Rescuing The Reluctant Groom (Windy City Romance 5)

by Barbara Lohr

  Selena took her time with the menu and was very happy with her choice. The cashew encrusted mahi-mahi tasted fabulous but the interaction at the table was what interested her most. Here was a couple who’d both had their problems, and yet they’d put them aside to come together. Harper’s boyfriend had taken off for California, and she was wondering if she should even stay in Savannah when she signed on as the widower’s employee. Cameron was at his wit's end. So many nannies had quit on him. Chuckling, he admitted he'd hired Harper for her Chicago spunk.

  “So are you taking your trip to Guatemala this summer?” Cameron asked after the waitress had brought key lime pie for dessert.

  The question brought Selena back to the realities of her own life. “Yep. Not sure about McKenna and Logan, but Gary Price might go, one of the other OBs.”

  “You do such good work there.” Harper nibbled on the graham cracker crust of her pie. “All those women need your help.”

  “They appreciate us and the group of clinical volunteers grows larger every year. At least one physician comes to help with the more difficult cases that require surgery. “

  “That is so cool.” Picking up her napkin, Harper wiped Bella’s chin. The little girl had ordered ice cream and quite a bit ended up on her pink top.

  “Am I doing good, Daddy?” She looked to her father for approval.

  Cameron nodded. “You’re doing great.”

  “Excellent,” Harper threw in. “I’m proud of you, Bella.”

  They had all the markings of a family. The three looked to each other for approval and laughed over shared experiences. Yep, these three were naturals.

  She would have that one day. Picking up her fork, she cut off a huge mouthful of key lime wonderfulness. Staring out over the water, she considered all kinds of options to try with Seth. Her afternoon texts had caused a sand storm of return messages. She was saving them to read later.

  “Tomorrow night we’re going to another restaurant I think you’ll enjoy,” Cameron announced. “It’s Valentine’s Day and I think you ladies need a night out.”

  And watch them make eyes at each other? A good book sounded better. “Why don’t you let me babysit?” Selena offered. “You two could have a romantic evening.”

  Bella’s lower lip came out. “You mean, I wouldn’t get to come?”

  “Thank you, Selena.” Cameron quietly intervened. “But we promised Bella. My mother’s coming in with my sister and we’re making an evening of it. Is that all right with you?”

  “Absolutely. Look forward to meeting them.” She was glad she’d escaped Chicago and it was only right to go along with whatever Harper and Cameron had planned.

  “Grandma’s coming? Is it going to be a party? Like my birthday?” Bella asked, voice high with excitement.

  “Your birthday was in May, Pipsqueak.”

  “Daddy.” Such disdain in the voice. “Pipsqueak is our dog.”

  Throwing his head back, Cameron unleashed a gutsy laugh that turned heads.

  “We know that, Bella.” Harper threw Cameron a look that made him press his napkin firmly against his lips. “But you were the first Pipsqueak, remember?”

  Blushing, Bella whispered in her nasal voice, “Sure I remember, Harper. But then I growed up.”

  Another family discussion ensued. The long day had Selena’s eyes flagging. By the time they drove home she was more than ready for bed. “Wonderful day. See you in the morning.” She gave Harper a big hug at the foot of the stairs.

  “How about some sightseeing tomorrow?” Harper suggested. “Cameron offered to spend the day with Bella. My Valentine present.”

  “Sounds good.” Anything to keep her body and her mind busy. Climbing the stairs to the third floor, Selena flipped open her phone and laughed softly at Seth's first message. Uh, huh. The boy was getting so frisky.

  And there were so many more texts to enjoy later in bed.

  Chapter 6

  Seth watched Mick and Maria circle the dance floor in the roving spotlight. Another high school friend married off. Mick’s parents looked like they’d died and gone to heaven.

  Holding the phone wouldn’t make it ring so he put it away. The texts from Selena today made him wonder how he ever wound up here alone. The guy with the mic invited the wedding guests to join the happy bride and groom. Seth slouched down in the metal folding chair, glad for the bushy pink flowers on the table. How many single men were left in his crowd? Not many.

