Her eyes went wide as she placed her hands on his chest and craned her neck to see behind his back. Her touch was feather light, but he felt it down to his bones. “Whatever you have behind your back is bribery, isn’t it?” she asked. “How dare you think you can sway me with food.”
He leaned against the doorjamb and assessed her, as she stood with her arms crossed. Stubborn. Resolute. Beautiful.
Get in and get out, Rushford. Keep your head in the game and stay focused.
“Relax, I’m not here to bribe you.” Well, he was, sort of, but he found himself wanting to do other, way more inappropriate things. Like drop the bags of food he was carrying, pull her toward him, and kiss those lovely pink lips, slipping his hands under that robe and exploring that soft flushed skin still radiating warmth from her bath.
Instead, he held out the take-out bags he’d gotten from the town diner, Pie in the Sky.
Meg clapped her hands together, as thrilled as a kid at Christmas. She rummaged through the bags, pulling out cheeseburgers and fries and shakes. Then she grabbed him by the elbow and steered him into the room to a bright green couch scattered with pink and maroon crocheted pillows. A bright floral area rug lay over old wide-plank floors, and a gaggle of plants sat in front of the windows that overlooked Main Street. Everything around him was rife with color, a sharp contrast to his mostly beige apartment back in Hartford.
Meg sat opposite him in a matching green armchair. She poked a straw in one of the shakes and took a long pull, closing her eyes and giving a little sigh of pleasure.
Sweat beaded on his forehead. Since when was drinking a chocolate milkshake from the local diner cause for a cold shower? Another reason he should play delivery boy and take off. But he couldn’t seem to move.
He watched her attack a burger and fries like she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. She possessed a kind of joie de vivre that attracted him like a ray of sunshine after weeks of rain. Probably because it had been so many years since he had allowed himself to feel happiness at such a simple pleasure, that the feeling was foreign to him. Surrendering to it, he snagged a fry, dipped it in ketchup, and popped it into his mouth.
“I’m starving,” she said, passing him the other burger. “Don’t make me inhale this alone.”
Ben was just about to take a bite of his dinner when an animal hopped up on the arm of his chair. A small black and white cat missing an ear. He scratched behind the cat’s one good ear. “Sorry, buddy, the cheeseburger’s mine.” The cat rubbed up against his hand and stretched out.
Ben preferred dogs. The bigger the better, but cats didn’t bother him.
Until a lean black cat with white paws crawled out from under the couch, quietly swishing its tail and staring at him.
With its one eyeball. Only God knew what had happened to the other one. It looked wary and maybe frightened, but didn’t shy away when he reached down to pet it.
That was when a third cat, an all-white longhair, walked out with delicate steps from what he assumed was the bedroom. The animal rubbed itself against his legs, mewing loudly.
“Oh, so you want attention, too.” Ben leaned over and checked it over carefully as he patted its head. All appendages and sensory organs appeared to be intact. The animal sat and swished its tail, poised to hop into his lap. “This one’s got to be a girl.”
“Why do you think that?” Meg asked.
“She knows she’s cute. She’s flirting with me. Plus she won’t stop meowing.”
Meg rolled her eyes. “Actually, she is a girl. Her name is Kate. Her hubby is William and the little guy is George.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Gran’s idea.”
Everyone in town knew of Grandma Gloria’s predilection for anything royal. “I never would have guessed.”
“Kate and William decided to start a family underneath the Dumpster in the alley behind my shop. Teddy from Mona’s discovered them, and the rest is history.”
“No explanation for the missing body parts?”
“It belongs to a sordid past they’d rather not talk about.”
Ben chuckled. Maybe he had more in common with these scrappy old cats than he’d thought. “So, what crucial body part is this one missing?” He looked under all the hair to be certain he could count four paws.
“Actually, she’s had nearly all her teeth pulled.”
One glance at Meg told him she was serious.
