Beth’s hand on her shoulder caught her by surprise and she jumped.
“Hey, you okay?”
“Fine. I just got distracted.”
Beth flicked her blond hair out from beneath her collar, then opened the door to the street. “Okay, then. I’ll grab a table and see you in a few minutes.” She let the door close behind her and Charlotte turned back to the mannequin, determined to finish the job—and calm down—before heading out to dinner.
There was no way Roman was back in town, she told herself. No way at all.
CHAPTER TWO
Dusk was setting on the horizon when Roman entered Norman’s Garden Restaurant, named in part for Norman Hanover senior, who’d first opened the place, and in part for the gardens across the street. Norman’s was now run by Norman, junior, owner and chef. The morning after the coin toss and his first full day back in Yorkshire Falls, Roman slept in, then kept himself busy playing cards with his mother and making sure she stayed off her feet. He’d also spent the time pondering an offer that had been relayed to him that morning from the Washington Post to take over an editorial job in D.C.
Any journalist would kill for the position, Roman knew. Though he had to admit he might enjoy the political intrigue and change of pace, settling in one place had never been on his agenda. He’d done his share of traveling, but there was more to see, more news to report, and injustices to expose—though with the corruption in Washington, D.C., Roman figured he wouldn’t be bored there.
He doubted he’d feel as confined living in the nation’s capital as he had in his small hometown, and might even have taken the offer more seriously had he not lost the coin toss. Now that he had a potential wife to contend with, one who’d undoubtedly want to live with a husband who made his home within the United States, he had good reason not to take the job. At this point a return abroad sounded even more appealing.
By early evening, his mother had dozed in front of the television and Roman had finally been able to leave the house knowing she was resting and he didn’t have to worry about her trying to overdo.
Because it was late, he walked quickly through town until color in a storefront window—lots of vibrant color— caught his eye, causing him to stop and check out the change. He squinted for a better look, bringing him nose to glass with women’s lingerie.
Frilly, sexy nighties, garters, and whatever else the opposite sex wore to attract a man—and he’d seen plenty of those getups in his time—decorated the display. The items in the window were sensual and decadent, including enticing animal prints.
Apparently some things in his small hometown had changed. As he wondered who was responsible for knocking conservatism to its knees, last night’s conversation with his brothers came back to him. Is Charlotte Bronson back in town? he’d asked them.
Owns a little business on First. … Stop by and see for yourself. His brothers’ replies had been deliberately vague, definitely amused, Roman thought now.
He allowed himself another glance at the provocative panties in the window and shook his head hard. No way Charlotte Bronson owned this shop. The Charlotte he remembered had been more quiet than outgoing, more innately sensual than overtly sexy. The combination had always intrigued him, but regardless, her personality type didn’t strike him as one who’d open such an enticing and erotic shop. Or would she?
A horn honked, jerking Roman back into reality, and he turned to see Chase’s truck pull into an empty spot down the street. He glanced at his watch. Rick would already be inside. Plenty of time to check out the shop after he met up with his brothers. He headed into the restaurant and strode to the back, bypassing the tables by the windows up front.
Roman met Rick by the old jukebox machine, which featured the jazzy reggae beat of the newest hit on the charts. He glanced around, taking in the familiar atmosphere. “Except for the music, nightlife in Yorkshire Falls is as exciting as ever.”
Rick shrugged. “Did you really expect things to change?”
“I guess not.” Even the decor was the same, he noted. Thanks to Norman senior’s obsession with bird-watching, the restaurant’s motif was comprised of wooden hand-painted birdhouses lining the walls, while pictures of varying species in their natural habitat hung in between.
The place had been and still was home to the older teens seeking independence from their parents, the singles in town, and the families needing a bite after Little League practice. Tonight, the patrons included the Chandler brothers. After living out of hotels for weeks on end and rarely seeing his New York apartment, let alone his family, Roman had to admit coming home felt good.
“Just tell me the burgers are as good as I remember and I’ll be a happy man.”
Rick laughed. “Takes so little to make you happy.”
“What would it take to make you happy, Rick?” Years had passed since Rick’s marriage ended in a devastating divorce, his wife leaving him for another man. To his credit, Rick had remained the happy-go-lucky brother, but Roman often wondered what pain he hid inside.
Rick folded his arms across his chest. “I’m already a satisfied man.”
After all Rick had been through, Roman hoped his brother meant what he said.
“Hi, handsome. What can I get for you?” a high-pitched female voice asked.
Roman rose to give Isabelle, Norman’s sixty-year-old wife and everyone’s favorite waitress, a swift hug. She smelled like a unique mixture of home cooking and the good old-fashioned grease Norman used in the kitchen when she wasn’t looking.
He stepped back. “Good to see you, Izzy.”
She smiled. “Your mother’s over the moon that you’re home.”
He settled himself back into the chair. “Yeah, just wish the reason were different.”
“Your mom’s a tough one. She’ll be fine. Norman and I sent over enough prepacked meals to get her through the week.”
“You’re the best.”
She grinned. “Don’t I know it. So what can I get you? Cheeseburger deluxe?”
Roman laughed. “You’ve got a memory like an elephant.”
