Love is Lovelier

by Donna Simonetta

He climbed the stairs and took a moment to notice the rocking chairs lining the left side of the porch, and the swing and cushioned outdoor on the right. Jeff lived on one side of the Retreat with his eleven-year-old daughter, and Mick guessed it was the side with the swing.

  Opening the door, he entered the lobby, noting the tasteful combination of antiques and new items. It managed to be cozy and welcoming, but still elegant.

  He heard the happy yip of a small dog, and Heather’s throaty laugh. Drawn like a magnet, and very much against his will, he followed the sound to the Retreat’s dining room, decorated in white and baby blue for the christening party. The tables were all set with white linens, and bouquets of blue hydrangeas at their centers.

  The room was devoid of people, except Heather and the young man behind the bar. The guy was dressed in the same uniform as the parking attendant, but he somehow managed to make it look stylish. His dark hair flopped over one eye, but was shorter in the back. He remembered the hairdo as being favored by the Lacrosse players back in high school. Lax dude smiled flirtatiously at Heather as he handed her a flute of champagne.

  Heather was in the same outfit she’d worn in the church—a yellow sundress and a small, white cardigan. As she smiled back at the bartender, she looked as springy and fresh as the day outside. Around her feet danced what appeared to be a tiny one-eyed dog of some sort. He’d always figured Heather to be a big-dog person—like a retriever or a hound—not a little frou-frou dog like this one.

  He felt a sharp pang in his gut as Heather threw back her head and laughed at something the bartender said to her. Huh. Jealousy? What the hell was up with that? It had been years since Heather and he had been together. He’d moved on with his life, and there had been no shortage of women. He was sure a woman as amazing as Heather had no problem attracting men. So why did he want to stride across the dining room and punch Lax dude in the face?

  The dog spotted him and yipped, which drew the attention of Heather and her admirer, who both turned to look at him.

  “Nice place here. We conducted our interviews via Skype, so this is the first time I’ve seen it in person. Jeff and Cisco did a great job outfitting it.”

  He watched the smile fade from her face at his remark, and her eyes shuttered as clearly as if she’d drawn shades against them. He’d meant to pay a compliment, so why did she look like she wanted to deck him as much as he wanted to deck the bartender.

  “As a matter of fact, I decorated the Retreat. I oversaw the entire renovation while the boys were still in Portland playing their last season for the Pintos.”

  Her tone was so chilly ski resorts could hire her to make snow. Why did it bother him to be on the receiving end of her frosty tone of voice, while the bartender got her warmth and humor?

  Maybe she was insulted he’d ignored her contribution to the Retreat? Hell, he hadn’t known; when had she gotten so prickly? He remembered Heather being a lot more laid-back when she was younger.

  Reminding himself they needed to be able to work together, he said in a conciliatory manner, “I didn’t know. You did a great job. I’m lucky to have you working on my team.”

  Her jaw set, and he wondered if she had the same issue with teeth grinding he did. If he wasn’t mistaken, Heather didn’t look any happier about working together then he was.

  “Your team?” She saluted smartly. “Well, Cap’n, I’m off the clock right now, so if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to what I was doing.”

  His gaze darted from the bartender, who looked between them with undisguised interest, as though he were at a championship table tennis tournament.

  Heather put her hands on her hips, and he wouldn’t be surprised to see steam coming out of her ears. Clearly he was mishandling this whole situation. Lax dude now had an irritating smirk on his pretty-boy face as he observed a thoroughly cheesed-off Heather, and his own complete lack of an idea of what to do next.

  “May I speak to you in private for a moment? Before the other guests arrive.” Mick wasn’t sure what he was going to say, but he obviously had to do something to clear the air between the two of them.

  “Sure.” Heather waggled her fingers at the bartender. “Thanks for all your help setting up, Kyle. If we don’t get the chance to talk again, I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

  “Looking forward to it.” The kid had the nerve to waggle his eyebrows at her lasciviously, before exiting through the swinging door to the kitchen.

