The Husband Maker Boxed Set

by White, Karey

  Strangely, I not only needed to mourn. I wanted to mourn. I wanted to remember how good Kyle was and how good he’d been to me. He’d made every other relationship feel like they’d happened to a child. Kyle had been a grown up love, a plan for the future love, and a put each other first love.

  I’d never had that before. I’d never willingly broken my heart for someone else, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized Kyle had done the same for me. He hadn’t tried to pressure me or make me change my mind. He hadn’t asked me to do something I wasn’t capable of doing. We’d both given up what we’d wanted to make the other one happy. That made the loss both easier and more difficult, and I couldn’t voice these things to anyone else. Voicing it would undermine the love and pain and sacrifice.

  Jayne hugged me when she saw me and offered to talk whenever I was ready. I nodded, but knew it would be a while. Dad and Mom called to check on me, but didn’t ask for any specifics. They just reminded me they loved me. Mia offered silent support, never asking me any questions. She just tried to keep me occupied.

  It had been three weeks since I’d seen Kyle, when my phone chirped. It was Angus.

  ANGUS: YOU UP FOR SOME THERAPY?

  I panicked. Had someone told him about Kyle and me? I didn’t need to ask him because the phone chirped again.

  ANGUS: I GUESS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE KYLE’S OKAY WITH US HAVING THERAPY.

  It was then I realized he wasn’t talking about my breakup. He must have split with Wyatt.

  ME: OF COURSE WE CAN GO TO THERAPY. I’M SO SORRY, ANGUS. ARE YOU DOING OKAY?

  ANGUS: I’LL BE FINE. IT’S ALWAYS A LITTLE HARD, EVEN WHEN YOU KNOW IT’S NOT A PERMANENT THING.

  ME: WHEN DO YOU WANT TO GO?

  ANGUS: IS TONIGHT TOO SHORT OF NOTICE?

  ME: NO. TONIGHT’S GREAT. YOU WANT TO MEET THERE?

  ANGUS: I CAN SWING BY AND PICK YOU UP. NO SENSE HAVING TWO CARS TO PARK.

  ME: SOUNDS GOOD.

  ANGUS: EIGHT?

  ME: I’LL BE READY.

  I felt a little guilty. I’d have to tell Angus about Kyle tonight. I hoped when I did, he wouldn’t feel betrayed that I hadn’t followed our usual pattern. Hopefully, he’d understand. It would be good to see him. I felt a stab of pain as I realized that within a matter of weeks, I’d lost Kyle forever, and I’d lose Angus to his residency back east.

  I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I reminded myself I had a great job and good friends. I just needed to be patient while I waited for true love.

  No. I’d had that. Now I was waiting for a love that would work.

  Angus double parked and called my cell phone. “I’m here.”

  I noticed the sharp contrast between Kyle’s ridiculously nice car and medical student, Angus’s, fourteen-year-old Toyota Camry.

  “How’s your dad doing?” I asked.

  “Pretty good. He’s started treatment. It’s been miserable, but he’s determined to beat this. He says he wants to be around for me to operate on his knees, and he’d like to meet his daughter-in-law and grandchildren before he goes.”

  “Your dad is such a great man. If anyone can get through this, it’d be him. How did your parents take your breakup?”

  “I don’t know. They liked Wyatt.”

  “I liked her, too. I thought you were a good match.”

  “She was great. There just wasn’t that thing, you know? I never felt more than friendship. I wanted to, but I didn’t.”

  “What about Wyatt? Is she okay?”

  “She cried. I felt like a jerk, but I never led her on. She said all along she was good with the ‘just friends’ thing. I guess she was saying what she thought I wanted to hear.”

  “Why do relationships have to be so hard?” I whispered.

  “I don’t think they are hard when you find the right one. At least that’s what Will keeps telling me.”

  “I’m not sure you can use Will and Gina as a measuring stick. They knew they wanted to marry each other the first night they met. And I don’t think they’ve had a disagreement yet.”

