by Barbara Lohr
“Apparently, that’s the point. We want a small wedding but he grew up in River Forest. His grandmother has a lot of friends there who might be hurt if they aren’t invited. If we go away for the wedding, Grandma Cecile won’t have to deal with that problem.”
McKenna had really taken to Logan’s grandmother. Kind of like Selena had bonded with Seth’s mother. Her fingers shredded a paper napkin into thin strips. Vanessa and Amy were tossing out names of cities. Traveling sure sounded good. Fewer Kirkpatrick friends at the ceremony to ask questions like, “Did you and Seth split up?”
Amy rapped on the table. “I’m all for a destination wedding. After all, a trip brought Mallory and me together. Right now, we could use a getaway vacation.”
“That bad, huh?” Selena struggled to sound upbeat.
“We need to get away. We love Gianna to pieces but we’re always together. My parents would jump at the chance to babysit. They’re always complaining that they don’t have enough time with her. Thank goodness Mallory bought that house in Oak Park.”
“An understanding guy,” McKenna threw in.
And loaded. That sure helped with the extra houses.
“Do you think everyone will be able to get away for a destination wedding, McKenna?” Selena had her doubts. So many of their friends worked in healthcare.
“Logan and I talked about it. Of course Big Mike and Reenie will want to invite the entire Oak Park Fire Department, people from their church, the Garden Club, Rotary and every other organization they belong to. But we’re serious about wanting a small wedding. At some point, we might have a party back here in Chicago. Do you think people will be insulted if they’re not invited to the actual ceremony?” McKenna’s brows drew together in a concerned frown.
Amy and Vanessa chimed in.
“Not at all.”
“Do what you want.”
McKenna and Logan were such a good couple. Selena had watched the attraction grow while they worked with women in the Guatemalan highlands.
Back then, she’d been dating Seth and she’d wanted the same happiness for McKenna. Lulled by the heat and humidity from all the rain, Selena had fallen asleep in her hammock every night dreaming of Seth. Scooping up another handful of peanuts, she crunched them in her fist.
McKenna’s eyes had grown dreamy. “That trip was special for us. Seeing Logan work with people so different from his own privileged upbringing made me love him even more.”
“What about Italy for the wedding?” Amy threw in. “Mallory and I found out first-hand how romantic Tuscany can be.”
Laughter erupted. Amy’s story was funny, now that everything had turned out. A high school teacher herself, she'd been engaged to a coach. The wedding was only two weeks out when she found her fiancé in the locker room shower with Greta, the gym teacher. The wedding was off but Amy wasn’t going to give up her honeymoon. Selena admired her for that. An Internet site had paired her up with Mallory. But the female “museum aficionado” she'd hoped for turned out to be a man.
Incredible, terrifying and, in the end, so romantic.
One week and Mallory knew what he wanted.
The kind of story Selena wanted for herself.
Only that wasn’t happening.
McKenna wrinkled her brow. “Italy is tempting. But it’s a long flight.”
“Won’t any destination wedding involve travel?” Selena asked. Getting out of town would feel so good about now.
“Maybe. Let’s order.” McKenna passed the menus around. “Do we have to leave the country for a destination wedding?”
“Savannah's very romantic,” Amy piped up. “Just ask your sister Harper about that.”
“I’m open to that. And I think Logan would be too. After all, I went to Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day that year Harper was working for Cameron. Beautiful city and they have weddings in Forsyth Park in the heart of Savannah.”
“The splashing fountain, trees draped in Spanish moss…” Amy’s face glowed. Although she had a home in Oak Park with Mallory, they lived in Savannah most of the year.
By this time, the menus had been forgotten and all three women wore moony expressions. Caramba. Just what Selena needed. Friends dreaming about their men. Staring at the menu, she didn’t see a word. The waiter arrived.
“Selena?” McKenna pointed to the menu. The waiter was looking at her with a question on his face and so were Amy and Vanessa.
Embarrassment singed her cheeks. “Oh, I’ll have the burger.” The others laughed and Selena felt like an idiot. After all, the Purple Frog only served burgers. Even the waiter was chuckling. With that curly blonde hair and blue eyes, he was adorable. In another lifetime, she would have flashed what Seth called her high-watt smile.
