Windy City Romance: Boxed Set: Prequel - Book III

by Barbara Lohr

  “A, B, C, F, A, B, D.” The kid was singing.

  Alex cracked open the door, nerves knotting in his gut. Felt worse than the time he tried out for the varsity football team in high school. And just as hopeless.

  The little guy was lying there, playing with his hands and singing. When he heard the door open, his gaze lifted. The singing stopped. Bo’s eyes widened. He looked terrified.

  “Hi. Remember me, Bo? I’m Alex.”

  Bo’s lower lip trembled, like he might cry any minute.

  “Mom had to take your aunt…somewhere.” No sense terrifying him by mentioning a hospital. Looking around, Alex grabbed a yellow duck from the dresser and squeezed. The toy made an obscene noise.

  Sitting up, Bo reached out. “Mine. My bath toy.”

  Alex hoped to hell Bo didn’t insist on a bath.

  “Sure. Of course it is.”

  “Mine.” Bo’s little fingers pumped faster.

  “Whatever you say.” Alex surrendered the duck. Stepping over to the window, he pulled up the shade. It rose with a snap and sun poured into the room. He could feel the big brown eyes on him every step of the way. "We're going to spend a little time together,” he told Bo as he circled back. “Mom had some stuff to take care of.”

  Bad move. First, the little guy sucked in a trembling breath. Then he let loose. “Mommy!”

  The panicked wail wound around Alex's heart and squeezed.

  He'd never held a kid in his life. But Bo was just sitting there, hair tousled and nose needing a tissue. Alex’s heart stalled. Leaning over the wooden rail, he picked him up. Bo was warm, maybe sweaty. Little boys must start that early. Left arm anchoring him, Alex began to pat Bo awkwardly on the back with his free hand. Remembering how Vanessa had held Bo that day in the bakery, he swayed a little. Seemed to have an effect.

  Amazing. His body rocked back and forth, like he knew what to do.

  Grabbing a tissue from a box on top of a small white dresser, Alex swiped at Bo’s nose. “Mommy’s gonna be back soon. Meanwhile you and I can have a great time.”

  A shudder of surrender ran through the little guy, and he plugged a thumb into his mouth, other hand clutching the duck. A daybed stood against the opposite wall, and the open closet door revealed women's clothing. Sure looked like Vanessa bunked here with her little boy.

  On one yellow wall was a mural with zoo animals—everything from giraffes to monkeys done in orange, green and yellow. Downright cheerful. A lot of love had gone into this room. But staring at that single bed brought a lump to his throat.

  Now he understood the determined look on Vanessa’s face when she didn't know he was watching. She had to succeed.

  And she should never sleep alone. Warmth stirred in his chest and traveled south. Felt downright indecent to be holding this little boy and lusting after his mother. Bo unplugged his mouth and took a shuddery breath. What now? The milk.

  In the refrigerator he found the filled cup Grandpa had mentioned. Bo seemed to know what to do with it. Handing Alex the duck, he reached for the cup. Fair trade.

  “That’s right, little guy. Now we’ll get comfy.” Comfy? Walking back into the living room, Alex sat down slowly on the sofa, careful not to jostle Bo. Good God, he was sweating bullets, like he’d been shooting hoops for an hour. With each gulp, Bo’s rigid body relaxed a little more. At the end, he was lodged in the crook between Alex's left bicep and his chest. Felt surreal.

  While Bo worked on the cup, Alex ran his fingers lightly over the little boy’s dark curls, enjoying the soft prickling against his palm. Eyes dark with suspicion, Bo glanced up, but he kept drinking. Before long, his eyes flagged a little. Was he going to fall back to sleep? The delicate veins that appeared on each lid twisted something deep inside Alex. His whole view of the world was shifting. Very spooky.

  Bo’s swallowing slowed, and he handed Alex the cup. “Here.”

  Sliding off Alex’s lap, he began to play with the dinosaur puzzle on the coffee table, holding up the largest piece for Alex to see. “T-Rex.” Crisp and clear, the words just about knocked Alex over.

  “If you say so.” Man, was every kid this smart?

  “So Bo’s up. Everything okay?” Grandpa Joe stood at the door. “Things finally quieted down in the shop.”

  “Great. Bo’s had his milk, and now we’re working on a puzzle. Pretty bright little guy.”

