Harlequin Heartwarming March 21 Box Set

by Claire McEwen

Then she realized he’d stand there on the sidewalk until she was safely inside.

  “Good night,” Brisa said softly and fumbled with the doorknob until she got the door open. After she stepped inside, she locked the door and collapsed against it.

  Had she ever enjoyed a night out in jeans and a T-shirt like she had this one?

  No.

  At that point, it was difficult to remember any other night, any other conversation, any other man’s arms around her that she’d enjoyed more.

  If she thought about it, it made perfect sense for her messed-up world.

  One man she was feeling all these new things for, emotions she couldn’t name because they were unfamiliar…and she was supposed to find him the perfect woman to fall in love with.

  Another classic Brisa Montero mess.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  ON SATURDAY MORNING, after a truly sleepless night, Brisa made a decision she would regret for days. She put on her like-new jogging shoes and waited next to the pool for Mira’s sunrise running group.

  Somehow, she was the first one there.

  That was no mystery. Given her long night, she was relieved to see the morning start. For hours, Brisa had alternated between two terrible choices.

  First, she could clench her eyes closed in an effort to will herself to sleep so that she’d stop thinking about Wade McNally and the chaos she was making with him that could ruin their relationship and result in her making a colossal disaster of Concord Court by failing on the small business lab and the twisty road that had gotten her there.

  Or, second, she could stare blearily at the thick binders she now carried with her at all times like the world’s most boring security blanket. She’d successfully made two notes in the very early morning. Replaying Wade’s every word and expression the previous night reminded her she wanted to get a best benefits guide or retirement planner for folks at Concord Court, to provide them guidance with the decisions Wade had mentioned he’d struggled over. The other note, regarding addiction counselors or support groups, needed more input.

  Where did she hope to get that input? All roads turned right back to Wade in an annoying loop.

  Running could be a gift, a completely different loop with actual scenery.

  “Wow, I did not expect this,” Mira said as she approached through the courtyard. “I’m always the first one here and you’re never here.” She gathered her long dark hair in a sloppy ponytail and braced her hands on her hips. “To what do I owe this?”

  Was this the right time? Brisa hesitated to make her request before she’d had any room to lay the groundwork. Convincing people to go her way was usually something she spent careful hours plotting. This? Her decision to go running had been spontaneous.

  Then she remembered her promise to herself to spend more time with the truth.

  “Long night. I couldn’t sleep. I thought this would help with some of the anxiety.” All of that was true, even if it wasn’t the whole truth. “Please don’t make me regret it.” She smiled at Mira to help her understand it was a friendly request. “I run, but I’m not a road warrior like your group.”

  Mira snorted. “Have you actually met Sean Wakefield? I could have run circles around him when I was in elementary school at field day. You don’t have anything to worry about. If you hit your limit, peel off and head back home. Everyone starts at different levels, and they’re all good as far as I’m concerned.” Her smile seemed genuine when she added, “I’m grateful to have another woman on the run. The bellyaching from the men can be a lot to handle without someone along who understands how I enjoy their complaints.”

  Before Brisa had to come up with any other conversation, Sean and Marcus Bryant, the quiet landscaper who’d been her backbone for the small business lab she desperately wanted to get off the ground, walked up.

  “You didn’t mention you’d be here this morning,” Sean said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and yanked her closer for a hard hug and an annoying scrub of his hand through her neat ponytail. Amusement was in his eyes when he asked in an innocent tone, “What brought this on?”

  He knew very well what brought it on: his suggestion that Mira was the right date for Wade, and Brisa’s need to get herself out of this latest predicament by somehow convincing Mira to give it a shot.

  “Talk later,” Mira said as Peter Kim and Jason Ward appeared. Both acknowledged Brisa by rolling their eyes at Mira’s order. “Brisa, you fall in behind me. Sean behind Brisa. Keep an eye on her and when she turns back, you go with her. The rest of you…just fall in.”

  Muttering filled the air, but Mira was already gone, and Brisa had to hustle to get in line.

