The Perfect Gift (7 page)

CHAPTER TEN

Grace looked in the mirror and slid the lip gloss across her mouth. The pale pink matched the shirt she was wearing. Nabi hadn’t called her to tell her where they were going, so she went for jeans and a pretty top. However, three fathers of former students had called her today. They had all asked her out. She had politely put them off. Tonight would determine if she called them back or not. There was just something about Nabi that made her heart race and her whole body feel happy. She smiled, she laughed, and she wanted to be held in his arms. She didn’t feel that way about any of the dads who had called her.

The doorbell rang exactly at six, and she hurried from her bathroom. She opened the door and smiled at Nabi. He looked sinfully handsome in a dark black suit. “Am I underdressed?”

“No, you’re perfect. Like always.”

“I wasn’t perfect this morning,” Grace laughed.

“I’d never seen anyone look so beautiful as you did.” Nabi stepped forward and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “Jeans, dresses, naked, in the dark, or first thing in the morning. I’ll always find you beautiful.”

Grace felt her body tingle in each spot his lips kissed. She felt happy. She felt desired, and she felt beautiful. She couldn’t wait to see how this date went.

“Ready for dinner?”

“Yes. Where are we going?”

“To the Blossom Café.”

Grace stumbled, but Nabi was there with a steadying hand. “Is that okay with you? I promise I won’t order the special tea,” he teased.

Was she okay with it? In a small town like Keeneston, going to the café for a date was like a public announcement of a serious commitment. “Are you okay with it?” Grace asked instead of answering.

Nabi nodded and smiled at her. “I am. There’s something about you my soul recognizes, and I would like nothing better than to share whatever it is with you.”

Grace took a deep breath. “I would like that, too. But, let’s see how tonight goes before we make any decision on what happens next. Right now, it’s dinner. Then we’ll just see what happens.”

“Sounds good.” Nabi opened the car door for her and waited for her to settle in before closing it. His stomach was in knots, but his heart was full. He’d known the second she’d opened the door to him this morning that she was the one. Now he just needed to prove it to her.

Nabi parked on Main Street. The summer nights were long, and the sun cast a warm glow on the tiny town. Doors to shops were propped open as customers chatted and browsed. The flowers surrounding the café were in full bloom in old bourbon barrels. People sat at bistro tables on the sidewalk and talked as the young waitresses helped take orders and deliver food.

While the Roses didn’t want to admit it, they were getting older. They’d hired two waitresses so Daisy could help Violet in the kitchen. Violet wasn’t ready to let go of that responsibility. And Nabi was perfectly happy to have her making his favorite foods every day. If only he could get Mo’s French cook to match them. Gosh knows, he and Mo had tried.

“Are you sure about this?” Grace’s soft voice stopped his hand from reaching for the screen door.

“I am. Are you?” Nabi asked, admittedly a little nervously. He wasn’t one for wearing his heart on his sleeve, and in Keeneston, taking a woman to the café was telling the whole town your feelings.

Grace slipped her hand into his. She looked down at their intertwined fingers and smiled. His hand engulfed hers, but he was so gentle and strong at the same time. The feeling gave her comfort. “I am now. Let’s do this.”

Nabi opened the screen door, fully aware that all conversation had stopped as the patrons waited to see whether he and Grace came in or not. Daisy Mae Rose pushed the young waitress out of the way.

“I got this, dear.” Daisy paused in front of them. “Are you joining us for dinner?”

Nabi smiled and gave Grace a reassuring squeeze with his hand. “Yes, table for two, Miss Daisy.”

“Dang, we really needed new pew cushions,” Father James said as most of the patrons joined him in groaning over their lost bets. He looked into Nabi and Grace’s surprised faces and smiled. “May you have a blessed dinner. Tell me, are you thinking of a fall wedding?”

And with that, the bets erupted. Daisy waved the waitress over to take their order since she was too busy taking bets on the potential Nabi/Grace wedding.

“Well, that certainly wasn’t what I expected,” Grace said as she suspiciously sniffed the iced tea placed in front of her.

“The last I heard, I was the longest outstanding bet. I think most people had me dating a Belle.”

Grace absently looked away. Nabi was starting to recognize that as her signal for getting nervous.

“Thank goodness I found you. The Belles are practically children. I’ve always wanted a woman who was already secure in herself and didn’t need a husband to define her. I would rather be your partner than your social catalyst.”

