Harlequin Special Edition September 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: Maverick for HireA Match Made by BabyOnce Upon a Bride

by Leanne Banks

  “Dating around is one thing, but a real relationship, the right kind, can be very different. Hopefully, Nick will come to his senses and realize it sooner than later.”

  “Yeah,” Cecelia said, but didn’t think that was likely. She pulled into the Duncans’ driveway. “We’re here.”

  “I can’t thank you enough for bringing me,” Beth said.

  “I’ll help you with the groceries,” Cecelia said. “I have time.”

  “If you’re sure,” Beth said, opening her door.

  “I am,” Cecelia said and grabbed a bag of groceries.

  Moments later, everything had been unloaded.

  “Thanks so much,” Will said with his young granddaughter by his side. His grandson was organizing frozen goods.

  “My pleasure,” Cecelia said and watched as Beth moved closer to Will. “Anything else I can do? Unfortunately Beth’s car gave out on her.”

  Will glanced at her. “Is that true? You can use my car.”

  “That wouldn’t be right,” Beth said.

  “It darn well would be,” he said. “You’ve done a lot for us lately. The least you can do is let us help you in return.”

  Silence descended over the room.

  Sara walked toward Beth and lifted her hands for a hug. “Can we have a tea party?”

  “Of course we can,” Beth said and brought the little girl into her arms.

  Cecelia nearly wept at the sweet love exchanged between the two. She squished her eyes together to keep from crying. “I’ll call Nick to check on your car. In the meantime I need to get these donations to the church.”

  “Thank you for rescuing me,” Beth said.

  “I’ll make sure she has transportation,” Will said, and Cecelia saw why Beth said Will was such a manly man.

  Her eyes still stinging, she left the house and picked up the last of the food donations then drove to the church. By that time, her head was throbbing and her throat was so sore she could hardly swallow.

  After she delivered what she collected to the church, Cecelia headed back to the rooming house and stripped and showered. She sank into her bed and prayed she wasn’t getting sick.

  The next morning, however, her throat was scratchy and she was still achy. Feeling both hot and cold, she pulled the covers over her head and waited for the feeling to stop.

  It didn’t, so she took a deep breath and rolled out of bed anyway. Maybe she would feel better after breakfast, although she wasn’t hungry. After spending a few extra minutes in the shower, she pulled on her clothes and trudged down the steps for breakfast.

  “What can I get for you?” Beth asked as she filled a plate for one of the other residents.

  “I think I’ll just grab a blueberry muffin and some coffee,” Cecelia said. “I’m running a little late.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want more?” Beth asked.

  “Nope. That’ll be fine. How’s your car?” she asked.

  “Will got it towed for me and it’s the alternator just like you said. Maybe you should become a mechanic,” Beth said with a smile.

  “Lucky guess,” Cecelia said and poured coffee into her travel mug. She wished her throat didn’t hurt so much.

  She went to her assigned work site for the day and helped tear up some linoleum then began to replace the wood flooring underneath. Sipping her coffee, she felt worse as the day wore on. She’d been told Nick would stop by sometime to assess the counters. She was glad he wasn’t here because he would expect her to be chatty and she didn’t feel up to it. Her head throbbing, she decided to work through lunch so she could perhaps leave early. Almost done, she stood to get a bottle of water.

  Suddenly, the room started to swim in front of her eyes. “Oops,” she muttered.

  “Hey, Cecelia,” one of the other workers named Richard called to her. “You okay? You look weird.”

  Such flattery, she thought and waved her hand. “No, I’m fine,” she said. “Totally fine,” she repeated and collapsed to the floor.

  Two guys immediately rushed toward her. “What’s wrong?” Richard asked.

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. I feel hot and cold. I probably just need some water.”

  “Hey. What’s going on?” Nick asked, walking in the door and glancing at the two workmen and Cecelia.

  “Cecelia just fainted,” Richard said in an incredulous tone.

