Rescuing The Reluctant Groom (Windy City Romance 5)

by Barbara Lohr

  Their relationship was seriously stalled, like a Chicago L train with a mechanical problem. And Seth? He might never make it to the next station. Maybe it was time to face that.

  “Drive safely, you hear?” He was backing away, hands spread like he didn’t know what to do next. Frustration fried her mind. He’d leave, just like this?

  “So where do we go from here?” She wasn’t about to hide from him like some frightened chicken.

  “You tell me.”

  Seth was making her crazy, working the corner of those lips with his teeth. She still loved him, but she was tired of being the only one using that word. “I think we should be friends.” Her words settled over them like wet concrete.

  “Friends! That’s it?” His words exploded in the cold air. Like they were watching football and the other team had just scored.

  “Seth, really. We’ve meant so much to each other.” She dropped her voice to the hoarse whisper she knew massaged the boy to the bone. “I’m not mad at you. I’m just disappointed.”

  His jaw clenched. That was a word his mother Reenie used with her grandchildren. They both knew it. The kids shriveled when they heard it and Seth was doing that right now. Selena didn’t want to rip off his cojones but she did want him to see the light.

  “I don’t get it. What is it that you want, Selena? We’ve shared everything together. I- I L—. We’ve had such good times. Best buddies, right?”

  He’d almost said he loved her and her heart stuttered to a stop. “Seth, I want to be more than your football buddy, okay?”

  “Does this have something to do with that ticking clock thing?” Confusion swam in his eyes.

  “Maybe. I really don’t know. But I’m not wasting any more time on you when I know how I feel.” Her voice thickened. She had to stop before she embarrassed herself.

  “You think you’ve wasted time with me?” His face emptied.

  “Let’s just say you’re not giving me what I need.”

  “But I thought we were so close.”

  Were? He was putting them in the past? “We were. No one knows me the way you do.” She would trust Seth with her life. But her heart? She was beginning to wonder. Another gust of frigid air blew from the lake and she cinched her jacket tighter. “No hard feelings. See you around. Wish you the best and all that.”

  Whirling around, she gave a little hand flip, squared her shoulders and walked away. Hardest thing she ever had to do. But she would not turn back, not until she got into the parking garage and didn’t hear any footsteps behind her. She pivoted slowly, wind whistling through the cinder block structure.

  The garage was dark and empty.

  Fine. Her father had taught her to fish off the city piers on Lake Michigan, an outing that provided Sunday dinner. “Let the line play out, hija mia,” he'd say, loosening the bamboo pole in her hands. “The fish will circle some more, no? Jiggle it a little. You will feel that tug if you wait. Then you reel it in very slowly.”

  Her papá was a wise man. Remembering that tension on the line, Selena smiled.

  ~.~

  The phone woke her up. Selena pulled the quilt up, trying to shake off the weirdest dream she'd ever had. Curled up with Seth on his couch, she couldn't get a word in edgewise. Words erupted from his mouth and coiled into bubbles that floated in the air. But they weren't his words. No, the dialogue belonged to every hot actor she'd ever admired, from Clark Gable to Ryan Gosling. Mouth working, poor Seth looked horrified at what was pouring from his mouth. And she felt the same. Chuckling, she reached for the phone. “This is Selena.”

  “Selena, I think it’s time.” Pam Dunlop’s voice quivered with excitement and Selena’s pulse kicked up. The pretty blonde wasn’t due for a week but a woman's body took its own course.

  Within minutes, she’d pulled on her clothes and was in her car, parked near her apartment in Wrigleyville, named for the baseball stadium nearby. The hospital was just north of downtown so it would take her twenty minutes to get there if she didn’t hit any snags. At three o’clock in the morning, traffic was light on the Dan Ryan. She made it to the hospital in record time.

  Heading straight for her locker, she changed into scrubs, netted her hair and slipped on some paper booties. Pam and her husband Jeff had been taken directly to the water-birthing suite. Warm, humid air bathed Selena’s skin when she pushed the door open. The music they’d chosen for the birth of their baby played in the background. Ambient beach sounds would soothe the young couple and welcome their son into the world. Pam smiled nervously as her husband helped her into the water and Selena took her vitals.

