Have Bouquet, Need Boyfriend (12 page)

Only, no one would ever see it. Especially her subject.

Thomas.

She chuckled sardonically. When she’d been drawing, she hadn’t thought

once about her baby plan….

It was early morning before Thomas allowed himself to leave the

hospital. Even then he hated to abandon the Lackeys. The delivery had

not gone well, although they had stabilized the baby enough to transfer

it to the neonatal unit in Atlanta. He and the pediatrician in town,

Josh Redgrave, had both picked up on heart problems. The infant needed

surgery right away along with more extensive tests they weren’t equipped

to conduct at Sugar Hill General.

The Lackeys’ reaction had been difficult to handle, the situation

frightening for everyone, and Rachel’s husband had needed someone to

blame. He’d taken his distress out on his wife and Thomas.

He’d bluntly accused Thomas of not giving her proper prenatal care.

Thomas had reviewed the details of Rachel’s pregnancy a dozen times, but

his answer always went back to the genetics factor, which wasn’t the

explanation Larry Lackey had wanted to hear. Thomas understood the

problems, the anger, the denial, the inclination to blame someone,

although there was nothing any of them could have done to predict the

infant’s health problems. And unfortunately, they still couldn’t assure

the couple the baby would survive.

The memory of his lovely evening with Rebecca emerged like sunshine

breaking through thunderclouds, but he suppressed it immediately as he

pulled

off his clothes and stretched out on his bed, exhausted. The empty house

echoed with silence, the scent of furniture polish and pine cleaner

strong. No homey smells like freshly baked brownies or that

apple-cinnamony scent he’d detected at Rebecca’s.

Forget Rebecca. This house was what he wanted. Big, impressive,

perfectly decorated. The kind of place he could entertain a hospital

board, even throw a party for potential charity drives. Still, the

massive rooms weren’t as comforting in the dark of night as he’d

imagined when he’d first purchased the house. He closed his eyes and

tried to find the peace he so craved, but instead he saw the pale Lackey

baby squirming in the incubator and his forlorn parents watching helplessly.

Just like his parents had years ago with his baby brother. And just as

he had….

He fisted his hands and pounded the covers. No matter how hard he tried

and how much he learned, there would always be problem deliveries, sick

infants…

The sooner he moved to Atlanta the better.

“You look fabulous!” Suzanne shrieked as Mimi modeled a black crepe

off-the-shoulder dress that hugged her curves. “And the sapphire blue is

you, Hannah.”

Mimi giggled and wiggled her hips. “It’s nice to have some shape again.”

Hannah waved a hand. “Oh, hush, Mimi, you looked fabulous pregnant.”

“Yes, you did, Mimi,” Rebecca added, imagining her own body growing with

a child.

Suzanne held up an emerald-green backless dress. It was slinky and sexy,

as if the designer had Suzanne in mind when she’d created it. “What do

you think?”

“Try it on,” Mimi coached.

“You’ll look great in it,” Rebecca said. “Of course, with your figure

you’d look great in anything.”

Suzanne laughed. “Right. With the help of a Won-derbra,” Suzanne said.

“But it’s not so much fun when the clothes come off and the guy realizes

half the up-front is not real.”

Rebecca shook her head. “I can’t imagine any guy being disappointed in you.”

“Then tell me why Nick dumped me.”

“‘Cause he’s a fool,” Mimi said.

“An idiot,” Hannah chimed in.

Suzanne laughed again. “Thanks. I needed that. I’ve been so depressed

about the whole thing. I just can’t seem to find anyone serious. Every

guy I date in Atlanta just wants sex, no commitments. Is that what I

look like? The love-‘em-and-leave-‘em type?”

“Of course not,” Mimi said.

“That’s their problem,” Hannah said.

“Except it’s starting to get to me,” Suzanne said, sounding frustrated.

Rebecca quirked her head sideways, surprised at the sincerity in

Suzanne’s admission. She never thought Suzanne got depressed. Or that

any man dumped her.

Whereas, Rebecca’s middle name was dump. In high school, three guys had

cozied up to her, pretending interest, only to discover they really

wanted Suzanne. Memories of prom night her senior year surfaced. When

Suzanne’s date had come down with the

flu the day before the prom, Rebecca’s date had canceled right in front

of everyone in the lunch line at school, then turned and asked Suzanne

in class that afternoon. Of course, Suzanne had refused him. She’d also

ditched the other guys when she’d discovered their sneaky plan. But

Rebecca had been so humiliated.

The memories resurrected all her old insecurities. She suddenly wanted

to go home, to forget this silly shopping trip. To bury herself back in

her baggy dresses and books and art.

Oblivious to her thoughts, Suzanne pointed to a rack of custom designed

gowns. “Rebecca, get busy and try on some dresses. We still have to

check out the lingerie.”

Rebecca wrinkled her nose. “I’m not sure any of these are me.” They were

too expensive. Too showy. Too revealing.

“Are you kidding?” Mimi plucked up a hot-pink dress with spaghetti

straps. “Try this one for starters.”

“Oh, and you have to try this maroon cocktail dress,” Hannah said. “This

color will drive men wild.”

“And I like this violet off-the-shoulder sheath for you,” Suzanne said.

“The color will accentuate the blue in your eyes.”

“She’s right. Play up your best features.” Mimi leaned back and gave

Rebecca a critical look. “Your eyes are definitely one of them. But you

have great curves, too. You simply need to show them off.”

“I know. Can you believe it?” Suzanne hitched out a hip. “In middle

school, she had great boobs when I was stick straight. All the boys used

to swoon over her.”

