Head Over Heels for the Boss (Donovan Brothers) (6 page)

Devon pushed away from the counter as his mom entered walking hand-in-hand with Bob.

Wait a minute. Hand-in-hand?

But his mom was a hands-on person. She was always touching people, putting her arm across someone’s shoulders. Hadn’t she put her arm around Izzy?

“You all remember Bob?”

Finn said, “Who forgets the fire chief?” He held out his hand to shake Bob’s and Bob took it.

Cade stepped forward. “Bob.” He also shook Bob’s hand.

Everybody faced Devon. He stepped forward and shook Bob’s hand. “Nice to see you.”

His mom said, “Great. What do you say we just get right to dinner? If I’m starving, I know Ellie’s probably about dying.”

Ellie laughed. “I am.”

LuAnn herded everyone to the French doors. “I set everything up on the table on the deck.”

Carrying Richard Sean, Cade and Piper walked out to the back deck. Finn and Ellie followed them.

Not wanting to make a scene or a big deal out of the check, especially since his brothers had already approved the sum, Devon stepped forward, stopping the chief, who was about to help his mom with the pot roast.

He pulled the check from his suit coat pocket. “Chief, my brothers and I had approved this a few weeks ago, but I just got around to cutting the check.”

Bob’s brow furrowed. “Check?”

“It’s a donation to the fire company from the family.”

Bob’s face reddened. “Well, thank you.”

His mother ambled over, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. “What’s that?”

“It’s the check.”

LuAnn gaped at him. “Now? You decided to give it to him
now
?”

“Isn’t that why he’s here?”

“No!”

Cade walked into the awkward silence. “I need Richie’s bottle—”

LuAnn sputtered. “No, he’s not here to get a check! He’s here for dinner!”

She turned to get the pot roast out of the oven. Bob said, “Let me help you with that.”

By the refrigerator now, Cade grabbed Devon’s arm. “What are you doing?”

“I thought he was here for our donation check. I thought I’d spare him the embarrassment of asking for it.”

Cade barked a laugh. When Devon didn’t laugh, Cade frowned. “Are you serious?”

The confused look on his brother’s face made Devon angry. Still, he kept his tone civil when he said, “Yes.”

“How can you not know he and Mom have been dating?”

“Mom dates?!” He swore he felt his heart stop. He tried to picture his mother going out to dinner with someone and he couldn’t. All his protective instincts rose. The last man in his mother’s life had not treated her well, and Devon had been forced into the role of family protector. He couldn’t believe she’d been seeing someone without warning him. Without
needing
him.

Cade laughed again. As his mom and Bob walked away from the stove and closer to the refrigerator, Cade grabbed Devon’s arm and pulled him down the hall.

“She’s been seeing Bob for a few weeks. How can you not know that?” Cade shook his head. “No. Don’t answer; I already know. Your head has always been on business of some kind.” He turned Devon toward the French doors. “Just eat your dinner. Don’t say anything insulting. It will all sink in.”

Following Cade, Devon ambled to the covered back porch and the huge round table. He took the seat between Ellie and Piper and realized that put him directly across from Bob.

Because it was a hot June day, his suit jacket was a tad too much. Shrugging out of it, he noticed his brothers were both in polo shirts and jeans. Their wives wore shorts and tank tops.

He loosened his tie. “Wow. It’s a really nice day.”

Without looking at him, his mom said, “You should get out more. Then you would know that.”

He knew his mom was offended by the fact that somehow he seemed to be the only person in the world who
didn’t
know she’d started dating.

Finn handed him the plate of roast beef. As he forked off a thick slice, he said, “This smells great, Mom.”

“Thanks.”

She still wouldn’t look at him. He got it. He really did. If he didn’t spend so much time in the office in the back of the house, he probably would have noticed his mother was dating someone.

Dating someone.

He would need more than a minute for that to sink in as the family dinner went on around him. One-month-old Richard Sean sat on his mom’s lap. Ellie ate her mashed potatoes with enthusiasm. Finn teased her. Piper came to her defense.

Cade sat back. “Only a fool teases his pregnant wife.”

Bob laughed. So did LuAnn. Her eyes sparkled when she looked at him, the way Finn’s eyes sparkled when he looked at Ellie and Cade’s eyes sparkled when he looked at Piper and little Richie.

Devon closed his eyes. When had his frigging life changed so much? And why did he suddenly feel like a stranger in his own home?

He rose. “You know what? I forgot all about a call I’m expecting in a few minutes. From California. A guy looking for seed money. I could cancel, but I’m sure he’s waiting on pins and needles for an answer.”