Grace smiled at him then and he felt as if all the betting patrons had simply disappeared. His new mission in life was to make Grace smile. She was so beautiful, and he didn’t want to lose her. He already knew . . . she was like a warm blanket wrapped around his heart. Grace was the one. He was going to delete that email as soon as he got home.

“I just want you.” Grace flushed bright pink and stuttered. “Not like that—well, yes, like that, too. But I was trying to say I like you for who you are, not for what you can do for me. That’s a pretty selfish type of love, isn’t it?”

“I couldn’t agree with you more—I want you, too. In every way I can get you.” Nabi winked and enjoyed seeing the surprise and then desire spark in her eyes.

Grace took a large drink of iced tea and wished it were spiked. How did she respond to something like that? He was so masculine, so sexual. She was, well, she wore cotton panties that came in a six-pack. How could he want her? And then when he got her, would he be disappointed?

However, the idea of a naked Nabi leaning over her to kiss her . . . and then so much more, kind of made her panties irrelevant. Grace took another drink to cool off. Why was it so hot in here?

“So, tell me how you came to Keeneston.” She took a deep breath as Nabi told her of his transfer at twenty-one. It didn’t help. Her eyes were undressing him, and she couldn’t stop them—she didn’t want to stop them.

Her head shot up from where she was mentally unbuttoning his pants when his hand covered hers on the table. Nabi leaned forward and dropped his voice. “If you keep staring at me like that, I’m going to have to toss you over my shoulder and make love to you as soon as we find someplace semi-private.”

“Promise?” Grace sighed and then shook her head with surprise. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

Nabi laughed and the roar of betting only increased.

“Did they just bet that I was pregnant?”

Nabi only laughed harder. “This is the best date I’ve ever been on.”

His laughter was contagious. Grace felt her stomach tighten and a giggle race up her throat. It was the first time she’d laughed with a man in . . . well, she couldn’t remember when. It was nice. “Sorry, we got sidetracked. You were young and the king sent you here . . .”

Nabi nodded and went back to telling his story, although he left his hand on hers. “I trained with Ahmed. I learned how to be an elite soldier and how to run security for the royal family. My father is ready to retire, and he’s asked me if I would like to come back to Rahmi. But Keeneston is my home now.”

Grace let out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad, although I am sure Rahmi is beautiful.”

“It is. But I’m happy to be here. I have friends and a whole bunch of adopted nieces and nephews.”

“Do you want children of your own?”

“Very much,” Nabi told her with a longing that had her heart contracting.

“Me, too.” Grace cleared her throat. “Do you have to leave the country much?” she asked to change the subject. They had gotten very personal very quickly.

“Some, yes. Dani and Mo are starting to travel more on behalf of Rahmi. As their head of security, I organize the trip, go with them, and run point for protection.”

“Do you like to travel?” Grace asked. The hope she was feeling was starting to drop. If he were gone all the time, he would be just like Bo.

“If I were in love, I would hate to leave her behind. And I wouldn’t have to. Mo lets the wives of his higher-level personnel take them along if possible, and I’m the highest level there is. Grace, I’m not Bo. I wouldn’t leave you just because I wanted to travel.”

“Come on, let’s go for a ride. I bet I can beat you around the track.” Grace relaxed and fell into teasing Nabi. It wasn’t fair of her to compare him to Bo. For the rest of the night, she was just going to enjoy the here and now.

“Wouldn’t a winter wedding be beautiful?” Pam Gilbert, the former head of the PTA and current head of the Keeneston Ladies Group, asked as Grace and Nabi walked past them toward the door of the café.

“Pam,” her sister Morgan Davies chided, “she can get married whenever she wants.” Morgan coughed “September thirtieth” and then pretended she hadn’t said anything. When her sister rolled her eyes, Morgan just shrugged. “Miles and I would love to take a month off after Layne leaves for college.”

Nabi squeezed Grace’s hand, and they walked off as they laughed.

Grace finished brushing Zoe while Nabi did the same with his horse. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun. They had raced and then taken the horses for a short ride around the farm as they talked.

“Thank you again for coming to my rescue. I feel so much better knowing Zoe is here,” Grace said as she put her brush in her tack box. The barn was spotless. Fresh straw covered the large stalls and fresh oats had just been poured. Zoe was thrilled.

“My pleasure. I’ll always be here if you need me.” Nabi smiled at her as he closed the stable doors. He stepped over to where she was sitting on top of the tack box. His eyes had darkened, and Grace felt her breath accelerate. He was going to kiss her. She opened her legs slightly so he could step between them. Nabi gently brushed a lock of hair from her face and bent down. His lips brushed hers softly at first. She tentatively placed her hands on his waist and opened for him when she felt his tongue run along the seam of her lips.