  Taking his phone back out, he read Selena's last message.

  He missed her like crazy. Why had she gone to see Harper?

  After all, he’d never been to Savannah. Seemed strange and it bothered him. His own sister. The trip felt disloyal.

  Just then Sissy Hanson drifted past with champagne and a giddy smile. “You expecting a call, Seth?” Leaning over, she offered an ample view of her low neckline. Subtlety wasn’t her strong suit.

  Keeping his eyes straight ahead, Seth jammed his phone back in the pocket of his monkey suit. He’d been a groomsman in Mick’s wedding. If this kept up, he might as well buy a tux. “Thought I felt a vibration. Friday night and all.”

  “Really? I’ve been having such a great time visiting...maybe I should check my phone too.” With a knowing smile, Sissy snapped open her handbag. Why did women always bring those itty bitty bags to weddings? Staring down at her phone, Sissy frowned. “Nope. No calls. Guess we’re in the same boat.”

  No way. “Easy mistake. That band is so loud.” By this time, other couples had joined the bride and groom on the dance floor.

  “Where’s Selena tonight?”

  Sissy must not have gotten the memo yet about the breakup. “Out of town.”

  “Hmm.” Snapping her bag closed, she leaned closer. “Well, since you’re here, want to dance?”

  Right. Sissy would post an innocent but incriminating photo on Facebook. All hope of winning Selena back would go down the drain. “Think my brother is waving to me, so I’ll have to pass. Excuse me, Sissy.”

  After all, this was the woman who had gotten him into trouble, although she didn’t know it and certainly wasn’t to blame. Across the floor, Connor was holding court and Seth headed his way, sidestepping the dancers. Last thing he wanted to watch was couples slow dancing, whispering in each other’s ears. Since their parents were babysitting for Sean and they liked to turn in early, he suspected Connor and Amanda wouldn’t be here long.

  Before he reached their table, the music ended and an announcer grabbed the mic. “All right now, all the single men on the dance floor. Could be your lucky night, fellows.” Doing a quick about face, Seth veered toward the exit. He could talk to his brother tomorrow.

  Out in the dark parking lot, two overhead lights glinted off the tops of cars. A February wind swept North Avenue and he headed to the far corner where he’d parked. Shivering, he popped open his trunk to pull out his heavy jacket. At first he thought the sound he heard was the wind. Slamming his trunk shut, he stood there for a second, cold air whistling round his head.

  The pathetic wail came again, faint and needy. Searching the darkness, he saw movement next to a dumpster in the back. “Anybody there?” Could be a lost child. You just never know. As he stepped toward the dumpster, a patch of gray flattened itself against the metal.

  What the heck? An animal out here at night? Crouching, Seth held out a hand and wiggled his fingers. Better to let the poor thing come to him. No need to get bitten by a frightened animal. “Come on, now. Bet you’re hungry, right?”

  But the mass of gray fluff that crept out shyly to sniff his outstretched hand was anything but dangerous. Barely filling his hand when he scooped it up, the poor kitten was starving, its skeletal frame puncturing his heart. “Where did you come from, huh? Were you born under someone’s porch? Did you lose your mama?”

  Climbing into his car, Seth blasted the heat. The kitten shivered in his lap. “I’m going to get you home and find you something to eat.” He had no idea what he had in his kitchen but
he sure wasn’t going to leave the kitten out here to die.

  ~~

  Comfy in the bed, Selena tapped on her messages. The dinner with Cameron and Harper had left her feeling lonely. Those two were just so comfortable and lovey with each other. Her resolve began to melt. Missing Seth like crazy, she dug into his messages like they were key lime pie.

  Friday night and I’m stuck at this stupid wedding without you. I’d rather be somewhere private, just the two of us.

  So the wedding was stupid? She tapped the phone against her lips. Usually they stopped at the Purple Frog on Fridays for a burger. Sometimes they even drove over to the Comeback Inn in Seth’s neighborhood. Besides the peanut shells on the floor and the yummy aroma of their grilled burgers, Comeback had a moose head hanging above the roaring fireplace. The back half greeted visitors on the other side of the wall.