But this guy wasn’t Seth. And that was the problem.
She met McKenna’s eyes. “I’ll have whatever you’re having.”
Nodding like she understood, McKenna gathered up the menus. “That’ll be two Bacon Bacado Burgers. And plenty of those sweet potato fries, please.” Amy and Vanessa both ordered, and the waiter left but not without a backward look.
“Oh, I think the boy has eyes for you, Selena,” Amy teased.
The air had turned tense, the way a delivery could feel when the cord was unexpectedly wrapped around the baby’s neck. In fact, Selena felt like she was choking and took a quick sip of water.
“Any other thoughts about a city for the wedding?” McKenna asked.
Time to join the party. “What about Santa Fe?” Selena suggested. “You feel like you’re in another country but it's not that far away. My brother Rafael married Ana in the Loretto Chapel. Beautiful ceremony. They live in Santa Fe now. Both teachers.”
McKenna’s eyes brightened. “Hey, I like it. Logan might go for that. What’s the weather like in May?”
“Pleasant. Not any warmer than Savannah would be. The wisteria will be in bloom.” The tension eased. The music changed to something by Sting that involved dolphin sounds. Soothing. Calm.
But when her phone pinged, Selena’s shoulders tightened. She didn’t have to look to know this was Seth. Again.
Turning, McKenna raised her brows. Apparently she’d heard the phone. Reaching into her pocket, Selena turned it off. Seth knew what he was doing to her and she wasn’t going to let that happen.
One sniff of the burgers a few minutes later and Selena’s appetite revived. “Did you cook these yourself?” She batted her eyes shamelessly at the cute waiter.
“Yeah, sure. Hope you like it. I can be pretty handy when I try.” Slapping a towel over his shoulder, he grinned. Selena felt the other women exchanging glances.
“My, oh my. I’d like to see you try.” The words felt strange. Her flirting skills needed a serious tune-up. Did he wink as he turned away? Her friends got busy with their burgers but she thought she heard Vanessa giggle.
“Was I bad?” Ravenous, she took a huge bite of her burger.
“Good to see you put it out there again, girlfriend,” McKenna joked. “Lately you’ve been acting like you were married with none of the benefits.”
Amy and Vanessa exchanged a glance. “Except sometimes there are no benefits, Selena,” Vanessa said slowly. “Sometimes marriage is just doing the laundry, figuring out what’s for dinner and getting up at night with the baby. Trust me, marriage isn’t all roses.”
Mouth full, Selena had no comeback. That all sounded great to her. But Team McKenna was carrying the ball. “Truth is, my knuckle-headed brother isn’t stepping up to the plate. Selena’s booting him out of her life and I totally understand, I guess.”
“I’m so sorry.” Amy’s eyes brimmed. She was so darling and soft-hearted. “You make such a good couple.”
“Honestly, I feel so stupid, Selena. Forget the lecture.” Vanessa gave her head an impatient shake. “A girl’s gotta do what she’s gotta do. I know that.”
“I’d personally like to kill him.” McKenna’s cheeks flushed. Nice to have Seth’s sister on her side. “He should b
e coming through with some permanent plans.”
“That’s right.”
“Absolutely.”
Amy and Vanessa both agreed whole-heartedly.
Selena was dipping a sweet potato fry in the ketchup when she heard McKenna say, “Look, there’s Gary.” Gary Rice was Logan’s partner in the OB Gyn practice at Montclair Hospital. “And he’s with ... my, oh, my.”
Their heads swiveled. Somehow Selena moved her jaws and swallowed. Then she trained her eyes on McKenna. “Did you have anything to do with this?”
“Just helping you along.” McKenna met Selena's eyes directly. “I was down in the ER consulting with Gary when Seth’s crew brought in a patient. He may have overheard me mention we were coming here.”
Okay, I can do this. I can get right in his face.
“We talked about this, remember?” McKenna dropped her voice. “Time to walk the talk, girlfriend.”
