Have Bouquet, Need Boyfriend (22 page)

“Always trying to buy people’s affection with his money,” Wiley muttered.

Bert scowled at Wiley. “Least ways I made something out of myself.”

Oh, good heavens, Rebecca thought, they couldn’t get into a brawl over

the presents.

Wiley reared back as if to fight, and Mimi yanked him backward while

Suzanne carted Bert off to the other side to put some distance between them.

Apparently, the boys had competed for their mother’s attention all their

lives. Trouble was, Rebecca understood the feeling. Suzanne and her

father had always shared that special closeness, and she had been the

outsider. Her father attempted to compensate for his lack of time with

money, while Wiley took the sentimental route, which might be the reason

Rebecca felt closer to him than her own dad.

She went to refresh her lemonade when she spied Thomas in the corner,

deep in conversation with her father. Suzanne stood close by, stunning

looking in a short, black scoop-necked cocktail dress that showcased her

endless legs. Her father’s voice rang out over the noisy room. “So, you

have an interview all lined up with the board on Monday? Good job,

Thomas,” her father said. “I’ll look forward to talking to the board

members about bringing you on staff.”

“Have you discussed leaving your practice with Hannah yet?” Suzanne asked.

Rebecca froze, lemonade sloshing over her hand as she tried to pour it

from the ladle into her cup.

“Not yet, I wanted to see if things worked out

first.” He leaned in closer. “I’d appreciate it if you’d let me mention

it to her. I’m planning to talk to her Monday morning. I wanted to wait

until after the party.”

So, he intended to break up with her after the party, while she’d

planned a romantic night at the Honeysuckle Inn!

Her father pumped Thomas’s hand. “All right, we’ll talk more at the

interview. By the way, if you’re staying in Atlanta overnight, come out

to my place around six. I’m having a dinner party there for colleagues

and investors of the center.” Her father curved an arm around Suzanne.

“Suzanne’s agreed to come and help my new wife play hostess. She’s a

beauty, isn’t she?”

Rebecca’s heart clutched as Thomas smiled at Suzanne.

“Yes, she is. And thank you, sir, I’m looking forward to next week,”

Thomas lowered his voice, “In fact, I’d hoped to swing an invitation to

this party just to get to know you better.”

Rebecca’s father chuckled. “You’d be prepared to move to Atlanta soon?”

“Definitely,” Thomas said. “I’m really excited about the new medical

facility and eager to see it. Sugar Hill’s just not the place I want to

settle.”

Rebecca let the ladle slip from her hand. Thomas was moving to Atlanta?

Applying for a job because he didn’t want to settle in Sugar Hill?

Meaning he didn’t want to settle with her.

Not that he hadn’t warned her-I can’t make any promises.

Because he’d never intended to stay in Sugar Hill or develop a serious

relationship with anyone.

Especially her.

Rebecca’s stomach twisted, her hopes and dreams shattering into a

thousand pieces. Thomas thought Suzanne was beautiful. He was moving to

Atlanta and he hadn’t told her or Hannah yet.

And he would be having dinner with her father and sister next week.

How could her father be so heartless as to push him toward Suzanne when

Rebecca was in love with him?

Because it had never occurred to her father that his other daughter

might interest someone like Thomas.

Her hand flew to her stomach. She’d wanted to have Thomas’s baby so

badly, but she’d wanted him, too. And they had used birth control

religiously. Still, what if it had failed and she accidentally wound up

pregnant, and he ended up going to Atlanta and became involved with Suzanne?

No, Suzanne wouldn’t do that. She knew Rebecca had feelings for Thomas.

Memories of the other times men had used her to get to Suzanne flooded

back, adding to her insecurities. What if Thomas had only been using her

to get to Suzanne?

No, that didn’t seem feasible. But his conversation with her father

echoed in her head….

I’d hoped To swing an invitation to this party to get to know you better.

Other memories rushed back-Thomas asking her about her family. Thomas

attending the seminar in Atlanta. Thomas showing up at the coffee shop

just when her father and Suzanne had visited. Thomas sitting with them

that day. Had he planned that impromptu meeting just to meet her father?

Had he thought dating her would put him in her father’s good graces so

he would offer him the job he wanted?

Pain squeezed at her lungs, threatening to cut off the air. Suddenly

Wiley tapped his wineglass and called everyone around to sing “Happy

Birthday” while Mimi cut the cake. Rebecca’s throat clogged with tears

and she ran to the bathroom, too choked up to sing.

A twinge of unease nagged at Thomas after his conversation with Bert.

Although he appreciated the man’s medical knowledge and professional

reputation, it seemed as if Bert was throwing Suzanne at him. Didn’t

Bert realize that he and Rebecca were involved?

Rebecca wasn’t very close to her father. Perhaps he had no idea…

And where had Rebecca disappeared to?

Last he’d seen her, she’d been talking to her cousins and hovering

around the lemonade bowl. He excused himself from Bert and Suzanne to

find her. Yet as he

searched the crowded room, he didn’t see her anywhere.

His anxiety grew.

Mimi pushed a piece of cake toward him, and he took it, still scanning

the room. “Have you seen Rebecca?”

“I saw her duck into the powder room.” Mimi waved a chocolate-coated

finger where she’d scooped up a bit of icing. “She’s probably in there

sprucing up for you.”

Thomas relaxed slightly.

“You’ve been good for her, Thomas,” Mimi said.

He shrugged. “It works both ways.” She had filled a void he hadn’t even

known existed.

