My Lucky Groom (Summer Grooms Series) (13 page)

She was sitting at her desk, working on an article revision,
when her cell phone buzzed. She checked the number, seeing the call came from
New York. Ventura held her breath, praying this was the call she’d dreamed of.

“Hello?” she said, picking up.

“Ventura?” It was Leon, her literary agent from Manhattan.
“I hope you’re sitting down.”

Her heart beat faster. “I am,” she said with a happy gasp.

“Because you, sweetheart, are about to make us loads of
dough.”

Ventura squealed, and heads swung in her direction. She spun
her chair to face the coffeemaker and lowered her voice. “What’s up, Leon?”

“We’re talking a bidding war.
A big
advance.
And if sales go as they’re expected to, maybe even film rights
down the line, audio.
The whole shebang.
They loved
that whole spiel about the warrior princess following a quest based on fortune
cookies.” He blew a breath. “I hope you don’t owe anyone money.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because they’re going to come collecting on their IOUs.”

Ventura blinked as the coffee dripped into its clouded
carafe. “What are you saying?”

“You’ll be making more moola than a twenty-five-year-old has
a right to. Not that I’m complaining. I get fifteen percent.”

“And you’re worth every dollar,” she said.

“That underwater castle thing?” he told her. “That was
genius. And
the role reversals with the girls taking on the
traditional male roles
? Yeah, that sold big. But here’s what I don’t get,”
he said in his deep Queens accent. “How it is they’ve got Chinese take-out
under the sea?”

Ventura laughed happily. “You have to write what you know,
Leon,” she said, grinning broadly. “Write what you know.”

Later that night, she, Mary and Nanette sat around, drinking
champagne.

“I’m going to hate losing you at the paper,” Mary said
sadly, “but in my heart, I’m happy you’re on your way.”

Nanette grew misty-eyed. “And I’m going to miss having you
around here.”

“Nobody says I’m leaving.”

“Come on, Ventura,” Mary told her. “We can see the writing
on the wall. You’ll be making way more than you need to live in this place. You
can go upscale! A place at the Watergate!”

“But I like it here,” Ventura protested. There was no place
she’d rather live.
At least on this side of the Potomac.
Her phone rang, and she saw it was Richard.

“I’m calling to congratulate you.”

“Thanks so much. None of this would have happened without you.”

“I don’t believe that,” he said. “You might have taken a
different path, but you would have gone that same way eventually. I’m sure of
it.”

“Ricky and Elisa were a big inspiration.”

“The kids miss you.”

“I miss them too.”

“We all miss you.” There was a pause on the line; then his
voice rose in a question. “Ventura? I was hoping to take you out to dinner to celebrate.
I mean
,
you’re not working for me now. And well… I
hope you don’t mind, but Jason told me you’re no longer seeing Charles.”

Ventura stared at Mary, who innocently turned away.

“That would be nice,” she said.

“Can I pick you up on Saturday at seven?”

“Seven sounds fine,” Ventura said with a grin.

Nanette and Mary exchanged knowing glances.

“He finally asked you out?” Mary said, sounding pleased.

Ventura nodded, still over the moon herself. She was going
out
on a date
with a man she was crazy
about.
Head-over-heels crazy about.
Now, all she had
to do was think up something to wear.

“Don’t worry, dear,” Nanette said sweetly. “We’ll help you
get ready.”

“Oh, no you won’t!” Ventura said with a laugh. “I know you
both mean well, and Mary, your fashion advice is the best. But, girlfriends,
the Ventura Hart you see sitting before you today is not the one who walked in
here all those weeks ago. I’m a new woman,
my
own woman
. And, trust me on this,” she said with a wink. “I know just what
Richard likes.”

Mary and Nanette stared at her, both of them beaming from
ear to ear.

“Well, well,” Mary said, raising her flute of champagne.
“Here’s to the new Ventura!” She paused a beat to study her. “Now that you
mention it, it’s true. You
are
dressing better.” She brought a hand to her chin. “But in your style, not
mine.”

Nanette nodded approvingly and also lifted her glass. “I
like it!”

