The Marine Meets His Match

by Cathie Linz

  He nodded. He hated lying to his grandmother, but there was nothing he could do about it now. Not without sabotaging his mission of getting Heidi off his back.

  “Is she Polish?” Wanda demanded. “What is her name?”

  “Her name is Serena Anderson,” Rad replied.

  Wanda appeared disappointed. “That is not a Polish name.”

  “My mother was one-half Polish.” Heidi smiled at Wanda.

  Rad saw the way his grandmother focused her attention on the general’s daughter, as if considering her as a possible candidate for Busha’s matchmaking skills.

  He was no fool. He could see where this was going. Heidi was like the evil serpent trying to lure his poor grandmother closer. He had to get his Busha away…before she tried to hook him up with Heidi.

  “Actually Serena’s mother is three-quarters Polish,” he fabricated desperately. “Excuse us, Heidi, but we’re on our way to see her now.”

  “You just said you were taking your grandmother on a tour of the base,” Heidi reminded him.

  “That was before I realized what time it is. We have to hurry or we’ll be late.”

  Taking his grandmother’s arm, he hustled her toward the parking lot and his waiting Corvette.

  “That one has her eyes on you,” Wanda said, “and I think she is a young woman used to getting her own way.”

  “The general’s daughter is definitely used to getting her own way.”

  He helped his grandmother into the low-slung passenger seat. “This is not a car for old people,” she grumbled.

  “You’re not old, Busha.”

  “I cannot believe you did not tell me of your engagement, Radoslaw.” Her use of his full name indicated her displeasure. Most of his buddies assumed that he was called Rad because of his radical ways, which was exactly the way he liked it. He could only be thankful that his grandmother hadn’t used his full name in front of Heidi.

  “I can’t believe the entire situation,” Rad muttered. He could feel the muscles at the back of his neck tightening as he turned his head to back his Corvette out of its parking space. This car was his pride and joy. The automotive work of art had a bodacious swagger that proclaimed its power and speed to all who shared street-space with it.

  The first thing he’d done when he’d received his inheritance from his oil tycoon grandfather was get this car. The second was to make a generous donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

  “Do not drive too fast,” his grandmother cautioned him, grabbing on to the dashboard as he turned a corner. “I am eager to meet your fiancée, but I do not want to risk my life to do so.”

  Rad had never intended for his family to know about his elaborate deception. But now, thanks to Heidi, he had to take his grandmother to the bookstore to meet Serena.

  Fine. Change of plans. He could handle that. He’d been trained to manage multiple scenarios with various outcomes. Dealing with rapidly changing conditions was his specialty. Answering the barrage of questions about Serena that his grandmother threw at him was not.

  He decided not to mention that he’d just bought Serena’s building. Instead he just nodded when his grandmother commented on the lovely flower boxes at the front windows of the store.

  Wanda touched a fingertip to one of the red petunias as if she could gain critical information from its petals. “So this Serena of yours, she is a good girl, yes?”

  “Affirmative.”

  Rad held the door open for his grandmother and walked into the bookstore to find Serena on a ladder, hanging a huge banner. Distracted as he was by her legs—her trim ankles, her curvaceous calves, the vulnerable backs of her knees, the sexy smoothness of her thighs—it took him a moment or two to realize what was actually printed on that banner. It said Welcome Sexual Goddess!

  The cozy bookstore he remembered from yesterday had been transformed. Posters on easels displayed suggestive book covers and a photo of a blond woman with a plastic smile and a lot of cleavage, nowhere near as good as Serena’s cleavage but still…. Piles of books with provocative titles like Sexual Satisfaction in big letters were stacked all around them.

  “What are you doing?” His Marine voice boomed out.

  Startled, Serena glanced over her shoulder and ended up swaying dangerously on the ladder and almost falling off. Rad caught her before that happened and then momentarily held her in his arms as if unsure what to do with her.

  Which was ridiculous. He knew exactly what to do with her. Or what he wanted to do with her. He wanted those long sexy legs of hers around his waist….

