Real Romance

by Ginny Baird

  Those had been some dreadful days. Coming of age as a woman and yearning for her mother, all the while having to hide that fact because "mother" was precisely what she had to be.

  Marie stood and splashed cold water on her face, feeling better.

  Now, each of her siblings was on his own. Her two sisters married, Johnny engaged, and Mark just enrolled in graduate school. She'd done a good job with them, she supposed. But then again, so had her father. He'd been a rock for the family until he'd died last spring. Always keeping his chin up, despite his paralysis. Never too tired or preoccupied to listen.

  Marie knew her sometimes unruly brothers wouldn't have turned out nearly as well without their father's patient wisdom to guide them. At times, they'd driven Marie so crazy with their teenage antics, that her only refuge had been to escape to her room with a book.

  Reading had seen her through the difficult times. No matter what was going on outside her bedroom door, she could curl up under the covers and imagine that someday a handsome prince would come along to take her away from all of it.

  But all the handsome princes in Marie's high school class went off to college while she had to stay home and help support the family.

  Her first job in a bookstore was heaven. She felt a comfort in the unending rows of books, a special camaraderie with the host of unexplored fictional characters—just waiting for her touch to reveal their secret worlds.

  Marie walked to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, wondering what she would do with herself today. It had been at least a year since she'd had a Sunday off. She was out of books and out of money, and the local library was closed. Oh well, she thought, flipping on the coffeemaker. There was always a walk in the park. Maybe the fresh air would do her good.

  David pulled back as Jupiter strained at the leash.

  "Whoa there, boy! Hang on!"

  But it was David who was hanging on for dear life as the black Lab fixated on the squirrel with a whine, and then another... yank!

  David stumbled forward as the big dog broke free and bolted into the trees.

  He rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants and looked frantically in all directions. Now what was he going to do? Caroline would kill him if he lost her stupid dog.

  "Jupiter! Here, fella!" he called in his biggest, booming voice.

  Nothing.

  He forcefully clapped his hands together and tried again.

  There was a slight rustling in the bushes behind the park fountain.

  "Jupiter!"

  The movement stopped.

  David had an idea. He placed two fingers between his teeth, spun around and whistled—hard.

  "Most people just say hello."

  David jerked his head sideways.

  There stood Marie McCloud in a knee-length overcoat, hands fitted tightly over both ears. Her cheeks were flushed with morning cold, her lips the prettiest shade of pink.

  For a moment David forgot all about the dog.

  "Marie!"

  "What," she asked, giving the park a suspicious sweep of her eyes, "exactly are you doing?"

  "Oh," he said, letting out a full breath that clouded the air, "looking for Jupiter."

  Marie's eyebrows shot up. "Hate to tell you this, but I think you'd have better luck at night."

  David looked blank. Blank, but incredibly handsome, she decided. Even in his ratty gray sweats, and sky-blue parka. Didn't hurt that the color of his coat matched his gorgeous eyes.

  "Oh!" he smiled, his whole face lighting up. Then he laughed in that rich, rumbling baritone Marie liked so much.

  "Not the planet," he said patiently. "Jupiter is Caroline's dog."

  Oh, Marie thought, as disappointment hit her hard. So he was taken. She felt her temper begin to simmer. Taken, and yet he'd still invited her to lunch?

  Marie stared down at the leash dangling in David's hand. "Well, I'm sure Caroline won't be any more upset about you losing her dog than you hitting on your clientele."

  "Client..." David's voice fell off, as his face turned a hue akin to purple.

  "One question, David," Marie asked, her anger growing. "Do you always make passes at girls who wear glasses? Or, was I special?"

  "I, uh..."

  His neck was crimson, and his ears so vivid they looked like they were about to fall off.

  At that moment, a frisky black Lab bounded out of the bushes and made a beeline for her knees.

  "Hey there, big guy," she said, bending to scratch the salivating animal behind its ears.

  Marie stuck out a hand and snatched the leash, instantly clamping it on to Jupiter's collar in one deft move.

