meaning to take Denver there. Someone told me about Patriot’s Point. It’s a maritime museum where you can tour actual warships.”

  “Lance has mentioned taking his out-of-town clients there. I wonder why he’s never offered to take me. He probably thinks I’d find it boring.”

  “Would you find it boring?”

  She threw him a playful grin that launched his pulse rate to warp speed. “It depends on who I went with.”

  “I have it on good authority that I’m not boring. Does that mean you might agree to go with me and Denver?”

  Her blue eyes sparkled with humor. “I can hardly refuse now.”

  “Good. I’m going to hold you to that.”

  “Why did you go into medicine? Is your father a doctor?”

  “Far from it. He’s a venture capitalist. He and my mother moved to England a few years ago. They live in a renovated country house in Surrey, which is about thirty minutes from London. Denver and I try to get over there once or twice a year.” He stopped suddenly, wondering if the trip they’d taken in February would be their last.

  “I can’t imagine only seeing my parents once a year.”

  Stratton forced his thoughts back to Leah. “It’s not as bad as that. My parents come to the States every four or five months. My father still has some business ties in New York and Atlanta.”

  “Does your sister live here?”

  “Yes. Jade and her husband are staying with me while their house is being built. It sh
ould be finished in about two months. They got married in November.”

  “How do you like living with newlyweds?”

  “To be honest, it’s kind of nauseating.”

  “I understand completely. Whenever I go back home, I feel like a creature from another planet. Everything is, ‘Barry said this, Garrett did that, and Jackson thinks I should do so-and so.’ That’s how it is when you’re in love. You can’t think or talk about anything else.”

  He’d been that way, too, until he came home from work and found Eva lip-locked with another man. “I’ve tried to forget everything I ever knew about love.”

  “I hope you’re kidding.”

  The way she said it made him wish he was kidding, too. He smiled faintly at the ridiculous trend of his thoughts. “Have you ever been in love?”

  Her eyes softened, and her lips parted. “No, but I believe it’s something worth waiting for. Love is unique. It’s the only thing that can transform two people into one soul.”

  Until someone better (and younger) comes along. Then all bets were off. Stratton kept those negative comments to himself. No use ruining Leah’s dreams just because his didn’t work out. “Did you save room for dessert?”

  She waved a hand at her nearly empty plate. “I’m afraid not. I’ve stuffed myself silly on these amazing tamales. After this weekend, I’ll have to actually get on my treadmill instead of using it as a place to hang my uniforms.”

  “From where I’m sitting, you have nothing to worry about.”

  A glance at his watch had him raising his hand at the passing waiter for the bill. As much as possible, he tried to be home before Denver went to bed. Their nightly ritual had become even more important in the last few months.

  He couldn’t remember his own parents being around to tuck him in. He, Sullivan and later on Jade had been left in the care of a very competent housekeeper who ran her little kingdom with the efficiency of a drill sergeant. With only ten months separating the two brothers, they were more like twins. In spite of competing against each other in everything from sports to girls, they’d always had each other’s back. Until now.