Selena pushed her plate away. Across from her, Vanessa lifted eyes brimming with sympathy. “Oh Selena, I know how you feel. Sometimes I want to strangle Alex. He was so hardheaded about some things.”
Amy nodded. “True love never runs smooth. Maybe it’s that Mars and Venus thing.”
Throwing her head back, McKenna gave one of her earthy chuckles. “Right. We come from opposite planets. But we are the sun, ladies. Let’s remember that.”
McKenna always kept things in perspective and Selena joined in the laughter. “Are they still there?” she later whispered to McKenna.
Looking in the direction of the bar, McKenna whispered back, “Yep. Let the games begin.”
“You got that right.” Whipping out her small mirror, Selena applied another coat of candy-apple red gloss. She feathered some of her bangs over one eye.
The waiter came back and they paid. She smiled broadly at him and he stumbled as he turned to go. McKenna, Amy and Vanessa got busy with their jackets. Sliding out of the booth, Selena pulled on her red quilted jacket and matching red and white striped stocking cap that accented her dark hair. The hat never did fit. Curls sprang out every which way.
“Let’s form a line,” Vanessa suggested. “You’re in the middle.” Giggling, the four of them snaked to the front of the bar like they were doing the bunny hop, hands on each other's waists. With Amy and Vanessa in front of her and McKenna warm against her back, Selena felt ready for whatever came her way.
While they giggled, Livvy Wright broke off from the Montclair group. Tossing back her long dark hair, she checked herself out in the mirror over the bar. Selena’s breath tightened when the attractive nurse sauntered over to Seth and draped herself over his shoulder.
Exactly. And this happened all the time.
McKenna poked her in the back. “Keep moving.”
Feeling like the top of her head might fly off, Selena stumbled forward.
The others had noticed. Even Vanessa and Amy were craning their necks and their steps slowed. Whatever Seth said to Livvy, her face turned the color of an August tomato and she flounced away. Back on track, the four of them barreled toward the bar, right into Seth’s path. The moment of truth lay just ahead.
Broad shoulders hunched in a gray sweater she’d given him for Christmas, Seth was watching some game on TV. She doubted that he even knew the score. Sitting next to him, Gary pounded one fist on the bar. Were Seth's eyes ringed with dark circles? Amy and Vanessa waved hello just as McKenna pulled Selena to a halt.
“What are you guys doing here tonight?” McKenna stared daggers at her brother. Selena almost burst into giggles. Seth sure didn’t look happy, like he'd lost a patient in the ambulance. The couple of times that had happened, she'd comforted him until he realized it wasn’t his fault. Her smile faded. Now she wanted to soothe that wrinkled brow and brighten the shadowed brown eyes that had lost their sparkle. They'd always been good about supporting each other in a field where losses happened and hearts broke.
But he’d lost the right to her comfort.
“Just stopped in for a drink.” Gary’s eyes swept the group. Clearly, Seth had clued him in about what was going on. Selena had heard that Gary and Mindy Muenich had broken up, and they’d dated a long time. Must be a lot of that going around. Post-holiday breakups. No one ended a relationship before Christmas. Just not in the spirit of the season.
January? Relationships lay scattered like shredded wrapping paper.
While she talked with Gary about a new piece of equipment, Selena could feel Seth’s eyes on her. Her legs threatened to melt. Then McKenna poked her. That sharp elbow said be strong and Selena picked up the tempo. Tilting her head, she twisted a curl around her finger.
Ramping up her sassy attitude, she almost didn’t feel the touch on her elbow. Startled, she glanced back into the eyes of the waiter she’d flirted with earlier.
“Hey, see you later?” With his adorable grin, he slid something into her pocket. Then he was gone. Flustered, she fingered the edge of a card. Seth looked like he might explode.
“See you guys later.” McKenna led the way to the door. Gary waved good-bye but Seth stared at the bar, visibly seething. His square jaw shifted and his full lips compressed into a thin line. Excelente. Selena busted out of the Purple Frog feeling like she'd just finaled in the Olympics. Exhilarated by the cold night air, she was almost clear when she felt the tug on her jacket. She tried to pull away.
But Seth wasn’t letting go.