  "Go home to Caroline, David," she said, standing and handing over the lead.

  "Home?"

  Marie turned and began walking out of the park.

  "Wait!" David said, racing to meet her, Jupiter galloping at his side. "Caroline's not at home!"

  Marie cast him a sideways glance through heir glasses. "Sorry, David. I'm not into that. You'll have to do your two-timing with someone else."

  She picked up her pace and kept going.

  "No, you don't under—"

  Jupiter collapsed in a heap and rolled sideways.

  "Get up!" David pulled on the leash, but Jupiter just lowered his head to the pavement, tongue lolling out.

  David looked up at Marie's curvy figure disappearing through the morning fog.

  "Wait! Don't go! You've got it all..."

  But it was too late. She'd already melted into the mist.

  David put down the book and rubbed his temples. Holy cow, this was going to be even harder than he thought. What was the deal with this stuff, anyway? The dialogue wasn't even in quotation marks, for God's sake. So how in heaven's name was he supposed to know who was saying what? Much less thinking it?

  David massaged his aching knees in frustration and stood to grab a beer.

  He walked to the refrigerator, picked up a bottle and popped the top. Was she really worth it? David had never done anything like this before. Gone completely overboard for some woman. Some women who was engaged, for crying out loud. And she disapproved of him anyway, because she thought he had a woman named Caroline at home.

  Marie was neatly tied up in a relationship that meant matrimony eventually. But then again, maybe it didn't. That was the hope David clung to. He knew from his sister Debbie's experiences that engaged women didn't necessarily walk down the aisle every time. Heck, for some women, it seemed to be a whole lot like shopping. Don't like the man after a while, return him. Nonetheless, David wanted to believe that once Marie committed to him, her shopping around would be over.

  David froze as an ice-cold swig sliced down his throat.

  Of course, that meant that his shopping around would be over as well... No more late nights with Candy, the aerobics instructor, or Lizbeth, his sexy new mechanic.

  David took another swig of beer, letting the panic pass.

  He was getting way ahead of himself here. Thinking about happily-ever-after! Holy cow. That wasn't what he wanted...

  Was it?

  He wanted Marie's attention, sure. But the exasperating woman didn't seem to want to give him a second look.

  At first, there'd been a gleam in her eyes. That telling sparkle that told David he had half a chance...

  But after the park, she'd acted like she could barely stand the sight of him. Even when he went into her store to buy some of Cecil's recommendations.

  He'd approached her directly, but she'd claimed she was busy setting up some kind of wine tasting and assigned a flunky to help him.

  Give him a break! Did Marie really expect David to believe they'd be serving wine in a bookstore? They couldn't possibly have a liquor license. Unless, of course, the brother of the guy who owned the place, who just happened to be the sheriff, had called in some favors at City Hall.

  David set his beer on the counter, and began to imagine himself and Marie running down the steps of City Hall, hand in hand, smiling and happy.
Her dark, wavy hair was piled high and studded with wildflowers, sweet curls breaking free to frame her glowing face.

  David coughed loudly and shook his head. Next he would be seeing babies!

  Better get back to his reading, he thought, carrying his brew to the armchair. All this fantasizing was getting him nowhere. And David Lake wasn't made for dreams. He was built for action.

  Now, if he could just finish this blasted book, then maybe he'd be able to convince Marie his actions spoke louder than words.

  Chapter Four

  Marie surrendered the floor to a round of applause.

  "Thanks, Chad," she said, walking over and taking the sheriff's hand.

  "No problem, hon." He smiled as his silver hair caught the light. "I like a good who-done-it just as much as the next guy." He leaned forward and winked. "Just as long as the bad guy winds up behind bars."

  "Didn't know you had the time for reading, Sheriff."

  Chad let out a laugh. "Well, I'll tell you a secret if you keep it quiet..." He brought his head to hers and whispered in her ear, "The life of crime is dead in Covesville."

  Marie laughed and patted Chad on the arm. "Since you've got to be here anyway, pull up a chair and join us."

