Have Bouquet, Need Boyfriend (9 page)

Or did it mean that she might find the passion she hoped for with a man?

“Rebecca!” Suzanne waved. “Glad you met us.” Rebecca claimed the vacant

seat beside Suzanne.

All the girls had met outside town at a small cafe

called Ms. Mabel’s. Mimi and Hannah were already

seated with coffee. “Hey, sorry I’m a little late. I got

tied up with customers.”

“It’s been wild at the Hot Spot this morning, too,”

Mimi said. “I’m glad we could meet here or else I’d

be having to get up to help out.”

“Have you heard from Alison?” Suzanne asked.

“They’re enjoying their honeymoon.” Hannah grinned. “I’ve never heard

Alison so happy.”

“Newlywed bliss,” Mimi said dreamily.

A seed of envy sprouted inside Rebecca. “Will she be back for Grammy’s

party?”

“Yes,” Hannah said. “That’s one reason we decided to wait until after

New Year’s.”

“Okay, what do we need to do to get ready for the party?” Suzanne asked.

Mimi pulled out her planning book, and Hannah did the same.

“We’re having the festivities at a little place called the Tiara Room

near Pine Mountain. They’ve reserved a room for us in the back and will

provide all the food.”

“Except for the cake,” Mimi said, “which I’ll make.”

“Do they have a real tiara there?” Rebecca asked.

“Apparently, they showcase one for each of their Little Miss Magnolia

pageants along with pictures of the yearly winners.” Mimi gestured

toward the top of her head. “Maybe I’ll buy one while I’m there. Then

Seth will know I’m queen of the house.”

“I’m sure he’s learned that by now,” Hannah said dryly.

The girls all laughed.

“Grammy’s friend, Clara Mae Wilkins, has commandeered a church bus to

bring all of Grammy’s friends,” Hannah said as their laughter died down.

“Good, I was afraid they wouldn’t be able to attend,” Rebecca said. “I

know most of them don’t drive.”

“Right.” Hannah tapped her notepad with her pen.

“Clara Mae has already laid the groundwork for the surprise by inventing

a bingo outing near the Tiara Room so Grammy won’t be suspicious.”

“Now that we’ve figured out how to get Grammy to the surprise, what are

we going to do about getting our fathers there?” Hannah asked.

Mimi leaned her chin on her hand. “I don’t understand this rift between

Dad and Uncle Bert. Brothers should be close, like we are.”

Hannah squeezed Mimi’s hand. “I know, it’s a shame.”

“It sure is.” Suzanne sighed. “I’ll do my best to convince Dad he has to

come.” Suzanne turned to Rebecca. “You should call him, too, sis.”

“He listens to you more than me.”

Suzanne’s eyes narrowed into a frown, her gaze meeting Rebecca’s. She

knew their father favored her, didn’t she? Or was she oblivious to the

tension between Rebecca and their dad?

“I’m sure he wants to see you, Bee.” Suzanne’s voice sounded so sincere.

“I just hope he and Uncle Wiley can be in the same room without slitting

each other’s throats.”

“Maybe we should tell each of them that the other one won’t be there,”

Mimi suggested.

Hannah made a skeptical face. “That might backfire and fireworks could

explode.”

Rebecca imagined the scene. “I agree. I think we should prepare them.”

“But let’s issue strict orders that they can’t fight,” Hannah said.

“They definitely have to behave,” Mimi said. “We don’t want anyone to

ruin Grammy’s party.”

“I’ll see if we can’t find Aunt Shelby, too,” Hannah said. “No one in

the family has heard from her in ages, but I’m sure Grammy wants her there.”

“It’ll be like a big family reunion!” Mimi squealed. “And Maggie Rose is

starting a new generation of Hartwell girls. Maybe Hannah and Alison

will add to the crew by next year.”

The girls laughed, but Rebecca remained silent, her own desire for a

baby mounting.

She was thankful when the food arrived, and the girls dug into salads,

quiches and soup. “This is divine,” Suzanne said. “It reminds me of a

neat little cafe in a hotel near Little Five Points.”

“Speaking of hotels,” Mimi said, clapping the table. “There’s a small

place adjoining the Tiara Room called the Honeysuckle Inn for anyone who

wants to stay over and not drive back that night.” Mimi winked. “Seth

and I are looking forward to spending a romantic night there.”

“Jake and I plan to stay over, too,” Hannah said with a grin. “I can’t

wait to have him all to myself, no phone calls, no emergencies for

either one of us.”

“You two can bring a date,” Mimi offered.

Thomas’s face materialized in Rebecca’s mind, but she quickly banished

it. Not only would he not want to attend a family birthday party with

her, but Alison and Brady would be there, fresh from their honeymoon. If

he still harbored feelings for her cousin, seeing the newlyweds would

only rub salt into his wounds.

“I might bring someone,” Suzanne said. “I have been dating this hot guy

named Nick.”

Rebecca winced. Of course Suzanne would have a great guy to escort her.

And like high school, she would be the wallflower.

As soon as the girls went their separate ways, Mimi pulled Hannah to the

side. “Did you see Rebecca’s face when you mentioned a date?”

Hannah nodded. “Yeah, she looked kind of dreamy, then sad.”

“I bet she was thinking about Thomas.”

“We don’t know for sure. Maybe there’s someone else….”

“You didn’t see her tortured expression when she asked me if I thought

he was still in love with Alison.”

“That bad, huh?” Hannah asked.

Mimi nodded. “Downright pathetic. We have to give them a nudge.”

“But what if he isn’t interested?”

