While Love Stirs (19 page)

Joel joined in the well-deserved applause Charlotte garnered. As the women lined up with their forks in hand, he slipped behind a shelf full of bins holding nuts and bolts. He waited while she spoke to each of the ladies as they came up to take their choice of forkfuls. With so many ladies, the plates emptied quickly, dashing any hopes he had of snagging a snack.

When the last of the ladies had departed, Charlotte began to
gather her empty bowls and utensils. She was so involved in a conversation with the older lady beside her that she didn’t see him slip from his place behind the shelf and approach the table.

“Charlotte.”

The spoon in her hand clattered to the floor.

“I need to stop sneaking up on you in the kitchen.” He laughed, scooped up the spoon, and passed it to her, his fingers brushing hers in the process.

She sucked in her breath at the contact.

He looked into her eyes, golden flecks awash in hazel sea foam, and felt his heart rate quicken.

Yes, this had been a mistake.

But it was too late now.

“What are you doing here?” Her cheeks colored, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

He slipped a finger into the collar of his shirt. “Seeing how hot things can get in your kitchen.”

22

What was Joel really doing here in Deephaven? And how did he know where to find her? She couldn’t imagine he’d happened upon this particular hardware store.

Charlotte glanced at Molly and the older woman smiled. “Charlotte, you’re all flushed. He’s right. It is warm in here.”

It was. Now. Since he came.

Wrapping an arm around Charlotte’s waist, Molly tugged her close. “Sugar, how long do I have to stand here before you introduce me to this handsome fella?”

Joel ducked his head to hide a grin.

“Miss Molly Larkin, this is Dr. Joel Brooks. He’s treating my Aunt Sam.”

Wait a minute. Was that why he’d come? Fear constricted her chest and threatened to buckle her knees. She leaned into Molly’s side. “What’s happened to Aunt Sam?”

“Nothing, Charlotte. She’s fine.”

“Are you certain?” Her shaky voice betrayed her fear.

“Absolutely. She’s getting better every day.” He swept his hand over the dishes. “Why don’t you rest, and I’ll help Miss Larkin clean up?”

“If that don’t beat all. A man offering to do women’s work. Bless your heart.” Molly pointed to a shelf across the room. “First, call me Molly, and second, bring that washtub from over yonder and
we’ll put all these here dishes in it. The owner’s offered to have these dishes done up, so once they’re gathered, we’ll go have us some lunch. You’re coming with us, aren’t you, sugar?”

Joel dropped the washtub on the table with a resounding clang. He flashed Molly that take-your-breath-away smile of his. “Actually, I was hoping to treat you both.” He eyed the dish in Molly’s hand. “That is, if I can have those last three bites of apple charlotte.”

She slid the pan toward him along with a large cooking spoon. “Eat up. It’s our Charlotte’s specialty, you know.”

He looked over the dessert-filled spoon at Charlotte and met her gaze. “It’s only one of her many specialties.”

“Oh? What are some of the others?” Molly set a bread pan in the washtub.

“She’s good at . . . making her point.”

Charlotte tossed an aluminum measuring cup in with the other dirty dishes. “He means I’m good at arguing.”

“Is that a fact?” Molly’s ample chest shook with laughter. “Well, Dr. Joel, as we in the kitchen would say, life is pretty boring without a pinch of spice every now and again.”

“Miss Molly, I think you may have a point.” Joel deposited his empty pan and spoon with the other dishes before turning to Charlotte. He swept his arm toward the door. “Ladies, shall we?”

Grabbing her hat, Charlotte followed Molly out. Joel pulled the hardware store’s door shut behind them.

“I thought we could eat here in Deephaven, if that’s all right with both of you.” Joel led them down the street to a café.

Questions filled Charlotte’s mind. He seemed familiar with the area. Did he come to Lake Minnetonka often? Or perhaps Joel was from one of the towns surrounding Lake Minnetonka? He had yet to disclose why he’d shown up at her cooking demonstration. Despite what he said, she doubted he’d come there simply to see her.

After they had ordered, they fell into easy conversation. Joel again assured Charlotte her aunt was fine and Nurse Pierce had followed the menu plan she’d left. He’d checked every day. He asked
about her speaking engagements at Excelsior, and she explained they’d gone well once the missing trunk had been located.

“Tessa is bursting with excitement about the
Peter Pan
premiere in a couple of weeks.” Joel scooped his last bite of mashed potatoes onto his fork. “And your aunt is determined to be present for the occasion.”

Charlotte dabbed her lips with her napkin. This could be a problem. If Aunt Sam wanted something, deterring her was next to impossible. “What do you think her chances are of attending?”

“Like I told her, if she’d use a wheelchair, I think her chances are excellent.”

“And if not?” Charlotte couldn’t imagine Aunt Sam agreeing to that.

“I fear it would be too much walking for her in her present condition.” He set down his fork. “By the way, how’s your finger?”

“Healing nicely.”

“Let me see.” He held out his hand, palm facing upward, clearly expecting her to place her hand in his.

She tucked her hand in her lap. “It’s your day off. You don’t need to bother with my silly injury.”

He wiggled his fingers. “It’s no bother. I rather like taking care of you.”

Her insides coiled with pleasure. How did he do that? Make her face feel like it was on fire with a look or a few words?

Molly nudged her. “Go on, sugar.”

She placed her hand in his and sucked in her breath as tingles shot up her arm at his touch. His long fingers closed around her palm, his thumb absently stroking a circle as he peered at the stitches.

“It looks great. Who took the stitches out?”

“I had Molly do it this morning.”

“Hope you don’t mind, Doc. I’ve had plenty of practice over the years pulling threads.” Molly chuckled and her ample belly shook.

“Not at all.” He gave Charlotte’s hand a subtle squeeze and released it.