  Cecelia rolled her eyes, but even that hurt. “I did not faint. I did not lose consciousness.”

  Nick moved closer, and the way he studied her made her feel as if she were under a microscope. “You’re pale,” he said and touched her forehead. “And you’re burning up. I’m taking you to the clinic.”

  “That’s not necessary,” she said. “I just need some water and a nap.”

  “I don’t think so,” he said. “Fainting?”

  “I didn’t faint,” she corrected him as he helped her to her feet. She hated how wobbly she felt. “I just sat down quickly.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” he said, but she could tell he didn’t believe her. “Hey, guys, I’ll take her to the clinic and look at the cabinets tomorrow.”

  “No problem,” Richard said. “You want one of us to drive her truck to the rooming house?”

  “That would be great,” Nick said. “Thanks.”

  “Let us know what happens,” Richard said. “I’ve never seen her like this.”

  “Me either,” Nick said and helped her to his truck.

  An hour later, after Cecelia tested positive for strep and received a dose of antibiotics, Nick drove her to the rooming house.

  “This is ridiculous,” she grumbled. “I never get sick. Never ever.”

  “Well, you’re sick now and you’ve been told to rest until your fever goes away. So you can just plan on taking it easy for the next couple of days.”

  Cecelia frowned. “I don’t like taking it easy. It’s boring. Besides, I have things to do.”

  “Not until you get better,” he said and pulled up to the front of the rooming house. “I’ll help you up to your room.”

  “I’m fine,” she said, but he ignored her and ushered her up the steps to the porch.

  Beth and Melba met them at the front door. “Oh my goodness, you poor thing,” Melba said. “We’ve heard the news. You passed out on the floor on the job.”

  “And Nick had to carry you into the clinic,” Beth added.

  Cecelia looked at Nick. “What?”

  He fought a grin, but couldn’t quite win. “Small town. Exciting news travels fast.”

  “Nick did not have to carry me,” Cecelia said. “He just insisted on it, and his back may pay for it later.”

  “I’m strong enough to carry you,” he said and urged her toward the indoor staircase.

  “And I did not pass out,” Cecelia said over her shoulder. “I just sat down very quickly.”

  Melba shook her head and made a clucking sound. “What’s wrong with our girl?” she asked Nick.

  “Strep throat. She needs rest, liquids and an antibiotic,” he said.

  “I’ll start some chicken soup right away,” Beth said. “A big batch,” she added.

  “I don’t need a big batch,” Cecelia said, stopping at the landing.

  Beth’s cheeks turned pink. “Well, I thought I would make some extra for Melba and maybe the Duncans.”

  Cecelia mustered a smile even though she felt awful. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”

  “Stop stalling,” Nick said. “Or I’ll pick you up and haul you to your room.”

  “Jeez, why are you being such a Neanderthal about this. I’m fine,” she said, but the stairs tilted to the left in a strange way. Cecelia did not want to sit down suddenly again, so she paused.

  “What’s wrong?” he
asked. “Are you okay? Should I carry you the rest of the way?”

  “No,” Cecelia said. “You’ll frighten Melba. Just give me one minute,” she said and continued up the stairs. She made it to her bed and sank down on it.

  “Don’t lie down yet. You need to drink some water first,” he said and filled a glass in her tiny bathroom. He returned and placed the glass in her hand.

  She drank, but swallowing hurt. She winced.

  “Keep going,” he said.

  “Hurts a little,” she confessed.

  “Drink anyway,” he said. “If you get dehydrated, you could end up in the hospital.”

  Staring at him in alarm, she forced the rest of the water down. She slid down on her bed and pulled the covers from one side over her. “I’m just going to rest for a minute,” she said.

  “Don’t you want to change clothes?” he asked.

  “Too cold,” she said.

  He sighed and removed her boots. “You’re a terrible sick person.”