  “Tomorrow night?” Damn it all to hell! He really needed to cool it with the green-eyed monster, but he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Isn’t Kyle a little young for you?”

  Heather’s eyes flashed, which perversely he liked more than the cool indifference he’d seen in them before. At least now he knew she felt some of the heat he always felt when he was with her.

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but Kyle and I go to school together. We’re both majoring in Management, so we have a lot of classes together. And, yes, he is a little younger than me, but if I choose to date him, it’s between the two of us—not you—so keep your damn opinion about it to yourself. You’re going to be my boss, not my father. What I do on my own time is my own business.”

  “Really? You decided to go to college? That’s great.”

  “Seriously?” She huffed and took a hearty swig of her previously untouched champagne. “That’s your take-away message from everything I just said?”

  Her exasperation made him smile inside; not many people stood up to him the way Heather just did, but he was speaking to her in a professional capacity right now, so when he spoke his tone of voice was stiff and formal. “Sorry. I heard everything you said, but the boss part is what I wanted to speak with you about. Obviously, we have a history between us, but we need to find a way to put it behind us, and work together in a professional manner.”

  She wrinkled her nose as she surveyed him from top to bottom. “Did they have to surgically implant that stick up your ass? And when precisely did it happen? I don’t remember you being such a stiff.”

  He threw back his head and roared with laughter. “I still enjoy your company way too much for my piece of mind, Heather Braden.”

  She gasped and her eyes opened wide, but before she could respond, a cluster of partygoers entered the room, and she smoothly segued into hostess mode, but she did send him one last glance over her shoulder as she walked away, and confusion clouded her eyes.

  Join the club sweetheart. I’m just as out of my element about my reactions to you as you are about yours to me.

  Chapter 3

  Mick watched Heather slip out of the party with a tray of desserts and champagne glasses. He scowled as he realized he hadn’t seen that bartender in a while. Was Heather sneaking off to meet him? And why did the idea feel like a punch to the solar plexus? What—or who—Heather did wasn’t his business. Not anymore, and it hadn’t been for a long time.

  “You’re looking tired and cranky, man. I’m sorry I can’t get away quite yet to get you settled.”

  He started at the sound of Jeff’s voice. He’d been so lost in his thoughts about Heather he hadn’t heard his friend come up behind him.

  He turned and laughed as he saw his brawny friend holding the little fluffy, one-eyed dog in his arms.

  Jeff grinned. “This is Petunia. She’s Maggie’s dog.”

  Mick scratched behind her ears, which made her tail thump against Jeff’s side. “Cute. I saw her earlier with Heather and thought she was her dog.”

  “She’s officially Maggie’s, but she spends most days at the Retreat while Maggie’s at the library. She job shares the librarian gig here in town with Bethanne. So, Petunia is the unofficial mascot of the Retreat. Hope you’re cool with dogs.”

  “I am. I love dogs.”

  “Good. At least you’ll get along with Petunia—if not Heather. I’m sorry, man; I don’t know what her deal is with you.”

  Mick knew all too well, but he was not about to share that nugget of information
with Heather’s older brother. They’d never told Jeff about their relationship back in the day, and he saw no reason to dredge up ancient history now, as long as their history stayed in the past. “I know it’s a small office, and dissension can be really disruptive to the organization. I’ll do my best to smooth things over with her. We’re both grown-ups, I’m sure everything will be fine.”

  “Good, good. Glad to hear it. Heather does a great job here, and I know you’re going to be terrific for the Retreat. Cisco and I don’t want to lose either one of you.”

  “Jeff! Can we get a picture of you with Cisco and the baby?” one of the partygoers yelled from across the room.

  “Sure thing,” Jeff replied. “I’ll be right there. Excuse me, Mick; the party seems to be breaking up, so I should be able to take you to your cabin in a little bit.”

  “No worries. I’m enjoying getting to know everyone here in Rivers Bend.”

  And he wanted to stick around long enough to see if Heather was with that bartender when she got back. Not that it mattered to him, or anything. Right.