LuAnn rose, too. “Devon, you love pot roast and mashed potatoes. Call the man, tell him you need an hour to eat, then come back.”

Ellie smiled up at him. “You also love peach cobbler.”

Piper added, “And there’s no guarantee Richard Sean will still be awake when you get back if you take too long.”

He forced a smile. “That’s okay. I’ll just have a roast beef sandwich later. I’m fine.”

But he wasn’t. His whole damned family had somehow changed while he was busy managing the fortune they’d inherited when their grandfather died. They were all happy.

And he didn’t fit into their lives anymore.

The family he’d worked so hard to protect didn’t need him.

Chapter Five

A
t the wedding on Saturday, Barbara Beth rushed up to Isabelle.

“So, are you done with the flower stuff yet?”

“I have a few more boutonnieres to pin on.”

“And you know what to do tonight?”

“Not even a little bit.”

Barbara Beth took Isabelle by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. Like a drill sergeant, she said, “At eighteen-hundred hours, Ellie and Piper will arrive at the fire hall and make sure there’s an extra seat at their table, which they will save for you. So when you arrive at the reception at eighteen-thirty, you find them.”

“What if I get there early?”

Barbara Beth lightly shook her. “You do not get there early! You make an entrance.”

“Right. Look, Barbara Beth. I appreciate your help, but I’m not sure I’m going to be any good at this.”

“You are my protégée. All you have to do is listen to what I say and do it.” She suddenly straightened. “Here’re the Donovans now.”

Isabelle almost panicked, but when she turned around, all she saw were Piper, Ellie, and LuAnn.

“Hey, ladies.”

LuAnn hugged her then kissed her cheek. “Hey, Izzy. I can’t wait to see the centerpieces.”

“Wait until you see the bouquets on the altar.” She wondered about LuAnn’s sudden appreciation of flowers, but only for about two seconds. It was nice to have someone truly interested in her work. “They are so beautiful I can’t believe I made them myself.”

LuAnn laughed and hugged her.

Barbara Beth said, “Where are the boys?”

Ellie slid a quick look at Isabelle. “They decided to stay home and watch the game. They don’t like wedding ceremonies. They do like baseball, and they swear they will all…ALL…” she said, giving Isabelle a significant look, “be at the reception.”

Barbara Beth let out a gusty sigh of relief. “Okay, then.” She hooked her arm through Isabelle’s. “You go find your last groomsmen and then come sit with us when you’re done.”

Isabelle took the box with the remaining boutonnieres and headed for the back of the church. The invitation to sit with the Donovans was nice. Welcome. The day after she went to work for Devon, her parents really had packed their suitcases and gone to Myrtle Beach. She hadn’t felt odd when she was alone in her apartment. She was always alone there. But going to work at the flower shop, knowing there was no chance her mom or dad could pop in, had made her a little misty. And also made her feel buying the flower shop might not be the answer. Part of loving working there had been spending time with her parents, and that was gone now. Letting the Donovan brides and Barbara Beth help her had been like inviting herself into a private club, giving her a sanctuary while she adjusted to being alone.

The wedding went smoothly, beautifully. The bride’s mother sobbed. The groom’s father kept looking at his watch. The choir sounded like a band of angels. And, luckily, the priest kept it short.

With the centerpieces already at the fire hall, with instructions to the Dinner Belles that they should go on the tables around five, Isabelle headed home. She took a quick nap and, because it was a hot day, decided to rinse off before dressing for the reception. She was just stepping out of the shower when her doorbell rang.

Confused, she wrapped herself in her robe and answered the door. There, on her tiny porch, stood Barbara Beth with Ellie and Piper.

Barbara Beth said, “I’m doing your hair.”

Ellie held up a bag of makeup. “I got this from our makeup artist at the last commercial shoot. So I get your face.”

Piper smiled. “I’m just here for moral support.”

Isabelle stepped back to let them inside her living room. “Really. This isn’t necessary. I was just going to do my hair and face the way we did it for work on Thursday.”

Barbara Beth patted her cheek. “Oh, sweetie. I have so much to teach you.”

Two hours later, after a call from Finn, the Donovans and Barbara Beth left Isabelle’s apartment. They’d powdered her, made up her face, and put her hair into six different styles until they settled on the one they believed suited her best. And finally they were leaving so she could slip into her dress.

Before she closed the door, Barbara Beth said, “Remember, you don’t get there until six thirty. You make an entrance.”