Ventura smiled and flipped back her hair. “Why, thanks,” she
said, merrily clinking their glasses. “And here’s to both of you, my very best
friends on earth. Thanks for sticking with me in the journey.”

A tear glistened in the corner of Mary’s eye. “I’ll always
stand by you, Ventura.”

“Yeah,” Nanette said, swallowing hard. “Me too.”

Ventura’s heart brimmed with affection for the two of them.
For the first time in her life, she knew what having a mother and sister felt
like. She set down her glass and stretched her arms out wide. “Aw, come here,”
she urged the two of them. They put down their drinks as well to join her in a
group hug, where they all giggled and cried and said how much they loved each
other…until they finally decided to open another bottle of champagne.

Chapter Twelve

The following Saturday, Ventura and Richard strolled along
the path beside the Tidal Basin. The moon rose high above, casting its
reflection on the water as warm breezes blew, strumming through the cherry
trees. They’d had a delicious dinner at an Argentinian restaurant: enormous
grilled steaks with a wonderful bottle of wine. The conversation had flowed
easily.
Perhaps because they already knew each other so well.
Although in some ways this was their first date, in many ways it wasn’t.
Ventura and Richard had been getting to know one another for quite some time.
They not only shared a friendship, but a powerful mutual attraction as well. An
attraction that each of them had been fighting for far too long. With the
barriers that had existed between them removed, being with Richard was
exhilarating. Ventura felt herself warm through and through at the thought that
someone could treat her so specially. Richard made her feel just like a fairy-tale
princess, and no one had made her feel that way in a while.

“Thanks for the dinner,” she told him. “It was fabulous.”

He stopped walking to look in her eyes. “I’m glad you’re
having fun. Thanks for coming out with me.”

If only he knew. She’d go out with him anywhere.
At any time.

“Are you chilly?” he asked as the wind picked up.

“Not a bit,” she said, holding his gaze. His face was darkly
handsome,
haunted by shadows and the moonlight as
faraway streetlamps cast a tender glow.

He turned toward her and stepped closer. “It might make me
sound like a jerk, but I’m awfully glad you stopped seeing Charles.”

 
Ventura’s pulse
whipped into overdrive while her cheeks burned. “I couldn’t keep seeing him,”
she breathed. “Not when I’d developed feelings for someone else.”

He smiled softly, cupping her face in his hands. “Someone?”

Ventura fell into his eyes, dark canyons that spoke of heat
and fire. She nodded, and he stroked her cheek. “That’s pretty amazing. I
developed feelings for someone too.” He pulled her closer then, taking her in
his arms.

 
Ventura tilted
up her chin as his mouth moved in. She’d wished for this moment for weeks now,
but somehow had never thought it would come.

“Would you mind if I kissed you?” he asked, his voice husky.

She brushed her lips to his in acquiescence and he pulled
her close, holding her firmly up against him as he devoured her mouth with his.
Ventura felt lost in his kiss as her heart pounded faster. He was so warm and
tender, yet passionate at once. And his passion was headily intoxicating. So
intoxicating she only felt herself wanting more.

“Ventura,” he said between kisses. “Come away with me.”

She pushed back to gaze in his eyes. “Where?”

“I’d like you to meet Gloria.”

“Your boat?” she asked with a delighted laugh.

He shot her a hopeful look. “Next Saturday? I can pick you
up at four. We’ll spend the whole evening on the water.”

Ventura couldn’t imagine anything more romantic. “Sounds
perfect.”

The next week, Mary and Jason scuttled down into the hold of
Richard’s boat. Jason passed Mary a warm bag of Chinese food as she smiled at
the children. They were all wearing life vests. “Now remember,” she told Ricky
and Elisa. “As quiet as church mice. Not a word.”

Elisa made a zipper motion across her lips, and Ricky
followed.

“Good,” Mary said, sending Jason a smile. “Now all we do is
wait.”

As they approached the slip, Ventura saw the word
Gloria
painted on the gorgeous
twenty-eight-foot boat. “She’s a beauty.”

“She’d become a little worn from neglect,” Richard confessed.
“But I’ve spent a good deal of time here lately fixing her up.”

“You were too busy to sail for a while?”

