The Wedding Wish (Summer Grooms Series) (3 page)

Trudy cocked her chin at him from the other end of the table.

“So, tell me,” Kip said, addressing Robert. “How is it you
ran into Isabel again?”

“We bumped into each other on campus today,” Robert said,
preparing to take another bite of pork
piñon
.

“Yes,” Isabel quipped. “Didn’t I tell you? He has the most liberating
job at the Art Center.”

Trudy’s brow rose with interest. “Liberating, how?”

Robert’s fork fell to his plate with a
clank.

“Is that where you saw each other?” Kip asked, perplexed. He
turned to Robert. “But I thought you were in medical school?”

“I…am,” Robert stammered, suddenly overheated.

Isabel gave him an impish look. “In some ways, it was like
no time had gone by…” she mused. “In others, it was like seeing him for the
very first time.”

Kip peered under the napkin at the plantains, then narrowed
his gaze at his daughter.

Isabel widened her eyes at Robert and sat up straighter as
if to contain herself from bursting out laughing. Robert could tell she was
having fun with this, razzing him in front of her folks like she used to do as
a kid.

“What is it you do at the Art Center, Robert?” Trudy asked.

“I’m afraid that’s all a big misunderstanding,” he said, avoiding
Isabel’s gaze. “Actually, I work at the lab.”

“I see,” Trudy said, obviously confused.

Kip made an effort to redirect the conversation. “How’s your
family?”

“My parents are fine, sir. Thanks for asking.”

“And your sister, Teresa?”

“Working in New York in publishing.”

“How nice.”

“Yes, my folks are very proud of her. We all are.”

“Is she married?” Trudy queried politely.

Robert nodded. “To her high school sweetheart.”

“That’s sweet,” Trudy said. “Was it an old love rekindled,
or have they been together the whole time?”

Robert’s eyes fell on Isabel, who watched him intently.

“They’ve been together ever since the tenth grade.”

“You see, Kip. Things like that
can
last.” Then, by way of explanation, she said to Robert, “My
husband’s always saying they can’t. That people who fall in love young don’t
stay together.”

“Just look at Romeo and Juliet,” Kip said. “You can’t say
that didn’t spell disaster.”

“That was a play, Daddy,” Isabel said.

“Ah! But fiction mimics life. Isn’t that what you always
say, dear?” he asked Trudy.

Her mouth fell open. “That’s not what I meant, and you know
it.”

“Don’t mind him,” Isabel said to Robert, regarding her
father. “Daddy doesn’t have a romantic bone in his body.”

“That’s patently untrue,” Kip protested. “Just ask your
mother what I got her for our last anniversary. Go on, ask.”

Trudy sighed. “Very lovely season tickets… To the Chargers
basketball games.”

“I rest my case,” Kip said proudly. “Can’t get any more
romantic than that!”

Trudy shook her head at her husband, but Robert could tell
it was in fondness. Despite his foibles, Mrs. Miller still apparently adored
her husband. “Do Teresa and her husband have children?” she asked.

“They’ve got two now, with one on the way.”

“And you?” Kip prodded. “You’re a few years older, but
never…?”

“Dad,” Isabel admonished, “that’s really none of our
business.”

“Why not?

“Because, it’s… You know.” She shrugged. “Personal.”

“Well, I don’t know what’s so personal about it. An old
friend of the family shows up here. I want to know about his life. There’s no
reason he wouldn’t tell me.” He gave Robert a pointed stare. “Unless he’s got
something to hide.
Ouch!
” He reached
down under the table to rub his shin, the one that Trudy had apparently just
kicked.

“Let me get some of these plates out of the way,” Trudy
said, standing. She glanced around at their faces. “Then I can serve coffee, if
you’d like.”

“Sit back down, Trudy,” Kip commanded. “We’re not finished
yet.”

“I think Mom’s right,” Isabel began.

Robert slowly raised a hand, then met all of their eyes. “It’s
okay. I don’t mind talking about it.” He paused, then spoke to Kip. “The truth
is, sir, there was somebody. Somebody special, but as things sometimes happen,
they didn’t work out. Perhaps, as you say, we started too young.”