  ****

  “Hello, ladies, I thought you could use a little refreshment during your nursing break,” Heather called out as she entered the living room in Jeff’s private living quarters.

  She had decorated the room for Jeff when he bought the Retreat, and she chose a comfy, homey theme with turquoise and brown as the predominant colors. Family photos were in frames everywhere, including a large professional photograph over the fireplace of Heather with her mother, sister, and two brothers on the family horse farm. They were all in jeans with white shirts; their mother was seated on a hay bale and the rest of them were standing or seated around her.

  Bethanne sat in a chair in front of the fireplace, nursing baby Francisco, and Magda was sprawled on the sectional sofa with her high heels kicked off and on the floor next to her.

  “Bless you, Heather!” Magda exclaimed.

  Heather handed her a glass of champagne from the tray she carried. “Champagne for you and me, sparkling cider for Bethanne, and desserts for all of us!”

  She set the tray on the coffee table, after putting Bethanne’s cider on the table next to her chair, and sat down next to Magda, who closed her eyes in bliss as she took a sip.

  “Long day, huh?” Heather asked with sympathy. “I think the party is starting to wind down now.”

  “The guest of honor and I better get back out there now that he’s had his dinner,” Bethanne said, as she burped the baby.

  She rose and picked up her non-alcoholic cider with her free hand. “Thanks, Heather, for dessert and for everything you did to make this party special. You two are the best friends a girl could have! Once more into the fray for me, but y’all can chill in here for a little longer.”

  Magda wriggled her toes as she leaned forward to select a mini-cheesecake from the tray. “Thanks. My feet are killing me. If I weren’t such a midget, I wouldn’t have to wear such high heels. And of course, I had to fall for your brother, who’s a virtual giant.”

  Bethanne laughed before leaving Heather and Magda alone.

  Magda looked at Heather with speculation in her steady gaze. “You and the new guy seemed to be having an intense conversation when I got to the party, and he’s been watching you like a panther watches his prey all afternoon. What’s the story with you two?”

  Heather hesitated; Maggie had become one of her best friends since she’d moved to Rivers Bend, but she was also Jeff’s girlfriend, and Jeff never knew what went down between Mick and her, way back when. And Jeff wasn’t just her big brother, he owned the company she worked for and there was no way she could share with the boss’s girlfriend how hurt she was Jeff and Cisco were considering taking Mick on as a third partner in the Retreat, when they never offered her the same opportunity. She was hurt. And angry. She worked her tush off for this place, and felt seriously under-appreciated.

  Maggie was thoughtful and intuitive, so it was no surprise she sensed the reason behind Heather’s hesitation.

  “I know I’m involved with your brother, but I’m your friend, too, and I can keep a secret.”

  Heather popped a chocolate covered strawberry in her mouth and savored the combination of the tart fruit and the sweet chocolate, as she thought about Maggie’s words. She couldn’t talk about the work stuff with Maggie, but maybe she could get her friend’s input on the personal situation with Mick.

  “I need to talk to someone, and I really value your opinion, but it would have to stay between us.”

  Magda crossed her heart. “I promise.”

  Heather took a deep breath. “Mick and I knew each other back in Portland, when I moved there to help Jeff take care of Sam after her mom died.”

  It was a dark time in her brother’s life, so she never regretted the sacrifices she made to care for her brother and her niece, but it did lead to her first heartbreak. And her last, because she made sure to guard her heart more carefully from that point forward.

  “Why do I feel as though there’s so much more to the story than you ‘knew each back in Portland’?” Magda asked as she nestled into the chair and took a sip of champagne. “Tell Auntie Magda all about it.”

  Heather smiled at the woman whom she was fairly certain would be her sister-in-law one day soon. She was so happy Jeff brought this smart, funny, and kind woman into all of their lives, but she didn’t want to put Maggie in a bad position with Jeff. “I would like to talk about it with you. I could really use some advice, but it’s about stuff Jeff doesn’t know happened, and with Mick working here now, it’s probably best if Jeff never finds out about it.”

