A Gentleman's Kiss Romance Collection

by Ginny Aiken

  “You lost him once to pride, Mattie. Will you let it happen again?”

  Mattie steeled herself, pushing away the plate of cookies her grandmother had set down. “How can you say that, Gram? Jeff left me all those years ago. I didn’t control anything.”

  “You know, you’ve been telling that story so long that you actually believe it, don’t you?”

  “It can hardly be disputed. I’m still in Heaven, aren’t I? I went to junior college here. I’ve made my living locally, painting rich people’s houses. I didn’t go off to some fancy school and grow away from this place.”

  Gram sat on the couch and smirked.

  “No, no, Gram. You are not right about this. Jeff did leave me, and he’ll do it again.”

  “Jeff didn’t leave you, Mattie. You never gave that boy an inch. If he wasn’t at your beck and call, like the night of the prom, you decided he wasn’t worthy. This woe-is-me stuff might work on some of your friends, or even your cousins, but I know better. I know that man’s heart, Mattie, and I know yours. Now swallow your pride and go tell that man how you really feel. The boy will get over it, and he will love you as his mother.”

  Mattie shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. He’s had an earful from his real mother. She probably told him what to think of me.”

  “You’re a smart girl, Mattie. You’ll figure it out. He’s four. I have no doubt that you’re brighter than he is. You probably have more up your sleeve to win his heart. Now quit being a spoiled brat and go find Jeff. He needs your support, not your games.”

  “Gram!”

  “You won’t get any sympathy from me, Mattie. You’ve been single long enough so that I know it’s your choice to remain that way. You rarely accept dates, and if you do, you’ve never accepted a second date that I know of. I’ve lived a long time, and I’m no fool. If I’d played this many games with your grandpa, he’d have married someone else. And that’s the truth. Now the only thing you have to lose is that pride of yours. Go tell Mr. Weatherly how you feel before he decides you’re too high maintenance.” Gram shoved a cookie into her mouth.

  Visions of Mrs. Cox floated through Mattie’s mind. The desperately flawed, rich woman who never had enough, who thought the sun rose and set against the red rocks for her alone. Was that how Mattie appeared to her cousins? Was she waiting for someone who didn’t exist to ride off into the pink romantic sunset? The possibility tore Mattie’s heart to shreds. Jeff deserved better. All the people in Mattie’s life deserved better.

  “Thank you, Gram. It’s been an enlightening afternoon. I don’t like it, but I suppose I have it coming.”

  “I love you, sweetie, and I’m praying for you. Now go.”

  Mattie grabbed a cookie and started for the door. “You have a funny way of showing love, Gram. But all I can say is I’m happy you like me, or I don’t think I could take what you’ve said.”

  Jeff cleared the lunch dishes from the table and set Kenny in front of a TV cartoon for an afternoon break. Jeff had a major presentation for a client due, and yet his mind was full of racing, more pressing thoughts. Where was Mattie? Would he see her again? Or had his profession of love scared her away for good? How did he let Kenny know the boy was loved, without giving up everything he’d worked so hard for? Without giving up Mattie? He felt so powerless, and it drove him crazy. With work he just took what he wanted: promotions, clients—it all came easy to him. But Mattie was another story. She confounded him like nothing else.

  His grandmother came up behind him at the sink and stroked his back.

  “Kenny will adjust. He’s adjusted to far worse.”

  “I scared Mattie off for good this time.”

  “I don’t think so, honey. Mattie’s a good girl. Give her some time, and she’ll realize this may be the life God planned for her.”

  “What if it isn’t?”

  “It has to be hard for someone to accept an instant family. You’ll find the right girl to share your life if it’s not Mattie. Kenny can’t take over every part of you, Jeff. Don’t let him. He’s a hurting little boy, and if I had the vigor, I’d take him myself. But I don’t. He’s blessed to have you and that you chose a different path from his mother.”

  “I’ll need to find a day care center for him.”

  Grandma nodded. “He’s been in day care for some time now. It might be a little out of your way, but I think it’s best to keep him in familiar surroundings. It might not be the best situation, but being born into an illegitimate family, with a drug-addict mother, has its consequences, unfortunately.”