Soon there was nothing gentle. She raked her nails down his back, and he deepened the kiss. She sighed with contentment when Nabi finally pulled back and looked down at her. This was a man who would never abandon her. If they were separated and she needed him, he would move heaven and earth to get to her.

“How can I be feeling what I am after just a couple days?” Grace whispered as she brushed his dark hair from his forehead.

“I don’t know. I have been waiting so long to feel like this that I still can’t believe it’s real.” Nabi looked into her eyes and the feeling behind them took her breath away. “Should we give it a shot then. You and me?”

“I would like that.” Grace rested her head against his chest as Nabi held her tight. She smiled as she felt the excitement of the future strum through her body. She had been given a second chance at love, and she was going to cherish every moment.

“Do you have a ball gown?”

Grace looked up in surprise. “Um, no. Ball gowns aren’t the normal attire for kindergarten teachers.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Shhh!” Abby hissed to Kale who was about to burst from where they were hiding outside the barn.

“What did she say?” Zain asked.

“She doesn’t have a ball gown,” Sienna told him.

“What would she need a ball gown for?” Reagan wondered.

“I bet it’s for the charity ball my dad and mom are throwing for the Prince James

of England,” Gabe guessed.

“How romantic to be asked to a ball,” Riley sighed.

“But when is it?” Piper asked.

“Next week,” Ariana answered.

“Oh no! You can’t get a ball gown in a week!” Sophie said, sounding worried.

“And they’re so expensive,” Layne muttered.

“But she has to go! She has to be like Cinderella. Uncle Nabi would surely ask her to marry him then,” Cassidy said from where Dylan was holding her to peek through the window of the barn.

“Yeah, I don’t know how to help with this one,” Jackson muttered as Wyatt, Carter, and the rest of the boys nodded.

“But I do,” Sydney smiled.

“How?” Greer asked excitedly.

“I
am
a model. I do know designers.” Sydney was already piecing her next moves together.

“Thank goodness. I was afraid we’d have to go shopping,” Ryan said with relief.

“Porter, Parker, what are you doing?” Reagan snapped. Her eleven-year-old twin brothers were climbing a tree with Jace right behind them.

“We’re spying. We’re going to climb onto the roof and look down the skylight since y’all won’t move from the one window,” Porter complained.

“And just who are you all spying on?” The woman’s authoritative voice caused everyone to freeze.

“Mom!” they all gasped at once.

Kenna shook her head. The women had just finished meeting at Dani’s to discuss the charity ball when one of the security guards mentioned the commotion at the barn. So Kenna, Dani, Paige, Annie, Katelyn, Morgan, Gemma, Tammy, and Bridget had all decided to find out what their kids were up to. They had come up over the hill and found them all plastered to the side of the barn. Well, except for Parker, Porter, and Jace who were hanging from a tree.

“Spill,” Gemma said as she crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at her twin daughters.

“Now,” Bridget ordered as if commanding one of her police dogs.

Abby stepped forward with her head held high. “It’s all my fault. We found out Nabi was going to email his father to arrange a marriage so we decided to help him fall in love instead, and it worked. But now Mrs. Duvall needs a ball gown so he’ll propose, and Sydney thinks she can get one in time.”

After years of parenting, the mothers didn’t react. You could never show shock to your children or they’d rip you apart. Instead, Annie just shook her head. “And how did you find him true love?”

The kids moved apart to let someone step forward. “We helped, too.”

“Miss Daisy!” Katelyn said with surprise.

“Miss Violet!” Dani gasped.

“Miss Lily!” Morgan said shaking her head.

“Well, we couldn’t let him enter a loveless marriage,” Miss Lily said defiantly.

“And how exactly did you settle on Grace Duvall?” Paige asked.

“That was Cassidy. She thought of her sweet kindergarten teacher, and we agreed they’d be perfect together,” Miss Violet grinned.

“Cassidy,” Tammy shook her head and gave her daughter the similar look she gave her boss, attorney Henry Rooney, when he practiced a cheesy pick-up line on her. “Where did you learn to interfere in people’s lives?”

Cassidy linked their hands together and stepped up to stand next to Abby. “Y’all,” she said in her sweet innocent voice. “Like when you and Aunt Morgan fixed Summer up with that nice man at Morgan’s office. And like that time Aunt Katelyn and Aunt Annie thought the new sheriff’s deputy would be perfect for the teacher Aunt Annie knew. And like that time Aunt Gemma . . .”