  It didn’t take long for Selena to become caught up in the process that she loved more than anything. Joining McKenna in the For Women practice had been a thrill that never grew old. What could be more satisfying than bringing new life into the world?

  Since this was Pam’s second child, the birthing went as planned and James McCormick Dunlop entered the world squalling by five o'clock. Watching the father cuddle his wife and new baby, Selena felt her heart twist. For the past two years, she’d deluded herself into thinking that this would be Seth and herself one day.

  What can a woman do when the man isn’t ready?

  The pediatric nurse began to go through the routine checks with the baby and after delivering the afterbirth, Selena and Jeff helped Pam onto the gurney that would take her up to the OB floor. Headed by Logan and McKenna, Montclair had been working on a plan to transform the obstetrics floor into an innovative labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum area. No more shuffling new mothers from one area to another. Selena had been so excited when the board voted to support it. And if she were honest, she pictured bringing her own baby into the world in that new unit, Seth by her side.

  But she couldn’t think about that now.

  The nurse came to take mother and baby up to the unit and Selena shut down the water birthing room. The music was the last thing she turned off and for a second she let the sound of summer waves wash over her. Madre di Dios, she needed some warmth. Maybe she’d take off the rest of the day. The winter had been long and cold in Chicago, and the talk with Seth the night before had left her shaken. And then there was that dream. She shivered.

  But who was she kidding? She had patients scheduled that day.

  Ripping off her mask, hairnet and booties, she stashed them in the trash and hiked to the overpass connecting to the medical office building. Dorothy, their receptionist, was at the front desk but the lights were low in the waiting area.

  “So you had a delivery this morning?” Dorothy turned on her computer.

  “Yep, Pam Dunlop had a healthy baby boy.” Selena’s eyes wandered to their Wall of Fame, where pictures of their babies were posted.

  “That’s nice.” Dorothy began to take messages from the phone system. “McKenna’s in the back.”

  When she reached McKenna’s door, Selena stuck her head in. “Good meeting last night. Did you have a chance to run Santa Fe past Logan?”

  Eyes sparkling, McKenna glanced up from her desk. “Yep, and he’s all for it. His grandmother took him to Santa Fe when he was in high school. Logan thinks it will be a great place to celebrate our anniversary.” Her greenish eyes turned dreamy.

  “A man who thinks ahead and understands what it means to be close, really close.” Selena choked. Her trips to Key West with Seth were their only travels together. He was a beach and ballgame kind of guy and his athletic bent suited her. She loved nothing more than a game of volleyball in the sand. But now she was searching for some commitment and the love behind those feelings.

  McKenna was frowning. “Has Seth ever sent you roses, brought you candy?”

  Slumping in the doorway, Selena nodded. “Hmm. Not really. A bunch of daisies one time.” Frivolous things like that weren't in her family history. You can't eat flowers and sweets caused dental problems which they could not afford.

  “My dad’s not big on that kind of stuff either.” The frustrated sigh from McKenna could
have made a cloud scud across the wintry sky. “So, did you two have a good talk last night?”

  “Not really. I don’t think he gets it, McKenna. He doesn’t think I’m serious about not seeing him anymore.”

  McKenna pushed back from her desk and Selena slumped into a wing chair. “Sometimes I think my brother avoids the difficult truths.”

  “Could be. Although I love your mother dearly, she spoils Seth.”

  “You think?” The peal of surprised laughter made Selena get up and close the door. No need to bring Dorothy back here.

  “I have brothers, so I guess I understand. Maybe all mothers prefer their sons, hope of the future and all that nonsense.”

  McKenna snorted. “Trust me, none of your brothers turned out like Seth. You come from good stock.”

  “Families don’t come any stronger than the Kirkpatricks. Look at the firemen in your family, starting with your dad. Your family chooses to serve the community. But it was different for mine and I know that’s hard for you to picture. I could never explain this to Seth. Nothing came free for us. Nada. All those years as migrant workers, my family had to be strong. Just smile and do the work. Back in Juarez, things were getting worse and we all wanted to stay here in this country. My parents were so relieved to be granted citizenship.”