“I’m sorry,” Isabel murmured apologetically from across the
table. “Daddy, you really shouldn’t have.”

Trudy shook her head sympathetically. “Isabel knows just
what that’s like. She and her boyfriend broke up too.”

“
Mo-om.
That was
four years ago.”

Robert studied her a beat. “I’m sorry for you too.”

“Seriously,” she said, flustered, “I’m over it.”

“He was a very nice boy too,” Trudy went on.

“Nope.” Kip shook his head. “Couldn’t trust him. You know
how he did that shifty thing with his eyes?”

“Daddy!” Isabel said. “He wore contacts.”

“That was a handy excuse.”

“The truth is,” Trudy said, “he did turn out to be a bad
apple.”

Isabel’s expression grew long. “He cheated on me.”

Silence settled over the table as Robert held Isabel’s gaze.
If there was one thing Robert knew for sure, it was that, if he had someone
like Isabel, he’d never look at another woman. “Then he must have been a fool.”

“He certainly was.” Kip stood beside his wife. “Here, let me
help with those dishes. That is,” he said, turning toward the others, “if
everybody’s done?”

“I’m done,” Isabel said softly.

“Me too,” Robert said, still lost in her gaze. But in an odd
sort of way, he felt like things between them were just beginning.

A short time later, Robert and Isabel stood on the stoop
outside her apartment building, saying good night.

“I had a really good time at dinner,” he told her. “Thanks
for including me.”

“You stood up to my Dad’s grilling pretty well. Thanks for
indulging him and being so polite.”

“I understand he cares about you.”

“Yeah.”

“I know what that’s like.”

Isabel stared up into gorgeous brown eyes, remembering what
it was like caring for Robert. As a kid, she’d more than cared for him. She’d
had a raging crush. And, by the way her pulsed raced each time he looked in her
eyes, she wasn’t sure she was over it.

“Isabel,” he said, as moonlight hovered up above and a light
breeze blew. “Do you think we could…? What I mean is, would you like to do this
again? Dinner sometime? Just the two of us?”

She felt her cheeks warm. “Just the two of us sounds fine.”

“It will probably be less eventful that way.”

“Maybe,” she said with a saucy lilt to her voice. “Then
again, it could get tricky.”

“Tricky?” He grinned, and her heart went all aflutter.

“Who knows what could happen with the two of us left alone?”

“We used to get into quite a bit of trouble,” he agreed,
stepping closer. Memories tugged her back over the years and into his arms.
They were lanky then, but muscled now. Toned enough to pull her close, pressing
his all-grown-up body to hers. If only he would hold her, she would let him.
Just to relive that old feeling once again. “And something tells me your dad
hasn’t forgotten.”

“Maybe he sees you differently now.”

“What do you see?” he asked, looking down at her.

“I like what I see.” Her eyes lingered on his. “And I’ve
seen quite a lot.”

When he spoke, his voice was raspy. “Oh man, I can’t believe
you were in that studio. I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me,” she said softly. “The
human body’s very beautiful in all its dimensions.” Robert’s in particular,
though she wasn’t prepared to say so.

“It wasn’t what you think.”

“I don’t care.”

“You didn’t mind it? Seeing me that way?”

“Robert. I’m an artist, a professional. One body is the same
as the next,” she lied.

“Hmm. I’m not sure if I could say the same, were you the patient
and me the doctor.”

“I believe we’ve been there and done that.”

“Yeah,” he said with a wistful look. “I would have done it
more, but your dad always walked in on us.”

“Robert!” she said with a laugh. “That’s probably why he didn’t
like you.”

“It’s most certainly why he didn’t like me. I’d likely have
reacted the same about my own daughter.”

“Something tells me you’ll be a little more laid back about
parenting.”

“Might somewhat depend.”

“On what?”

“Whether I have boys or girls.”

“Go on!” She shot him a smile, enjoying their banter. How
she wished it could continue and that this evening wouldn’t have to end.

“Isabel?”

“Huh?”

“Would you mind if showed you something?”

“Aren’t we a little old for that?” she teased.