  After the first mile, Brisa realized she hadn’t spent enough time thinking this plan through. She wanted to complete the run, but her fitness level was “jogging at the gym while she read books on her phone,” and this group’s? Yeah, it was about years spent carrying gear, dodging drill instructors and staying alive. The two did not mesh.

  But after the third mile, something happened. All the voices shouting that she was going to die if she didn’t stop and catch her breath faded. She picked up the rhythm of the run, her feet falling steadily and smoothly on the pavement, while her breathing deepened and her heart rate strengthened and panic dropped away. Brisa didn’t have to do anything except put one foot in front of the other and keep pace with Mira.

  She’d expected to remember scenery, but it was all a blur.

  Mira’s slowed pace was still a gift when they turned back into the driveway of Concord Court.

  When Sean collapsed to sit on the curb in front of the office, Brisa did the same. Mira paced in a tight line in front of them, while the rest of the guys didn’t even slow down. They might have picked up the pace as they headed for their showers.

  “You did good, Montero,” Mira said. “Six miles on your first run. I didn’t expect that.”

  Brisa hadn’t, either, and learning she’d run six miles immediately made every single inch of her body cry out in pain. “Good. I’m glad. If you’ll get a shovel and bury me here, I’d appreciate it.” Then she stretched out on the warm sidewalk and closed her eyes. What had she been thinking?

  Sean tried to laugh but it was more like a wheeze. “You were supposed to stop sooner, Brisa. Then I was going to get early relief, too, but no, you had to keep running.” He mirrored her response by stretching out. “Bury us both here. Tell Reyna to go on with her life.”

  Mira shook her head. “You’re both going to have to recover. I do not want Reyna Montero coming after me for killing her boyfriend and her sister, even though you volunteered for this. She’s never made this morning run with us, so I don’t know if I can outrun her or not.” Mira held out both hands and tugged them back to their feet.

  Sean stepped up on the sidewalk. “I’ve got to open up the office, or my boss might fire me. You two have a nice day.” His eyes met Brisa’s before he turned to go. She was going to take it as encouragement to continue with her plan to make her case to Mira.

  The fabled endorphin rush from exercise might make Mira susceptible.

  “When he makes himself curiously absent, I know something is up. Sean Wakefield would rather yammer in my ear about how mean I am than leave quietly.” Mira tapped her chin. “Why am I sure this is not a coincidence with your unexpected presence?”

  Brisa knew she’d never get a better opening, but for some reason, she hesitated.

  Mira met all the criteria. And no one had ever had a bad word to say about her. She was even the heart of the unofficial therapy group that met most nights around the pool. Wade would like her, too.

  Was that the issue? She didn’t want Wade to like Mira? Liking wasn’t the problem. Falling in love might be, but Brisa couldn’t answer why the image of the two of them in love bothered her.

  “Hello?” Mira waved a hand in front of Brisa’s face. “A
nyone home?”

  Brisa blinked and shook her head. “Sorry. I was having a long conversation in my head, one side of me arguing with the other. Weird, right?”

  Mira drawled, “Girl, if I had a dollar for every time I’ve done the same…”

  “Okay,” Brisa said firmly, “I did want to talk to you about something, an exciting opportunity.”

  Mira frowned. “I’m not buying time-shares or a condo in Fort Lauderdale. Wrong audience. I’m about to start my first year as a public-school teacher, broke but fulfilled.”

  “Better opportunity than some time-share, and there’s no money required.” Brisa motioned toward a shady table by the wrought-iron fence that wrapped the pool. Every time she walked through the ornate gates, Brisa remembered how her father had hit the roof of his high-rise office over the price tag.

  It had still been the right decision. Everyone who visited remarked on this pool. It was a selling point. An oasis from the hustle and bustle, and worse. That certainty boosted her slipping confidence.

  When Mira propped her elbows on the arms of the chair and huffed out a breath, Brisa realized she was losing momentum. “I don’t know what your dating situation is, but there’s someone I’d like to set you up with. He’s great, a veteran like you, distinguished military career and a doctor.”

