ESCAPE INTO ROMANCE- 4 Book Bundle

by Patrice Wilton

  Jenna turned from the Red Sea, ready to compliment Kelly. Instead, she was horrified. Her little niece wore glittering eye shadow, red lipstick, and enough blush for five teenage girls. “Don’t you have just a little too much makeup on, hon?”

  “No. Lisa helped me, and I think it looks great.” She needed validation and turned to Grant. “What do you think, Dr. Marshall?”

  Grant looked at the girl and back at Jenna’s face. He knew which side he wanted to be on. “A little less would look nicer. Appearances tell a lot about a person’s character. Look at Jenna—natural but beautiful. Right?”

  Without a word Kelly flounced upstairs. Jenna followed her, and after a quick repair job they returned.

  “Well, look at you,” Grant grinned. “Without all that extra makeup, I get to see that pretty face of yours.”

  A minute later, the limousine pulled up their driveway, and Tom and Sharon stepped out. Kelly and Lisa were jumping up and down with excitement.

  “This is so cool,” her friend said. “Wait till everyone sees us drive up. They will die.”

  The chauffeur came around to open the door for the girls, but Jenna stopped them before they could get in. “Wait, girls. We’ve got to get pictures. Your mom and dad will want to see how pretty you look.”

  Grant had his digital camera ready. He looked around for the best light. “First, let’s get a couple of pictures of you girls near the house.”

  “Who wants the boring old house, when we have this fabuloso car?” Kelly said, but she and Lisa happily posed anyway.

  Grant shot a few pictures, then had them stand next to the limo, clicking away as they stepped inside.

  Kelly and Lisa were hamming it up. The only thing marring this special moment was the fact that neither Kelly’s mother nor father was there to see it.

  “Have a wonderful time, sweetheart,” Jenna said. “You look beautiful.”

  Grant added, “You’ll be dancing your feet off tonight. Take it easy on the boys.”

  Sharon and Tom kissed Kelly good-bye, then stood arm in arm, waving until the limo disappeared from view.

  Grant had an arm slung around Jenna’s shoulder, and she turned her head and caught his look. He was smiling at her, as though she was something special.

  “What?” she said.

  His smile broadened at her defensive tone. “You’re good with the kids. They respect you.”

  “And so they should.” She smiled and led the way inside the house. “I sure could use that drink, and then maybe we could grab some dinner.”

  “First things first.” He turned her toward him and gave her a long and thorough kiss.

  Tom and her mother walked in and caught them in the act. They laughed, and Tom said, “We’re going for a spin on the love machine. You two carry on.”

  A minute later, they were alone in the kitchen. Jenna put her hands around Grant’s neck and kissed him lightly. She whispered, “If Nick wasn’t here, I’d be wanting to get naked with you.”

  “Maybe we could send him to the store or something.”

  She laughed. “Thank you for being here tonight.”

  “My pleasure.” Grant poured the wine, and they went to sit on the sofa. “Did Nick order a large pizza? It sounds awfully good right about now.”

  “Let’s hope he did. Otherwise, we’ll have to order another.”

  Nick came bounding down the stairs when the pizza arrived, and the three of them had dinner together. Grant and Nick talked basketball. Jenna was content to listen and watch the two of them.

  It was a strange night—Grant capturing the moments of sending Kelly off to her first dance with his camera, and now he was hanging out with her and Nick.

  So much like a real family, it was almost scary.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Grant was whistling as he walked to his car. It may have been the most unusual date he’d ever had with a woman, but simply being with Jenna made it special.

  He liked her. A lot. She was smart and sassy, but had a good heart too. She loved her family very much and put their needs above her own. Rarely, did he meet someone this kind and caring.

  Grant knew he would miss her if she left. Of course, he wanted Cindy to get well and come home, but maybe he could persuade Jenna to hang around afterward. What did New York have that she couldn’t find here?

  Miami was only a little more than an hour away. She should be able to get a high-powered executive job there, if not someplace closer. He’d have to convince her that she was needed here. After his wife died, he’d kind of died too. But Jenna made him feel alive again, and he didn’t want that feeling to disappear.

