My Lucky Groom (Summer Grooms Series) (9 page)

Later that night, Ventura and Charles stood saying good night
outside her front door.

“Thanks so much for everything,” she told him. “I had a
really good time.”

“So did I.” He studied her with a smile. “You’re very easy
to talk to, you know.”

“You too.”

He stepped toward her, and Ventura subconsciously inched
back.

Then he withdrew, and she moved forward.

They continued this chicken dance a moment before both burst
out laughing. He extended his hand, and she shook it.

“Well, good night,” she said, “and thanks again.”

“I’ll call you about the Fourth,” he said.

Richard returned from his gala completely worn out. He
relieved the babysitter,
then
picked up the few odds
and ends that were still scattered around downstairs. Noting a couple of
children’s books lying on the living room floor, he scooped them up,
recognizing them as the stories the kids had been reading with Ventura. He
loosened his tie and carried the books upstairs. He’d set them on his nightstand,
then
shelve them properly in the kids’ rooms in the
morning once Ricky and Elisa were awake.

He sat heavily on his bed and kicked off his shoes, thinking
he was growing tired of these society things. While it was important for him to
attend and stay connected, he wagered he’d have a lot more fun going with
someone he could actually talk to. Somebody warm and witty, who looked like a
house on fire in a blue blouse pinned together with safety pins. Feeling too
tired to even slip out of his clothes, Richard settled back on the bed for a
moment, propping himself up with some pillows.
I’ll just flip through some of these stories for a sec,
he told
himself.
Then, I’ll get the motivation to
get ready for bed.

Two hours later, Richard awakened with a jolt, greeted by
the blazing lights in his bedroom. A storybook lay splayed against his chest,
and he still wore his tuxedo shirt and slacks.
I must have dozed off
, he thought, slapping the storybook shut. In
a flash, he remembered his torrid dream. He set the book aside in shock,
feeling his temperature spike.
Papa Bear?

Chapter Eight

Richard and Ventura stood in his kitchen, stuffing sandwiches
into backpacks.

“I really appreciate you working Saturday,” he said. “It’s
beyond the call.”

“Well, you certainly couldn’t handle both kids on a bike all
on your own. Besides, I’m happy to support anything that gets the kids outdoors—where
a team sign-up isn’t involved.”

He smirked at her but didn’t mind the ribbing. In truth,
Ventura had been a breath of fresh air for all of them. She’d convinced Richard
not to renew a few of their activities so Ricky and Elisa would have more time
for what she called
kid stuff,
like
playing hide-and-seek and setting up forts using lots of linens.
Richard wasn’t bothered by the mess
. It made the house seem
more inviting somehow. Like
an
honest-to-goodness
family lived there.

All week long he’d been trying to come up with an excuse to
see Ventura during the weekend. He’d become used to her being around during the
week, and—the truth was—when she wasn’t here, nothing seemed right.
The kids got restless and grumpy, and Richard could never think up enough
activities to entertain them. It was particularly hard when they protested they
didn’t like doing things without Ventura. While he’d never tell his kids,
Richard secretly felt that way too.

“Jason sometimes comes with us,” Richard said. “But this
weekend he has plans.”

“I
know
,” Ventura
said with a sly smile. She was thrilled that when she’d mentioned Mary to
Jason, he’d taken an immediate interest. He’d asked for her number right off
the bat, and now the two of them were off eating crabs in Maryland.

“He works hard,” Richard said. “He deserves a life.”

She looked at him thoughtfully. “I suppose we all do.”

Richard appeared suddenly unnerved by her stare.

“I can babysit at night sometime,” she offered. “I mean, if
you’d like to get out.”

“That’s really nice, Ventura. I’m just not sure where I’d go
or who I’d go with.”

“Richard?” she said, pointing to his backpack. “I think you
just put a box of butter in there.”

His temples reddened. “Oh, right. Pretty silly of me,” he
said, taking it back out and popping it in the fridge.

