by Rita Herron
Alison nodded and placed her empty coffee cup on the table. "Right down the street from your coffee shop."
"I can't believe it. Does she know you're looking at renting the space adjoining mine?"
"Apparently so. She asked the real-estate agent about it, but Verna told her I'd already put it on hold. Then she looked at the space on the other side of you, but it was too big."
"Thank heavens."
Alison pulled at a loose string on her sweater. "You want to know the real clincher?"
"What?"
"She offered to lend me money to start my business."
"Unbelievable."
Alison began to pace. "I know. It's not fair. She disappears from our lives for years, then suddenly waltzes home and wants to jump right back in as if nothing happened."
The coffee curdled in Mimi's stomach. Her mother had married their father because she'd been pregnant with Hannah, but their marriage had ended in disaster. What if… No, she wouldn't think about the possibility. At least she had a few good memories of their mom, though. Alison had hardly any. "What did you tell her when she offered you the loan?"
"I told her she'd never been in my life before, and I didn't need her now."
Mimi rose from the sofa, gently put the cat on the floor and hugged Alison. "My sentiments exactly. We've got each other and Hannah and Dad and Grammy Rose. That's all the family we need." Her gaze fell to the newspaper and she sighed. She'd do anything for her family, anything to keep them from being hurt.
Even if that meant keeping her secret about Seth from Hannah and never seeing him again.
* * *
Chapter 6
« ^ »
Seth had a bad feeling the entire way home. The feeling grew worse when he discovered his parents' black Cadillac parked at the curb by his house. His anxiety magnified a hundredfold when his father climbed from the car, waving a newspaper with a color photo of him and Mimi entering an elevator in Magnolia Manor. A potted plant shielded most of his face, but his Harvard ring gleamed in the background. Mimi, with her wild auburn hair and that killer body, would have been recognizable anywhere. Especially wearing that hot-pink bridesmaid dress.
"What do you mean by this?" his father asked.
His mother gasped. "And what happened to your face? You look like you've been in a brawl."
Seth rubbed a hand over the bruise around his eye, remembering the tumble with Mimi. He grinned in spite of himself. "I had a little fall. No big deal."
"Please tell me you haven't hooked up with that heathen Hartwell girl." Mrs. Broadhurst fluttered a hand in front of her forehead as if she might faint at the appalling idea.
Seth's temper flared. "She is not a heathen, Mother. Don't be so dramatic."
"My God, you have hooked up with her," his father said in an accusing tone.
"Dating the other one was tolerable—at least she was a doctor," his mother continued, "but after humiliating you in front of the whole town, how can you even consider seeing her sister? Why, the gossip has barely died down from the first debacle. Now you want to start another?"
"Thanks, Mom. I hope you're not on the sunshine committee for the hospital. You really know how to make a person feel better."
His father slapped the paper against his hand. "Have you considered what publicity like this might do to your reputation at the hospital?"
Seth gritted his teeth and pushed past his parents to open his front door. "I'm not worried about my reputation. And who I see is none of your concern. I'm an adult."
"You certainly aren't acting like one," his mother said. "Not if you're cavorting with women like her."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Seth asked, irritated when his parents followed him inside.
"So you are seeing her?"
"No. I…" Seth bit back the words, refusing to give them an explanation. "You don't have to insult Mimi."
"Why not? She's always in the paper with her dad. That man's the biggest spectacle in Sugar Hill," his mother said.
"And she was dating that hoodlum from her father's dealership. They might all be crooks."
"Mimi was cleared," Seth said. "She had no idea DeLito was a thief. She feels terrible about the whole episode."
His mother waved her hand again. "I can't believe you're actually defending her."
"I'm telling you the truth." Seth folded his arms and faced them, his pulse hammering. "If Mimi is guilty of anything, it's of being too trusting."
His mother leaned against the sofa table, sending the crystal vase into a wobble. "She's a hussy."
"She is not."
"Need I remind you she's a waitress in a coffee shop," Mr. Broadhurst said. "She's simply not on your level."