  "Think I'll do that," Chad said. "To tell you the truth, Marie, it's been kind of hard to fill the hours since my Emily passed away."

  She caught a glimpse of Joanne, bending low to shelve books at the far end of the aisle.

  "I know it's been a rough couple of years," she said, smiling warmly at the older gentlemen. "You sit. Plenty here to take your mind off that extra time you've got on your hands."

  Then she walked down the aisle and asked Joanne to take Chad a complimentary glass of Chablis.

  "Mind if I join you?"

  Marie raised her eyes from Destiny's Desire just in time to see David break into a broad grin.

  "Looks good," he said, surveying the flesh-revealing cover.

  She settled her book next to her cup of cold coffee and checked her watch. "Not working today?"

  "Boss gave me the day off."

  "Look, David," Marie said, stopping him from pulling out a chair, "I'm really not interested."

  "Of course, it helped that I took such good care of her dog."

  He must have showered just for the occasion and put on an extra splash of cologne, because he smelled even sexier than the last time he'd been this close. The time he'd laid his strong, masculine hands on her yielding flesh...

  Wait a minute! That was Destiny talking. Destiny, the heroine from her steamy historical novel who had the hots for a man named Cane. A man she'd sworn was sweeter than sugar.

  David picked another chair at the table and sat down, undaunted.

  "Hey, that Jupiter was a real handful."

  "Jupiter?" she asked, stifling her surprise.

  "Sure, you've met him. Big, black hairy beast with a penchant for civil disobedience."

  If she'd been outdoors, Marie was certain her glasses would have fogged with embarrassment.

  "Are you telling me that Jupiter, the dog you were with, belongs to your boss—Caroline?"

  David nodded. "Caroline Richards, a real taskmaster."

  "So why take care of her dog?"

  "Oh, well, she needed a favor. Besides," he said, leaning over with a whisper, "I have a soft spot for the physically challenged."

  "Oh, poor woman," Marie said, thinking of her father. "What's she got?"

  "Two kids and a husband," David answered.

  "What's so challenging..." Marie thought of her brothers and stopped herself. "Was that supposed to be funny?" she asked David, who had begun toying with her book.

  She slapped her hand down hard upon its cover to prevent him from picking it up.

  David coolly withdrew his hand and settled it under his square jaw. He gazed into her eyes, seeming to search for something.

  She was even more gorgeous than he remembered. Tastefully dressed in a black turtleneck sweater that made the most of her curves. If only he could figure a way to get her fiancé out of the way... Out of the way of those beautiful brown eyes.

  "Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are?"

  Marie stood abruptly from her chair, knocking the tabletop with her knees and sending her coffee dregs sloshing.

  David sprung to his feet and piled napkins on the mess.

  "Whoa! Hey! Where are you going?"

  "Coffee break's over, David. My boss didn't give me the day off."

  Unbelievable, Marie thought, leaving him there with coffee dribbling on his shoes. Utterly unbelievable!

  "Well, I really don't see what the harm was in a cup of coffee," Joanne said, as she closed down her register.

  "It wasn't the coffee, Joanne, but the sugar that went with it."

  Joanne smiled understandingly and shook out her hair. It wasn't often she wore it that way, long and straight down her back, salt and pepper streaks enlivening the gray.

  "I think he's sweet on you."

  Marie scanned the day's receipts, then set down her clipboard. If she didn't know better, she'd swear Joanne was humming a love song.

  "Jo-anne?"

  Joanne looked over with a distant smile.

  "Something going on I should know about?"

  "As my boss or my friend?" Joanne asked.

  Marie tapped her fingers against her chin. "Why, Joanne Bright, to look at you one would almost think there was a man in your life!"

  Joanne turned the most curious shade of peachy-amber.

  "No need to sound so surprised, love. You're the one who turned him on to me."

  "Chad?" Marie asked, trying to keep her jaw from dropping.

  Sure, that had been her idea. But she'd never dreamed it would work. Chad and his late wife Emily had been together since grade school. He'd never in his life looked at another woman.