  “So maybe he does know what he’s talking about.”

  We sat in a back booth and ordered our usual. After the waitress left, Angus relaxed into the corner of the booth and put one leg up on the bench.

  “When do you leave for New York?” I asked, even though the thought of it made me lonely.

  “Well, the New York residency started last week.”

  “Really? Did they give you a little extra time because of your dad?”

  Angus shook his head. “Nope. I actually went in and spoke to the Chief of Staff at Alameda, and I’m staying here.”

  “You are?” A small strand of the rope that had been strangling my heart loosened.

  “I couldn’t stand the thought of being so far from Dad. They were hours away from giving the spot to someone else, but after I talked to him, he said I could take it. So I’m staying.”

  “I’ll bet your parents were so happy.”

  “Yeah, they were. I was excited to see a new part of the country, but I feel good about it.”

  “So do I.” We smiled at each other. “I hated the thought of you being so far away.”

  “Well, you’re all stuck with me for several more years. Unless you marry the future senator and you move back east. I keep watching for a gigantic ring.”

  I took a long drink of water. “We’re not actually dating anymore.”

  “What?” Angus turned in his seat and leaned across the table. “What are you talking about? Since when?”

  “Three weeks ago. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just . . .”

  Angus put up his hand. “You don’t have to be sorry. I get it.”

  “You do?”

  “I know this one was different. If you aren’t ready to talk about it, I understand.”

  I nodded. “This has been so hard,” I whispered as tears started flowing again.

  “Oh, Charles.” Angus slid out from his side of the booth and scooted in by me. He put his arm around me and smoothed my hair, while I cried into his shoulder. “I thought this was it for you.”

  “So did I.” I sniffled.

  “What happened?”

  “It was all very mature and rational. And sad. I can’t live with that kind of scrutiny and mistrust. Not mistrust from Kyle,” I quickly explained.

  “I know what you mean. That reporter messed with your head.”

  I nodded. “And fear. I was so afraid I’d do or say something wrong. I knew I’d ruin things for him.”

  “No, you wouldn’t have. He’d have been lucky to have you on his team.”

  “I’d have been lucky to have him, Angus. And yes, I would have ruined things for him. I learned some things about myself. I hadn’t realized I’m such a private person. I don’t want everyone watching my every move, and I don’t want to have to be on guard about every word that comes out of my mouth. I’d already made some big mistakes.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  “It’s true. It was a mutual decision. But it’s been hard.” I didn’t tell him about the last straw—Devon watching me overnight because he didn’t trust that I wasn’t cheating or doing something that would embarrass the Aldsworths. I’d said enough. “I think I’m done for a while.”

  “Done with what?”

  “Dating. I’ve always been afraid to turn anyone down because what if I’m rejecting ‘the one?’”

  “You turned down Eldon Wentworth.”

  “You can’t count that. I knew there was no way he was the one. He spit when he talked, and he couldn’t say a word to me without being this close.” I put my face right next to Angus’s to prove my point. “Besides, when he asked me to dinner, I couldn’t go. That was the same night as McKayla’s graduation.”

  Angus moved his face back a little bit. “I don’t know, Chuck. He might have been ‘the one.’”

  “If he was, I’m better off single the rest of my life.”

  “I’ve sugge
sted setting you up with Charlie three or four times, and you’ve turned me down on that.”

  “His name is Charlie.”

  Angus shook his head. “He’s a good guy. You might be missing out on ‘the one.’ Maybe you should let me set you up. You might hit it off.”

  “Thanks anyway, but I won’t be ready to date for a long time. This one hurt too much.”

  “Let me know if you change your mind. He lives in Sacramento. You could meet in the middle. Or you could go out some time when you go see your parents.”

  Suddenly, I felt very selfish. “No more talking about me, Angus. This was supposed to be your therapy session.” I wanted to lighten the mood and talk about something else.

  “It seems like we both needed it.”

  “Thanks for understanding why I hadn’t said anything. And thanks for taking the Alameda position. I’m glad you’re not leaving.”