“She has an autoimmune disease that inflamed her gums. But she gets along fine now. Just takes her a little longer to chew, is all.” She imitated a chewing motion with her own mouth that was so ridiculous it made him laugh out loud.
He diverted his eyes to the food and tried to retain what composure he still had. “You made a great impression tonight. I wanted to thank you.” He meant it more than she’d ever know.
She rolled her eyes. “Considering I didn’t have to break out my EpiPen and I survived embarrassing myself to death on the dance floor, one of my biggest phobias, yeah. It was quite an impression.”
“You showed your true personality. You’re kindhearted, civic-minded, and funny.” And pretty.
Meg set down her burger and cast him a calculating glance, one that said she knew his game. It was all over her face—she thought he was a blowhard. “I knew there was more to this than kindness.” She wagged her finger at him. “Don’t deny it. I’m not going to diabetes camp, Ben.”
It was so much more than bribery, but he would never admit that. “Just one more weekend.” He considered dropping to all fours and groveling.
“Remember my business? Saturdays are insane. Alex is out and my grandmother is great for a cover but she doesn’t know the ropes like we do. And I have to do some things for my mom. I have responsibilities.”
She couldn’t leave for even a weekend? Ben knew a life that was full of constraints—long, exhausting hours of work, followed by more hours of studying, when other friends his same age had much more time and freedom, not to mention a far better salary. But he could always travel wherever he pleased, and he considered playtime essential for blowing off steam. Opportunities she, apparently, did not have.
He backed down. “You’re right. I’ve already asked too much. But I’m really grateful for what you did for me.”
She looked surprised, like she’d expected him to push it. “Honestly,” she said, “you’ve got more commitment and energy than either of the other candidates. And you’re not afraid to speak your mind. I hope you get the job.”
Ben shrugged. “My grandfather was the definition of what a real doctor should be. He knew everyone in town, and he really cared about more than their physical aches and pains. If I could be a tenth of what he was . . .”
She looked at him oddly. Of course she did, because he was blathering like an idiot. “He’d be proud of you, Ben,” she said softly, lightly touching his hand.
For a second, their gazes locked. The compassion and understanding he saw in her eyes struck a raw nerve. He needed to get out of here before he did something even more stupid. He kept the talk light while they finished eating. “So, I think you have the potential to be a fabulous salsa dancer. You really let loose out there.”
She put her hand up to stop him from saying more. It was clearly a sensitive topic. “I’d rather not discuss my hang-ups.”
He leaned forward and stabbed a finger in the air. “Before your dress ripped, you were liking it. Admit it.”
She shook her head vehemently. “I’ve never been more mortified.”
“Aw, c’mon. You weren’t enjoying it just a teensy bit?”
“I was enjoying watching you. You’re a crazy man out there.”
“I love to dance.”
“Why is that?”
“It gives me a freedom I don’t get anywhere else. With a couple lessons, you’d like it, too. You have the innate rhythm, I can tell.”
“Right. Like a Buckingham Palace guard.” To illustrate, she made her posture rigid and saluted, another thing tha
t cracked him up.
Just this tiny glimpse into her life told him a lot. She was hardworking—overworked, for sure. She’d never say so, but he knew she spent most of her free time helping her mother. And while in some ways she was confident and charming, and certainly won over everyone’s hearts, in other ways she wasn’t confident at all.
She’d been a shy girl. He had vague recollections from long ago of her looking gangly and awkward with braces and skinny little chicken legs. But she’d grown into her looks in high school. At one time he’d seen her trying out for the school play, singing and dancing. She’d gotten the part of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. It wasn’t until Patrick died and her world fell apart that she’d gotten so cautious. He wanted to hunt down whoever had capitalized on her insecurities and humiliated her into never dancing in public again.
He wondered what she would be like if someone released her from the confines of her life and let her fly. But that someone sure as hell wasn’t going to be him. He didn’t do relationships. Ever. He rode the fun and good times train until it pulled into the station. As long as he was clear about that up front, he had no problem with that.