“They didn’t swoon. They gaped and whispered all kinds of moronic

cracks,” Rebecca said in horror. “I hated it.”

“Well, enjoy it now.” Mimi pushed her toward the dressing room. “With

your body and sweet personality, you’ll be a great catch for some lucky

guy.”

“Maybe even a doctor,” Hannah said.

Rebecca’s face felt hot. Had Hannah and Mimi guessed that she was

attracted to Thomas? Had they told him?

Mortified at the thought, she gathered the dresses and hurried into the

fitting room. Seconds later she teetered out wearing the violet dress

along with a pair of sparkly gold heels Mimi had unearthed earlier at a

sale rack and convinced her she had to have. The crisscross of the back

revealed a lot of skin without being too risque, and the length fell

nicely just below her knees. But the clingy fabric hugged every curvy

inch of her. She felt half-naked, as if every fatal flaw she had was

flashing like a cheap neon sign.

“You look fantastic,” Hannah said.

Suzanne whistled. “No doubt. You have to buy that one.”

“Those have-sex-with-me shoes will snare any man,” Mimi said. “Mark my

words.”

Rebecca checked the price tag on the dress. “I don’t know-“

Suzanne held up a warning hand. “Don’t argue, sis. I’ll pay for it.

Consider it an early birthday gift.”

“He’ll probably want to take off the dress and just do it with you in

the shoes,” Mimi said.

Rebecca’s face blanched.

“Mimi,” Hannah said with an eye roll, “you’re incorrigible.”

Mimi batted innocent eyes. “Well, he will.”

Suzanne grinned. “She’s right. And you have to call us and tell us all

the juicy details the morning after.”

As if there were going to be a romantic rendezvous with juicy details

and a morning after. Rebecca ducked back inside the fitting room to

change, heat flushing over her entire body.

Three hours later the girls left the shopping mall, each with several

packages. Rebecca had a new wardrobe. Suzanne and Mimi and Hannah had

dragged her from store to store, selecting casual clothes as well as

dating clothes, everything from jeans and sweaters to casual slacks and

silk camisoles and T-shirts to party dresses, shoes and lingerie. Then

they’d stopped by the cosmetic counter for a quick makeover, then

browsed through the bath shop for bubble bath and oils along with

scented candles and lotions and body sprays.

Like she needed a lot of dating clothes and bubble bath and body sprays!

And the underwear…ohh, her skin tingled just thinking about the soft

scraps of decadent lace. She had never felt sexier than when she’d tried

on the skimpy pieces, just like Mimi promised.

What would Thomas think of the selections?

She shook her head, unable to believe her own straying thoughts. Thomas

would not see her underwear.

“We’re going to the baby department,” Mimi said.

“I have to find Maggie Rose something to wear to the party, too.”

“You’re not going to dress Maggie in those pink frilly dresses, like the

ones you refused to wear, are you, Mimi?” Hannah asked with a wink.

“Well, she’s a little young for belly dancing clothes or sequins,” Mimi

said. “But maybe we can find something in between.”

The girls laughed, but Rebecca’s heart fluttered. She’d give anything to

be picking out her own baby’s clothes.

“While they visit the infant department, let’s call Dad’s office and

stop by if he’s in,” Suzanne suggested. “We can talk to him about Grammy

Rose’s party.”

Rebecca resisted the urge to balk. As much as she dreaded seeing her

father dote on Suzanne the entire party, her grandmother would be

disappointed if he didn’t attend.

But what if he and Uncle Wiley broke out into a fight and ruined the

surprise party?

Thomas had a terrible Saturday. Instead of catching up on the latest

medical journals, which he usually did on his day off, he couldn’t

concentrate for worrying about the Lackey baby. He’d phoned the Atlanta

hospital only to be put off twice. The doctors had been running tests,

concurring, administering more tests. Then they’d had to meet with the

Lackeys.

The diagnosis included extensive surgery involving the baby’s heart and

lungs. He would stay in the hospital for weeks. And still there was the

off chance that he might not survive.

Thomas reviewed every sonogram he’d taken during Rachel’s pregnancy,

looking for any details that might have clued him in to a problem, but

found nothing. The realization that he couldn’t have detected the boy’s

health problems alleviated some of his anxiety but also made him feel

weak and powerless, limited by mankind and technology. He needed more

expertise, more cutting-edge technology.

He paced the confines of his office when a knock jerked his head up.

Otis Sandier had phoned him first thing this morning. He’d pulled

together a work crew of teenagers to paint the exam rooms and would

complete the project sooner than Thomas anticipated.

“We’ve finished the first three rooms,” Otis said. “We can get the

others done tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to work on Sunday,” Thomas said.

Otis shrugged. “The boys want to. They’re all trying to earn money for

their senior trip.”

Thomas shrugged. “All right.”

As soon as the crew left, the place felt empty and quiet. Just like his

big house would, which was the reason he’d had to leave this morning.

His own doubts and fears had echoed off the ten-foot ceilings all night.

Frustrated but not knowing where he intended to go, he grabbed his keys

and headed to the yellow Mustang. His Porsche should be ready in a few

days, he’d have to tell Rebecca so she could stop worrying.

Rebecca. He’d tried not to think about her today. About how her neck had

tasted. About that artwork and the passion he sensed within the quiet,

shy girl who’d painted it.

He zipped out of the parking lot, telling himself he

would not go to see Rebecca. Not tonight. Not when he felt needy and lonely.

But he ended up at her apartment anyway. Knocking on the door. Wondering