  “Me too.”

  Our meal came, and we ate too much. I laughed for the first time in three weeks. It was after ten when we walked to Angus’s car.

  “So, how long do you think it’ll take Kyle to marry someone else?” I asked. It was something I’d thought about a lot the last three weeks, and the thought hurt my heart.

  “Stop it, Chuck. Don’t even think about that. It’s all just stupid coincidence, anyway.”

  I knew better, but I didn’t want Angus to have to pep talk me anymore. “I was just wondering.”

  Six Months Later

  I’d been to Imperial Palace a few times with Aleena. The food was legendary, but taking someone who could speak Mandarin was the only way to survive the place. Imperial Palace was in San Francisco’s Chinatown, but once you walked through the doors, you might as well have been in Shanghai. The restaurant had been a dance hall in the 1940s. Seventy years ago the entrance had been through double doors at the back of the room, but now we entered onto what had once been the stage where bands performed. Eight steps led down to what had been the dance floor, but was now filled with round tables with yellow tablecloths. A dozen chandeliers hung overhead, the most obvious remnant of its fancy past life.

  Long walkways looked like mazes. Between the walkways were clusters of tables squeezed together so tightly, it was difficult to distinguish the different groups of diners. We followed a tiny Chinese woman to a table in the middle, carefully dodging the carts of food being pushed around by a host of Chinese servers. Imperial Palace was probably the loudest restaurant in the city. Servers yelled at the diners, and diners yelled back their orders. Table conversations were carried out with raised voices. I wasn’t sure which would have registered a higher decibel level—a world cup soccer match or Imperial Palace on a Friday afternoon.

  I looked around the crowded room. I’d only seen one other non-Asian at the restaurant in all the times I’d eaten there, and that had been during our second lunch. It had been an older white man with a group of Chinese friends. Today, I was the only non-Asian in the room.

  We’d been seated all of four seconds when the first cart bumped into the back of Aleena’s chair and a woman began screaming at her. I grinned. I couldn’t help it. This place was an adventure.

  “You want pork buns?” Aleena yelled at me.

  “Yes. And purple rice,” I yelled back.

  For the next few minutes, Aleena yelled and argued with the servers pushing the carts. When they wanted to give us something we hadn’t asked for, she shook her head and yelled at them. When they passed us without offering something we wanted, Aleena hollered at them for their negligence. About five minutes later, we had everything we wanted on the table, and we began eating.

  There was a break in the clamor and I looked around. All over the room, diners had turned their attention toward the entrance. I followed their eyes, and suddenly I understood the hush.

  “Look at those brave men.” Aleena was looking the same place I was.

  Standing inside the doors were two men who were as out of place as Mike Tyson on a synchronized swim team. I stared at them along with the rest of the room as they waited to be seated. It was hard to drag my eyes away. Not only were they unusually tall, they were also two of the most handsome men I’d seen in some time.

  “Do the Hemsworths have two brothers we don’t know about?” I asked.

  Aleena giggled. “Apparently.”

  Although the men bore a striking resemblance to our favorite Australian imports, they each had their own vibe. One was clean-shaven and polished and wore a tailored, navy suit, while the other wore faded jeans, a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and a few day’s scruff. He reminded me of a lumberjack, and it wasn’t hard to picture his broad shoulders and muscular forearms felling giant redwoods.

  I couldn’t help laughing as the less-than-five-foot Chinese woman barked orders for the two big men to follow her. She walked straight to the table next to ours. “You sit here,” she yelled and pointed at the table. They obeyed.

  When she turned to leave, they both started laughing. “Well, she’s a bit cranky,” the lumberjack said. His English was laden with an accent I couldn’t place.

  Around us, the noise picked back up, but I barely noticed. The table where they sat was practically on top of ours. In fact, the man in the suit was sitting so close to me that with only a minor adjustment, we’d be rubbing shoulders. The lumberjack was sitting nearly as close to Aleena, which gave me a perfect angle to look at him. He had a captivating face. His complexion was ruddy, like he sported a little sunburn. A smattering of freckles crossed his cheekbones and nose. His hair was the color of sweet potatoes and made the blue of his eyes startling.