  “Didn’t you go to school on a state program?”

  “Sure did. Made me appreciate all the things you Kirkpatricks take for granted.”

  “Have you told Seth all this?” McKenna's forehead wrinkled.

  “Not really. It's so personal.” She shook her head. “Not romantic at all.”

  Her friend snorted. “You two don't have a casual relationship, Selena. Seth isn't the type of guy to dig deeper unless you give him cause. Long ago, he told me you and your family had worked on a farm.”

  “That's about what I told him.” Selena shrank into herself. Was she dishonoring her family, dismissing those long days and the back breaking work? “Oh, McKenna, amiga mia, I like being Seth's hot chili pepper. That's what he calls me.” Just hearing her own words made her smile, brought back the times he'd used it teasingly with her. “What is it you say in this country about 'spilling your stomach'?”

  “Spilling your guts,” McKenna supplied.

  “Right. That's about as pretty as it sounds. I don't want to bombard Seth with my family history.”

  “I think you have to risk some sharing. That's what couples do, right?”

  Her friend became quiet and Selena felt uncomfortable. “What is it, McKenna?”

  “I don't like to tell other people's stories but I think you know this. Seth hasn’t been to college. You know that right?”

  Selena shrugged. “Sure. No importa. He explained he wanted to be where the action is, an EMT, not sitting at a desk. So what?”

  “Do you think sometimes that gets to Seth? The fact that you have more formal education?”

  “Caramba, it never occurred to me.” The thought horrified her on so many levels. “That's so crazy.”

  McKenna tossed a paper clip into her drawer. “Forget I mentioned it. Seth's pretty comfortable in his own skin. But growing up, he was never Connor.”

  “He’s a good man in his own right.” For her, Seth was nothing but confident.

  Eyes distant, McKenna nodded. “Seth’s hardworking. He’s charming but he’d never cheat on you. Still...”

  “The women always have an eye for him.” The incident with Livvy at the Purple Frog was still on Selena’s mind. And it would only get worse when the word got out that they’d split up. Anxiety twisted in her stomach.

  “Even as a baby in the grocery cart, Seth batted his long lashes at the ladies. My mother has stories.”

  Their laughter eased the tension.

  “A chick magnet. Great. But I knew that when we started to date.” Outside the wind wailed and the sky resembled flat sheet rock. “How I wish spring would come.”

  Looking out the window at the snow that had begun to fall again, McKenna grimaced. “Going to be a while before we see anything green around here.”

  Getting up and walking to the window, Selena rested her fingertips on the cold glass. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to warm up. At least you have your wedding to plan.”

  “Why don’t you get away for a few days? Maybe you and Seth need a time out. You know, the way my brothers do with their kids. How often have I heard Mark or Malcolm say, 'Now, I want you to think about the consequences.'?”

  Selena smiled. She'd heard the guys say that.

  “Meanwhile,” McKenna continued, “have some fun. Show Seth what the consequences might be. There are plenty of single men right here in this hospital.”

  “Name one.” Weren’t all the single guys at Montclair dating someone?

  “Gary and Mindy decided to call it quits.”

  “So I heard. Do you know what the problem was?”

  McKenna shrugged. “Guys never talk about stuff like that. Logan just mentioned that Gary was bummed out so maybe the breakup wasn’t his decision. Trust me, he’s a keeper. If not for Logan, I may have made a move on Gary.”

  Wow, que sorpresa. “Now the truth comes out.”

  “Just a thought at the time. We women have to keep our options open.” Checking the clock on the wall, McKenna gave a stretch. “Full patient load today and Bethany’s sick. That leaves two midwives and a full schedule.”

  “Got it.” Selena sprang up to leave.

  But before she pulled open the door, McKenna gave her a big hug. “Ever been to Savannah?”

  “No. Why do you ask?”

  McKenna wore a mysterious smile. “Maybe you should visit Harper for a couple of days after Bethany gets back. In Savannah, the sun shines most of the time. Might give you the break you need. Help with the time out.”