  He could tell she wasn’t the kind of woman to give her heart easily, and that was fine by him. He wasn’t sure if he could love someone deeply again, or if he deserved that kind of love. But they were good together. And he didn’t want to lose her.

  It was true that he had a lot of lady friends—but most of the women he knew were either Palm Beach socialites that he had very little in common with, or they were young and wanting the American dream of marriage and children.

  He’d had it once, but it had slipped out of his grasp. Losing something that precious took a lot out of a person. He didn’t have enough strength to fight for it again.

  * * *

  Rob came home around nine and asked if the kids were around. Jenna told him Kelly had gone to her dance, and that Nick was in his room.

  “Shit. I forgot about the dance.” He ran a hand through his dark curling hair. “I meant to be here, I really did. She’d have wanted me to see her all dressed up.”

  “I took some pictures, She looked beautiful. But you’re right, I think she was hurt. You should have been here.”

  “I’ll make it up to her somehow. What time does she need to be picked up? It’s the least I can do.”

  “The dance ends at eleven. It would be a nice surprise for her to see you there.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll get her.” He flipped a package onto the counter. “I got this today. I had it sent to the restaurant because I didn’t want anyone else snooping.” He showed her the gene swab paternity kit. “This is a good time to do it, since no one’s around.”

  “What do you have to do?”

  “It’s pretty simple. They need a cheek cell for a specimen, so I’ve got to swipe inside her mouth and my own. Then I send them in for DNA testing.”

  The baby was sleeping, but she needed her last bottle for the night. Jenna got her up, and Rob quickly swabbed inside her mouth. After adding his own swab, he headed for the door. “I’m going to drop the kit at the restaurant so it can be mailed from there…”I’ll be at the school to pick Kelly up,” he added. “Thanks for your help, Jenna.”

  She noticed he didn’t look at Amy, much less kiss her good-bye.

  After Sharon and Tom came home, Jenna went to bed. She was bone weary. She’d had very little sleep the night before, but mostly she was emotionally drained. This deal with Amy was simply too much. She was furious with her sister, sick at heart for Rob, and scared for the children. How much more could any of them endure?

  Tired as she was, she only succeeded in tossing and turning in bed. She was still awake when Rob brought Kelly home. She slipped out of bed and went downstairs to ask Kelly about her dance.

  The girl was in tears.

  “What happened, honey?” Jenna put her arms around her. “Come sit down and tell me.”

  “A boy…” She hiccupped. “We danced most of the night and I was hanging out with him after. Dad—” she raised red eyes to glare at him “—found us and yelled at the guy. He made me look like an idiot. We were kissing, that’s all.”

  “Like hell you were. The kid was all over you.” Rob spoke quietly, but he was tense, angry. “He’s lucky I didn’t bust his head.”

  “Dad. Get a life. It was nothing. And yet you took a swing at him. I’ll never live this down.”

  Rob’s hands were shaking. “Kid had his hands where he shouldn’t have.�
�

  “Come on, Dad. I’m not a baby.”

  “The hell you’re not.” Rob shouted. “You’re underage, and don’t you forget it.”

  Jenna figured this was a good time to step in. She put a hand on Rob’s shoulder, hoping to settle him down. “Rob, take a seat and chill. I’m sure that Kelly knows it was wrong.”

  She turned to Kelly. “You’re only fifteen—and I know that many girls your age date—but this boy is not your boyfriend. He didn’t invite you to the dance. Your father has never met him. It does sound like he didn’t show you proper respect.”

  “What do you know? You’re an old maid.”

  Jenna laughed. “To you I might seem old, but I’ve had my share of boyfriends, Kelly. I know how a girl should be treated. If he wants to see you again, he’ll ask. He’ll meet your parents, keep his hands to himself, and bring you home on time. That’s the way it’s supposed to work.”

  Kelly’s eyes welled with tears. She glanced at her father, then back at Jenna. “I hate you! You’ve ruined everything.” She ran upstairs and slammed the door behind her.