Mimi pointed a fork at him. “Just don’t hurt her, you hear me. She’s too

good to have her heart broken.”

REBECCA’S HEART WAS BREAKING. Why hadn’t

Thomas told her that he was leaving?

He obviously didn’t feel as if he owed her anything. All the feelings

she’d imagined were just sexual ones. He’d found a willing woman who’d

accept him without promises and he’d used her.

She had no one to blame but herself.

Still, he could have been honest with her.

Although she herself hadn’t been up-front about her plans….

Tears trickled down her cheeks as nausea gripped her. She locked herself

in the bathroom stall and let the floodgates open. Sobs racked her, even

as she told herself she shouldn’t be so hurt. That he hadn’t exactly

lied to her.

She slumped on the toilet, ripped off pieces of toilet paper, blew her

nose and wiped her eyes, struggling to gain control. But another sob

escaped her.

“Rebecca?”

She froze, her erratic breathing tumbling out.

“Rebecca, it’s Alison, what’s wrong?”

“Go away.” The last person she needed to tell was Alison.

“I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s wrong.”

“I…please, Alison, just leave me alone.”

“Rebecca.”

Oh, for pity’s sake, now Hannah was knocking at the stall door. “Come

on, sugar, open the door.”

“I- Just go b-back to the party. I’m fine.”

“You are not fine,” Hannah said. “Now, talk to us.”

“What’s going on in here?”

Lord, now Mimi. Had her cousins seen her rush in here and known

something was wrong?

Rebecca dropped her head forward in her hands, shaking with humiliation.

“We’re your cousins and we’re here for you now, Bee,” Hannah said. “Come

on, let us help.”

“You can’t,” Rebecca wailed. “I’m such a fool.”

“Uh-oh, sounds like man trouble,” Mimi said.

“Did Thomas say something to upset you?” Hannah asked.

“You want me to go get him?” Alison asked. “I’ll drag him in here and

make him explain-“

“No.” Rebecca lunged up, panicked. “Please don’t let him know I’m upset.”

“Then open up,” Mimi said.

Oh, heck, what else could she do? She couldn’t very well hide in here

forever.

Then she would ruin Grammy’s party.

Rebecca turned the knob, knowing she looked pathetic with her red puffy

eyes and smeared makeup. On a sob she spilled the entire story.

Hannah paced back and forth. “So, he’s planning to leave the practice

and he hasn’t told me yet.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have told you.”

“No, I’m glad you did. But he should have been the one to let me know,

and he should have been honest with you.”

“He never made me any promises,” Rebecca said.

“I hope he’s not doing this because of me.” Guilt laced Alison’s voice.

“Don’t blame yourself,” Mimi said. “This is all my fault. I pushed him

toward Rebecca.” Mimi’s voice trembled. “Now I feel horrible.”

“So do I,” Hannah said.

“But you warned me this could blow up in our faces,” Mimi cried. “I’ll

never try to play matchmaker again.”

Hannah patted Mimi. “I thought he was interested and just needed a

nudge, too.”

Rebecca stared up at them in confusion. “What’s going on?”

Hannah confessed about them coaxing him to ask her about painting the

murals. So, even that hadn’t been his idea.

“But I thought he really liked you, anyway,” Mimi said in misery.

“Honest, Bee, or we wouldn’t have interfered.”

“And I thought he liked it here in Sugar Hill,” Hannah said. “I know

he’s ambitious but he acted as if he enjoyed the practice.”

Rebecca hugged her cousins. “It’s not your fault, I appreciate you

trying to help me, though.”

“I just don’t understand,” Alison said. “I’ve seen the way he’s been

gawking at you all night. I’d swear he’s in love with you.”

Rebecca shook her head. “Well, he’s not. He told Dad he doesn’t want to

settle in Sugar Hill.” And they all knew she could never live anywhere else.

“I’ll talk to him,” Hannah offered. “Or better yet, I’ll get Jake to.

Maybe he can pound some sense into him.”

“No,” Rebecca whispered in horror, “then he’ll know I overheard.”

“You want me to say something?” Alison offered.

“I’ve been taking kickboxing,” Mimi said. “I can kick him where it hurts.”

Rebecca laughed in spite of her tears. “Thanks, but no.” She inhaled for

courage. “Just help me repair my makeup so I can walk out there and save

my pride.”

The girls exchanged sisterly glances but finally nodded.

“It won’t be easy not to cream him,” Alison said.

“Or to hold my tongue,” Hannah said.

“Or not to kick him,” Mimi said, wagging her finger. “Now, listen, Bee,

when the moment’s right, you stick it to him or else we will.” Mimi

raised her head, then reached inside her purse for her makeup. “No

man is going to get away with hurting one of the Hartwell girls without

paying for it.”

Thomas had engaged Wiley in a conversation about cars, his ears burning

from listening to Jake and Seth and Brady talk about the high points of

marriage and having a family. Seth bragged about Maggie Rose, and Jake

was thrilled that Hannah was expecting. He didn’t feel comfortable

joining in the conversation with the new husbands, especially with Brady

giving him the evil eye as if he feared Thomas might still be harboring

feelings for Alison.

He had never felt about Alison the way he did Rebecca. And he couldn’t

help but imagine the two of them having a baby. But if she wasn’t

interested in marriage, would she want a child?

“I swear all my girls have disappeared,” Wiley said, waving a champagne

glass around. “Wonder what they’re plotting?”

Thomas laughed. “You know how girls are, they always go to the bathroom

in groups.”

“Right, well, I need to find them. Some of the guests are about to

leave, and they need to say goodbye.”