  “I wanted to provide the best for him,” Jeff said. “I wanted Mattie to be his mother. I wanted to give him a little brother or sister.”

  “Did you ask the Lord about any of that? Or Mattie for that matter?”

  The doorbell rang, interrupting a conversation Jeff didn’t want to have anyway. He dried his dishpan hands and lamented how his life had become distinctly not his own.

  He opened the door to Mattie’s wide blue eyes. He watched her swallow then search for the right words. He couldn’t hide his own smile.

  “You—”

  “No, I’m going to say what I came to say, Jeff.” Mattie’s chin locked, and she looked the epitome of seriousness, but Jeff had to say something.

  “I was just going to tell you that you have cookie crumbs on your face. Have you been to your Gram’s?” He brushed the crumbs from her lip and kept his hand there to feel the current between them. She closed her eyes and kissed his fingers as softly as a pink cloud in the magnificent Arizona sky.

  She giggled and brushed self-consciously at her face. The sweeping tendrils that surrounded her face moved easily from around her chin to behind her neck. Jeff took in the sight as though he’d never seen it before.

  “How about another date, Mattie? Just you and me out on the town like normal people.”

  “Normal people? What are those?”

  “Maybe I assumed too much, and maybe you don’t want to be part of my very messed-up life. But if you do—if you’re willing—I’ll make it worth your while.”

  “But Kenny—”

  “Kenny is a child, and we’re not talking about him. This is about you and me. We deserve the chance, Mattie. I’ll be everything I can to Kenny, but I’ve saved the best for you, if you’re willing.”

  Mattie’s cheeks were flushed. “I—” she stammered. “I would be first?”

  “Yes, you’ll be first. Come to dinner with me and let me prove it. I have so many things I want to tell you. Go home and put on your best dress. You and I are going to be the talk of the restaurant.”

  Mattie didn’t speak, but her wide eyes did so for her.

  “Can you do that for me?” Jeff asked, unsure if he’d been understood.

  Mattie nodded. “Yes, I’ll be ready by—”

  “Six. I’ll keep Kenny up all day, and my grandmother can put him down at seven. That’s only one hour, and they can watch a video tonight. I’ll run him ragged on the soccer field after his quiet time.”

  “Jeff, really?”

  “I want nothing more than to court you as I intended to court you, Mattie Stevens. You deserve nothing less. You’ve had a whole lot less.” He bent down and placed a light kiss on her nose. “See you at six, at your house.”

  She nodded then turned on one toe and skipped to her car. Jeff’s heart followed at a rapid pace.

  Chapter 7

  Mattie’s shower felt cleansing and more refreshing than normal. She emerged from the steamy stall ready for anything. The emotional strain of the day had been far more stifling than the Arizona summer heat.

  In a single day Mattie had managed to lose a job, lose a boyfriend, and get a four-year-old to hate her with the venom of a heat-seeking rattlesnake. Now, as if all the bad events had simply evaporated, she dressed for the man she loved. She had a new determination not to play childish games, but to speak her heart and take the consequences, whatever they might be. With a light step she slid into some st
rappy heels she’d been saving for the next wedding. Which, undoubtedly, would be someone else’s.

  Mattie dried her hair with a brush and a hair dryer, which was a rarity in dry Arizona. Usually before she could get the dryer out, her hair hung limp and set in its ways. With a complete lack of humidity her full dark hair barely made it past ten minutes of being wet. She patted a little powder on her face and a dab of blush and applied a sheer lip gloss. She smiled to herself in the mirror feeling that tonight she and Jeff could overcome anything.

  Mattie went to the closet and looked for something to wear to match her great new sandals. Being a casual person and most of her clothing being strewn with dried paint of various colors, Mattie looked in her church clothes for something appropriate. She decided on a gray linen sheath that brought out the blue of her eyes and added a Navajo silver bangle bracelet with touches of turquoise. She spent the final minutes straightening up the living room and fluffing her pillows. When the doorbell rang, Mattie was ripe with anticipation, and she was not disappointed.

  Jeff’s appearance at her door made her stomach flip like those early days in high school. He wore a pair of khaki linen pants and a white dress shirt, and he looked as casual as he looked good.