  Sigh. History. She missed it. She missed them as a couple.

  She clicked on the next message.

  Don’t you miss your hunky hottie, mi amor?

  No fair giving her the sweet talk she’d taught him.

  Mi amor? Seth was more like mi problema.

  And she had no solution.

  Why aren’t you here to dance with me?

  She could picture Seth surrounded by old friends, every girl hoping to catch his eye now that he was a free man. And that boy knew how to dance. He could put Channing Tatum to shame with his sexy moves.

  Her fingers got busy. Know what I miss?

  Typing away, she named a few things to get Seth's pulse racing. She laughed, picturing how uncomfortable he might become, and in public too.

  But it had been a big day. Plugging the phone into her charger, she turned out the light. She’d come to Savannah to get away from Seth. What was the point if she kept thinking about him? When she was still wide awake thirty minutes later, she blamed the key lime pie. Grabbing a Southern Life magazine from the basket next to the bed, she settled in to read until her eyes finally flagged.

  ~~

  “Did you sleep okay?” Harper asked Saturday morning when Selena joined her for coffee in the kitchen. Bella was watching TV and Cameron had already left to visit one of his project sites.

  “Like a baby,” she lied. No sense having Harper think this visit wasn’t appreciated. “When I woke up, I couldn’t remember where I was. Then it hit me. Savannah, city of sunshine.” Seth had been her next thought. He’d sent her a Happy Valentine’s text. Of course it was a joke, not the mushy kind she would have liked.

  “Want to go shopping? Clothes? Shoes? What’s your pleasure? Cameron will be back in thirty minutes and he wants us to have a girls’ day.”

  “All of the above.” Anything to keep busy.

  By the time Cameron returned, they were ready. The Truman Expressway wasn’t very crowded as they headed downtown. The sun was shining and she was going to explore a new city.

  “Thought we’d start at a market area. Lots of shops and great food.” Harper pulled into a parking garage.

  “Sounds wonderful.”

  About two blocks from the river, City Market bustled with tourists. Selena picked up an aqua T-shirt with Savannah emblazoned on the front. The shirt would always bring back this day, she hoped, and the feeling of her new found freedom. Maybe she’d do more traveling.

  But that sure felt like running away.

  Since Harper was into art, Selena followed her through some of the galleries but nothing really caught her eye. Although Selena liked art, she seldom bought any. Today she wondered why. Her work paid well enough to allow indulgences. What was she waiting for?

  Her own home. With her own husband.

  When Selena tripped, Harper grabbed her.

  “I’m fine. Just a crack in the sidewalk.”

  “Got to watch where you’re going,” Harper warned her. “These cobblestone walks are older than we are. Old and mean.” They both laughed. The uneven pavement wasn't totally to blame for Selena’s stumbling. Sometimes a sudden realization can make a woman careless.

  Her life was on hold. Like a plane waiting to land, she was circling. Waiting for a house. Waiting for a husband who would decorate the house with her. Since when had waiting been her style? Maybe she should start creating that home herself.

  She pulled her attention to the store windows. In one of the art galleries, she saw a beautiful flock of what looked like gulls taking to the sky. The artist had rendered the birds in some shiny metal. The piece lifted her spirits. “What do you think of this, Harper?”

  Standing back, Harper contemplated the striking piece that seemed to lift right off the red brick wall. “I love it. So beautiful and free. Does it remind you of Lake Michigan? Cameron and I don’t go to Tybee Island that often so I don’t see gulls much.”

  Selena chuckled. “Somehow I can’t see this in Cameron’s home. All the history in that mansion calls for historical paintings, like the guys with the handle-bar moustaches in his parlor.”

  “Sometimes that’s a problem.” Harper frowned.

  “Really? That gorgeous mansion is a problem?”

  “Believe it or not, yes. Cameron’s been married and he’s had the house for a while. Everything is pretty much the way he likes it. But design management was my major in college, so I'm itching to make my own mark on the house. I mean, when it's appropriate.” Her voice faded and her cheeks flushed. The rosy glow made Harper even more beautiful.