Meanwhile, Mary and Jason sat at a long wooden table in the
small village of St. Michael’s, Maryland. They were outside on a dock abutting
the water, surrounded by groups of others chatting happily and drinking beer. Newspaper
had been spread out on the table before them. Heaps of freshly steamed crabbed
sat in mounds ready for the taking. Jason handed Mary a small hammer and a
pick. She stared at him in horror.

“They still look alive.”

“Oh, they’re dead, all right,” he said, selecting a large
one and snapping off the legs. He sucked out some of the white meat extending
from a joint. “And tasty.”

Mary’s felt the blood drain from her face as she primly
arranged her legs under the table. She wore strappy high-heeled sandals, a
pretty yellow sundress, and a big floppy hat to match. “When you said you were
taking me out for crabs, I thought you meant at a restaurant. You know, with margaritas?”

Jason laughed lightly and popped his crab in two at its
breastplate. A fine liquid spurted forth and Mary jumped back.

“Sorry,” he said with an apologetic grin. He studied the
table in front of her,
then
met her eyes. “You haven’t
touched yours.”

“I…um.” Mary stared down at the tiny creature that appeared
to stare back.

“Blue crabs are the best.” To prove it, Jason pried a nice
hunk of meat from his shell and held it up to Mary’s mouth. She leaned forward
to take a bite, and my, wasn’t it delicious.
So fresh and
tasty.
If only she hadn’t seen where it had come from. It was
practically cannibalistic, tearing these tiny bay creatures apart.

Jason lifted an eyebrow. “Never done this before, have you?”

Mary took a swig from her bottle of beer, steeling her
nerves. “Of course I have,” she said with a little laugh. “It’s just been a
while.”

“Hmm.” Jason smiled. “Tell you what, why don’t I do the
first one for you.”

All of them would be
good,
Mary thought but didn’t say. Besides the fact that the process turned
her stomach, she’d just gotten her nails done yesterday. She adjusted the brim
of her hat, devising a plan. “I kind of liked it when you fed me that bite,”
she said saucily.

“Did you now?” he replied, clearly intrigued. He took a sip
of his own beer and set it down. “Want to try that again?”

Mary nodded, and Jason prepared her another perfect morsel.
“Yummy!” she said in an effort to encourage him.

Jason reached for another crab,
then
met her gaze. “You’re planning to have me do this all night, aren’t you?”

Mary wrinkled her brow and asked weakly, “Do you mind?”

“Nope.” He leaned forward to give Mary a quick peck on the
lips, and her whole world brightened. “Not one bit.”

Ventura and Richard glided down the path with Elisa seated
on the back of Ventura’s bike and Ricky situated behind his father. As they
approached the water, Ventura spied a whole host of rides up ahead of them.
There was a merry-go-round, a mini roller coaster, and even a Ferris wheel, its
bright lights twinkling in the twilight. Cheery music played as groups of
families ushered children into lines, many of them holding big puffs of cotton
candy.

Ventura paused her bike, and Richard dismounted beside her.

“What’s going on?” she asked, admiring the pretty display
reflecting in the Potomac before them.

He got Ricky off his bike,
then
steadied Ventura’s so she could likewise dismount and help Elisa down.

“It’s the summer carnival.” He stared at the scene a bit
wistfully. “Vicky and I used to come down here sometimes. I’d forgotten all
about it until just now.” He’d planned a simple outing for the four of them, an
evening picnic in the small park bordering the river. But maybe this was even
better.

“Can we go?” Ricky asked, his gaze hopeful.

Richard glanced uncertainly at Ventura. “I don’t think
Ventura had planned to stay that long.”

“But I want to get my face painted.” Elisa tugged at
Ventura’s hand with a pleading look. “Puleeze, Ventura?”

“Pretty please?” Ricky begged.

Ventura’s face brightened as she looked from one of them to
the other. “I’d love to,” she said with smile.

Ventura, Richard, and the kids wound through the crowd past
a stage where musicians played. The children had painted faces and held helium
balloons.

“I think I’ve had about all the fun I can handle,” Richard
said to Ventura. “How about you?”

“But we haven’t done the Ferris wheel!” Ricky protested.

“Yeah!” Elisa said.

Richard glanced at Ventura, and she shrugged in agreement.
“No fair’s complete without the Ferris wheel.”