  “I really don’t get sick,” she said. “My parents had a lot of kids and not a lot of money. I wasn’t really allowed to get sick. I’m going to close my eyes for a couple of minutes,” she said. “But I’m fine.”

  Hours later, she awakened to a knock at the door. “Yes?” she called, but the sound was barely a whisper. She crawled out of bed and opened the door to find Beth Crowder holding a tray with a bowl of soup and a glass of water.

  “Hi,” Cecelia said, but it was little more than a whisper.

  “Oh, sweetie, you look terrible,” Beth said. “Get back in bed.”

  “I’m fine,” Cecelia said, but returned to her bed.

  “Nick told me to check on you and make sure you drank some liquids,” Beth said.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Cecelia said.

  “I wanted to,” Beth said and patted Cecelia’s hand. “You eat the soup and drink that water. I’ll be up later.”

  “You don’t—”

  Beth sliced her hand through the air. “Rest,” she said. “Soup, water and rest.” She shook her head. “Nick said it was going to be hard to get you to stay down, and I’m afraid he may be right.”

  “He’s so bossy,” Cecelia said and swallowed a spoonful of the chicken noodle soup.

  “He’s just making sure you get well. That’s what a good man should do,” Beth said. “We’re all worried about you.”

  “I’m really fine,” Cecelia said. “I’ll probably be up and at it tomorrow.”

  “I wouldn’t count on it. You’re a strong woman, but you need to give yourself time to fight off this bug.”

  Cecelia was too tired to argue, but if she had her way she wouldn’t be lying in bed all day tomorrow. She finished the soup and mustered the energy to change into pajamas and a sweatshirt. She still felt so cold.

  Cecelia awakened later to the sight of Nick beside her along with two bouquets of flowers. “Oh, hi,” she said.

  “Hi,” he said in return. “Two of your boyfriends sent flowers.”

  “How nice,” she said, rising to look at the flowers.

  “Yeah,” he said in a cranky voice. “Very nice.”

  He frowned. “You still don’t look good. You should take better care of yourself.”

  Cecelia shrugged. “I didn’t know I was sick. I’ll get better soon.”

  He reached over and slid his hand over her forehead. “You feel hot.”

  “It’s the fever,” she said. “It will go away soon.”

  “Hmm.” He stroked her forehead again. “I’ll check on you again in a few hours.”

  Cecelia drank her water then sank back under the covers. She relaxed. Seeing Nick made her feel safer, better....

  Cecelia awakened to the sensation of a dry, sore throat. She automatically reached for her cup of water and took a long swig. She choked and took a couple of breaths then drank a few more sips.

  The water felt soothing on her raw throat. She inched up her pillow and glanced at the flowers smiling at her. She smiled back. How cool that someone had sent her flowers. She thought back to her childhood when she was one of several siblings. Her job had been to buck up and recover. In many ways she had felt invisible. Her parents would have cared for her if there’d been a catastrophe, but they wanted her to be okay, for her and for them. They’d had too much going on to deal with a sick kid.

  Cecelia looked at the bouquets of flowers and inhaled, hoping to catch a whiff of the carnations in one of the arrangements.

  A knock sounded on the door and Nick stepped inside with a tray of soup. “I brought you more soup.”

  “Thanks,” she said. “It’s the best.”

  Nick set the tray on her legs and gave her a spoon.

  She spooned the soup into her mouth and moaned at the soothing sensation down her throat. She took another sip of the soup and moaned again.

  “Good?” Nick asked.

  “You have no idea,” she said, sipping more of the soup.

  “Is there anything else I can get for you?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “I’m good. I don’t get sick. I never did as a child.”

  “What did your parents do when you were sick?” he asked.

  She laughed. “Nothing. Too many kids. They just wanted me to be okay. I was pretty much invisible.”

  Nick looked at her for a long moment. “Invisible?”

  Uncomfortable under his scrutiny, she shrugged and took a few more sips of soup then set the tray aside and lay back down. She hated how weak she felt, but she couldn’t fight it. “Or not demanding. They did the best they could.”