  “So what’s the future for you two?” Selena had to ask. “Not that I’m prying but I am curious. Do you have plans?”

  “No details yet.” Harper’s eyes turned a misty green. “I mean, I just can’t imagine my life without Cameron and Bella. I really can’t.”

  The girl was in serious need of a hug and Selena obliged. “You probably won’t have to even think about that. I’m the one concerned about my future.” Her eyes drifted back to the gulls, so darned inspiring and totally impractical.

  She made up her mind. No more waiting. “This piece is perfect for my bedroom wall. I want to wake up every morning, looking at these birds soaring into the sky. I want to feel this in my heart.”

  “You go, girl. You'll figure all this out. Seth is not about to let you get away. Count on it.”

  “Maybe I need a reminder of who I am hanging on my wall.” Selena pulled out her wallet.

  After buying the piece and making delivery plans, they walked back to a little French bistro called Goose Feathers that served the most delicious breakfast sandwiches ever. “The food here is fabulous,” Selena murmured, sipping her lemonade between bites of egg, croissant and sausage.

  “It’s impossible to diet in this town.” Harper reached for the sticky bun she’d ordered. “Want to split this?”

  “Bring it on. No way am I counting calories on this trip.”

  When they finished eating, Harper and Selena strolled onto Broughton Street, thick with college students and tourists. Sun warm on her shoulders, Selena was so glad she’d come. The change of scene made her feel like her old self, the woman she used to be before she met Seth. How had she ever allowed a man to have so much power? But Seth didn't take it. No, she'd given it up. Most weekends she waited to see what his plans were. How crazy was that? From now on, she would set her own schedule.

  Shopping had never been high on her list. Just wasn’t her thing with the midwifery business keeping her busy at all hours. But being here with Harper in an exciting city got Selena in a shopping mood.

  Passing a shoe store, she took stock of the window display. “I could use some walking shoes.”

  “Globe Shoes is one of the best shops in town, but not for walking shoes.” Harper’s eyes danced. “The shoes in this store? For kicking up your heels, girlfriend.” They went inside.

  Selena had the best intentions. But she threw walking shoes aside to study a pair of black boots with tiny covered buttons that would sculpt a woman’s calf perfectly. Her legs had always been a point of pride. She practically salivated.

  Harper followed h
er glance. “Going to try those on?”

  “You better believe it.”

  While she pivoted in front of the floor mirror, she pictured Seth's reaction to the sexy boots. Twenty minutes later, she left the store with a sizeable box. The boots? She might wear them on the plane.

  Farther down the street, she found a pair of walking shoes and Harper bought a cinnamon colored sweater that set off her hair. When they reached a tea room, of course they stopped. Although tea had never been Selena’s thing, the blueberry scones were to die for. Stomachs full, they wandered through a furniture store specializing in modern furniture with long, low sofas, enormous coffee tables and floor lamps in geometric designs. Selena would never see anything like these in her parents’ modest home. But they were very happy with their three bedroom split level in Kalamazoo, with a traditional high-backed sofa and comfortable overstuffed chairs. They moved on.

  The card store had a sale on valentines. Selena hesitated while Harper snapped them up. “To tuck away,” she told Selena with a smile. “I'm big on sales.”

  Buying mushy cards for next year would be trusting in the future. Selena was through with that. But when she flipped open a musical card that played the chicken dance, she had to have it. Even if she only played it for herself, the card was worth it.

  Then they hit Leopold’s, the iconic ice cream shop that she discovered still made chocolate sodas the old fashioned way, thick and syrupy. She ordered hers with coconut ice cream while Harper decided on a chocolate malt. Selena insisted on treating her. Kirkpatricks always liked to pay their own way so it wasn’t easy to snatch the check from the fresh-faced boy at the counter. Harper grabbed for it. But her hostess soon relented, leading the way to one of the old fashioned marble-topped tables. Selena slid into a bentwood chair.