  His grandmother tugged on his sleeve. “You can put her down now.”

  He couldn’t dump Serena fast enough.

  Serena blinked as Rad set her on her feet with all the finesse of a longshoreman and then glared at her as if she were running a house of ill repute. The older woman at his side looked around with unabashed interest.

  What now, Serena wondered. This was Rad’s charade, so she waited to let him speak first.

  But he was too busy giving her the evil eye. So naturally she had to leap into the conversational void, feeling the need to explain the display she’d just finished putting up. “A very well-known sex therapist and bestselling author is coming here tomorrow for a book signing. She’s known as the Sexual Goddess.”

  “And here I thought you were welcoming me,” Wanda said with a huge grin.

  Rad’s square jaw dropped, a rare occurrence for a man who prided himself on maintaining the upper hand at all times. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your fiancée?” his grandmother demanded, poking him with her finger as she’d done back in her kitchen in Chicago when he’d tried to steal a kolachki from the cookie sheet right out of the oven.

  Rad still hadn’t recovered from being caught red-handed with Serena in his arms and X-rated thoughts in his mind. He’d definitely known his share of women, but he’d never had his grandmother standing by on the sidelines while he’d engaged in his sexual pursuits.

  Okay, he was just momentarily thrown. No problem. He’d regroup and regain control. “Serena, this is my grandmother Wanda Kozlowski. She’s down here for an unexpected visit.”

  “Unexpected by you maybe,” Wanda said. “But your brother Ben knew I was coming.” Without waiting for Rad to continue, she went over to Serena and enfolded her in a huge hug. “And you must be Serena Anderson. I had no idea Rad got engaged until his friend Heidi told me.”

  Rad said, “I was going to surprise my grandmother, but that’s no longer possible thanks to Heidi.”

  “I’m sure you will continue to do things to surprise your grandmother. I know you are always doing things to surprise me.” Serena shot him a look that said, Duping little old ladies wasn’t part of the deal.

  “My Rad tells me that your mother is three-quarters Polish. What part of Poland did her family come from?”

  Behind Wanda’s back, Rad’s hand gesture was the all-too-familiar one for go along with whatever I say.

  Serena did her best to keep up. “Uh, I’m not sure.”

  “Do your parents live nearby?”

  “No way.”

  Serena’s emphatic reply raised a few eyebrows in the Kozlowski family.

  “I mean, no. They live way on the other side of the country. In Las Vegas.”

  “Rad has told me very little about you. He didn’t go into detail about your Polish relatives. He only said that your mother is three-quarters Polish, but had little more information than that. You know how men are. They do not notice the small things. Not that your Polish heritage is a small thing.”

  “Of course not.”

  “So tell me more.” Wanda gave her an encouraging smile.

  “I really don’t know much more than that.”

  “Your mother shared none of her Polish heritage with you? What about Dyngus Day? It is the day after Easter and a holiday in Poland.”

  “No, I’m sorry.”

  “The contributions which Poles have made to science, music, art an
d literature are outstanding. Think of the beautiful music of Chopin, or the scientific contributions of Marie Curie, to name just two of many. Ours is a proud heritage. I am sorry for what you have missed.”

  Serena had missed more than that in her childhood. In reality, she had no idea about her parents’ backgrounds, other than the fact that her mother’s parents were strict Baptists and her father was overly strict period.

  No, it wasn’t lack of knowledge about her heritage that she’d missed, it had been acceptance and understanding.

  “Do not look so sad.” Wanda patted her cheek. “I can tell you more about your Polish heritage. I would be glad to do so.”

  Serena felt like pond scum for deceiving her.

  “But you are not wearing a ring.” Wanda held up Serena’s left hand to show Rad. “Why is she not wearing a ring?” she asked him.

  “It’s being sized,” Serena replied.

  “Had I known of Rad’s intentions, I would have offered my own engagement ring for your use. But this one tells me nothing.” She affectionately socked Rad’s arm before returning her attention to Serena. “You and I must get to know one another better without his help.”