  Jenna exchanged a rueful look with Rob. “Well, that went well,” she said.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  The following morning, Jenna woke up with a massive headache. She swallowed a couple of pain pills and massaged her temples, wanting nothing better than to go back to bed. But she had told Rob last night that she needed him on baby duty this morning, because she had things to do.

  She caught a glance of herself in the mirror and cringed. Her hair was standing on end, begging for a trim and a color, her nails were chipped and broken.

  If she didn’t know for sure that she was looking into a mirror, she’d never have recognized herself. Jenna had always maintained a professional image, but this strange reflection looked like someone who’d never stepped inside a salon. How could a week have created such havoc?

  She helped herself to Cindy’s wardrobe in an effort to look and feel better. When she went downstairs her mother and Tom were lingering over their coffee and cereal.

  “Hi, guys.” She leaned against the counter, cradling her coffee mug after filling it. “I thought you two would be on the road by now.”

  Tom yawned. “No. We ended up at a karaoke bar last night, and it turned into a late night.”

  Sharon giggled. “Tom was definitely feeling his oats last night.”

  “That’s more information than I need.” She popped a whole wheat English muffin into the toaster. “Rob’s looking after the kids today. I’ve got an appointment to get my hair and nails done.”

  Sharon scrutinized her. “Good. Your hair’s a mess. It looked fine only a few days ago.”

  “I know. I had an appointment booked in New York, but obviously I didn’t make it. And when it’s time, it’s time.”

  “It’s good that Rob will be here. I’d offer to stay to babysit, but Tom would probably tattoo my ass if I did.”

  Tom guffawed. “Wouldn’t mind if I did.”

  Sharon ignored her husband and waved her hand at Jenna. “You go get prettied up. Grant is such a handsome devil. You need to give this your best shot. Hell, if I weren’t already married, I’d be taking a run at him myself.” She’d poked Tom in the ribs. “Just kidding, darling.”

  Best shot! What the heck did that mean? Jenna wasn’t trying to catch Grant. She didn’t want to catch anybody. Life wasn’t exactly passing her by. She was living it on her own terms.

  As a VP for a major corporation, she wasn’t hurting. She also had a very nice apartment overlooking Riverside Park to call her own, even if ownership included a hefty mortgage.

  Jenna didn’t need a man—not like her mother did. Occasional sex worked just fine.

  Come to think of it, she might indulge in another night of passion with the handsome doctor. Last’s night scene with Kelly and her father had stressed her out. Sex might relieve that.

  She was pretty darn sure Grant wouldn’t object. She wasn’t a threat to his bachelorhood, and he probably figured that a brief affair would be fun for both of them. She had to agree.

  At the salon, which she’d found listed in her sister’s address book, the stylist immediately went to work. She trimmed Jenna’s shoulder length hair, feathering it along the sides, and added some fresh highlights. She created even more volume in Jenna’s naturally wavy hair when she blew it dry.

  Jenna indulged in a pedicure while the manicurist took care of her abused nails. Three hours later, Jenna felt like her old self. Attractive, sophisticated, polished. Ready to take on the world.

  Since the salon was in the mall, she decided to take advantage of the moment and pick up a few clothes. Although she knew Cindy wouldn’t mind that she’d helped herself to her wardrobe, it would be nice to have a few essential items of her own.

  Her first stop was for lingerie. If she was going to keep having hot sex with Grant, she wanted to look the part while doing it. She bought a couple of pretty lacy bras and matching panties, and in a moment of weakness she grabbed a satin and lace nightie with a coordinating thong.

  At an upscale department store, she picked up some skirts, pants, and tops, as well as two dresses. One was a go-anywhere dress and another for fine dining. She would wear it for her next evening out with Grant. It was a silk print dress from her favorite designer, with a deep vee neckline and flirty hem.

  She hit the shoe department on her way out, picking up two pairs of sandals and one must-have pair of fabulous famous maker shoes that set her back a small fortune.

