About Wish List: City Love 4
Could the wrong man on paper be the perfect man in real life?
Cate Harmon likes lists. While this may serve her well as a financial planner, her girlfriends think that creating a checklist for her ideal man is going a step too far. But she has one, and she’s sticking to it.
Cate has always dreamed of starting a family and settling down and yet she’s the only one of her close knit friendship group still unattached. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to lower her standards.
Enter Dave, a reformed bad boy with gorgeous hair and eyes the wrong color. Dave doesn’t tick any of the boxes on Cate’s list. It’s unthinkable that she would develop feelings for him, and yet ... Cate finds herself being drawn to Dave in a way she’s never felt before.
Will Cate confront the reasons behind her list? Or will she risk losing a man who could be better than any list she could ever dream up?
This romance where opposites attract is perfect for fans of Rachel Gibson, Susan Mallery, Victoria Dahl, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
Contents
About Wish List: City Love 4
Dedication
Epigraph
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Acknowledgments
About Belinda Williams
Also by Belinda Williams
Copyright
For Joanna.
May you find the left-handed, South African doctor of your dreams.
It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.
Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Chapter 1
“Don’t worry, dear. You just haven’t found the right person yet.”
I plastered a smile onto my face and gripped the glass of champagne tighter. Could this night get any worse?
“I didn’t meet the love of my life until I was well into my forties.” The old woman’s face crinkled thoughtfully, deepening the series of intricate, well-worn lines across her forehead. “Although I suppose he was my second husband and by that time I’d already had two children.” She paused, and her rheumy eyes appraised me boldly. “Perhaps, dear, if you are considering children, you shouldn’t waste time.”
At a loss for words, I opted for a large mouthful of champagne. The bubbles rose in my throat and into my nose, making me cough.
“Do forgive my audacity,” she added, not sounding very apologetic at all. “I feel that so many women these days leave motherhood too late.”
Not. By. Choice. My smile tightened.
“What do you do?” the woman asked me.
I stifled a sigh. “Originally I trained as an accountant, but I currently work as a financial planner.”
“Well, I dare say you’d be a good catch for any man. Whip him and his finances into shape, heh?” She attempted to wink conspiratorially at me, but it looked more like the drooping skin around her ancient eyelid had developed a twitch. “You’d be able to cook the books and have some secret spending money he needn’t know about.”
Oh man. I rarely drank to get drunk, but right now it seemed like the best strategy available to get me through the night. To be fair, the old woman did look like she had passed ninety so I guess that explained the antiquated views.
“See, that’s the good thing about being a financial planner,” I told her. “I’m already financially stable, so the spending money is all my own.”
“Mmm.” The golden oldie pursed her lips. “Independence isn’t always a good thing. It won’t help you make babies.”
“There you are!”
I felt a hand wrap around my arm.
Scarlett. Thank God. Her dark eyes glimmered mischievously. She turned to my elderly friend, her other hand resting on her hip.
“Independence is definitely a problem. Since we became a couple, Cate’s convinced she wants to carry our baby, but I think I’m the better option. Of course, we still need to agree on the father. Cate was thinking of a donor, but I told her I’m happy to take one for the team.”
I bit my tongue. Hard. Or else I was going to erupt into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Trust Scarlett. The old woman stared at us in shock. Her mouth gaped open as if she wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
It probably didn’t help that it was Scarlett. She was almost a full head shorter than me, and her striking Asian features were distracting. Her raven, short-cropped hair, dark eyeliner, and all black outfit contrasted my floral, summer dress. If we were actually a couple, there’d be no questioning who the dominant one in the relationship was.
Scarlett threw an arm around my waist and squeezed me, for the benefit of the mute old woman, no doubt. “Come on, gorgeous. There’s a guy over there with excellent genetics we should check out. If I was straight, I’d totally go for him.” She shot the old woman an apologetic look. “I hope you don’t mind me stealing her away from you.”
The woman blinked and her mouth opened and shut a few times before she managed to say, “Of course, of course.”
I felt her eyes on us as Scarlett tugged me through the room full of party guests.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” I whispered to her, but couldn’t hide the big grin spreading across my face.
“You loved it. Stupid old bat. You’re barely a day past thirty and she’s saying you should be making babies? Give me strength.”
I flushed a little. “I do want babies,” I told her.
“Yeah, and I want to become a world-renowned artist and never have to work in advertising again, but we can’t always have what we want.” She immediately grimaced. “Sorry. That came out wrong. Of course you can have babies one day. When it’s the right time and you’ve found the right guy. That’s all I was getting at.”