  “Serena is going to be very busy with her bookstore.” Rad’s voice was firm.

  “You are so young to own such a business. You must work very hard.” She turned from Serena to gaze at her grandson in exasperation. “And you, you can stop glaring at that sign. This is not the first time I have heard of the Sexual Goddess. I read her first book.”

  His jaw dropped for the second time. “You did?”

  “Of course. Why do you think your grandfather died with a smile on his face? Ah, it is so easy to shock these young ones.” Wanda laughed, a super-sized sound coming from such a petite woman. “Now you must tell me how you two met. Did Rad come to your store for a book?”

  Behind his grandmother’s back, Rad was once again indicating to Serena that she should along with whatever he was about to say.

  Serena couldn’t help but be amused by Rad’s flustered behavior. Having seen him in his “U.S. Marine mode” she knew how in command and supremely confident he was most of the time. Because it felt good to be able to throw him off balance for a change, she said, “Actually he came in to buy the Sexual Goddess’s latest book.”

  Wanda laughed, the sound once again filling the bookstore.

  “She’s kidding.” Rad’s look promised retribution later.

  “A sense of humor is a good thing.” Wanda nodded her approval. “It will come in handy dealing with this one.” She tilted her head toward Rad.

  “I’m sure it will.”

  “How long have you been engaged? When did he pop the question?” The older woman’s vivid blue eyes glowed with excitement and curiosity. “What did he say?”

  “You know Rad. He made me an offer too good to refuse.”

  “Ah, he has a way with words. Not that he says much, but when he does, they mean something.”

  “He’s an impressive speaker.” She remembered the way he’d spoken at the school. “Sometimes I don’t think he realizes the power in his own voice.”

  “That’s the Marines. All my grandsons are like that. They all have a Marine’s voice. My son as well.”

  Rad stepped closer, as if his doing so would allow him to regain control of the situation. “Dad says he got that from you, not from the Marines.”

  Wanda shrugged. “When you have children, you keep a certain voice reserved to let them know when you mean business. Discipline is never a problem then.”

  Serena’s father had used that I-mean-business-so-don’t-mess-with-me voice all the time, over everything—from what time meals should be served, to ordering her to dust the baseboards all around the house every Saturday morning, to ordering her out of his house. Don’t go there. Keep the past in the past.

  Wanda gazed fondly at her grandson. “Everyone knows that I am really a marshmallow. Rad especially has always had a way of getting to me. He is always doing the unexpected. Remember the time you painted the kitchen walls with Crisco?”

  “I was only two at the time.”

  “Four,” Wanda corrected him. “And as full of the devil as anything. Ah, the pranks this one pulled. There were times I thought I would never live to see sixty-five for the wild things he did.”

  “And now you’re seventy-five and doing just fine.”

  Wanda nodded. “That is true. So when are you two getting married? Have you set a date yet? I wasn’t able to come to either of my other grandson’s weddings. His brother Ben had two, you know. One was a quickie in a wedding chapel with only his parents present. You aren’t planning on doing that are you?”

  “Definitely not,” Serena stated emphatically.

  “Good. I missed Striker’s Texas wedding because I’d just broken my ankle the day before. And I was having my gallbladder removed when Ben and Ellie renewed their vows a few months ago.”

  “Sounds like your grandsons’ weddings bring you bad luck,” Serena noted.

  “It may sound that way,” Wanda agreed, “but it isn’t true. I am so happy to see them finally settle down. There were times when I was sure this one here would never do so. Not after Liza.”

  There was an awkward silence.

  The shadowed look in Rad’s eyes told her that this was confidential information, that only those with top clearance were allowed access to that part of his life. As a fake fiancée, she wasn’t privy to his innermost feelings. And clearly he had had feelings for this Liza, who-ever she was. Deep feelings, judging by the way his jaw clenched and his expression tightened at the mere mention of her name.

  Serena tried not to be hurt by this new knowledge. Who was the woman who’d managed to touch Rad’s heart?

  “But enough about that.” Wanda said quickly.

  “We really should get going.” Rad’s voice was curt. “Ben is expecting us.”