  “If you want to tell me something in confidence, I can keep it quiet. I don’t especially like keeping things from your brother, but you’ve been a good friend to me, and if you need an ear now, then I’ve got one.” She winked. “Not to mention two feet that are in no hurry to squeeze back into those heels.”

  Heather laughed. “Well, if it’s to spare your tortured toes, then I have no choice but to tell you.”

  Magda leaned forward to grab a lemon bar from the tray. “My feet thank you, and your secrets are safe with me.”

  “Mick and I hung out in Portland and I never told Jeff about it. He was seriously over-protective of me when I lived with him.”

  Magda nodded her understanding. “Contrary to his laid back image, Jeff takes his responsibilities very seriously, and he felt responsible for you, since you’d moved across the whole country to be there for him when he needed you.” She paused and arched her eyebrows. “Was Mick as GQ handsome back in the day as he is now?”

  Heather exhaled as she thought. “I’m sorry to say I think he is even more attractive now. He was young then, so he was probably more cute than handsome.” She thought about the sharp planes of his cheekbones over his sculpted lips, and remembered his softer appearance ten years before; she shivered. “Yeah. Definitely more handsome now.”

  “And was he as serious then as he is now?”

  “Yes and no. Around the guys he was all business, but when we were alone, he’d let down his guard and we had a lot of fun. He even let his West Virginia accent slip when he’d really forget himself. It made me feel like I was going out with a boy from home.”

  Magda’s blue eyes opened wide. “Mick had an accent? Wow. There’s no trace of it now.”

  “No. He really worked to lose it in college, I guess, but sometimes he’d let it slip, and I loved it! All smooth, like honey and home.”

  “Jeff didn’t know you were hanging out?”

  Heather shook her head. “At first we did just hang out—”

  Magda reached across the empty seat on the sofa between them to rest her hand on Heather’s, when she spoke her voice was gentle. “Was Mick your first?”

  Heather shook her head vehemently. “No. At first, we were just friends, but then one day, we kissed. There was some serious chemistry between us, and if we’d stayed together I’m pretty sure he would’ve been my first.”
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  “What happened?”

  Heather frowned and furrowed her brow. “I don’t know. To this day, I don’t know! Everything was great between us. We were even getting ready to brave the wrath of Jeff and tell him we were dating. Mick hated keeping it from him. The guy code is firm on not dating sisters, but evidently once you do, you need to come clean about it.”

  “And with two alpha males like Mick and Jeff, I’m sure fisticuffs would ensue.”

  Heather raised her eyebrows. “Fisticuffs?”

  Magda shrugged and grinned. “I read a lot of historical romance, and I’ve always wanted to work the word ‘fisticuffs’ into a conversation.”

  “You are one odd woman, but I like it.”

  Magda waved her free hand, as she took a sip of champagne. She swallowed and said, “Thank you. Carry on. You two were about to tell Jeff…”

  “Right. So, one day I brought Sam to the stadium to watch Jeff practice. Mick was on the sidelines with a bunch of other players. I know he saw us. He watched me like a hawk, but he didn’t come over to say ‘hi’. It seemed like the other guys were teasing him. If it were happening now, I might have handled things differently, but I was so young then, I just went up to him and said hello. The other guys hooted, a couple made crude remarks they didn’t think I could hear, like I was deaf, I was standing right there. I don’t know why they thought they were in the cone of silence. I knew they were teasing Mick more than me, but it was really uncomfortable.”

  “What did Mick do?”

  Heather felt the burn of tears and blinked them away, refusing to allow the memory to have the power to hurt her after all this time. “Nothing. He did nothing. He just set his jaw and walked away leaving me standing there with my niece in her stroller, and a bunch of dumb jocks laughing at me. I didn’t even know what the hell was going on—I still don’t—but I know I felt like I was about this tall.” She held her thumb and forefinger a fraction of an inch apart.

  “And the next time you talked?” Magda prompted. “What did he have to say for himself?”

  Heather scrunched up her eyes and rubbed her temples. “He never talked to me alone about anything.”