  He shook his head, letting his gaze fall to the ground and land on her new shoes. “You look incredible, Mattie.”

  “I was about to say the same thing to you.”

  “I like the shoes.” He raised and lowered his eyebrows.

  Mattie smiled to herself, lifting one foot off the ground. “I’m glad I finally had a place to wear them.”

  “We’ve established we look good.” Jeff laughed. “Now we need a place to go that’s worthy of our dressing up.”

  “I agree.” Mattie playfully stuck her chin toward the sky. She sighed. “But what place is worthy of such glamour? Does Heaven have such a place?”

  “Of course. Les Saisons. We’ll see what the country-club set enjoys.”

  “Les Saisons? Do you know—I’ve never been.”

  “Then you’ve obviously never been courted properly here. It’s a good thing I came home. These men are oafs here in Heaven.” Jeff feigned disgust. “It’s a travesty, I tell you. Such beauty wasting away.”

  “It is a good thing you came home, Jeff. The women of Heaven don’t know what they’ve been missing.”

  Jeff shook his head. “Oh, this deal isn’t good for anyone. There’s only one woman who can redeem such a courting coupon.” Jeff winked, and Mattie’s stomach tumbled in her exhilaration.

  Mattie closed the door behind them, and Jeff took her hand. He opened the door of his Cherokee and waited for her to be seated before shutting it behind her. An inner grin spread throughout Mattie’s frame. She was with Jeff Weatherly, and things felt right. Troubles with Kenny and Joan seemed to slip away. Tonight was theirs alone, and she would do everything in her power to forget all the outside people who threatened to take away the only man she ever loved. She would enjoy what she had of him, however long it lasted.

  Jeff drove slowly to the restaurant, as if he were trying to take in every moment. He looked over to her often, smiling as though he knew some secret. The restaurant was tucked away on a long drive near one of Heaven’s most prestigious golf clubs. Everything reeked of money. From the bright splash of green against the taupe color of the desert to the expensive foreign cars in the parking lot, this was where Heaven’s richest came to play. Mattie suddenly panicked, thinking about the college girls Jeff had probably dated in college. Would they know how to act in such a place?

  Mattie fretted she might use the wrong fork or, worse, appear to be the Arizona native she was. She pressed her lips together before getting the courage to ask about the restaurant. “Will I be dressed okay?”

  Jeff pulled the vehicle into a slot and put his hand over hers. “I’m sorry, Mattie. Does this place make you feel uncomfortable? I can cancel the reservation, and we can go somewhere else.” He turned off the car and looked straight at her. “Where would you like to go?”

  Mattie rubbed the back of her neck. “Jeff, I’m not like those college girls you’ve dated. I don’t know about French food or the difference between grape juice and an expensive bottle of wine.”

  Jeff laughed. “Mattie, I don’t drink. Nothing’s changed there. I brought you out here to impress you, and all I’ve done is make you a nervous wreck. Look at you—you’re shaking.”

  Mattie slouched down in the seat. “Oh, no, there’s Mrs. Cox! What is she doing way out here?”

  “Who’s Mrs. Cox?”

  “She’s the woman I painted the ponies for. They scared her daughter, and so she had a painter cover everything on the ceiling, and now she wants me to do the walls again.”

  “Well, I’m not going to cover for you if you’re scaring small children.” Jeff winked. “Seriously, Mattie, I’d take you anywhere you wanted to go, but you need to stop separating yourself from the wealthy. God didn’t give you a spirit of fear.”

  “Oh, sure—quote Scripture at me. Make me feel guilty for not wanting to indulge in an expensive meal.”

  “We’re going in,” Jeff said with authority, as if they were talking about fighting some sort of battle. Mattie could almost hear the marching music. Jeff came around and opened her door and held out his hand. She forced herself to remember this was Jeff, and he was the same person she’d always known. Even with his fancy education and advanced degrees.

  Once they entered the restaurant, she heard the quiet tinkling of silverware and hushed conversation. It was almost like entering a cathedral. The maitre d’ gave them a quiet corner table with a view of the extensive golf links and called Jeff “Dr. Weatherly.”