He and Mimi had certainly been on the same level the night before in bed, but he refused to be goaded. "Mimi's not just a waitress, she manages the place," Seth said. "And you two are snobs."
His mother's heels clicked as she stomped toward the door, her nose in the air, her head thrust back like an angry ostrich. "I don't know what she did to you—probably put you under some kind of spell," Mrs. Broadhurst said. "But one evening with her, and you're not the same man. You've lost all respect for your family."
She was right—he was a different man. A sexually sated, happy man who'd been in total ecstasy only hours after his former fiancée had married another man. All thanks to Mimi.
"Look, son," Mr. Broadhurst said, "I know a man has needs. If you want … you know, sex, for God's sake, at least find a woman who doesn't flaunt her picture in the paper all the time like these Hartwells."
Seth fisted his hands. "Mimi didn't know about the picture," he snapped. "She's a nice girl."
His father ignored Seth's comment as he slammed the door behind him. Seth collapsed onto his gray leather sofa and glanced around his living room, irritation and worry burning through his veins. Mimi didn't want anyone to know they'd been together.
He wondered if she'd seen the newspaper.
* * *
The Sugar Hill Café was fairly quiet, Mimi thought, save for her own occasional self-chatter. "Why did you sleep with Seth Broadhurst? You're a fool, Mimi Hartwell. What if you do wind up…?"
She dumped a cup of cocoa into the rich batter and stirred vigorously. She'd already tried three different variations, but each had failed, and now she was obsessing about whether to add more peanut-butter chips or butterscotch.
Anything to help her forget that revealing newspaper photo. Better to obsess about a recipe than whether or not Hannah might have found out about her and Seth. Or whether she might turn up pregnant. Or whether Seth had seen the newspaper. Or whether Seth was comparing their lovemaking to the times he'd been with Hannah. Not that Hannah had mentioned their sex life.
The last thought had bulldozed into her mind and sent her to work an hour ago to keep busy. Even though she'd told herself it didn't matter—she wasn't competing with Hannah, and surely Seth was too much of a gentlemen to compare the sisters—she still couldn't let the matter go. Besides, Hannah was happily married, and Mimi didn't intend to sleep with Seth again or be with him in any way, shape or form. She wasn't going to obsess about Hannah or Seth or their nonrelationship anymore. She would not even give the man a thought.
Except the rich chocolate did remind her of the dessert they'd shared in the hotel. The way he'd tasted all warm and sexy. She licked the spoon, savoring the sensation of chocolate batter on her tongue and remembering the hot way Seth had looked at her when he'd licked the whipped cream off her finger.
Furious with herself, Mimi emptied the batter into the baking pan, popped it into the oven and peeked from the kitchen. Except for Penny and Chris, the two teenagers who helped out on Saturdays, the coffee shop was empty. The young couple stood hunched together, laughing as they sipped café mochas, obviously in love. Simple for them. Not for her and Seth.
The bell chimed above the doorway, and her father walked in, carrying the Saturday paper under his arm. Mimi sighed and braced herself f
or his questions.
* * *
Normally Seth didn't schedule appointments on Saturday, but one of the single parents from his divorce group had called, sounding troubled, so he'd told her to meet him at one o'clock. Anything to keep his mind off Mimi and the night before. And the way they'd parted.
He had a feeling Mimi wouldn't call him if she discovered she was pregnant. She'd certainly acted as if it would be the last time she'd ever see him.
His methodical mind kicked in. On one level, the thought of not seeing Mimi again, or any of the Hartwells, seemed like a good idea. He needed to move on with his life. He had to live up to his position at the hospital, the expectations of his parents. He tapped his pen on the desk, thinking of the numerous lectures his father had given him. His father's father had wiled away all the family money, so Seth's dad had grown up near poverty. Intelligence, hard work and determination had been the key to his dad's escape from a destitute life. Not wanting his son to suffer the same fate, he'd given Seth the finest education money could buy. Seth understood it was his duty not to let down his family. His intelligence had been a gift. And he wanted to use it to help others.