“I know,” I replied softly. I wasn’t hurt, or even angry. Scarlett Wong was one of my closest friends and she meant well. She just had a tendency to neglect tact or, let’s face it, accepted social conventions. The surprising thing was, for a woman who never had any intention of settling down with a guy, she was now off the market. Against her better judgment, she’d fallen hard for one of the nicest guys we knew, John Hart. She could now be described as blissfully happy – well, so far as Scarlett did blissfully happy anyway.
“Come on, we’re all over here.” Scarlett continued to pull me through the crowd.
I saw where she was directing me and let out a sigh of relief.
“Cate! Where have you been?” Maddy asked me. “Ava’s been dying to see you.”
I stood on tiptoes and kissed my other good friend hello. At six foot, she’d naturally attract attention, but it was more tha
n that. Madeleine Spencer was one of the most elegant, put together people I knew, and I loved her dearly. With her spare arm, she reached around and rubbed my back, smiling. Her brown eyes shone happily as she looked at me.
“Ready for a cuddle?” she asked. We both knew she didn’t have to ask.
I opened my arms and waited while she carefully deposited the small bundle of scrumptious cuteness into my grasp.
“Why hello, sweetheart,” I crooned, “I’ve missed you.”
Ava, who at five months was starting to develop adorable rolls of fat due to being a very healthy baby, gurgled and tried to pull my hair.
I saw Scarlett roll her eyes. “Hey, maybe we should tell that old woman you’re sorted?”
“Absolutely,” I agreed, immune to Scarlett’s derision of my baby loving ways. It wasn’t that Scarlett didn’t like Ava, or babies, she just didn’t appreciate them the way I did. “But I don’t think Maddy will let me take you home forever, do you?” I asked Ava.
“Sorry,” Maddy said. “You’ll have to make your own.”
“I know,” I said, not entirely managing to hide my disappointment.
“You seem to be forgetting that making the baby is the best bit,” Scarlett reminded me.
Maddy laughed. “Yes, Scarlett’s right, Cate. You don’t want to miss out on the trying part.”
“What’s trying?” John, Scarlett’s boyfriend, joined us, two glasses of champagne in hand.
“Making kids,” Scarlett told him.
He paled, and she elbowed him.
“Not us, stupid. Cate.”
“Right … aren’t you forgetting something?” he asked.
“Yeah, we need to get her a man first,” Scarlett said.
“No. You don’t,” I said firmly, and everyone turned to me in surprise. I shrugged. “If experience has taught me anything, it’s that you can’t force these things. I mean, look at Max and Christa.”
We turned our attention to the couple standing at the front of the room. Their engagement party was the reason I was enduring conversations with well-meaning old women. The truth was, I’d gladly endure ten more interfering old women to see Christa married. “I’m so happy for them,” I told everyone.
Maddy reached over and squeezed my arm. “Me too. And to think I put up such a fight when my big brother got involved with Christa. They’re great together.”
“And engaged,” Scarlett reminded us.
An engagement might seem like a completely normal progression for two people in love, but for Max and Christa, both with failed engagements under their belts, the transition from couple to engaged was a big thing.
“You’re as good as engaged,” I told Scarlett, who scowled.
John grinned. “What? That ring on her finger? That’s nothing.”
“It’s something.” Scarlett, still scowling, held out her hand and observed the unique ring adorning her finger. Black gold with a black diamond, John had it specially made.
He reached over and pulled Scarlett to him, tucking her neatly into his side. She barely came up to his shoulder, but despite the difference in height, they looked great together. Like a carefully coordinated pair. With an Asian mother and Australian father, John appeared to have inherited the best of both worlds. His height and broad shoulders combined with olive skin, dark eyes and hair – which he kept long and constantly fell over his eyes – usually turned other women’s heads. Fortunately for Scarlett he was completely oblivious to all the attention because he only had eyes for her.
John frowned. “Why’s that old lady staring at us?”
I giggled and Scarlett snickered.
“Probably because she thinks Cate and I are a lesbian couple and I’m cracking onto you because we need a father for our baby,” Scarlett explained easily.
John’s frown turned into an amused smile. Used to Scarlett’s sense of mischief, he didn’t miss a beat. “What do you think? Am I a suitable candidate?”
Scarlett’s face turned serious. “I might need to test you out first.”
“You don’t hear me complaining …”
Scarlett stood on tiptoes and they kissed rather passionately considering she was a lesbian.
“Children in the room you two,” Maddy reminded them. “Not that you’re offending me, but I think the old woman over there is about to have a heart attack.”
Scarlett eased away from John and I heard her mutter, “Serves her right.”
“She had good intentions,” I told Scarlett.
“Yeah, but you don’t need reminding.”
Ava was trying to eat my hair so I caught her hand and let her play with my finger instead. “Reminding of what?”