  Mattie laughed at the table. “Did you tell him you were a doctor for a better table?”

  “I am a doctor, Mattie. I have my doctorate in economics. I just don’t use the title very often.”

  Mattie felt faint. Jeff was nothing as she remembered. Everything in his life was complicated and beyond her, and she felt like a country bumpkin beside him. She fanned herself with the leather menu and took a quick sip of water. She got caught up in the lemon, which had a tiny net wrapped around it to keep the seeds from falling in the water.

  “I think we should go,” Mattie said.

  “Mattie.” Jeff’s low tone was that of a stern parent. “You belong here. You belong anywhere you want to be. I brought you here to try the lobster bisque, which I know you will love. I’m not asking you to live this way. I like Mexican food, too, but this night is special. Let me make it special for us.”

  Mrs. Cox suddenly appeared at the side of their table. “Mattie, is that you?”

  “Yes, Mrs. Cox. How are you?”

  “I’m so glad you’re here. I want my husband to talk some sense into you. There are no other artists. I’m sure you know that, which is the reason for your attitude, but I want you to finish that room. You don’t make your murals kitschy or something that will be out of style in a year. We want that for our home. Something classic.”

  “Very well, Mrs. Cox. I’ll check my calendar on Monday and get back to you. We’ll work something out.”

  Mrs. Cox exhaled audibly. “Wonderful. I’m sorry for the way I treated you, Mattie. I was worried what my husband would say about more workmen in the house. He so likes his privacy.” Mrs. Cox said “pri-vi-cee,” and Mattie had to contemplate what she meant for a moment.

  “That’s understandable, Mrs. Cox. Privacy is a very important state. Now if you’ll excuse us, this is my date, Dr. Weatherly, and I’m on his clock now.” Mattie suppressed a grin as the woman walked away, and she noticed that Jeff shook his head ever so slightly.

  Jeff leaned in toward her, and she could feel the warmth of his breath. “You are incorrigible.”

  Mattie giggled and covered her lips with her fingers. “I didn’t think that doctor bit would come in so handy so quickly. This is fun.”

  “So I guess it doesn’t make you uncomfortable anymore.”

 
“Gracious, no, Dr. Weatherly. I’m quite enjoying it.” Mattie stuck her chin toward the sky. “I’m seeing a doctor.”

  “Mattie Stevens, you are trouble, and the worst of it is, you know it. And enjoy it. Do you want me to order for you?”

  “Nothing weird. I want to know everything I’m eating. No snails or anything like that.” The tension in her shoulders eased, and she relaxed against the high-back chair. She might actually start to enjoy this good life.

  “I’ll find you the French equivalent of the chicken enchilada. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  The courses for dinner kept coming, and Mattie thought she’d explode until she saw dessert. Then she had a whole new outlook on hunger. Scanning the tray the waiter brought, she had a terrible time deciding.

  “What is this?” she asked, pointing to one.

  “Crème Caramel,” the waiter said.

  Mattie leaned into Jeff and whispered, “It looks just like flan.”

  “That’s basically what it is. That’s how I knew you’d like it. I didn’t think you’d like the soufflé as much, and it cost twice as much.”

  Mattie thinned her eyes. “Ever the economist.”

  Jeff leaned in on his elbow and watched her eat the luscious dessert. “You are so beautiful, Mattie. I can’t believe I’m sitting here with you now.”

  She lost all interest in dessert. The sweetness of Jeff’s words was far superior to anything with calories in it. She placed the fork on the plate and took his hand across the table. “I feel the same, Jeff. That I’m so fortunate to be here, that I waited so long for this moment.”

  “Do you remember in the Bible when the servant is sent out to find a wife for Isaac—and the man prays that the woman for his master will bring water? And Rebekah is there?”

  “Yes.” Mattie nodded.

  “I prayed that, if I came back and you were still available, I would take it as a sign from God.” Jeff knelt on the floor beside her and took both of her hands. Two violinists came behind him and quietly played romantic music on their stringed instruments. Jeff took a small blue velvet case from his pocket, and Mattie’s fingers flew to her mouth.