Chapter 3
Seth gripped Selena’s jacket tight, the way he did at a football game so they wouldn’t get separated. Up ahead, McKenna turned back with a questioning look. The last thing Selena wanted was an audience and she shot her friend a thumbs-up. “I’ve got this,” she mouthed. With a pleased smile, McKenna turned back to Amy and Vanessa. The three friends had scored parking spots along the street but Selena was in a parking garage.
Yanking her jacket from his hand, Selena spun into action. “What’s up, Seth?”
“Nothing much. How about you?” Dropping his hold, Seth rammed his arms into his brown leather jacket. His fresh soapy smell washed over her. Her shiver had nothing to do with the frigid air. She locked her knees.
“You going to call that guy who gave you his card?” Seth's tight smile didn't reach his dark eyes. He might be playing it cool. But she could be cooler.
“That’s none of your concern anymore, is it?” Tossing her head back, she hoped the streetlight made her dark curls shine.
His nostrils flared. “Don’t you think you’re being ridiculous?”
“Me? Never.” Translation: always.
Looking cautious, Seth settled his hands on her shoulders. Not on her hips, which would be restricted territory. Not that she was overthinking this at all. “Babe, you can’t be serious about Sissy. I was half asleep that morning.”
“Yes, I know. You were dreaming. But not about me.” Her voice cracked, like ice breaking underfoot.
“Aw, Selena, come on. I always dream about you. You know that.” His eyes closed to a sexy slant, absurdly long lashes deepening them to hot chocolate.
“At least you could remember my name.” Putting both hands against his chest, she pushed away.
Seth gave her a calculating look, like he was thinking about what to say next. Not too long ago she tried to teach him how to play chess but he didn’t have the patience. This was the expression he’d worn during the chess game. They’d switched to checkers.
Puffy white flakes sifted from the sky, catching in Seth’s gorgeous auburn hair. How Selena longed to brush the snow away and cup that square jaw in her hand. A stiff Chicago wind slapped some sense into her.
Looking at the man she loved, she longed for the certainty of crocus and lilacs. Instead, they stood on an icy street, curbs heaped with dirty snow. And doggone it, Seth looked totally lost.
The situation was enough to make a grown woman cry. But not her.
He fingered a curl that had escaped from her knit hat. “You always look so cute in this cap.”
One touch and Selena
’s entire body went on melt alert.
She should wear this hat every day.
Or maybe she should never wear it again.
Get a grip, Selena.
When she didn’t say anything, he jammed his hands back into his pockets. “Why aren’t you answering my calls or texts?”
“Nothing to say, Seth.”
He frowned. “But we always have a lot to say to each other, don’t we?”
The man was clueless and badly in need of some Main Man training. A girl’s Main Man would say things like, “I love you.” Not, “What game do you want to watch tonight?”
“Maybe you’re just not saying what I need to hear.”
“Now, what would that be, babe?” Oh, oh. The hands were out again, kneading her shoulders. But honestly? She was tired of holding up cue cards.
“I think you know what I want to hear.” She fought the urge to curl up in the arms she knew too well. Truth was, they talked plenty about the city's worsening traffic problem and global warming. They were always in step on those issues. But tonight the words she longed for were more up close and personal.
A light sparked deep in his eyes. His hands stilled. Maybe Seth Kirkpatrick wasn’t totally clueless after all. “You know I care about you.”
“Is that right? You ‘care’ about me?” Frustration spiraled through her body. His hands slid back into his pockets and the frown returned. Time to lay this out for him. “Care about me enough to go to bed with me but not enough to...”
Did she have to say it? Really?
Never in a million years. Backing away, Selena lost her footing on a patch of ice. Her boots slipped out from under her and her arms flailed.
In a heartbeat, Seth had her. He set her upright with gentle hands, like she was his mother’s Belleek china. “You have to watch your step. It’s slippery out here.”
He always took care of her that way. Seth Kirkpatrick would shoulder his way through crowds ahead of her, open doors, walk on the outside of the sidewalk or hold an umbrella over her during a rainstorm. He made her feel like a sweet little thing when actually she'd grown up working in the fields alongside her family. But right now?