  Mira blinked slowly at her. Brisa was on the verge of waving her own hand in Mira’s face when she shook her head. “A blind date? That’s your amazing opportunity? Do people even do that anymore?”

  “Handsome. Smart. Successful. A guy like this is rarer than an affordable time-share,” Brisa said as she leaned forward. “He’s a surgeon. You were a medic, right? Love science? He’s got the cutest daughter, nine years old, who dreams of visiting outer space.” Was it a mistake including Thea? Brisa bit her lip as she watched Mira. Then she realized it would have been a huge misstep not to mention Wade’s daughter. Thea was his world. Everyone should find that as attractive as Brisa did.

  Mira turned to stare at the clear pool, so Brisa did the same. The day was going to be hot. The water was already tempting. The urge to escape the conversation, to take a running leap and land with a splash, was strong. She wasn’t sure her tightening muscles would comply.

  “I’ve got no interest in dating, not even this rare specimen you’ve discovered.” Mira made the “give it to me” motion with her hand. “Hit me with it. If he’s so great, why aren’t you scooping him up for yourself?”

  The man had had his heart set on Reyna. No way would Brisa even provide a close substitute.

  Brisa jerked as she realized how bothered she was by that answer. She was fulfilling a promise and keeping herself out of trouble. Nothing more. Right?

  “I have a boyfriend. Otherwise I’d…” Brisa left the option dangling as she remembered Reggie. He was more a prop than a boyfriend, and she was less satisfied with that setup this morning than she ever had been before, but it worked for her in this moment, so she went with it. “I’ll get you reservations at the nicest restaurant in Miami. Rooftop. View of the city. You can put on a beautiful dress and enjoy a great meal. What do you have to lose?”

  Mira raised an eyebrow. “All the money it would take to find a wardrobe and stylist for something like that.” She grimaced. “Not my scene.”

  Brisa tangled her fingers together in her lap. That had been a mistake. The fact that it was the only kind of date she and Reggie ever managed made it easy to imagine, but it wasn’t tempting.

  “Of course not. You’re right. How about…” Brisa closed her eyes as she tried to come up with something unique, something that might draw Mira out.

  The last time she’d modeled for one of the boutiques in the Design District, the shoot had been in Wynwood, home of galleries, street art and artists. They’d had to pack up and move locations because tours kept interrupting the shoot. Would Mira enjoy something like that? If so, Brisa could call in a favor. “How about a bicycle tour through Wynwood? I’ll get an artist to be your guide, you can ask questions, and the conversation will be easy. No new wardrobe required, either.”

  Mira studied her face as she considered the offer. “I have wanted to do more exploring before I start to work. I’ve been so focused on school and spending time with my family that…” She held up a finger. “On one condition, I’ll say yes.”

  Brisa fought to contain her relief and said, “I’m listening.”

  “I like running with another woman in the group, two reasonable heads instead of one.” Mira’s lips slowly curled into a grin. “Join my running group.”

  Since Brisa was still nearly certain her muscles had formed a revolutionary party of their own and would punish her for the morning at some point, she hesitated.

  But her pride at managing the run hadn’t faded.

  Mira held both arms out as if she was prepared for whatever Brisa could throw at her. “Do we have a deal? I’ll date your bachelor once. I will not date any other bachelors you bring forth in any shape or fashion. In exchange, you help me keep the guys running. Everyone wins.”

  Brisa had negotiated so many similar situations lately. The loophole that needed to be closed was big. Setting a time frame only made sense. Instead of firmly establishing an expiration date on her running experiment, say for a month or a week or whatever she could get Mira to agree to, she nodded. “It’s a deal. I’ll text you the time and a meeting place for this date. Is next Saturday okay?”

  “Sure.” Mira stood. Brisa followed and managed to bite back the whimper that boiled up from the tightness in her calves. “You should stretch. Take a warm shower. Tomorrow, cut the run in half.” She smoothed loose hair off her forehead. “Sean will thank you.”

