The Bachelor Project

by Victoria Chancellor

  Eating lunch in a public place wasn’t really news, but as he looked into the curious faces of the diners, he half expected a headline to that effect in the Springs Gazette’s Sunday edition. Perhaps he had been going home for lunch fairly often, or eating one of Aunt Bess’s meatloaf sandwiches at his desk, but surely he hadn’t become so much of a curiosity. Surely, he hadn’t become that predictable. Boring, some might say, he thought with a frown.

  “How are you, Thelma?” he asked the newspaper editor as he walked past her table. She was having lunch with the perpetually strawberry-blond owner of the town’s only beauty shop. “Good afternoon, Joyce.”

  Both women acknowledged his greeting, but he didn’t pause and chat. Not when the object of his search was seated in the last red vinyl booth, picking her way through a Cobb salad, her red hair sleeked back in a no-nonsense style that matched her conservative pale yellow dress. At one time, the matchmakers in town had tried to push him toward the career-minded real estate agent. His experience with women who valued their careers more than their relationships had made him understandably shy of getting involved with her.

  He passed by Jimmy Mack Branson, Ranger Springs’s hardware expert, who was eating lunch with Pastor Carl Schleipinger and banker Ralph Biggerstaff. Nodding at the men, he continued to the rear of the café.

  “Afternoon, Gina Mae,” he said, creasing his hat to keep his hands busy. He didn’t want the crafty real estate lady to know he was just a tad nervous about approaching her.

  “Chief Parker! How are you?”

  “Fine. Do you have a minute?”

  “Of course. Have a seat.” She gathered up some papers she’d spread across the table’s gray Formica surface. “I was just working on a new listing. You’re not interested in a larger house, are you?”

  “No, I’m real happy where I am.”

  “Well, then, what can I do for you?”

  “I drove out to the Franklin house last night. I suppose you rented it out.”

  “Actually, the Franklins wanted a house-sitter. I thought you knew that.”

  So Robin had told the truth to the dispatcher last night. “I know they’re out of the country for another two or three months. I wanted to make sure the person living there was legit.”

  “They weren’t looking for rent—just someone to care for the place and the plants while they’re gone. You know how dangerous it is to leave a house vacant.”

  “Absolutely. Anyway,” he said, getting the conversation back on track, “I met the new occupant. She’d been startled by some raccoons.” And upset about the wedding that hadn’t taken place to the fiancé she’d stood up at the altar. Not that he had any intention of asking Gina Mae about that particular detail. He just wanted to know more about the town’s newest resident. The one who looked really great, even late at night, and could laugh at herself with refreshing honesty.

  “Ah, yes,” Gina Mae said, her sudden interest in the conversation making her push the half-eaten salad aside. “A very nice young woman from Houston. An interior decorator, I believe.”

  He could hear the unspoken comment: a nice single young woman. “Miss Cummings,” he added, keeping his comments professional.

  “That’s right. But you probably knew that before you went out to the house, didn’t you?”

  Ethan frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “Your aunt. That’s how I met Robin.”

  “My aunt knows Miss Cummings?”

  “You didn’t know? Well, yes. At least, she knows Robin Cummings’s great-aunt. They’re old friends.”

  “Really,” Ethan said, his mind spinning with questions. Why hadn’t Aunt Bess mentioned her friend’s great-niece? Why had she arranged for Robin to move to Ranger Springs without letting him know?

  “I hope I didn’t say anything wrong,” Gina Mae said, a frown creasing her smooth forehead. “Your aunt didn’t say any of this was a secret.”

  “No, I’m sure it’s not. She probably just forgot to mention the connection.”

  “Probably.”

  Ethan stared at the faux marble Formica, wondering if Aunt Bess’s forgetfulness was deliberate or accidental. Maybe he should take off his police “hat” and start thinking like a nephew. Aunt Bess wasn’t getting any younger. Not only did she keep house for him, but she prepared several hearty meals a week. He’d told her time and again that she didn’t need to work so hard, that he could afford to hire help, but she’d insisted she enjoyed taking care of him and the house. She’d said she liked staying active and useful, especially since her husband’s death four years ago.