“Only when it comes to my favorite customers.” She shot Roman a wink, then turned to Rick. “Steak and mashed potatoes, that I know. Soda tonight, Officer?”
Rick nodded. “I’m on duty.”
“I’ll have the same.”
“So what are you up to while you’re home?” Izzy asked.
“One day at a time. Tonight I’ll see if Chase needs any help while I’m around.”
She stuck her pen behind her ear. “You Chandler boys work too hard.”
Rick shrugged. “It’s the way we were raised, Izzy.”
“That reminds me. Put a burger up for Chase. He’ll be here any minute,” Roman said.
“I’m here now.” His older brother came up behind Izzy.
“Perfect timing. One cheese, one burger, and a steak. You have a seat and I’ll bring your drinks.” Isabelle started to leave.
“Coke for me, Izzy.” Chase shrugged off his jacket and hung it over the back of the chair, then settled into his seat. “So what’d I miss?”
“Rick was telling me how happy he was with his life,” Roman said wryly.
“He ought to be. You’d be amazed, the predicaments the women in this town find themselves in just so they have an excuse to call and have the cop come to their rescue,” Chase said. “We could donate a full page of the paper to Officer Rick’s exploits.”
Roman smirked. “I’m sure he doesn’t find it a hardship, do you?”
“No more than Chase finds it tough fending off the women with picnic baskets who try to coax him out of the office and onto his back. I mean onto the picnic blanket.” Rick laughed and eased back in the vinyl-covered chair, satisfaction etched on his face. “So many women, so little time.”
Roman laughed. “But there’s a bigger choice outside of Yorkshire Falls. How come you never made the move?” He always wondered why his middle brother was content policing the small town when he could ma
ke better, more varied use of his talents in a big city.
Lord knew, during the summers Roman had spent reporting for Chase, he’d felt confined by the small and often trivial stories he’d been assigned, while the outside world pulled at him, beckoning him toward bigger and better … what, exactly, he hadn’t known at the time. He still wasn’t sure what the draw was, but he wondered if his brother ever felt similar dissatisfaction, or the pull to move on.
“Roman? Roman Chandler? Is that you?”
Apparently he wouldn’t be getting his answers anytime soon. He pushed his chair back, glanced up, and found himself face-to-face with one of his old high school girlfriends.
“Beth Hansen?” He rose from his seat.
She squealed with excitement and wrapped her arms around his neck. “It is you. How are you? And how’d I miss the fact that you were home?”
“With my mom out of commission, things are a little slow on the gossip mill.” He returned the friendly hug and stepped back to look her over.
Professionally touched-up blond hair fell to her shoulders, well styled and making her look more chic and less like the relaxed, California-type girl he remembered. And was it his imagination, or had her breasts grown tremendously since he’d been gone?
“I heard about Raina. Is she okay?” Beth asked.
He nodded. “She will be, if she takes it easy and listens to the doctor.” And she’d be even better if Roman married and impregnated a woman as soon as possible. No way could Roman think of his mission in terms less than clinical, not when love and desire had nothing to do with it.
He appraised Beth once more, this time as a potential candidate. He’d always liked her, which would help in accomplishing his goal. They’d been good friends, nothing more, but back in high school, he’d asked her out anyway. They’d gone out a few times and had had sex in the backseat of Chase’s car—because she was willing and he’d been horny. But mostly because he’d been in desperate need of ego-soothing after Charlotte Bronson’s rejection. If he didn’t “do it” for Charlotte, he’d decided he was damn well going to “do it” for Beth.
And that had been all male ego, he admitted now. But he and Beth had stayed together till graduation because it was fun and easy, going their separate ways after. Neither had been hurt and their camaraderie obviously remained.
“Give Raina my love, okay?” Beth asked.
“Will do.”
“So how long are you here for this time?” Her bright eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Beth didn’t attract him like Charlotte had, but she had a good heart. Was she still interested? Roman wondered. And if so, would she settle for a friendly but loveless marriage? He leaned closer. “How long do you want me here?”
She laughed and punched him in the shoulder. “You’re still such a tease. Everyone knows you don’t stick around any longer than you have to.”
From behind him, Chase cleared his throat, a noise that sounded more like a warning. “Give Beth congratulations, Roman. She’s gotten herself engaged to a big-city doctor. A plastic surgeon.”
Roman gave his brother a grateful smile for the heads-up before he made a bigger ass of himself by actually making a move on Beth.
“I hope he knows what a lucky guy he is.” Roman grasped her hands, noticing for the first time the huge rock on her finger. “Wow. I hope his heart is as big as this ring. You deserve it.”
She looked at him through honest eyes. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
If that was the sweetest, her fiancé had to work on his delivery, Roman thought.
“Listen, I’ve got to go take my seat. Don’t want to lose our table.” She gave him a friendly kiss on the cheek. “Don’t be a stranger while you’re in town, okay?”
“Okay.”
He slipped back into his seat, hoping his brothers would forget that he’d obviously been scoping out Beth as a potential candidate. He watched as she walked away and settled into a table out of earshot before glancing back at Rick and Chase.