  It was now half past one, and she was starving. Instead of rushing home to kids and chaos, Jenna decided to prolong this well deserved day off and have lunch by herself. A short, five-minute drive from the mall was a restaurant that she remembered from a previous visit.

  Jenna ordered a glass of Chardonnay and was perusing the menu, when a familiar figure crossed her peripheral vision. Turning her head slightly, she saw Grant walking her way with a woman about half his age. Jenna felt her stomach clench.

  Grant saw her and looked as surprised as she did. He stopped at her table and introduced the lovely young woman as Tara.

  “So pleased to meet you,” she said, hoping her face didn’t give away her feelings.

  “Nice to meet you too,” Tara replied. Instead of lingering, she turned to follow the waitress who was seating them.

  Grant took a last look at her, opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it again. He followed Tara to a table nearby.

  Jenna no longer had any interest in eating, but her pride wouldn’t allow her to get up and walk out. She sipped her wine and even smiled at the waiter as he explained the menu.

  After ordering the grilled salmon on fresh greens, she tried not to watch Grant and Tara from the corner of her eye. Once in awhile she’d purposely glance around the room, as if she didn’t have a care in the world, but her gaze would never meet his.

  Tara, she noticed, talked non-stop and seemed to be very focused on some paperwork she showed him. Grant, however, seemed distracted, and kept glancing Jenna’s way.

  When her entrée arrived, she forced herself to take small bites. The food might be wonderful, but each mouthful was hard to swallow as the pain in her gut tightened. No wonder she didn’t get into relationships. She didn’t have the stomach for it.

  Jenna pushed her plate away, unable to do justice to the meal. Tara, she noticed, had set a stack of photographs and a pamphlet on the table, and had moved her chair closer to Grant’s so they could look at them together.

  Jenna caught the attention of her waiter and asked for the bill. While she waited, she decided to go to the ladies room. She could feel Grant’s eyes on her as she skirted the tables. When she came out, he was waiting for her.

  “Jenna, I hoped to catch you,” he said. “You’re probably wondering about Tara, and I wanted to explain.”

  “You don’t owe me any explanations,” she answered stiffly. “We are both free to see anyone we wish.”

  “W
ell, I’m going to give clarify the situation, whether you want me to, or not.”

  He smiled, and her silly heart speeded up. He really was infuriatingly cute. Her head told her to walk away, but her feet didn’t move a single inch.

  “Tara is trying to convince me to go to Honduras. Her church is doing a mission to an orphanage down there. Since I’m a doctor, they would like me on board.”

  “Oh. I wasn’t expecting that.” She felt foolish for thinking the worst. He deserved better. “That’s sounds like a huge commitment, but certainly a worthwhile endeavor. Are you going to do it?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Ah, so the pictures you were sharing were the children?” she asked.

  “Yes, kids of all ages. Most of them have never known a home, and many of them never will. The church is looking for sponsors, or even better, church members who will adopt.”

  Jenna looked into Grant’s eyes. “You will probably go, won’t you?” she asked quietly.

  “It’s not for a couple of months. Catherine Melrose is head of the church’s ladies auxiliary, and she’s been hounding me. Now she’s sent Tara in her place. I told them both I’d think about it.”

  Grant moved closer to her. His gaze dropped from her eyes to her mouth. “You look really pretty today. I’m still hoping to take you out for dinner. Are you free tomorrow night?”

  “Yes.” She licked her lips. “I don’t have any plans.”

  He squeezed her hand, saying he had to get back to Tara. Jenna paid her bill and left the restaurant with a new spring in her step.

  She wasn’t sure where this flirtation was headed, but she planned to enjoy for as long as it lasted.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The moment Jenna opened the door, chaos engulfed her. She could smell something burning in the kitchen, Amy was crying, Beets was howling, and Kelly and Nick were having a screaming match.

  “Where’s your Dad?” Jenna asked the kids.

  “He had to leave. Uncle Steve came down with the flu and so he had to fill in.” Nick added, “Grandma and Tom left too.”