  “Serena must come with us. You should have invited her before,” she scolded Rad before taking Serena’s hands in hers once more. “You’ll come, yes?”

  Behind Wanda’s back, Rad was shaking his head.

  “It wouldn’t be right for me to accept,” Serena politely said. “I’m sure your family has plans for you tonight.”

  What she really wanted to know was who Liza was and why the mere mention of her name made Rad’s expression freeze.

  “The plan was for grilled hamburgers in Ben’s backyard. Besides, no plans could be bigger than celebrating your engagement. Unless your brother already has met Serena and didn’t tell me?” Wanda turned her eagle gaze onto Rad who shook his head. “Then it is time he met her now. And Ellie. You will like her and her daughter Amy,” Wanda told Serena before chastising Rad. “What were you thinking, hiding your news and your lovely fiancée this way?”

  “I was trying to keep her to myself for a little while,” Rad said.

  “Ah, he is such a romantic, this one.”

  The sight of the little Polish grandma patting the lean mean Marine’s cheek was enough to make Serena smile. “Really? A romantic?”

  “Oh, yes. And he’s funny. You wouldn’t think so to look at him now, standing there glaring at us. But I remember the time he ran naked out of my house.…”

  Rad groaned. “Do not tell that story.”

  “Ignore him.” Serena tucked her arm through Wanda’s. “Tell me more.”

  “There’s no time.” Rad firmly placed his arm around Serena and led her away from his grandmother. “Serena may want to go change for dinner.”

  “Go where?” Wanda asked.

  “I live upstairs,” Serena explained.

  “You go ahead and get ready,” Wanda said. “I’ll just look around your store. I want to buy some books to read.”

  Serena nodded toward Kalinda, who’d been manning the register. “My assistant will take care of you. I won’t be long.”

  Serena was slightly delayed by her kitties Oshi and Bella who demanded they get their fair share of petting before permi
tting her to get past them in the living room. Then they took off, chasing one another in their favorite game of tag, zooming down the hallway as if it were a Nascar racetrack.

  As with the bookstore, Serena had put her own individual stamp on her apartment. She’d sewn the couch slipcovers—red with a skinny yellow piping—herself. The colorful throw pillows in a cheerful tropical fabric were another of her finds. She liked gregarious colors, bold splashes of red or fresh dashes of yellow and orange.

  Her love of the ocean was apparent in the beach theme painting she’d picked up at an art fair and in the blue-and-white decor of her tiny bathroom.

  She shoved the striped shower curtain aside and turned on the water with one hand while kicking off her sandals. She twisted her hair into a knot and secured it with a banana clip. A second later she stood naked under the spray of lukewarm water. The building’s hot water heater wasn’t the best.

  Even with its quirks, Serena loved her home. And she considered this apartment to be home. The high ceilings and elaborate architectural elements were a throwback to a different time, to the late 1930s when the building was built.

  So what if the bathroom wasn’t much bigger than a closet. It had all the necessities. Shower, sink, toilet. All worked, most of the time.

  The silver linings far overshadowed any shortcomings. Tall windows in the living room let in plenty of sunlight. The yellow curtains she’d done up added to the airy look. And the kitchen wasn’t too bad. Nothing big, but it suited her needs. As long as the freezer was large enough to hold a few cartons of ice cream, she was a happy camper.

  Thinking of ice cream reminded her of Heidi’s visit earlier in the day. She had a feeling that the general’s daughter had not been totally convinced about Rad’s engagement. Was it true that Serena wasn’t Rad’s usual type? Had Liza been?

  Who was she? What had she been to Rad? And what had Liza done to make his expression turn so bleak?

  Her thoughts were consumed with Rad and the mysterious Liza as Serena wrapped a towel around herself. Still tucking it in under her arms, she was looking down when she opened her bathroom door and ran into…a wall…a warm masculine wall of immovable force. Rad.

  His hands on her bare arms steadied her, but nearly dislodged her towel. Grabbing it, she glared at him. “What are you doing in here?”