D
evon walked to his SUV, waving good-bye to his mother, who sat on the passenger’s side of Bob’s car, smiling. He smiled back, slid inside his vehicle, waited for them to pull out, then laid his head on the steering wheel.

It was not right for a son to have to see his mom date.

There. He’d said it.

For the love of God, he did not want to watch them holding hands, snuggling on the dance floor, or envision them leaving together to stay overnight at Bob’s house…as they had the night before.

So he had a plan. Right after the wedding dinner, he intended to hit the bar. Hard. He’d give his keys to Finn or Cade and let himself get rip-snorting drunk with Barbara Beth, a good friend who’d just want to have a laugh, nothing more. Then one of his brothers could drive him home. God knew he’d driven them home often enough.

He arrived at the fire hall and shook his head. The big red trucks sat in the driveway and the empty hall had been decorated with tiny white twinkle lights. Regular folding chairs had been made formal with white linen covers. Tables had been adorned with white linen cloths and pretty yellow-rose centerpieces.

Isabelle’s centerpieces.

And his mother was right. They were pretty.

He almost groaned over thinking like a girl until he remembered that he now owned the flower shop that had provided those centerpieces, and he had a vested interest in them being perfect. Just what the customer had ordered.

He ambled to the table where Finn and Ellie, Piper and Cade, his mom and
Bob
sat.

There were two empty chairs on the far side, so he walked over and pulled one out. As soon as he saw Barbara Beth, he would wave her over. She’d fit in perfectly. Everybody knew her. She was best friends with his two sisters-in-law. And she was fun. Tonight, he needed some fun.

“Everybody.”

His brothers and sisters-in-law said, “Hi, Devon” or, “Hey, Devon.” His mother took his hand. “Didn’t Izzy do a great job on the centerpieces?”

“Yes. How were the flowers at church?” he asked, trying to sound like a boss.

“They were beautiful,” Ellie said. “Izzy always comes through.”

“I think you were crazy to move her out of that job into the office,” Piper said, leaning forward. “She has a real talent for arranging flowers.”

Before Devon could answer, Mary Louise Stevens strolled over. A pretty blonde who’d never given him the time of day, she smiled sweetly at him. “Well, Devon Donovan. It’s nice to see you.”

It seemed odd for her to say that since he’d just spent two hours with her the day before at the bank, handling some wire transfers. Still, he politely rose and said, “It’s nice to see you, too, Mary Louise.”

She put her hand on his forearm. “As I was saying at the bank yesterday, it’s good to see you out of the office.”

Oh, yeah. He remembered that now. She’d all but thrown herself at him. Mostly because she’d gotten a good look at three of the family’s accounts. She’d probably faint if she realized that wasn’t even one percent of their money.

He started to say, “I have a lot of work—” just as Izzy walked in the front door, and his mouth fell open. Her hair had been swept up on one side, pinned back by a pink flower. Nothing too big. Just the right size to look kind of sexy. His gaze skimmed down over a pink sparkly dress that stopped mid-thigh—and she had the legs for it. Now, not only was he dealing with the fact that she wasn’t a kid anymore, he was seeing her as a gorgeous, sexy woman. It was as if someone had waved a magic wand and she’d changed overnight.

Mary Louise stiffened. “Oh, look, it’s Izzy.”

Devon said, “Belle.”

“Excuse me?”

“She likes to be called Belle.”

Mary Louise shot him a look of confusion.

Ellie said, “She works for us now.”

Piper said, “Yeah, and that extra seat is for her.”

Mary Louise glanced at Devon. He raised his hands helplessly, though he was abundantly glad he wouldn’t have to sit by her.

Always polite, Mary Louise said, “Well, it was nice to see you.” She took a slow breath and renewed her smile as she glanced at his brothers and their wives, his mom and
Bob.
“It was nice to see all of you.”

She walked away and Devon sat again. Cade said, “What was that all about?”

“I think after Mary Louise got a look at a few of our bank accounts yesterday, I suddenly became interesting.”

Finn laughed.

“It’s not funny. She’s not the first woman to make a pass at me since we inherited Pap’s money. You guys are lucky you’re married already.”

Even as he said that, he glanced at the front of the hall and saw Isabelle again. She greeted the bride and groom, signed the guest book, and walked over to their table. Her shiny pink dress shimmered as she walked. Her legs were works of art.

“Hi, everybody.”

Cade, Finn, and Bob rose. It took a second for Devon to get his bearings, then he scrambled to his feet. He couldn’t believe he was so shell-shocked that he forgot his manners.