  "What?" Joanne asked, setting both hands on her hips. "Did you think me incapable?"

  Oh, no, Marie definitely believed Joanne was capable.

  Marie felt her lips pull apart in a half laugh, half smile.

  "Oh, Joanne," she said, rushing forward and taking her friend in her arms. "I'm so happy for you."

  "Thanks, sweetie," Joanne said, returning the hug and patting Marie soundly on the back. "Now, it's your turn."

  Marie pulled back, suddenly overcome with emotion.

  "Oh," she said, tears spilling forth, "Joanne."

  "Hey, hey," Joanne said, stepping forward and taking Marie in her arms again. "Everything's going to be all right."

  Marie shook her head, her eyes hot, her lips trembling—grateful that, at this hour, no one else was left in the store.

  "You just don't understand, Jo. I've had my chances. Two of them. And I blew them both."

  "You, angel, didn't blow anything. It was those devils disguised as men who did the damage."

  "They're all devils," Marie said, more tears bursting forth. "Demons... with the impulse to destroy."

  "Well, maybe he's not like that."

  Marie lifted her head from Joanne's shoulder and stared into her eyes with a betrayed look.

  "He thinks I'm engaged, Joanne. Engaged. And today he had the audacity to call me pretty."

  Joanne gasped and brought her free hand to her mouth.

  "The gall!"

  Marie softened her anguished face into a semblance of a smile.

  "Sweetheart," Joanne said, dabbing Marie's damp cheek with a tissue. "You shouldn't blame the poor man for being persistent. You are quite a catch, after all."

  "Joanne," Marie said, holding the older woman so tightly she nearly breathed her in, "you should have been a mother."

  "Well, to see that old coot Chad in action," Joanne said, with a shy grin, "I would almost swear he's working on it."

  David scanned the groom's checklist for maybe the twelfth time in the last two hours. He closed the wedding planner wearily.

  "Ridiculous," he said, sighing out loud. If all the to-dos on that list were optical
prescriptions to be filled, David would be grinding glass indefinitely.

  And, from what David had heard, that would only be the start of it. After the wedding, then the honey-dos would begin. "Honey, do this..." and "Honey, do that."

  David caught himself smiling and realized with surprise that he'd actually enjoy Marie ordering him around. He stretched back in his chair indulging in a fantasy about just what she might order him to do. But his fun was interrupted by his ringing cell.

  "David, this is Caroline. Look, I have to wait at the doctor's office with Sally. Hope you can hold down the fort the rest of the afternoon."

  David swung his feet to the floor and cleared his throat.

  "Sure thing, Caroline. Been working like a madman, but another hour or two alone won't kill me."

  "Thanks, David, I really owe you."

  "No problem, boss. Say, how is your little girl anyway? That fever of hers any better?"

  "Not really." Caroline huffed into the phone. "The nurse thinks she might have chicken pox."

  "Chicken pox? Holy cow."

  "Yeah, right, say a prayer. Please. I can't have chicken pox right now. The nurse says she'll have to stay out of daycare for at least two weeks. I knew I should have gotten her that vaccine, but Jim insisted..." Her voice dropped off and David could tell she was covering her cell while she talked to someone else. "...Oh. Oh, okay, just another minute," she was saying.

  "David? You still there?"

  David slid the wedding planner in his desk drawer and shut it.

  "You bet. Hey, I'm awfully sorry about Sally."

  "You and me both! Well, anyway, the receptionist says I have to get off the phone. I really appreciate your filling in."

  "This afternoon's no problem, Caroline. Don't you worry."

  "This afternoon? David, I'm talking about possibly the next two weeks."

  Two weeks with no supervision and the whole place to himself? David grinned wickedly, because he knew she couldn't see it.

  "You can count on me to keep things humming."

  Marie stretched out her neck and rolled her head on her shoulders. She'd been having trouble getting into the swing of things all day, and now this. Her children's storyteller called in sick. Something about a chicken pox epidemic, and guess whose kids had it?