  “Isn’t he though? Of course, his mother’s sharp as a tack,” the proud grandfather said. “She was on TV.” Then he stopped. Must have just hit him that Alex had been there too.

  “Yep, you’ve got that right. Vanessa is smart.” And what about the father? Looking at the cute little guy, it ticked Alex off that Vanessa seemed to be raising Bo alone. When did David or Dan—whatever—take his turn? “Bo sure knows a lot about dinosaurs.”

  “He certainly does. I can’t even pronounce some of the names he rattles off.” Chuckling, Grandpa pointed to one of the labels below the puzzle piece. “Can you say that? Kids today.”

  Alex glanced down at the word with a gazillion letters. “Nope, not a clue.”

  By that time, Bo had moved on to the box in the corner that seemed to hold an entire toy store. Pushing aside puppets and a music box, he grabbed a big plastic bag and tugged.

  “Want some help with that?” Alex asked.

  Bo gave him a cautious look, like he didn’t want to lose any toys. Then he nodded somberly.

  “Those are his giant building blocks. His favorites.” Grandpa Joe sniffed. “Did you change his diaper when you got him up?”

  “God, no.” The words were out before he could think.

  Grandpa’s jaw dropped. Then he burst out laughing. “We can take care of that, can’t we? We’ve been trying to train him, but he’s pretty stubborn.”

  “My mother said the same thing about me,” Alex muttered, relieved that he’d escaped diaper duty. “Guess he needs some shoes too.”

  “Not a problem. We’ll be right back.”

  Although Bo protested as his grandfather led him away, he soon got interested in the red and blue blocks he carried, one in each hand.

  While Grandpa was out of the room. Alex’s eyes drifted back to the family photos. Hearing the door open behind him, he set the frame down quickly. Grabbing the closest thing, he ended up holding a yellow duck.

  “Having fun?” Vanessa stood in the door, one arm around her sister. Seeing the duck, she smiled.

  “Great time.” But his eyes were on Jillian. “Everything okay?”

  Lips tight, Vanessa nodded. “Just have to get more fluid. Nothing we can’t fix. Jillian, want to go lie down?”

  Vanessa’s sister nodded. “Sounds good. Sorry we had to bother you, Alex.”

  “No problem.” Alex watched the two of them disappear toward the back. Heck, the thought of Kate being sick like this just about killed him.

  When she returned, Vanessa’s eyes swept the room as if she wanted to make sure he hadn’t taken the family silver. “Was Bo good for you?”

  “Great. Your grandfather’s changing him. Everything went fine.”

  “Yeah, I checked in with them. Thanks for staying, Alex.” Her blue eyes were ringed with dark circles. She looked warm and rumpled, and he fought a sudden urge to hug her. “I’m sure this was the last thing you wanted to do today. You’re a trooper.”

  “Glad I could help.” He set the rubber duck on the coffee table and grabbed his jacket from the chair. “Guess I should take off. Oh, I meant to give this to you.” Pulling the green jewelry bag from his jacket pocket, he handed it to Vanessa.

  “Oh, my goodness,” she said softly, pulling open the drawstrings and spilling the pearls into one hand.

  “Hope you don't mind, but I had it repaired.” She was so darned quiet, he felt foolish. Had he overstepped a boundary? His mother always said boundaries were a chronic problem for him. “I saw the envelope on your desk the day I was here. Guess I should have mentioned it.”

  “Thank you. I, ah, don’t know
what to say.”

  Grandpa arrived with Bo, and Vanessa lifted him into her arms. The little guy curled up with a contented smile. Funny how Alex’s own chest warmed as if Bo was still there.

  “Alex has to go home now,” she told Bo. “Can you say bye-bye?”

  Turning toward him, Bo beamed and waved. “Bye-bye.”

  Alex felt a bump in the vicinity of his heart. “See you later, Bo.”

  Before he even started his car a few minutes later, his mind was racing.

  No way. No way could a kid get to me like this.

  Or was it the mother who was getting to him?

  Chapter 9

  Yachts were making their way into the Chicago harbor when Vanessa and Alex arrived at the ballroom. “Can you see New Buffalo from here?” she asked as they stood at one of the large concourse windows overlooking Lake Michigan. Below them, water rippled to the shore in dark navy pleats under a sky that faded from the bright blue of July to the misty pearl of evening.