Once the waitress had cleared their empty plates, Joel pulled out his watch. “I hate to rush, but I’m afraid I have to leave. I have to be back at the yacht club by one thirty.”

“Is someone ill there?” Charlotte folded her napkin and set it on the gingham tablecloth. “Is that why you’re here at the lake?”

Joel squared his shoulders. “No, I’m competing.”

She studied his suit. While he looked handsome in his tan tweed suit and creased homburg hat, it didn’t look like the sporting clothes worn by the smartly dressed, wealthy yacht owners she’d seen since her arrival. “You have a yacht?”

“Me?” Sputtering like an old faucet, he laughed hard.

She bristled. “What else was I to think?”

“Charlotte, I’m not laughing at you. Honest. I’m laughing at the idea of me having the money to own a yacht. I’m an oarsman on a rowboat. I compete with a partner in men’s doubles.” He inhaled and sobered. “I was hoping the two of you would come watch our final heats.”

Joel was an oarsman. It figured. Steady, regular, stay-the-course Joel. There would be few surprises in a rowboat. Still, she found the idea of watching him compete rather exciting—and he had specifically invited them.

“I declare, that would be positively delightful!” Molly gushed. “Charlotte, don’t you agree?”

She looked at him and thought she saw expectant hope reflected in his eyes. Even if she wanted to, which she didn’t, she could not have told this man no right now.

Her lips curled in a smile. “Yes, I’d like to see that very much indeed.”

Spectators continued to thicken on the Minnetonka Yacht Club’s pier and on the nearby shore. The water glittered in the sunlight, and Charlotte couldn’t imagine a more perfect day for a regatta.

As they walked along the boardwalk, she admitted she knew
little of rowing and sculling. Molly, too, claimed no knowledge of the sport, so Joel gave them a brief introduction. He explained rowing events are head-to-head races. There could be teams of two to eight, depending on the event. “Teams with eight rowers also have a coxswain who sits in the stern and steers the boat and directs the crew.”

Molly snapped open her fan and flicked it back and forth. “Some of the fellas in the boats have two oars and some have one. That hardly seems fair.”

Joel’s chest shook in a silent laugh. “Men on sculling boats have an oar in each hand. On rowboats, each oarsman has only one. You’ll be watching the final heats. All of these boats won in their first semifinal heat, so every race this afternoon determines a winner.”

He led them to the far end of the pier. “This would be a good place for you to watch. You’ll have a good view of the finish from here.” He paused and cleared his throat before meeting Charlotte’s gaze. “And while we’re still on the subject of winners, I have a question to ask you.”

“All right.”

“There’s a celebratory dinner planned for this evening at the yacht club for all of the winners.” He looked down, picked up a rock off the pier, and tossed it into the bay. “If I win, would you, and Molly, of course, attend with me?”

“Count me out, sugar. I have to get home to my sister. She gets meaner than a crippled snake if I don’t come home when I said I would. Since we’re traveling by streetcar, there’s no problem leaving separately.” Molly winked at Charlotte. “Besides, you’ll have more fun if I’m not there.”

“Molly, I haven’t agreed to go yet.”

“But you should, sugar. You should have some fun while you’re here.”

Joel grinned at Molly. “Listen to the smart lady, Charlotte.”

“You’re forgetting you haven’t won yet, aren’t you?”

“If you say you’ll join me, I will win.” He raised his eyebrows. “And if I don’t, we’ll go somewhere else for dinner. Maybe the Hotel Del Otero’s dining room. Unless you’re afraid to be alone with me.”

“Of course not, we’ve been alone before—”

“Oh?” Molly put on a good show of looking prim, then chuckled. “Sugar, say yes to the poor man. I’m sure he needs all the help he can get to win this. Look at those spindly arms and narrow shoulders.”

Joel straightened his broad shoulders and placed his fists on his hips. No, there was nothing spindly about this man. But a whole afternoon and evening with Joel if he won?

She took a deep breath. “All right, I’ll stay.”

“And one more thing.” He tapped her nose. “It has to be a fight-free evening.”

“He’s upping the stakes now, sugar.”

She tipped her head to the side. “And if you lose, what do I get?”

“You can start any discussion you like.”

“Even talk about the food served at the hospital?”

“Even that.”

Her pulse raced and her stomach fluttered. She drew in a deep breath, tasting the lake breeze on her lips. What would one fight-free night hurt? And could they truly not fight that long?

Finally she nodded. “It’s a deal.”

Joel’s stunning smile widened. “Good. I’ve got to go get ready for my heat. See you afterward.”

She watched him jog off, feeling a little thrill of expectation.

Molly nudged her arm and pointed to a row of boats lining up in the bay. “Look, the scullery boats must be next.”

“I think they’re called sculls, Molly. Those must be what Joel said were quadruple ones.”

The five competing sculls, each holding four men with a set of oars locked in place for each man, made quick work of the course. With no idea who to root for, Charlotte cheered for the scull in front and joined the crowd in applauding it when it took the prize.

A few minutes later, she caught a glimpse of Joel readying his
boat, now wearing a dark blue, sleeveless bathing suit cut low beneath each arm. Like his partner’s, his suit was trimmed in light blue. Yet it wasn’t his suit that made heat pool in her stomach, but what it revealed. Narrow shoulders and spindly arms? Heavens, no. Muscles rippled across his shoulders and arms. Even his legs seemed as if they belonged in one of Michelangelo’s paintings. Her cheeks warmed and she forced herself to turn away.

Molly leaned closer. “That doctor’s finer than a frog’s hair split four ways.”

“Molly!”

“Don’t try to pretend you didn’t notice. I saw those pink cheeks of yours. What’s going on with y’all? Are the two of you sparkin’?”