  Selena’s spirits lifted. “You sure Harper wouldn’t mind?”

  “She’d love it. You could tell her all about our planning session. She hated the fact that she couldn’t fly up for our meeting at the Purple Frog. Cameron’s restoration business has a lot going on right now. But she’ll have time for you. She can tell you all about why she dumped Billy. Not that Seth is in any way as bad as Harper’s former boyfriend.”

  “Mick Jensen’s wedding is coming up. Seth and I were supposed to go together, so I’d sure like to be gone for that.”

  “Perfect time to get out of town.” McKenna grinned.

  “You got that right.” Leaving the office, Selena made tracks of her own. Time to pick up the pace. No way was she going to sit around Chicago if she could help it.

  Although the day continued gray, after her talk with McKenna Selena felt hopeful. McKenna gave Harper a call and all systems were go. By the end of the day, Selena had a plan. She’d always had a good relationship with McKenna’s younger sister. As far as the flights went, the closest dates turned out to be around Valentine’s Day weekend, the same weekend of the wedding Selena wanted to avoid. “That all right with you?” she asked Harper when they talked.

  “Any time’s fine with us. Cameron loves to have people around. I think he was talking about a family dinner for Valentine’s Day. You can join us. It’ll be fun.”

  It felt so good to have plans. Being single after two years of being part of a couple didn’t feel great. Dating Seth, Selena had always been busy with hockey, basketball or football games. How she would miss the Sunday dinners with the Kirkpatricks. Although McKenna encouraged her to continue to come, Selena just didn’t have it in her heart.

  This time she had her own plan and it didn’t include Seth Kirkpatrick.

  Maybe Savannah would give her just the lift she needed, although she'd be spending time with Seth's sister. Would he be an invisible presence during the trip?

  Chapter 4

  Selena’s connecting flight had been delayed in Atlanta. By the time she trudged up the ramp at Savannah, it was almost two o’clock in the afternoon. Her empty stomach growled and her head ached from all the caffeine. But she felt hope
ful. Outside, the sun was shining. The sight of Harper beaming at the top of the ramp made Selena giddy. McKenna’s sister had been an art student and the girl was a walking parade in a bright orange sweater and green pants. Harper smelled like lavender when Selena hugged her. “Sorry my flight’s late.”

  “No problem. I had a cup of coffee and relaxed. We’ve been so busy renovating a house in the Victorian District, and Cameron said I needed some down time.” She exhaled with a happy smile. Her brilliant Kirkpatrick hair spilling from an orange and green head scarf, Harper looked glorious. Maybe that’s what love did for a woman.

  When it was returned, that is.

  “I think Savannah really agrees with you.” Catching sight of herself in a gift shop window, Selena wondered when she’d picked up the deep circles under her own eyes.

  “You mean Cameron agrees with me, right?”

  “Must be. I met him at Christmas and he sure seemed like a great guy. I’m happy for you.”

  “Yeah. He is.” From the expression on her face, Harper had drifted off to dreamland.

  Dragging her carry-on over the stone courtyard, Selena blamed the tension in her neck on Seth. She’d run into him twice in the ER over the past two weeks. Would she feel better or worse if she didn’t see him and went cold turkey? His texts were dropping off. She felt both relieved and disappointed.

  Good Lord, she was a hot mess.

  The cool Savannah air, which would feel like spring in Chicago, bathed her cheeks when they pushed outside but the sun blinded her. Had she even brought her sunglasses? Tipping her face up, Selena closed her eyes and for one blissful moment just felt the heat. Not much sun that winter in Chicago.

  In the courtyard outside the airport, bright red canna lilies skirted the walkway. A fine mist fell over them as they passed the splashing fountain between the parking structure and the airport. Every muscle in Selena’s body started to unwind. “Why is it that everything always looks better when you’re in another town?” She looked around with wonder.

  “Isn’t that the truth?” Harper took her arm. “As much as I love Cameron, sometimes I miss my hometown. I'm so glad you could come.”