  So peaceful, but she was a wreck. Alex was stud-muffin hot tonight, and he seemed to know everyone, especially the women. Didn’t matter whose arm they were on, every female on the concourse had eyes for the rangy tycoon rocking the tux. His teal bow tie added the final touch.

  When Alex had asked her about the color of her dress, she’d wondered. A corsage? But the daisies in his hands had been for Jillian. The blue green tie was a pretty good match for the gown she’d found at Second Hand Rose when she shopped with McKenna. She’d told Alex her dress was teal, and he’d come through. Tonight almost felt like the senior prom she’d never had.

  Alex squinted into the distance. “Can’t see New Buffalo from here, but on a really clear day, I can see the skyline of Chicago from my place. Pretty spectacular.” With a grin, he turned, brown eyes brushing over her. “Stunning in fact.”

  Okay, stop it right there. Deep breath.

  Vanessa’s recycled gown draped from one shoulder, the blue turning darker at the hem. Usually her clothes weren’t this clingy, but Alex’s expression told her she’d made a great choice.

  Who was Alex Compton? The guy who’d trolled the convention aisles in Vegas for leggy newcomers to the IT sales forces? Or the incredibly considerate man who’d had her mother’s pearls restrung? Looking down at the water, she touched Mom’s necklace, wondering how many times her mother had worn them while her father thought about another woman. After her mother’s death, Dad had taken off like a guy late for a date. And that little blonde Edie whatever-her-name-was couldn’t have been someone Dad met at the funeral home.

  Hadn’t Ethan been considerate too, at the beginning? Didn’t every man bring you flowers and Godiva chocolates in the beginning? Send you syrupy cards that turned you to mush, daydreaming about the future? Those heart-tugging gifts stopped long before Ethan kicked her to the curb. She just hadn’t been reading the road signs. That could not happen again.

  What did she really know about Alex? No sense getting any ideas about him. Life was complicated enough right now. Her family and business had to be her priorities.

  Glancing around, she got ready to schmooze. The advertorial had been running for a week, and sales had spiked. But she wasn't at the finish line, not by a long shot.

  Taking Vanessa's elbow, Alex steered her toward the open doors of the ballroom. Inside, the noise ratcheted up. Rich green brocade draperies caught the light of the crystal chandeliers. Banks of exotic palms and fig trees softened black marble columns and the gleaming white floor swirled with charcoal. Sophisticated men dressed in tuxedoes stood with elegant women, talking in subdued voices, glasses of champagne in hand.

  Time to play the role of budding entrepreneur. Lifting her head, Vanessa widened her smile, ignoring the spark in Alex’s eyes when he glanced her way. She stopped that unwelcome shiver cold when he grinned back. Hand at her waist, he maneuvered her through the crowd and introduced her. The people’s names slipped through her mind like smooth pebbles. She was way too aware of the pressure of his hand, the heat of his body, the musky cologne that didn’t quit.

  Matrons with silver hair greeted them at the reception desk where Alex picked up their programs and a numbered paddle. “For the bidding,” he answered her unspoken question. Was it so obvious that she didn’t know the drill? “Maybe we should set these down at our table along with your evening bag.”

  “Sure. Right.” Of course. By that time, they were passing several long tables displaying silent auction items with bid sheets. Oversized baskets of glamorous goodies sat next to easels detailing each prize.

  “We can come back to these later,” Alex said, grabbing her free hand and heading for the cluster of round dinner tables, draped in white linen.

  So now we’re hand-in-hand. Vanessa pressed her small black bag to her stomach, following his confident lead.

  Was this Alex’s world? Or was he the barefoot guy who liked to throw a steak on the grill? She felt so darned off balance with him. Alex’s kindness the day of their trip to the ER had thrown her. Just didn’t fit with the assumptions she’d held about her Hunky Hottie over the past four years.

  “Alex! Vanessa!” Kate waved to them from a table close to the dais.

  In a black dress with a daring neckline, Alex’s sister was a knockout. A tall, handsome guy with sun-streaked hair smiled next to her. He looked vaguely familiar, like Vanessa may have seen him on a billboard or two.

  “Finally,” Kate said when they reached the table. “Vanessa, I want you to meet Michael Morgan.”