“Okay,” Tammy said with a roll of her eyes. “So, they’ve hit it off?”

“They sure have. They were kissing and everything.” Greer smiled.

Paige groaned. “And you all have been spying on them this whole time? It was done with good intentions, so we’re not mad. But no more spying. And no more interfering.”

The kids all shuffled their feet and started whining.

“Enough,” Dani ordered. “Now go up to the house and think about how you would like it if we interfered with your lives like that.”

The kids grumbled, but faced with nine pairs of “mom eyes” staring at them, they slowly walked away with three Rose sisters following.

As soon as they were out of sight, the mom’s looked at each other and smiled. They quietly tiptoed to the barn and peeked in the window.

“I’m sure Dani or Bridget would let you borrow one.” Nabi smiled down to the woman in his arms.

“Oh, they’re so cute together,” Dani whispered excitedly before being shushed.

Grace shook her head. “I couldn’t do that. I don’t even know them. Besides, they’re both a lot taller than I am. I’m sorry, I just don’t think I’ll be able to go.”

“We’ll find a way. I promise,” Nabi said before leaning down to kiss her frowning lips.

The moms stepped back from the barn and huddled up. “Cassidy did better than we did,” Kenna said.

“Yeah, we’ve been trying for years to find someone for Nabi with no luck,” Dani grumbled.

“And we were outdone by a nine-year-old,” Bridget said as she shook her head.

Tammy beamed. “I’m so proud!”

“But, you heard her. She won’t ask to borrow a dress, and it’s clear they both really want to go,” Morgan whispered. She had a gleam in her violet eyes as if she were planning a hostile takeover of a company.

“It would be romantic,” Gemma said as she thought about a solution.

“Well, my daughter isn’t the only one with fashion contacts,” Katelyn smiled. Before she was the town veterinarian, she was one of the world’s top models.

“We’ll need to get her size,” Paige told them as images of the jewelry she sold at her boutique, Lucky Charms, ran through her mind.

Annie rubbed her hands together in glee. “Yes! A chance to do a little B and E. It’s been a while since I broke into someone’s house.”

“I’ll go with you and keep watch,” Bridget added with a smile that showed she was happy to help Annie with some mischief. “Then we’ll call Katelyn and give her the measurements.”

“Okay. And we’ll stay here and call you when they leave the barn. By the way, they were kissing. It may be a while.” Morgan grinned.

“I’ll go and pretend to lecture the kids and then get them out of here,” Kenna offered. She’d use her best courtroom voice. Being the town prosecutor did come in handy sometimes.

“Do we have to? I mean, they did a good job,” Dani asked.

Paige nodded. “True. But then they might figure out we’ve been spying on them. I mean, really, as if we wouldn’t look out the window when their dates brought them home.”

The women all laughed slyly. Moms always knew what was going on, and it was foolish to think it wasn’t because they spied, eavesdropped, and pried. Nothing would get done if they didn’t. That’s how they stopped their husbands from buying sports cars they didn’t need when they turned fifty. Or stopped their daughters from getting tattoos on their eighteenth birthdays. Or causally mentioned a boy they were interested in wasn’t as good as they thought.

It was always done in a way that seemed like casual conversation. “Oh honey, can you believe so-and-so got a sports car? It’s so pathetic when men can’t embrace growing older. In fact, I find you sexier now. You’re so dignified.” Or, “Daughter, I’m so proud of you for having a good head on your shoulders and not dating someone like Corey. He’s so immature and, from what I heard, doesn’t respect his girlfriends very well. Some men have good looks, but that doesn’t mean they’re good men.” It worked every time.

“Don’t worry, I’ll let them off easy.” Kenna smiled as she headed for the house. Annie and Bridget grinned mischievously and hurried to Annie’s car while the rest of them raced to hide behind one of the horse vans parked nearby.

“We should let them in on the final product, though,” Morgan suggested. “After all, they accomplished what we could not.”

The women nodded. “Good. And I am going one step further,” Katelyn told them. “I think we should let them come to the ball. They’re all old enough, and the prince does have three kids of his own, so he won’t be surprised to see them.”

“I agree,” Tammy put in. “We can let them come after the dinner and the younger ones can stay for an hour and then go to my place. I’ll get a couple of babysitters, and they’ll have a great time.”

“Okay. We’ll let them suffer for a couple days before we fill them in,” Gemma teased.