Ben tapped on the corner of his mouth. “You’ve got a little speck of ketchup right here.”
A frown creased her brow. Her tongue darted out to lick the corners of her mouth. “Did I get it?”
No, but lordie, he wanted to. “Not quite.” He leaned over the table to point at the spot.
She ran the back of her hand over her mouth. “Now?”
He leaned over further and picked up a napkin. “Let me see it.”
He’d meant to use the napkin to wipe it off, honest he did. But as he leaned in closer, some crazy electrical jolt zapped him and took his sense away. He froze in midair, mere inches from her face.
Her lush lips beckoned. He bet they’d be just as soft and pliant as he’d imagined. Up close, her skin was smooth and scrubbed clean of makeup—so different from the women he usually went for—making her look fresh and even more beautiful. His gaze locked with her tentative one. He watched as, incredulously, apprehension lifted. Her eyes grew soft with desire. And he knew—just knew, judging from what he knew about women, which was a lot—that she was feeling that same intense rush, too.
Something tickled his shins. The one-eyeballed cat had wrapped itself around his legs, and was weaving its lithe body in and around. He swooped it up and held it to his chest, stroking down its back.
The diversion was just as well. In his heart, he knew Meg was not the kind of woman who would go for fun and fooling around without commitments, which was all he could offer. And out of respect for her brother, he would never ask it of her.
He’d come here to thank her and yes, to sweet-talk her into coming to camp, but he was the one who had ended up getting reeled in by her. She was an intriguing mix—savvy businesswoman, kindhearted animal rescuer, unpretentious beauty—all of which spelled trouble with a capital T.
“Thanks again for helping me out tonight,” he said, lowering the cat and forcing what he hoped was a pleasant, platonic smile. Then he gathered the take-out trash and headed to the door before he got himself into real trouble.
CHAPTER 7
“Did something terrible happen?” Ben’s sister Samantha asked him from behind the bridal shop cash register. “Because I never thought I’d see the day you’d walk into a bridal shop.” She opened her mouth and lifted a hand to cover it in feigned shock. “And are those flowers? Wow, you really have gone off the deep end.”
“Relax, Sam, I’m here on business.”
“Carrying a bunch of daisies?”
“Just tell me where Meg is.”
“Upstairs with the last client. Want me to take a message? Or perhaps I could put those flowers in water while you wait?” Samantha scrunched up her cute nose, as she’d done hundreds of times before when she was giving him grief.
Ben crossed his arms. “You’re not treating me very nicely considering I’m your favorite big brother.”
“All my big brothers are pains in the asses, thank you very much. But come to think of it, let me get you some coffee from the back. I may need your help this weekend. I’m bringing Harris home.”
“Harris, the cute guy who just got into Princeton Law?”
“Yep. Cute, funny, nice. Graduated from Brown. And his family’s been in the Boston area since the Mayflower. Everyone’s going to love him.”
Well, that was a relief. Because everybody hated the boyfriend from last summer. He hoped this guy was more mature and treated her better. She’d spouted off his credentials a little too quickly, which worried him. The fact that he had an Ivy League pedigree didn’t mean squat if he was an a-hole. But he didn’t dare say any of that out loud. “Well, I’m looking forward to it.”
“And I don’t want you three to give him a hard time. Okay? Promise?”
Ben raised his hands in a who me? gesture. “You know I’m not the one you have to worry about. I’m always charming.”
Sam rolled her eyes. “Talk to Brad. For me. Please.” Brad, their oldest brother, considered himself their father figure after having navigated them all through their teen years when their parents died and their Grandma Effie struggled with health issues. He was also the brother Sam butted heads with the most.
Ben tousled his baby sister’s dark curly hair like he’d been doing since she was three. “Okay, Squirt, no problem.”
