Have Bouquet, Need Boyfriend (27 page)

the purpose of making a baby? Had she loved him at all? He had to

believe she had, that she couldn’t have given herself to him if she

didn’t have feelings for him. But he’d deceived her….

Had he lost her forever?

Rebecca had meant to drive home to Sugar Hill from her grandmother’s,

but her old jalopy had a mind of its own. Or maybe it just knew her

heart lay with a man in the city so it had raced there on autopilot.

Anyway, she had no idea where Thomas was staying or if he would even

talk to her, but the only way to find out was to ask her father.

She dreaded seeing him.

Her legs wobbled as she took the elevator to her father’s office. He

would probably demand to know-why she wanted to see Thomas. Hopefully,

she’d be able to explain without completely falling apart. But she would

not lie again. Not to her father or to Thomas or even to herself.

When she’d given her wardrobe and face a makeover and become a new

bolder woman, she’d only taken baby steps. Now she had to take a bigger

one, dig deeper into her soul, forget the safety net she clung to….

Sucking in a deep breath, she opened the door to her father’s

receptionist’s office. An attractive woman in her midfifties peered over

bifocals. “Yes?”

“I’m Rebecca Hartwell. I came to see my father. Is he in?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, he’s been trying to call you, dear. Go on in.”

He’d been trying to call her? Was something wrong? Suzanne…

Panic seized her chest as she knocked on her father’s door. She didn’t

wait for him to answer. “Dad?”

His face lit with surprise, then he rose and crossed the room in quick

strides and wrapped her in a hug. “I’ve been calling you for an hour.

God, I’m glad you’re here, baby.”

“What’s wrong?” She angled her head back enough to study his face. His

eyes looked slightly red and his voice was hoarse. Had her father been

crying?

Oh, heavens, it was Suzanne, that would be the only thing that would

upset him so much.

Her knees felt weak. She had to sit down. Trembling, she practically

dragged him along to the leather love seat in the sitting area.

“Dad, what’s happened? Is Suzanne all right?”

“Suzanne?” His eyebrows drew together in a frown. “Suzanne’s fine as far

as I know. Why? Did you hear something?” Now he looked panicked.

“No, no, but you look upset. I figured it had to be Suzanne. And your

receptionist said you’ve been calling me and you never call…” She let

the sentence trail off when she saw tears pool in his eyes again. “Dad,

what’s happened? You’re scaring me.”

He sniffled, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, darling, I…I…”

He’d called her “darling”? He hadn’t done that since grade school. “You

what, Dad?”

Yanking out a handkerchief, he wiped at perspiration popping out on his

forehead. “I’ve been a terrible father to you. I…I didn’t mean to be,

I really didn’t. I’m just an old fool.”

Rebecca sank back against the cool leather, stunned.

“You’re right, I never call, but that’s going to change. I realize it

seems like I’ve favored Suzanne, but that’s not true.”

Rebecca clung to the edge of the love seat, the pain she’d felt over the

years shifting slightly at the emotions thickening his voice.

He dropped his head forward, then jerked it up and looked at her, really

stared at her face, something he hadn’t done in so long. “I’m not

excusing myself, but you have to know the reason. It’s not that I love

her more, it’s just…just that when I lost your mother, I was so

devastated.” He sucked in a harsh breath.

“I didn’t know how to go on without her. She was so quiet, and everyone

thought she depended on me, but it was the other way around. She was my

backbone. My…my everything.”

Rebecca’s heart stammered, missing a beat.

“Then she was gone and I felt guilty. Guilty that I couldn’t save her.”

He rolled his fingers out and stared at them, flexing them and studying

the tips. “After all that medical training, I couldn’t save the most

important person in my life.”

“Oh, Dad.” Rebecca cradled an arm around his neck. “You’re not God. You

did everything you could.”

“I knew that up here,” he said, pointing to his head. “But I couldn’t

accept it. Then I had you and Suzanne to face.” He brushed a knuckle

across her cheek. “You were so devastated, and withdrew into your

books and art. I didn’t know how to reach you. Your mother always knew

how to do that, though. She was my rock.”

“But I needed you,” Rebecca whispered, for the first time in her life

admitting how much his withdrawal had cost her.

“I know, and I’m sorry. It’s just that you look so much like your

mother.” His voice turned huskier as if it hurt to say the words out

loud. “I ached to look at you. Every time I did, I saw her and felt the

loss all over again. All the guilt would rush back.”

“I’m so sorry, Dad,” Rebecca whispered, near choking. “I didn’t understand.”

“I poured myself into work to ease the pain. I kept thinking if I knew

more, if I learned more about medicine, I’d never lose anyone else that

I loved.” A tear slid down his cheek. “But in doing so I lost you. You

slipped farther and farther away and I didn’t know how to cope.” He

cleared his throat. “You are so beautiful, Rebecca. So quiet and

sensitive and intuitive, just like she was.” He paused, collected

himself again and squeezed her hand in his. “She could paint, too, you

know. I still have the painting she gave me for our first anniversary.”

For the first time in ages, Rebecca realized how much her father had

truly loved her mother. And why he’d chosen such opposite types to marry

since then. Grammy was right. He’d never been able to replace the love

of his life.

Another reason she couldn’t lose hers.

She hugged him fiercely. “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too, and I promise, sweetheart, if you

give me another chance, things will be better. I’d do anything for you.”