“We’re not too old for this.” He reached forward and lightly
thumbed her nose, the way he used to do when they were kids, and her heart
hammered harder. “Spend a few more minutes with me, Isabel. There’s something I’d
really like you to see.”

    
Robert
had been having so much fun with Isabel, he hadn’t been ready for their time
together to end. Seeing her again was like stepping into a time warp, where a
crazy jumble of emotions came tumbling back. He knew they’d just been kids, but
a guy didn’t easily forget his first love—even if he loved her at age
thirteen. Robert had been one year older and a year ahead in school. It had
made him feel important at the time, like he was older and wiser. Although in
truth, Isabel often had the upper hand. She was quick on the uptake and enjoyed
catching him off guard with a fast turn of phrase or daring challenge. Like the
time she dared him to share a piece of gum by passing it back and forth between
them using only their tongues.

“We’re going back?” she asked in surprise. They’d just
cleared the entrance to her parents’ neighborhood, which was situated high on a
hill above the city.

“In a way,” he said with a mysterious smile. “But probably
not to where you think.”

A few minutes later, Robert turned up a steep gravel road,
then pulled off to the side.

“You’re taking me parking?” she asked. Though in truth she
didn’t look opposed.

He shot her a sly wink before exiting the car. “You’re so
suspicious.” Robert opened her door, extending his hand. “Come on.”

She scrutinized his face for a moment before accepting. “Where
exactly are you taking me?”

“Someplace special,” he assured her. “So special, in fact, I’ve
never shown it to anybody else.”

Robert held on to her hand and led her up a high path that
wound its way past laurels and big briar bushes. “Watch your step,” he
cautioned. “It’s rocky.”

Her sneaker slipped sideways, and she stumbled. He spun
quickly to catch her, holding her in his arms. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

She looked up at him, and it was all he could do to resist
bringing his mouth to hers. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For this. For whatever it is you’re doing. I have no clue
where we’re going, but this is fun. I feel like I’m just a kid who’s snuck out
of her room.”

“Oh yeah? Well, I’m about to show you where I went when I
snuck out of mine.”

Before Isabel knew it, Robert had led her through the
shadows and up upon a flat-topped rock overlooking the city. An array of lights
twinkled below as warm summer breezes blew. Isabel caught her breath at the
sight. “It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah.” Robert drew his arm around her and held her close. “I
used to spend a lot of time up here as a kid. Thinking.”

“Oh? What did you think about?” She turned toward him.

“You, mostly.”

“Me?”

“All right, maybe I didn’t have the guts to tell you then,
but I’m man enough to own it now…” His eyes sparkled in the faint glow of
lights from the distant city. “I had the most unbearable crush on this pretty,
blonde-haired girl.”

Isabel felt her face warm. “That’s funny,” she said, looking
up at him. “The feeling was mutual.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She turned toward the view, avoiding his gaze. “I
cried for weeks after you left. Did you know that? Weeks and weeks. Really. I
think you were the first man to totally break my heart.”

He reached up and gently stroked her cheek. “If it had been
up to me, I never would have gone.”

“I know,” she said quietly.

They both stood staring at the view as warm summer winds
rippled around them.

“You want to stay for a while?” he asked. “Just sit here
with me?”

“I’d like that.”

And so they stayed, and they talked. And then they talked
some more over old times and all the fun they used to have until they finally
ran out of words, and the sun broke over the horizon.

Chapter Three

Isabel smiled brightly as they exited the movie theater. “I
just love a good romantic comedy, don’t you?” She looked so pretty tonight in
worn blue jeans and a light blue top that complemented her eyes. Robert didn’t
think he’d ever been out with anyone better looking or nicer to be with. Being
in Isabel’s company just felt right.

“I like ’em if you do,” Robert told her.

She nudged him lightly as they strolled down the sidewalk
amid the clutter of shops and outdoor cafés. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That means I’m remembering our deal.”

“That we watch an action film next?”

“Exactly.”

“You drive a hard bargain, mister.” There was a happy lilt
to her voice, like she was enjoying herself. Robert was having a great time
too. How he wished there could be more between them and that all those loose
ends from his past were neatly tied up.