Scarlett looked away. “Nothing.”
I addressed Ava. “Doesn’t sound like nothing, does it, sweetie?” Ava gave me a toothless grin. My heart melted momentarily, but I wasn’t going to be distracted. “What’s your point, Scarlett?”
“Nothing. Forget I said anything.”
I didn’t miss the slightly panicked look in Scarlett’s heavily outlined dark eyes.
“I’m not stupid, you know,” I said lightly.
Scarlett’s expression darkened. “Now you’re putting words in my mouth.”
I ignored her. “You’re worried I’m the only one who’s still alone,” I stated plainly.
“No.”
“Yes,” John said at the same time. “Particularly since I’ve agreed to move overseas next year to work in London and Scarlett’s joining me.”
“John!”
He closed his mouth while Scarlett glared at him with an intensity I was glad I wasn’t on the receiving end of.
He looked over at me apologetically when he dared to break eye contact with his true love. “Right. I’m gathering Scarlett hasn’t told you yet?”
“No,” I replied, and smiled reassuringly. “But I know now. Congratulations. That sounds fantastic.”
John turned back to Scarlett. “See. I told you she’d be fine.”
She still looked like she wanted to strangle him.
“And why wouldn’t I be fine?” I demanded. Ava was watching me curiously, sensing my usually happy disposition was under threat. I gave her a big smile and she grabbed my chin. I laughed.
“I think Scarlett was just worried about all the changes happening,” Maddy said carefully.
I didn’t reply, but kept making variations of a happy face that would be considered unbalanced if I wasn’t directing it at a child. Once Ava was bobbing up and down in my arms with joy at my antics, I glanced over her head at them. “You mean, because you’re happily married with a gorgeous little girl, Maddy? While Christa will be moving out next year when she marries Max, and now Scarlett is moving overseas and abandoning us?”
“See!” Scarlett pointed at Maddy. “I shouldn’t have told her yet.”
“You mean you already told Maddy, and I’m guessing Christa?”
Ava stilled, watching me carefully again. Children were very perceptive and she was right. I was pissed.
Scarlett directed her attention to her shiny black boots.
I took a deep breath to get a hold of myself, gave Ava a loud, wet kiss on her forehead, then handed her reluctantly back to Maddy. “I’m well aware I’m still alone,” I told them. “Up until now, I didn’t think that made me some sort of social outcast, but apparently it does.”
Scarlett opened her mouth and I held up a hand. “No.”
She closed her mouth, probably because she was unused to seeing happy Cate in anything less than a bright mood. Obviously the old woman had worn me down more than I realized.
“I meant what I said before,” I said firmly. “You can’t force love. I’d rather be alone than settle for the wrong person.”
I turned on my heel, toward the drinks table. I wouldn’t get drunk. The sad fact was that I was too tame for that, but taking the edge off might help a little. Because right now, I wasn’t sure which was worse. Well-meaning old ladies or well-meaning friends.
Chapter 2
By the time I arrived home, I was exhausted. The extra glass of wine I’d had after John revealed they’d be moving overseas was now playing havoc with my head. It pounded as I slammed the front door to my apartment behind me and made my way to the bedroom.
Stupid alcohol. I knew I had no tolerance, but I still couldn’t understand how people routinely drank to get drunk. Or maybe it had more to do with the fact that I was morally opposed to it. Either way, I wasn’t going to ponder my tenuous relationship with the substance right now.
I threw my bag on the bed and went to turn on the bedside lamp. The apartment was dark, which was to be expected these days. Christa and I had been flatmates for the past four years but in recent months her relationship with Max had grown in seriousness, and she rarely stayed here on weekends. It hadn’t escaped my attention that she made a conscious effort to sleep at home during the working week, but I didn’t want to ponder that either. It would remind me that yet another one of my girlfriends viewed me as a lonely old spinster in need of sympathy.
I took off the dress I’d been wearing and walked down the hall to the bathroom in my bra and underwear. I used the matches I kept on the shelf to light a few of my favorite candles, then turned on the bath and left it to run.
In the kitchen, I didn’t bother turning the lights on. Lavender Bay twinkled at me through the full length sliding doors and the cool glow afforded me enough light to boil the kettle. While I waited I stared at the view. I could just make out the shadows of several boats bobbing in the harbor. Lights from houses and apartments overlooking the bay illuminated the water, and I sighed. I loved living here. Next year, when Christa returned from her honeymoon, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. The obvious course of action was to find another flatmate, but the idea of sharing my space with a stranger wasn’t at all appealing. Especially seeing as Christa and I had originally agreed to an apartment together because of our former share house horror stories. The only other option would be to break the lease on this place and find somewhere smaller that I could afford by myself.
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