  Two women pushed a cart up to the table and began yelling in Mandarin. The men looked at each other. “What do we do?” the suited man yelled and his friend shrugged.

  As if in response to his question, the women started holding up plates of food while shouting and pointing. The two men looked at each other and then back at the women. “Do you speak English?” the lumberjack asked.

  “No, no.” One of the Chinese women shoved a plate of noodles toward them.

  “You want these?” the suited man asked his companion.

  “I dunno what I want. I’m thinkin’ this was a mistake.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh at their discomfort. “Do you need some help?” I hollered. Both men turned to look at me.

  “Aye, we do, miss. But you don’t fit in here anymore than we do,” the man in the suit shouted.

  “But I brought my secret weapon.” I pointed at Aleena, who grinned at the men and waved.

  “Can ya help us out?” asked the man in the plaid shirt.

  “Sure.” Aleena slid around to the seat beside mine, and we moved our food to our side of the table. “You should join us over here.”

  The men moved to the other side of our table. The Chinese women at the cart shook their heads and pushed the cart over to our table. Within a few minutes, they had several dishes in front of them, and Aleena had successfully shooed the servers away.

  “We asked where we could get the best Chinese food in town and this is where they sent us. I was thinkin’ we might need to go and find a piece instead.” The lumberjack took a large bite of pork roll. “This is good.”

  “A piece?” I asked, trying to make sense of what he’d said.

  “He means a sandwich,” said the suited man. “I’m Bruce, by the way, and this is my brother, Flynn.”

  Flynn swallowed and nodded, “Nice ta meet ya.”

  “Where are you from?” I asked.

  “Stornaway, on the Isle of Lewis.”

  I must have looked confused because Bruce spoke up. “Scotland.”

  “Aye, aye,” I said and then felt foolish. Did they even say “aye aye” in Scotland? When I looked up, Flynn was grinning at me. My stomach did a little dip I hadn’t felt for months. I couldn’t help but smile back. In fact, we sat frozen like that for several seconds before I started feeling silly and pulled my eyes away from his.

 
It was hard to carry on a conversation in the commotion of Imperial Palace. We tried, but we kept having to repeat ourselves, so mostly we ate and laughed at the chaos around us. I found myself glancing at Flynn throughout the meal and he was almost always looking back at me. My stomach was a flurry of activity. A waiter came to the table and began adding up the cost of each of the plates of food. We tried to separate the dishes so we could each pay for our own, but in the end, the waiter handed us one bill. Bruce put up his hand and brushed Aleena’s away. “No worries. We’ll cover it.”

  “Oh no, we can get ours.”

  “Ya helped us out. We’ll buy your lunch.”

  The street sounded almost like the inside of a church after the noise of the restaurant. We stopped on the sidewalk and turned to thank our new Scottish friends.

  “Thanks for the help. We mighta starved without ya.” Flynn winked at me. What was it about his appearance that made it hard to look away? Certainly he was handsome, but I came in contact with attractive men regularly and they didn’t make me want to gawk at them. There was just something about his pale blue eyes and the scattered freckles that made me think of explorers and pioneers and Vikings. He was so manly.

  “You two are brave. I wouldn’t dare come here without Aleena,” I said.

  “What brings you to the U.S?” I was glad Aleena had asked. I’d wanted to know but had been too busy staring to speak.

  “’I’ve lived here almost two years. Flynn’s a tourist. Just got here yesterday.”

  “Visiting your fair country for a while. Likin’ the sights so far.” Flynn nodded at me.

  My cheeks grew warm.

  “There’s a lot to see here. Are you playing tour guide?” Aleena asked Bruce.

  “When I have the time. There’s a lot I still haven’t seen. I’ve been here two years and haven’t made it to Alcatraz.”