Mimi thumped her fingernail on her chin. “Feel him out this afternoon,

okay?”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “All right, but I just hope he doesn’t catch on.

I don’t want him to think I’m interfering in his personal life.”

Mimi laughed. “Honey, men need a little interference or else they’d all

stay single forever.”

Hannah chuckled, and Mimi grabbed her arm and walked with her to the

door. “You work on him and I’ll work on Rebecca. Maybe we can talk her

into a shopping trip. I’ll discuss it with Suzanne. We need

to swap those baggy clothes for some sexy ones, so he can see her great

figure.”

Thomas escorted Rachel Lackey to the door. “Now remember, call me

anytime if you start having contractions.”

“Thanks, Dr. Emerson.” Rachel laid a hand over her burgeoning belly. “I

don’t know what little Rodney and I would do without you.”

He shrugged. “Just doing my job.”

Rachel waved and left. Thomas sighed, grateful she had a husband. His

last patient, Benita Waters, had asked him to dinner right in the middle

of her exam. He’d been stunned and had resorted to his usual line- he

didn’t date his patients.

Afterward, he’d heard Benita tell Hannah to switch her patient file to

Hannah for her next exam.

“Ready to call it a day?” Hannah asked.

“Yes, how about you?”

“I just finished with the Terrel twins. What a handful.”

He laughed. “Doesn’t make you want a kid?”

“Not like those two. They’re holy terrors.” She slid the chart in the

bin to be filed. “What happened with Benita? I thought she loved having

you as her doctor.”

He grimaced and explained the situation.

“So you suggested she see me from now on so you could date her?” Hannah

asked.

“No.” Thomas raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t intend to date her.

Coming to you was her idea. Sorry about that.”

“It’s not your fault every single woman in town wants you.”

He chuckled. “Actually, not every one does.”

She offered a teasing smile. “Someone turn you down for a date?”

“Not exactly.” He shifted, fumbling with a file, unsure whether to

confess. But, hell, what harm could it do? “Your cousin Rebecca seems

less than enthusiastic about being around me.”

“Hmm. Did you ask her about the murals?”

“Yes, and she agreed. Reluctantly. I don’t know what I’ve done to make

her uncomfortable, but I got the distinct impression she doesn’t like

me.” And that really bugged him.

Hannah laughed. “Then I guess you’d better turn on the charm when she

comes to paint the murals.”

He shrugged, then remembered the lunch meeting to plan the party for her

grandmother. “How’d the planning session go today?”

“Great. We nailed down the details.” She described the Tiara Room and

the small inn where guests would probably stay. “Oh, and Mimi mentioned

to Suzanne that she and Rebecca could bring dates.”

“Really.” Why did that idea bring a twinge of jealousy?

“Suzanne already has someone in mind,” Hannah said. “I’m not sure about

Rebecca, though. It’ll be interesting to see who she brings. It’ll take

a special man to see through her shyness to the wonderful person inside.”

He saw through her shyness.

And he’d better be her date, he thought, irritated with Hannah’s

comment, although he didn’t take the time to analyze the reason. Wasn’t

he special enough for Rebecca?

He grabbed his doctor’s bag and headed to the door to firm up plans

about the paintings. But he decided

to take Hannah’s advice and turn on the charm, just in case he had

competition.

Not that he really wanted a date, he reminded himself. But he did want

to attend that party-to meet her father. Nothing more.

Rebecca steeled herself for her meeting with Thomas. In fact, she’d been

reading How To Get What You Want in between customers, practicing the

visualizing techniques they suggested for thinking yourself into

success. But whenever she’d imagined herself turning him on with just

one passionate look, enticing him to make love to her to get her

pregnant instead of donating his sperm into a plastic vial, visions of

her stuttering and falling on her face in front of him had slipped in.

She paced the sidewalk in front of the store where they were supposed to

meet. Thinking the fresh air would relax her, she’d suggested they walk

to the courtyard park in the square. Unfortunately, it was starting to

drizzle, and the wind had whipped up something fierce.

Why, oh, why had she agreed to do this?

She glanced along the sidewalk but didn’t spot him, then heard a horn

and saw the lemon-yellow Mustang drive up in front of the store. “It’s

starting to rain. Get in.”

She swallowed hard, remembering the last time they’d ridden together,

when she’d driven like a maniac and almost killed him.

“Come on, Rebecca, I won’t bite.”

His sexy, teasing grin did nothing to relax her. But how could she argue?

She slid inside the car and fastened her seat belt.

“Let’s talk over dinner.”

“D-dinner?”

“Yes, you do eat, don’t you?”

She nodded. But dinner seemed too much like a date.

“Then let’s go. I know this great little place outside town. Then we can

skip back to your place.”

“M-my place?” Heavens, that would be way too intimate.

You want to have this man’s baby, Rebecca. For God’s sake, how do you

think you’ll ask him to do that if you can’t even let him come to your

apartment?

Thomas’s shoulders ached as he drove to the restaurant. Rebecca was

holding on to her seat with a death grip, as if she expected him to jump

her bones any minute.

He’d glimpsed a few very nice curves beneath that denim skirt when she’d

climbed into the car. Her breasts had swayed and dipped enticingly,

stirring his arousal. And her scent, some kind of light flowery

fragrance, was driving him wild. He turned on the radio to a soft rock

station to fill the strained silence and tried to regain his

equilibrium. Rebecca Hartwell was not supposed to affect him this way.

Good grief, he saw dozens of women all day long, and not one Sugar Hill

resident stirred his hormones like Rebecca.

Conversation. He should get her talking to thwart this insane reaction