Mimi's face flashed into his mind. He'd started out wanting to help her. But then things had gotten out of hand.
He knew they were wrong for each other. But would he ever again experience the mind-numbing feelings he'd had when he'd held Mimi in his arms, when they'd made love? He and Hannah had never had that wild physical spark between them, the very reason they'd never really moved past the platonic stage, despite their engagement. Not so with Mimi. The chemistry was there, but they had nothing else in common.
A knock on the door jerked him from his thoughts, and he invited Delores Flat to come in and sit down. She got straight to the problem. "Georgie's asking about his father again. He wants to know why he didn't show up to take him to the ball game like he promised." She ran a hand over her necklace, the pearls clicking as she stroked them. "It was easy to pacify Georgie when he was little. But now that he's getting older, he doesn't buy the excuses I make up."
"Have you tried telling him the truth?"
"What? That his father doesn't care about him? That he never wanted to be a part of his life?"
Seth swallowed. If Mimi was pregnant and decided not to include him in her life, what would she tell their child? Although taking responsibility for a baby of his own scared him, he would never let her bring up the child alone. He'd seen enough kids suffer because of broken families.
"Dr. Broadhurst, what should I do?"
Seth shook himself. "That's not what I meant. Perhaps your husband does care, but he doesn't realize how much he's hurting your son."
"I've sure as hell tried to tell him."
Seth frowned. "Let me talk to Ralph."
Mrs. Flat's fingers jerked on the necklace. "What should I do in the meantime? Ralph says he'll pick up Georgie, but sometimes he doesn't show up at all."
Seth steepled his fingers together. "Focus on the fact that his dad is busy and that he does love him, but he isn't always dependable. Explain that adults have flaws, too. We don't want Georgie to think his father's absence is his fault."
"No, no, I don't want that." Tears seeped from her eyes. "It's just that I feel so alone. No one understands how hard it is to be both mother and father to little Georgie."
Although every situation varied, Seth had heard the same comment from other single parents. "Look, Mrs. Flat, I'm forming a support group for single parents, and I'd like you to come. It'll be a chance to meet other men and women facing similar problems."
Seth glanced at his calendar. "I'll let you know when the first meeting will be. Maybe you can get Ralph to come, too." He scribbled a reminder to phone her husband and urge him to attend.
The woman finally dropped her hand from her pearls and stood. "All right, Dr. Broadhurst. Let me know the time and place and I'll be there."
Seth watched her leave, his mind sorting through the details. He'd need a relaxed place for the meeting, maybe one of the rooms in the community center neighboring the hospital, a few chairs, some food. A plan formed in his head. Mimi's café was near the hospital. She catered most of the hospital functions. Maybe he'd hire her to cater the informal gathering. After all, it would be the perfect excuse to keep an eye on her—and any other developments that might pop up from their night together.
* * *
Mimi settled into a corner booth with her father, two pieces of chocolate cheesecake between them, well aware her father had that worried look on his face. But she was an actress, so she plastered on a cheery smile.
"Are you all right, honey?"
Mimi sipped her cappuccino. "Yep. I'm working on a new recipe. Something even better than that mudslinger pie."
Wiley's eyes lit up. "That's my favorite. My gosh, you can cook, honey."
"It was all those easy-bake ovens you got me when I was little." She patted her dad's hand. "Thanks for being so tolerant, Dad. You were great to put up with my messes."
"Honey, you've always been so much fun. I enjoyed watching you be creative." Wiley cut into his cheesecake, his gaze darting to the newspaper on the table.
Mimi's stomach did a flip-flop. "You obviously saw the picture."
He chewed thoughtfully. "You know, I never put the two of you together, but I can see it now. Seth's a fine man."
"What?"
"Sure." His dark eyes rested on her. "Seth's a fine man. I always liked him when he was dating Hannah."
Mimi winced.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up, but I wondered if you'd had a thing for him while they were dating."
Mimi's cup clattered on the saucer. "Of course not."
Wiley shrugged. "Doesn't matter now, sweetheart. Hannah's happily married. And I wanted you to know I approve."
"You approve?"