“Hey, Izzy.”

She met his gaze with a soft smile. “It’s Belle, remember?”

He swallowed. Hadn’t he just corrected Mary Louise? Why was his mind suddenly a big, empty hole? “Right. Belle.”

“We have an extra seat,” Ellie said, pointing to the empty chair beside him. “Why don’t you join us?”

His mom said, “Yes, Izzy. Join us.”

He noticed that she didn’t correct his mom about the name, but somehow that only made her request that he call her Belle hotter. Like a pet name. Or a term of endearment you’d have for a lover.

No! What the hell was happening to his brain? Yes, he took lovers. He had affairs. But Isabelle Cooper—cute little green-thumbed tomboy Izzy—was not the kind of girl to be somebody’s lover.

She smiled that pretty smile again, and all the blood in Devon’s body whooshed through him. Resisting the urge to drop his head to his hands, he reminded himself that it might take a bit of work, but he would control himself.

Isabelle said, “Thanks. I think I will join you.” She walked around the table to the empty chair beside him.

Remembering his manners, he pulled the chair out for her. Even the way she sat was pretty. Delicate. Sensual. He’d have never in a million years expected this from the girl who usually dressed like a farmer. But she was no farmer tonight. She wasn’t even an office worker. She was just a beautiful woman.

He tugged his collar away from his throat, took a breath, and sat beside her.

Piper said to Isabelle, “I heard your parents left a few days ago.”

She set her sparkly purse beside her plate, and Devon noticed those long pink nails again. “The house hunt has officially begun.”

Finn said, “Any idea where they want to live?”

“They love to play golf, but if my mom has her way they’ll be on the beach.”

“The beach can be pricey,” Devon said. “Your dad will hate spending that kind of money.”

She turned to face him. Her incredible green eyes held his as her pink lips lifted into a warm smile. His heart stopped.

“My mom has a way of always getting what she wants from my dad.”

The girls laughed. The men groaned. But Devon sat mesmerized by her and the knowledge that right at that moment he’d give Isabelle anything she wanted.

The DJ’s mike suddenly became live, sending a shriek of feedback through the cavernous fire hall. “And now, ladies and gentlemen, I’m pleased to announce the wedding party.”

Isabelle’s head snapped around so she could see the line of bridesmaids and groomsmen as the DJ announced them. Ellie, Piper, and Isabelle commented on the dresses and tuxes, with his mom adding an occasional odd comment. Devon didn’t care. He was glad for the five-minute reprieve to catch his breath.

The day Isabelle had come to work dressed differently, he’d noticed that she was gorgeous, all grown up, and sexy in a feminine way that about drove him crazy. But he also didn’t date employees. He didn’t date at all. So if he did anything with Isabelle, it would be just for sex. And…seriously…even
considering
that with her was wrong.

The bride and groom arrived and, finally, dinner was served. A lively conversation ensued when Cade talked about having homes on both sides of the country.

“Anytime we want, Piper and I can get in the plane, and in a few hours we’re away from the hustle and bustle of life around here.”

Isabelle laughed. “I’d hardly call Harmony Hills hustle and bustle.”

Finn said, “It’s still good to have a retreat. A place you can go to get away from things.”

Isabelle glanced at Devon, smiled, then faced his family again. “I sort of like it here.”

Had she just flirted with him?

“You mean you don’t like the idea of your parents getting a beach house and having somewhere to crash two or three times a year when you just want to get away?”

Isabelle laughed. “I never thought of that. I’ve been so busy missing my parents that I forgot there was an upside to their moving.”

“But you still miss them?” And maybe that was why she seemed to be acting so oddly around him. Maybe her unusual behavior was nothing more than her reaction to the overwhelming feeling of being alone.

“I do miss them.”

Younger members of the Dinner Belles walked around with carts, collecting empty dishes, then serving dessert. The best man made a toast. The maid of honor sang a rap song about her sister, the bride, that had everyone in stitches. As the atmosphere became more casual, Cade leaned back, slid his arm around Piper’s chair. Bob sat back and slid his arm around Devon’s mother’s chair. Finn leaned over and all but cuddled with his pregnant wife.

The only two not huddled together were him and Isabelle.

The DJ introduced the bride and groom and they danced. The bride danced with her father. The groom danced with his mother.

Devon looked at his watch. Just when he thought he’d had enough of being uncomfortable, and was getting ready to go find Barbara Beth, the DJ shifted gears, a slow song began to play, and he invited everyone to the dance floor.