The brothers looked at each other, neither breaking the silence until Rick let out a smothered laugh. “You hope his heart is as big as that ring?”
Roman grinned. “What other comparison was there?” Without stating the obvious, he thought.
“For a minute there I thought you were going to mention the size of her … Never mind.” Rick shook his head, an amused grin still on his face.
“You know I have more class than that.”
“Think they were worth ten grand?” Chase asked. “Not that her fiancé charged her or anything.”
“They were … impressive,” Roman said.
“Obviously impressive enough to make you consider taking the plunge.” One side of Chase’s mouth lifted in a smirk.
So much for hoping they’d back off. They’d always been good-natured jokers, that much hadn’t changed. “So I considered her for a minute. I was falling back on the good times we had, not the size of her … You get the picture.”
The brothers all nodded in agreement.
Izzy stopped by with their drinks, ending that conversation.
“How ’bout Alice Magregor?” Chase asked as soon as Izzy was out of earshot. “She came by the paper the other day with a home-cooked meal in a picnic basket and a bottle of Merlot. When I wasn’t interested, she asked about Rick. There’s an obvious sign she’s looking to settle down.”
“With you two,” Roman muttered. There wasn’t a single available woman in Yorkshire Falls who hadn’t attempted to bait and entice both Chase and Rick with her wares— baked and otherwise. “Wasn’t Alice the one with the big hair?”
“That was her,” Rick said.
“I don’t remember her being interested in more than hairstyles and makeup,” he recalled. And even if her hair had calmed down, he didn’t remember anything they had in common. “I need intelligent conversation,” Roman said. “Can she hold up her end, or is she still into the superficial?”
Chase groaned. “Roman’s right. There is a reason she’s still single in a town that pairs up right after graduation.”
Roman grabbed the cold, damp glass. “I’ve got to get this right the first time.” He leaned his head backward, feeling the blood rush to his temples, before he lifted his head and met his brother’s gaze. “I need to pick someone Mom will like too. She wants a grandchild for emotional reasons, but she also wants to feel a part of things again. I mean, the people in this town were good to her after Dad died, but let’s face it, she became the widow no one knew what to do with.”
“She epitomized every wife’s greatest fear,” Chase added.
“Speaking of Mom … I just want to make sure you two remember the deal. Either of you blow the whistle on this plan and snitch to Mom, and I’m on the first plane out of here, leaving you two to hold the bag. You got it?”
Rick let out a low growl. “You sure know how to take all the fun out of winning the coin toss.”
Roman never let his glare waver until Rick finally conceded. “Yeah, yeah. My lips are sealed.”
Chase shrugged. “Mine too, but you do realize she’s going to be forcing women down all three of our throats until Roman unveils the bride.”
“That’s the price you pay for being single,” Roman reminded them.
“Then we’d better get serious before Mom’s up and around town again. Marianne Diamond?” Chase asked.
“Engaged to Fred Aames,” Rick said.
“The fat kid everyone made fun of.” Fat Freddy, Roman remembered now.
“Except you. You beat up Luther Hampton for stealing his lunch. I was too proud of you to give a shit that you’d gotten suspended,” Chase recalled.
“So what’s Fred up to now?” Roman asked.
“Well, he’s not Fat Freddy anymore, that’s for sure,” Chase said.
“Well, good for him. Overweight’s unhealthy.”
“He followed in his old man’s footsteps. He’s got his own plumbing business. Everyone in town l
ikes him and you started the trend.” Rick sucked down the last of his soda with a loud slurp.
Roman shrugged. “I can’t believe you two remembered that.”
“There’s other things I remember too,” Chase said, a combination of humor and seriousness in his big-brotherly gaze.
“Dinner, boys.” Izzy had arrived with their meals. The mouthwatering aromas of Norman’s burger and fries reminded Roman his stomach was empty. He snagged a fry before she’d had a chance to put the plate in front of him and popped it into his mouth. “My compliments to the chef. His staple items are the best.”
“Enough with the fancy words. Just make sure you finish what’s on your plate. That’s the only compliment Norman needs.” She said she’d be back with refills on the drinks, and disappeared once more.
“Now, where were we?” Chase asked.
Roman took a bite of his burger without waiting for Chase to finish with the ketchup. He chewed and swallowed.
“Discussing women.” Rick dove right in to the topic at hand.
“But looks like you’re in for another reunion first,” Chase said before any of them could offer another candidate.
Roman turned in his seat and saw a woman walking down the aisle of the restaurant, a vision in a tangerine-colored skirt and low-necked tank, with lustrous black hair falling past her shoulders.
A rush of familiarity hit him in the gut at the same time Rick leaned close and whispered in his ear.
“Charlotte Bronson.”
The moment Roman focused on her face, he knew Rick was right. The warmth spreading through him made sense now, he thought, studying her. Her body was no longer a girl’s but that of a woman—lush, full, and oh-so-tempting. Her porcelain skin was still as radiant, her smile as vibrant, as he remembered, and the tug of a full-fledged grin pulled at his mouth. She’d always made him smile just by being in a room, and that hadn’t changed. But she had. More cosmopolitan clothes and a more confident stride, she’d obviously grown into herself.
The Bachelor Page 3