Rebecca nodded, wiping at her own tears. “Then I have a favor to ask.”

“Anything, just name it.”

“Do you know where Thomas is staying? I…I need to talk to him.”

His eyebrow rose, and she braced herself for the onslaught of questions.

Instead he stood and grabbed a pad, then scribbled an address. “He’s at

this hotel. But he’s probably not there right now.”

Disappointment flitted through her.

“Hannah called about the Lackey baby he delivered in Sugar Hill. The

doctors in Atlanta had to do emergency surgery.”

“Oh, no. Is the baby okay?”

Her father shrugged. “I haven’t heard yet. Thomas tore out of here to

sit with the Lackeys. You should find him at the hospital.”

Rebecca hugged her father one last time. Thomas cared so much about that

infant, he would be worried sick. She needed to be with him, to show him

that she cared, too. That she understood the reason he was so driven,

and that she would always be there for him to lean on. That she would be

his rock.

She’d hidden inside her baggy dresses and the safety of the small town

and her family long enough. She would let him know that whatever he

decided to do, she would stand beside him. That is, if he still wanted

her….

She raced out the door, then practically ran to her car. But when she

jumped inside and turned the key,

the darned jalopy wouldn’t start. She banged the steering wheel and

tried again.

This could not be happening….

When Thomas left the hospital, he drove straight to the florist’s shop.

He didn’t want to arrive at Rebecca’s without some kind of flower in

hand. A few minutes later he’d made his selection, then swung back by

his office to pick up his briefcase and cell phone. He jogged up the

steps, hurriedly grabbed his things and took the elevator down, tapping

his foot impatiently. What if he was too late? What if Rebecca didn’t

believe him?

What if she really didn’t love him?

His head ached with worry as he found his Porsche in the dark garage. He

shoved his briefcase to the floor, turned the key, then put the car in

reverse. Now that he’d decided to talk to Rebecca, he couldn’t wait. He

had to see her tonight. He checked his watch. By the time he arrived it

would be midnight. He needed to hurry.

Tension knotted his muscles and neck as he cranked the car. Distracted

by his thoughts, he threw the gearshift into reverse and rammed the gas.

He glanced back just in time to see a car careening down the aisle, but

he didn’t hit the brakes fast enough and he slammed into it. Metal

crunched, the tires of the other car squealed, and the car spun and

slammed into the concrete boulder support in the middle of the parking lot.

Damn.

He threw his door open and gasped in horror at the twisted, mangled heap

of metal. He recognized the clunker station wagon immediately. It

belonged to Rebecca.

Oh, dear heavens, not again.

Rebecca’s entire body quivered with the shock of the impact. Then

suddenly Thomas appeared at her door, pulling her out and checking her

over, and she was too stunned to speak.

“Rebecca, are you okay?” He gripped her arms gently. “Tell me, are you

hurt anywhere? Did you hit your head?”

She shook her head. “I’m s-sorry.”

“Dammit, it wasn’t your fault this time. It was mine. Now answer me, are

you hurt?”

“No. I’m fine.”

A harsh breath escaped him, then he dragged her into his arms. “You

scared the hell out of me.”

She clung to him until her shaking subsided, but unfortunately a

different sort of trembling began deep inside, a trembling spurred by

desire and fear and hope.

But she didn’t come here to cling to him or get sympathy; she came to

prove she was strong and independent. That she was ready to take a chance.

She slowly extricated herself from his embrace, and

he straightened his sportscoat, squaring his broad shoulders. “I’ll pay

for the damages,” he said stiffly.

“Forget the car,” Rebecca said, remembering his words the day she’d hit

him at her grandmother’s house.

His eyebrows shot up. “But it’s probably totaled.”

“I said forget the damn car.”

Surprise registered, then a half smile played on his lips. “So…what

were you doing here, anyway?”

“I came to see you. I…I heard about the Lackey baby.”

“Oh.” His smile faded.

“Is he going to be okay?”

“The prognosis is good. He survived surgery with flying colors and

should be able to go home soon.” He ran a hand over his face, drawing

her gaze to the thick five-o’clock shadow. The stubble that had scraped

her skin when he’d kissed her. She wanted it to touch her again. But

Thomas wasn’t moving toward her, and she was losing her nerve.

“Is that the only reason you came?”

“No.” She gestured toward the building.

“You came to visit your father?”

Was that disappointment lacing his voice. “I…yes, I saw him.”

“You’ve been crying,” he said in a gruff voice. His hand reached out

tentatively to brush her cheek. “Did he hurt you?”

“No,” she said, emotions pulling at her. “Everything’s fine.”

He nodded. The silence stretching between them was so painful Rebecca

closed her eyes and willed herself courage. When she opened them, Thomas was

watching her with a mixture of wariness and some other emotion she

couldn’t quite read.

It was now or never.

“Actually, I came for another reason.”

He waited, his eyes flickering with a moment of hunger. At least she

hoped it was hunger.

“I’m moving to Atlanta.”

This time shock registered on his face. “You’re moving here?” He turned

and glanced inside her car, then back at her, a puzzled look in his

eyes. “But you didn’t bring anything with you.”

She licked her lips, then shrugged. “Th-that’s,” she paused and focused

so she wouldn’t stutter, then reached out and took his hand. “That’s

because everything I need is already here. In fact, it’s standing right

in front of me.”