  “Chief Parker?”

  He mentally shook himself out of his musings. “Sorry, Gina Mae. I was just thinking about Aunt Bess.” He eased out of the booth, then retrieved his hat. “I hope I didn’t disturb your lunch.”

  “No, not at all. You tell Bess hello for me, you hear?”

  “I’ll do that. Have a good day.”

  He walked out of the restaurant, ignoring more speculative looks that the townspeople might give him. He was sure Thelma and Joyce would find a reason to stop by Gina Mae’s booth after they finished their lunch, and that the men would try their best to overhear the conversation.

  Okay by him. He hadn’t said anything that any of them could turn into gossip. After all, he hadn’t mentioned that he’d held Robin Cummings in his arms last night. Or stared at her bare legs and firmly rounded breasts. Or sat up late sipping coffee while they discussed wildlife.

  Not his “wild life.” By anyone’s standards, his life-style was as tame as that of a baby animal at a petting zoo—without the petting. Again, that dreaded word—boring—insinuated itself into his mind. He pushed the thought aside.

  Ethan jammed his hat on his head and walked back to his office at the municipal building. He could certainly recognize a mystery when presented with the evidence. And his own aunt held the clue.

  AS ROBIN PULLED into the parking lot of a fast food restaurant on the outskirts of Ranger Springs, she was driving one of the only sporty coupes in an asphalt sea where pickup trucks and aging sedans rested like modest boats moored in a marina. Her heart skipped a beat when she spotted a police car in the first row, but she told herself that didn’t mean Ethan Parker was inside. One of his officers was probably taking a supper break.

  While she waited in line, Robin looked around the seating area. Since she didn’t know anyone else in town yet, she searched for someone in a law enforcement uniform. Just out of curiosity, she told herself. She didn’t really expect to find the police chief having supper. But her eyes settled on the dark hair of a man with wide shoulders and perfect posture. His back was to her, and he was seated, not with a gorgeous girlfriend, but with an elderly lady who reminded her of her own great-aunt Sylvia.

  “Miss? May I take your order?”

  Now she jerked her attention back to the counter, where a perky blonde in bright polyester waited.

  She placed her order, her glance returning to the man she thought might be Ethan Parker. He was dressed in street clothes, so she couldn’t tell without getting a glimpse of his profile.

  Suddenly, the older lady caught her gaze, giving her a friendly little smile. Embarrassed, Robin smiled back automatically, then turned her attention to the plastic tray that awaited her burger and shake. She really shouldn’t ogle the locals. The man probably wasn’t Ethan Parker, anyway.

  Except, how many guys in Ranger Springs could look anywhere near as good as the compassionate police chief?

  A sense of traveling back in time rippled through her as she took her tray and proceeded back to the molded vinyl seats and booths. She half expected Crissy Caldwell, her best friend from high school, to scoot up beside her and ask if she’d seen that really gorgeous new hunk in chemistry class. Only this time, Robin was the “new kid in school,” and she was bound and determined not to blush when she deliberately walked by the broad-shouldered man with his white-haired companion.

  Again, the older lady smiled at
her. Robin slowed to get a good look at the man sitting across from the friendly woman.

  “Are you, by any chance, Sylvia Murphy’s great-niece?” the lady asked.

  Robin stopped abruptly. “Yes, I am. Robin Cummings.” Awareness hit, and Robin smiled with sincerity. “Don’t tell me you’re Bess Delgado!”

  “Yes!” The older woman looked delighted. “I thought that was you from Sylvia’s description. She hasn’t sent a picture since you were a young teenager.”

  “I suppose I have changed in fifteen years.” Robin laughed, her attention suddenly focused on the man trying to maneuver out of the booth to stand. “Please, don’t get up,” she said as her eyes traveled up the length of his jeans-clad legs, subtly plaid shirt and broad shoulders. Up to his handsome face and intense blue eyes.