  “As in Michael in the Morning? I listen to your show just about every day.” My, Kate did have friends in high places. Michael’s wacky jokes broke the monotony of baking endless cakes in the predawn hours.

  “Hey, Vanessa, thanks for listening.” His warm handshake matched the gleaming smile that sure seemed genuine. What a great couple they made. From the adoring glances the disc jockey gave Kate, their relationship might be serious.

  “How about some wine?” Alex turned to Vanessa. “Then we can circulate.”

  “White wine would be great.” But she already felt heady. Although he’d dropped her hand, it wouldn’t take much for the dizziness to return. The brush of his shoulder, his palm against her back. She was on overload.

  After Alex’s visit to one of the drink stations, they headed toward the auction tables. Along the way, they bumped into Jack Delamerced. Clinging to his arm was his Barbie doll receptionist. Vanessa’s heart wrenched when she thought of the pictures in Jack’s office. Devastated by his divorce? Probably not. How had she missed this about Jack?

  “Vanessa, Alex.” He turned to his date. “You remember Marcia.”

  Vanessa felt her face flare. “Yes, of course.”

  “Always good to see you, Jack,” Alex said, already moving past the couple. “Just introducing Vanessa around.”

  “Later.” After one approving sweep of Vanessa’s dress, Jack’s attention returned to Marcia, who gave Vanessa a smug smile.

  As Alex led her away, her shock melted beneath the weight of disgust. “Is that why Jack is getting a divorce?”

  Alex shrugged. “Didn’t ask. Don’t want to know.”

  She felt foolish, remembering how she’d melted, looking at Jack’s family pictures. Just one more confirmation that she was a poor judge of men.

  “Vanessa!”

  She turned to see McKenna making her way through the press of people, her brother Seth at her side. McKenna's red hair flared against a fitted midnight blue dress. She’d tried on three dresses at Second Hand Rose and this dress won, no contest.

  “Alex, I want you to meet McKenna Kirkpatrick, an old high school friend. And this is her brother Seth.” While the men shook hands, Vanessa tried to ignore McKenna's questioning look. She'd have plenty to explain later.

  “So you two grew up together?” Alex asked.

  “Yes, you can ask me anything about Vanessa. I just might tell you the truth.” McKenna fluttered her lashes with a goofy grin.

  They al
l laughed. After Vanessa mentioned that McKenna and Seth were both in healthcare, Alex asked some questions about electronic medical records.

  As McKenna walked away a few minutes later, she cast a look back at Vanessa, who mouthed back, “Later.”

  “Alex, what have we here?” Wolfgang Russo appeared at Alex’s elbow, his exotic good looks turning women's heads. Vanessa found herself blushing as Alex introduced them.

  “Yes, of course. I saw you on the show,” Wolfgang murmured in the Hungarian accent that could send chills down any woman’s spine.

  “Yes, but you weren't there!” she blurted and then bit her tongue. The men laughed.

  “She was very disappointed,” Alex explained, looking a little miffed that Vanessa may have preferred Wolfgang for her mentor.

  Wolfgang glanced at Alex, a question and answer telegraphing between the two men.

  “Let me know if I can help you in any way, Alex,” Wolfgang said, turning to leave. “So nice to meet you, Vanessa.”

  “You wouldn’t have liked working with him anyway,” Alex murmured as they began to circulate again. “He’s a lady’s man.”

  “And you’re not?”

  Alex stopped. “Let’s clear up one thing. I’m not a ladies man.” Dipping his head, he nailed her with those eyes.

  She let that pass. His phone rang constantly, and she’d never seen a man flush because of a business call.

  After that, Alex fell quiet, nursing his champagne while they wandered from one auction offering to the next. Vanessa was amazed by the prizes: one week at a condo on Sanibel Island, a week in a castle in Scotland, two weeks’ use of a vintage Austin Healy. Guests were busy scribbling their names on the lists, trying to outbid each other.

  “Have you ever won one of these?” she asked Alex.

  He nodded. “Mostly golf outings.”

  As they moved through the room, Alex introduced her. Just when they reached the end of one of the auction tables, a tall blonde edged over. Hard to miss in a showy red dress, she'd been eyeing Alex for some time.

  “Alex!” She threw her arms around his neck. Vanessa could taste the strong perfume. “Haven’t heard from you. You never answer my calls.” The woman's voice dropped to petulant.