"Of course. You're a special girl, Mimi. Seth Broadhurst would be a lucky man to have a woman like you in his life. You can teach him how to relax." Mimi swallowed.
"Dad, Seth and I are not together. We … uh, we simply got stranded together on the way back from Hannah's wedding. The snowstorm and all, the roads were shut down—we had to stop and stay over."
Wiley's eyes narrowed. "You mean the two of you didn't…" He waved his fork in a vague gesture.
Mimi crossed her fingers beneath the table. She hated to lie to her dad, but how could she confess the truth? "No, Dad, of course not. Seth's a nice guy, and we danced and made the best of a rotten situation, but he's not my type." She faked a laugh for emphasis. "You know me, I want someone exciting. Not some boring, stodgy man in a suit who's glued to his pocket calendar. Why, he's not even that attractive."
"Then there was nothing between you. I mean, in the picture, it looked as if—"
"No way, Dad. Seth Broadhurst doesn't float my boat."
Her father cleared his throat, and Mimi turned and saw Seth standing behind her. He looked so handsome in his suit with snowflakes lingering in his hair that he nearly took her breath away.
But he wasn't smiling, she realized in horror. And from the hurt look on his face, he'd obviously overheard every word she'd said.
* * *
Chapter 7
« ^ »
Seth put on his detached, unemotional face, the one he normally reserved for his patients, in a feeble attempt to pretend he hadn't overheard Mimi chop his self-esteem into tiny slivers like minced almonds.
Too late.
He saw the stunned look of regret that instantly clouded her bright blue eyes. "Seth, I'm—"
"It's nice to see you again, Mimi, Mr. Hartwell." Seth forced his gaze on Mimi's father, uncomfortable with the way Wiley squirmed and jumped up to pump his hand.
"Good to see you, too, Seth. Wish I could stay, but I gotta run. Business has been booming lately."
Mimi yanked at her father's arm. "Dad, don't…"
"Mr. Hartwell, please…"
Before either could finish, Wiley pecked Mimi on the che
ek and bustled out, his white shoes clicking on the shiny black and white tiles of the coffee shop. Mimi stood, her hands clasped, her eyes wide and luminous. "Seth, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean—"
"You don't have to explain. I think you made yourself perfectly clear."
Mimi sighed. "You don't understand. Dad saw that picture in the newspaper and—"
"So did my parents." And he had defended her.
"Well, Alison saw it, too, and Dad got the wrong idea and thought we'd—" Mimi paused and lowered her voice to a whisper "—you know … slept together."
"We did sleep together."
"I know!" Mimi threw up her hands in exasperation. "But he really misinterpreted things and thought we were serious, as in a couple. Can you imagine that?"
No, he couldn't, could he?
"He's just so old-fashioned," she continued without waiting for his reply.
Maybe he was old-fashioned, too, Seth thought. Boring and old-fashioned.
"Before I could him tell how ridiculous the idea of us together was, he told me how great we'd be together—"
"Wiley said we'd be great together?"
"Yes. I had to do something or he'd have us married and settled down in no time. Neither of us want that."
"No, I can't imagine you ever settling down." Of course, according to her, he was already so settled he might as well have one foot in the grave. Besides, if Hannah had left him at the altar, Mimi would blast off in a cannon.
Mimi frowned and stacked the empty coffee cups together. "Since we'd agreed to keep that … er, that night a secret, I figured the best thing to do was make Dad see how wrong we'd be together."
"I see."
She bit down on that plump little pink lip, reminding him of the way her mouth had tasted. "Really, Seth, we both know how different we are."
"Right, I'm boring and stodgy."
Mimi's expression softened. She obviously hadn't meant for him to overhear her comment. But that didn't mean she hadn't believed it. "Look, Seth, don't take it personally. We're simply wrong for each other and we both know it. You're a shrink, for heaven's sake, and I'm impulsive and emotional and I want to be an actress." She picked up the coffee cups and started toward the kitchen. He grabbed the dirty saucers and followed, well aware she'd said the word shrink as if it were a four-letter word.