  She tried to keep the surprise out of her expression, but her voice sounded breathless when she said, “Police Chief Parker!”

  “Hello, Miss Cummings,” he greeted her. Polite, but warm, she thought. Or maybe the warmth was coming from her. She felt her heart rate increase as the blood raced through her. Definitely high school days. She hadn’t felt this kind of excitement since the boy she’d had a crush on for years had asked her to Homecoming. She certainly hadn’t felt it for her fiancé.

  Chapter Three

  “Join us,” Bess requested in a tone of voice reserved for gracious-but-demanding older ladies. “I know you’ve met my nephew. Ethan was just scolding me for not telling him you’d moved to town.”

  Robin placed her tray on the table, wondering on which side she should sit. Bess didn’t move, so Robin looked at Ethan. His broad shoulders took up most of the molded vinyl seat. With a slight smile, he politely slid over to make room.

  “Really?” she answered. Why in the world would he expect his aunt to tell him about her?

  “Now, Aunt Bess, I didn’t scold you. I was just surprised that you arranged for Miss Cummings to move to town, since you hadn’t mentioned your involvement.”

  “Well, I can’t remember everything, can I?” she answered with a laugh. “I’m just glad there was a place available when Sylvia called. I knew our little town was just what you needed to…well, you know.”

  “Um, yes.” Robin took a deep breath. A stab of guilt over her actions spoiled her appetite. Could she ever really live down walking out on her fiancé? She wasn’t sure, but she certainly didn’t want to discuss her personal life in this crowded restaurant. She smiled in her most convincing manner. “I’m sure I’ll be very happy here for a while.”

  “Of course you will,” Bess said.

  Of course I will. She just needed a little time. A little distraction. And at the moment, she couldn’t think of anything more distracting than the man sitting beside her. The man who’d held her in his arms last night.

  Bess Delgado must be the woman who had called Ethan’s dispatcher to check up on him last night, Robin realized. The woman she’d thought was a girlfriend…or more. The thought of the sexy chief of police living with his doting aunt brought a secret smile to Robin’s face.

  “My great-aunt Sylvia is going strong. She’s busy with the charity flower show right now.”

  “Sylvia always did have a green thumb,” Bess said with a fond smile. “We met at the Tyler Rose Festival, back in the early fifties. We’ve been friends ever since, finding we had far more in common than our love of growing things.”

  “Go ahead and eat your meal,” Ethan offered. “We promise not to keep you from your burger.”

  Robin nodded, then automatically took a bite despite her waning appetite. Not filet mignon, but tasty. She refused to think about how many calories she was consuming, even though she no longer had to fit into a creamy-white designer wedding gown—with dozens of seed pearls and yards of lace, she reminded herself with a pang of longing. Not that she’d wanted to go through with the ceremony. But that dress had been her dream wedding gown, and she regretted having to store it for sometime in the future—sometime that might never come.

  She felt self-conscious after a minute or so. Ethan and Bess had finished their meals and were taking sips of their beverages just to have something to do, Robin suspected. She placed her burger down and dabbed her mouth with the napkin. “I broke down the boxes and took the trash to the nearest Dumpster,” she told Ethan. “Maybe the raccoons will leave me alone tonight.”

  “Oh, they’ll probably come around looking for a meal, but if they don’t find anything, they shouldn’t make any racket.”

  “I wouldn’t want to call 9-1-1 again,” she teased, hoping to lighten her mood. “I’ll get a reputation as a crazy city woman.”

  “Not as long as I back you up. I’ll be glad to vouch for the presence of wild animals.”

  “But not dangerous ones,” she replied before taking a sip of milk shake.

  He smiled slightly, his gaze straying to her lips as they puckered around the straw. “You never know.”

  Robin felt a blush creeping up her neck. She hadn’t blushed in years. Maybe she was reverting back to high school behavior. Maybe she was just really confused about all her feelings lately. She just hoped Bess hadn’t noticed anything…strange in their banter. Robin didn’t want to give one of her great-aunt’s best friends the wrong idea.