  “Okay,” he said and stroked her forehead. The gesture was so soothing she couldn’t help but close her eyes.

  “That feels so good,” she whispered.

  Nick continued to stroke her and she sighed.

  “What else do you need?” he asked.

  “Just keep doing what you’re doing,” she murmured and fell asleep

  Sometime later, Cecelia awakened feeling somewhat normal. Gingerly, she lifted herself to a sitting position and grabbed her water. She took several sips.

  A moment later, she noticed Nick sitting in a chair across the room.

  “Hi,” she managed, surprised by his presence. Her stomach took a little dip of awareness.

  “Hi to you,” he said.

  “How long have you been there?” she asked, feeling vulnerable yet taken care of at the same time. She knew Nick had plenty to do without sitting with her when she was sick. The fact that he had chosen to do so made her feel a little soft and squishy inside.

  “Long enough. How are you feeling?”

  “Better,” she said and took another sip of water. “Much better.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  She thought about how he had stroked her forehead earlier. She wasn’t accustomed to such tenderness from him. It confused and bothered her. She took a deep breath and reassured herself it wouldn’t last. She would get well and he would go back to being his regular self.

  But she wondered how she was going to forget his touch.

  Chapter Seven

  Two days later, Cecelia felt almost normal and she went back to work. Melba, Beth and Nick clucked over her, but Cecelia knew she could not spend one more day in bed. Her fever was gone and she was not contagious. She worked a full day, but felt a bit tired.

  On her way home, Tim called her and invited her to join him at the doughnut shop. “I need a rain check,” she said. “Can we meet tomorrow night?”

  “Sure,” he said.

  “Thank you for the flowers,” she added. “They were beautiful.”

  “I’m glad you liked them,” he said. “I heard you had a rough time. I knew you and Nick Pritchett were frien
ds, but I didn’t know you were quite so close.”

  “Oh, he’s like a bossy older brother. I’ve known him since I was a kid,” she told him.

  “Oh,” he said, but he didn’t sound quite sure. “So tomorrow night at the doughnut shop. What time?”

  “Seven?” she asked.

  “Sounds good,” he said. “See you then.”

  Cecelia disconnected the call and walked into the rooming house. Melba immediately greeted her. “How are you feeling?”

  “Good,” Cecelia said. “A little tired. I think I’ll make an early night of it.”

  Melba gave an approving nod. “Good girl. Beth dropped off some chicken and dumplings for you. She was afraid you would be hungry but have nothing to eat.”

  Cecelia pressed her lips together. “She’s been so sweet to me.”

  “She’s a good woman who’s had a hard life,” Melba said.

  “I hope she and Will Duncan will end up together,” Cecelia said in a low voice.

  “I’m hoping for the same thing,” Melba said. “Beth can’t seem to stop talking about him.”

  “I saw them together,” Cecelia said. “He looked at her as if he would do anything for her.”

  “That’s the kind of man you want,” Melba told her. “That’s why I chose Eugene over Bill Barbor.”

  “Bill Barbor?” Cecelia echoed. She’d never heard the name before.

  “Bill Barbor spent a summer in Rust Creek Falls and he asked me to go with him to Kansas City, but I knew Gene was the better man, so I stuck with him.”

  “I’m not surprised there were two men vying for you,” Cecelia said.

  Melba laughed. “You’re a spark plug. Just like I was,” she said.

  “That’s the biggest compliment you could pay me,” Cecelia said. “Now, show me to the chicken and dumplings,” she said as she headed toward the kitchen. “Have you seen Nick?”

  Melba cleared her throat. “I think he may have a date tonight.”

  Cecelia felt an odd unwelcome twinge and avoided Melba’s gaze as she surveyed the refrigerator. “Oh, well, he usually does,” she said. Locating the small casserole dish of chicken and dumplings, she pulled it out. “The girls are crazy for him and he’d be crazy to turn them away.”