“I think there’s a little vase on Meg’s desk. Can you check while I finish this last order?” she turned back to the computer screen on the counter. “What are you doing here, anyway? Did you just finish a shift at Mirror Lake Community?”
“Nope. Just drove in from Hartford for a night shift.” Ben walked over to an old desk that was painted a bright pinkish-purple color, heavy as a horse and twice as wide, positioned near the window. He knew it was Meg’s not only because of the crazy color, but also because only she would have photos of herself not only with her nieces and nephews, mother and sister, but also with a group of seniors from assisted living, the library committee, and the theater preservation society.
Amid the paperwork, which was arranged neatly in stacks, there was a round canister full of pens, painted by a child, and a candy bar. Snickers. He snagged an antique white vase with a rose painted on it, and took it through the door behind the glass counter to the giant storeroom that had a little kitchenette in the corner where he filled it up with water. When he came back, Meg was escorting a very pregnant woman to the front of the store.
“Please send me a photo, okay?” Meg asked.
“I will. Thank you for helping me find a dress that doesn’t make me look like a beached whale and also fits even though I’m seven months pregnant.”
“You’re going to look radiant, Hailey. Just like you look now. I’m so happy for you.”
“I can’t wait to wear this dress. It makes me feel beautiful. And that’s saying a lot when you can’t even see your feet anymore.”
“Let me help you get this to your car.”
The woman took the dress instead. “I can manage fine. Wish me luck.”
“I will, but I know you’re going to have an amazing day. And an amazing life.”
Ben watched the woman hug her tightly and even wipe a tear from her eye. When Meg returned, he was sitting behind her desk pretending to be very interested in her tin of breath mints.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, a telltale blush creeping up her neck. It was strangely pleasing to find her so affected by him.
“He brought you flowers,” Sam said, being her bratty little-sister self. “And I’m done for the day. Okay if I leave? I’ve got a hundred things to do to get ready for the weekend.”
“It’s only Tuesday,” Ben said.
“Saturday will be here before you know it,” Sam replied, making a face at her brother.
“See you tomorrow,” Meg said. “Have a good one.” As Sam walked out the door, with the bell tinkling overhead, Meg said to Ben, �
��I see that you bring out quite a bit of maturity in her.”
He laughed. “What’s an older brother good for except to torment?”
Meg lowered herself into one of the pair of cushioned chairs across from her desk. “She’s a hard worker. You should be proud of her.”
“I am. She’s grown up a lot in the past year. Had to after Kevin died.”
Her gaze flicked briefly to his, showing the slightest acknowledgement of the pain that came with the loss of a brother. She knew it like he knew it. In that one thing, they would be bonded forever.
Meg absently rotated the daisies toward her and fingered their petals gently. “First cheeseburgers and now flowers. Where’d you get these?”
“Picked them.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Since when do you have time to pick wildflowers?”
He shrugged. Actually, he didn’t have time but he’d made time. Scrambled around some field while getting bug bitten and muddy. “I remembered that open meadow over on the east side of the lake where they grow like crazy.” He remembered that long ago, she used to pick them by the armfuls. Make daisy necklaces and crowns and carry them back in big batches for her mother.
“Well, I do love daisies, and thanks for going through the trouble. But I’m sorry, I’m still not going to that camp with you.”
She looked calm and resolute. He smiled. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.” Truth was, he’d done the daisies on impulse. He didn’t really know why. Frankly, he was enjoying just sitting here talking with her. “The shop looks good. It suits you, this job.” He turned to look at a large white-painted wooden post covered with photos of happy brides in their gowns.
It was her turn to shrug. “We have big plans for this place.”
“Such as . . .?”
“For starters, ripping up this old rug and refinishing the floor in a glossy dark hardwood. Putting some dramatic color on the walls and using a new system of displaying the dresses. We’ve stopped using the old runway in the back and replaced it with an entire room upstairs where the brides can see themselves in their gowns. Unless, of course, a bride isn’t able to climb the stairs.”
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