  Brisa nodded. “If I can walk tomorrow, I’ll meet you here.” She might still be sitting in this chair if her legs refused to carry her home anyway.

  “If you don’t meet me here, I’ll come searching for you.” Mira pointed at her. “You should have negotiated harder.” Then she waved and left through the opposite gate. Brisa watched her trot away and wondered why she hadn’t tried harder to get better terms.

  Then she realized she wanted Mira to like her. Managing to keep up with the run had been about proving herself to Mira as well as to herself that she could do it. Being coerced into joining the run officially was a confirmation that she’d done exactly that, proven herself.

  And it felt good.

  Making good on her promise to line up an exciting date for Wade was the cherry on top. All in all, it had been a successful morning.

  If she could make it back to her townhome, she’d take a shower and a nap in that order. There would be time to celebrate her success and figure out why it didn’t feel better later.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  WHEN WADE USHERED his daughter inside the Concord Court office on Monday afternoon, he could tell they’d come at exactly the wrong time. Thea led the way, excited to meet Dottie again. At first glance, he wasn’t sure if the situation required ambulance, fire and police response or if it was run-of-the-mill “must be a Monday” bad. Brisa was crying. That caught his attention. Sean hovered nearby with a phone in one hand, held carefully to Brisa’s ear, and a bottle of water in the other.

  Brisa saw them enter first. She immediately wiped under both eyes and waved her hands at Sean. He checked over his shoulder and then put the phone up to his own ear. “Reyna, gotta go. I’ll call you back.” He listened. “Someone’s come into the office. Brisa’s got it under control. Stay where you are for the rest of your shift at the station unless I call for help.” The call ended and he slipped the phone into his pocket. “Miss Thea McNally, we finally meet.”

  Sean offered a warm smile. Thea’s giggle lightened some of the tension in the room. “How do you know who I am?”

  Wade had told more than one story about Thea at Surf and Turf, but Sean said, “Brisa mentioned your exquisite design sense, Milky Way–
themed. That’s my favorite candy bar!” He tapped Thea’s inflatable ring, dark blue and patterned with shooting stars, of course. Thea had insisted on blowing it up and stepping into it so that it completed her swimming ensemble before the door had closed on his townhome. It was time to cross “pool” off her important daily agenda and nothing was going to slow her down. “This is worthy of a future astronaut.”

  Wade watched various emotions march across his daughter’s face. She was enchanted by Sean Wakefield immediately. The guy probably had that effect on most women.

  It seemed she also desperately wanted to correct him. “The Milky Way is a galaxy, the home of our solar system.” Thea frowned. “You know that, right?”

  “Really?” Sean asked, his face a comical mask of curiosity. “Come help me skim the pool and tell me more.” He met Wade’s stare, a silent check to make sure Wade was okay with that. Wade gave Sean a nearly invisible nod.

  Thea picked up the conversation as she and Sean went back outside. Wade watched them for a second as Sean picked up the long pool skimmer and demonstrated the proper form for getting bugs out of the water. Thea studied the technique carefully and then bent over with a belly laugh. Wade had no idea what Sean was saying, but his daughter was okay for the moment.

  He turned back to Brisa. She immediately dropped the compact she’d been using to straighten up her mascara into a desk drawer and slammed it shut. “Wade. How is the move coming along?” Her tone was brisk. Professional. He hated it.

  “Good.” He crossed his arms over his chest and swayed from watching Thea out the window to trying to meet Brisa’s cool smile. “It’s Monday, so…” He no longer wanted to talk about a date. Finding out what was wrong mattered more, but how to get the information he wanted without upsetting her again…

  Brisa inhaled slowly and let it go. “Yes, it is, and the next step in your dating future is something I actually accomplished.” She closed the binder on her desk with a thud and straightened her shoulders. “When you’re on a downhill slide, it’s important to celebrate the wins. You and Mira have a date on Saturday. She’s excited to meet you. You’ll both have a good time.”