Richard held up a hand. “All right. I can see when I’m
outnumbered.”

A few moments later, he held back the door to the small
compartment. “Okay, kids, hop in!” They scrambled aboard. “Ventura?” he
prodded, politely waiting for her to board next.

“Oh no, I wasn’t planning to ride,” she said. “I’ll just
watch from below.”

Ricky and Elisa begged together, “But you’ve got to come.
Pu-leeze?
”

Richard wryly twisted his lips. “Now who’s outnumbered?”

“Okay,” she said with a laugh, “you’ve got me. But I’m going
to warn you, I’m a little scared of heights.”

“No worries,” Richard said, meeting her eyes. “You’ll have
me right beside you.”

Both kids sat together,
which
meant
Richard would have to join Ventura on her side.

Ventura grinned tightly and tried not to think of that movie
where the entire Ferris wheel broke loose and rolled into the ocean. Of course,
this was just the Potomac River here.

She uncertainly climbed inside, and Richard joined her,
pulling the compartment door shut until it latched.

Suddenly, the Ferris wheel lurched, sending their car
swinging sideways.

“Whee!” Ricky and Elisa cried as they began to rise into the
air.

Ventura clutched her seat with both hands, fearing she might
faint.

“It’s all right, I’ve got you,” Richard said, bringing his
arm around her. He gave her shoulder a light tug and motioned with his chin.
“Look over there.”

Now that the sun had set, the view of the carnival reflected
in the water was even more magical.

“I see a boat!” Elisa cried.

“Two!” Ricky echoed.

“Those are dinner-cruise ships,” Richard explained.

The scenery took her breath away. “It’s beautiful.”

Richard turned his face toward hers, capturing her in his
gaze. “Yes.”

A light breeze rippled over them, and Ventura’s heart
stilled. If it had been only the two of them, she wasn’t sure what might have
happened next. By the look in Richard’s eyes, it would have been a kiss.

The car made its way back down, music and lights swirling
around them. Then they were sky-bound again, rising and falling over and over
together. Richard snuggled her in and held her close and Ventura’s heart beat
faster as Richard’s warmth beside her provided comfort and stability in the
night. Suddenly, the Ferris wheel jerked to a halt, startling Ventura. “What
are they doing?”

Richard held her tighter. “Letting people off.”

The kids’ faces fell. “Aw,” they said together, obviously
not ready for the ride to end. And they weren’t the only ones. Ventura could
have stayed here all night.

There was a loud squeak; then their compartment started to
lower.

“Going down,” Richard announced.

I most certainly am
,
Ventura thought, stunned by the revelation.
Going
down and falling fast.

The moment they got home, Richard and Ventura readied the
kids for bed. They were exhausted from all the fun, and both dropped off to
sleep immediately.

“Ventura,” Richard said as they quietly crept down the
stairs. “About the Ferris wheel…”

She halted on a lower step and gripped the railing. “You
don’t have to say anything.”

“I know, but I shouldn’t have. I got carried away, I guess.
The
day…the bike ride
…the river.”

Ventura met his eyes. “Richard, you didn’t do anything
wrong.”

“No, but I wanted to.”

“Richard…”

“Ventura,” he said sincerely. “I think you’re terrific.
Wonderful in about a million ways.
But the thing is, you’re
employed here.”

“I know.”

“Which means…” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m making a
total mess of this, aren’t I?”

“No.”

He turned toward her, nearly pinning her to the railing, and
Ventura’s pulse raced. Oh, how she wanted him to take her in his arms and kiss
her, the way he’d seemed to want to on the Ferris wheel. The way he appeared to
need to now.

“I understand you’re involved with someone,” he said, his
voice gravelly.

“Charles,” she said weakly.

“That’s just another reason this is wrong.” He pursed his
lips and turned away. When he looked back at her, there was a sad resignation
in his eyes. “I don’t want to lose you as a nanny. Elisa and Ricky would be
devastated.”

“I don’t see how anything’s changed,” she said, when in
truth she knew that everything had.

“Can I call you a cab?”

“That would be a good idea.”