  Because she really wasn’t interested in getting involved with anyone. Even someone as handsome and compelling as Ethan Parker. Even if he did make her pulse race. She wasn’t going back to Gig, but eventually she’d return to her real life in Houston. To her business, friends and family. A short fling with a small-town lawman wasn’t in her nature.

  “Robin, you must come over and visit me tomorrow. I know you probably have better things to do than spend your day with an old lady, but I’d just adore the company.”

  “I’d love to visit,” she said sincerely. “Just tell me when and where.”

  “I live with Ethan, you know. He needs someone to take care of him.”

  The police chief moaned. “Aunt Bess, you know I can get by on my own. You’re living with me because we both want it that way. You’re family.”

  “Of course, dear,” Bess said in a tone that meant I’m rolling my eyes at you.

  Robin stifled a chuckle. “Is there someplace we could go for lunch?”

  Ethan took one of his cards from his wallet badge and wrote his home address on it for her. “And this is our home number,” he said, looking up with his sparkling blue eyes, “just in case you need to report any midnight visitors and prefer to bypass the emergency operator.”

  BESS WAITED UNTIL Ethan went outside to water the garden before she called Sylvia in Houston. Her longtime friend had a condo in the same building as Robin, and spent a lot of time with the girl. When Sylvia had called to say her great-niece had finally come to her senses and called off the wedding, Bess had heard the relief in her friend’s voice. Sylvia obviously hadn’t thought the match was a good one. And she thought Robin needed to get away for a while. Someplace nice and quiet, away from worrisome parents and upset, would-be in-laws. Not to mention the jilted fiancé.

  Bess had cringed a bit at the knowledge that Robin’s young man’s hopes had been dashed. After all, she’d been through that before with…But that was another story, and she wanted to focus on Sylvia’s great-niece. So she’d thought of the lovely Franklin house, sitting vacant on that wooded lot. What a wonderful place for Robin to recuperate from her wounded pride.

  “Sylvia,” Bess greeted her friend. “I met your lovely great-niece today.” She proceeded to tell Sylvia about the chance meeting between Robin and Ethan at the hamburger place. “You should have seen the two of them tonight. The sparks fairly flew!”

  “You don’t say!”

  “Yes, I do, and I’m all for it. Ethan has just about given up on finding a wife, and I know Robin is understandably shy about getting involved again. That’s why I think we need to give them a little push in the right direction.”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “Well,
I think I need a little vacation.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. Ethan is already convinced I’m getting forgetful because I didn’t tell him Robin was moving in. He thinks I work too hard. If I went to San Antonio to visit Grace and Margaret at the retirement home, then Ethan would need someone to come by his house and check on him. Maybe fix him a home-cooked meal. Watch a little television with him.”

  “I’m not sure…”

  “Oh, I know this will work. All I need to do is ask Robin to help me out by looking after Ethan for a short time. Then you can call Ethan and ask him to watch out for Robin while she’s staying in town. You could suggest he take her to a movie, or out to dinner.”

  “I thought you only had two restaurants and no movie theater.”

  “We’re not that far from Fredericksburg or Kerrville. What could be more romantic than a nice evening drive through the Hill Country?”

  “You have a point.”

  “Of course I do! Oh, Sylvia, I know I’m right about this. Those two would be perfect for each other, if they could just spend enough time together to realize it.”

  “You may be right, and I’ll be glad to go along. There’s just one thing you should know.”

  “What’s that?”

  “My dear, sweet Robin can’t even microwave a frozen dinner without burning it to crisp.”

  “AUNT BESS, I’M HOME,” Ethan announced as he stepped from the late-afternoon heat into the air-conditioned kitchen.

  Ethan’s shift had been fairly chaotic for a normally quiet, midweek day in the summer. Some cattle escaped their fence and wandered onto the state highway, leading to a two-car accident. No one was seriously injured, but he and his deputy had spent most of the afternoon directing traffic away from the evasive beasts.