“I was too down to sail for a while,” he told her honestly.
“Let’s say Vicky leaving kicked the wind of me.” He held out his hand to help
her aboard. “But it’s okay. I’ve come back full steam now.”

Ventura stepped unsteadily aboard and the boat rocked. “I
don’t know a thing about sailing.”

“That’s all right. Just follow my lead.”

“Will I have to call you captain?” she teased with a grin.

“Only if you want to.”

Her hair was long and loose, curly just the way he liked it.
Richard had taken nearly a month planning this out, and after their date the
previous weekend, he was certain he was doing the right thing. There was no one
he wanted in his life more than Ventura. She was right for him. In a very
special way, she was right for all of them. And not just as the nanny. The
moment she’d left their house to take that job at the paper, he’d realized
that.

He opened a bench seat and pulled out two life jackets.
“Safety first,” he said, sliding one over her head.

“Aye, aye, Captain,” she said, her dark eyes sparkling.

“I like the sound of that,” he said with a wink.

Ventura looked around as he readied the riggings. “Huh,
that’s weird.”

“What?”

“For the life of me, I thought I smelled sesame chicken.”

“Probably just the salt air,” he said, hoisting up a sail.

Ventura wrinkled her nose. “You’re probably right.”

Within a half an hour, the main sail had filled and Richard
had raised a colorful spinnaker before it. Ventura leaned back against a
railing, enjoying the ride.

“I can see why you like it out here. It’s exciting and
calming at once.”

“We’ve got the perfect day for this. Tailor-made.” He
glanced up at the sky and leaned into the wind. “Heads up, Ventura. She’s
coming around!”

“Who?” she asked as the heavy boom swung in her direction.

“Richard!” she yelped, ducking under the swing of the main
sail while he cupped her head in his hand to protect it.

“You need to keep your head low when that happens.”

“Now you tell me,” she said, nearly breathless.

They clambered up on the other side of the boat and
positioned themselves on the bench seat as Richard maneuvered the sheets.
“We’ll pull into that cove over there and anchor awhile,” he told her, shifting
the rudder ever so slightly to steer their craft in that direction.

Ventura was glad to be with someone who was knew what he was
doing on the water, for she was lost completely. She’d never understood how
much skill and finesse it took to captain a boat until she’d come here with
Richard. She stared at him, handsomely in command of his craft, and her heart
welled with emotion. She adored so many things about him. How well he did in
business, the love he had for his children… The admiration he’d shown for her. Winds
rippled and he met her gaze. “I hope you’re having a good time.”

“I’m having the best time.”

“That’s good.” He steered the boat into a cove with a
mysterious grin. “Let’s hope it gets even better.”

Sweat dribbled down Ventura’s chest and pooled in her
cleavage beneath her snug cotton shirt. They were anchored in the cove, and
their main sail was down. “You should have told me to bring a swimsuit.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think of it.” Richard cracked open a
cooler and handed her an ice-cold beer. “I had a lot of other things on my
mind.”

“Gosh,” Ventura said, looking around. “I can still smell
it.”

“Must be the algae,” Richard offered helpfully. “Smells just
like friend wontons.”

“Really?” she asked with incredulity.

Richard fidgeted with his beer bottle,
then
met her eyes. “I’d like to propose a toast. To you and your literary success!”

“Why, thanks,” she said, clinking his bottle. “Here’s to you
having a part in it.”

“A very small part.”

“You’re just being modest.”

They both drank then an awkward silence settled in, as gulls
called noisily overhead. Richard took their beers and set them in holders. “I’m
really happy about your book deal,” he said as sunshine warmed her hair.
“Really happy about everything.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

“I don’t want you to think that I haven’t thought about
this, because I have—in excruciating detail.”

“It was painful?” she asked, perplexed.

He stunned Ventura by reaching into a net storage
compartment and extracting a small gift. “It’s only going to hurt if you say no.”
He handed her the present and her heart pounded faster. Could she really hope
he’d picked out something special just for her? And, if that something was tied
to a question, it might mean… Ventura stopped herself, not even daring to wish
for it. She’d wanted Richard for so long, it seemed impossible to believe that
he might want her too.
In a lasting way.
A way that meant forever.
Ventura’s
 
lips
quaked as she spoke.