The Best Man's Bride (9 page)

Clayton would love that. After banging his head against the wall of Rory’s stubborn rebellion, it was Abby who finally got through to him. And maybe he’d finally realize how special Abby was. Apparently her mother wasn’t the only matchmaker in the McClintock family.

“Sure, I’ll blame Abby,” he agreed. Then he reached out and did something he’d rarely done—he hugged her. “I don’t care what you did when you were a kid, Col. You’re still a saint.”

“And you’re still a smart-ass,” she quipped as she patted his back and held him tight. When they pulled apart, both were blinking back tears.

“You coming inside?” he asked as he held open the door to the house.

She shook her head, needing a minute. “No, I think I’ll stay outside for a while.”

“Don’t let Mom catch you smoking those cigarettes,” he said, gesturing toward the pack she’d crushed in her hand.

She glanced down, and when she looked back up, he was gone. Inside the house. She settled on a lawn chair, tension easing from her body. She’d told Rory the truth.

Now, if she’d just tell herself…the truth about her feelings. How did she feel about Nick Jameson? Was it still just a crush, or was it something more? No matter what she’d thought earlier, it couldn’t be love. She couldn’t let it be love.

The screen rattled as the sliding door opened. “You’re not getting these back,” she warned her brother without turning around. “I don’t care how big you are or how much you tattle to Mom, I can still take you.”

“And I can still take you both,” a feminine voice, rich with laughter, claimed. “Neither of you is too big to turn over my knee.”

Colleen laughed as she hid the crumpled pack under her lounge chair. “Rory and I outgrew you before we reached our teens.”

Only Molly was petite like their mom and had her big, generous heart. She’d probably agreed to marry Josh simply to nurture his motherless sons. Why had she backed out, then? Colleen wished she could talk to her and find out what had made her run. Had it really only been a day since Molly had disappeared from the bride’s dressing room?

“You and your brother have quite a bit in common,” Mary McClintock remarked. When she sat on the chair next to Colleen’s, she leaned down and retrieved Rory’s contraband.

“I know what he’s been up to.”

“I never smoked.”

“No. You never did.”

But she’d done some other stupid things. And apparently her mother was aware of everything she’d done. Colleen tipped her head back and met her mother’s gaze. “Mom?”

“I heard what you said to him.”

Colleen closed her eyes. “You were eavesdropping.”

“That’s something you and I have in common.”

Her face heated with embarrassment. “You saw me.”

“Skulking in the bushes? You would not make a very good spy, honey.” Her mother laughed. “Yes, I saw you.”

And that was probably why she hadn’t shared her feelings with Mr. Schipper. She hadn’t wanted to share them with Colleen, too.

“I’m sorry, Mom.”

Her mother’s hand dropped onto her shoulder and squeezed.

“No, I’m sorry.”

“It’s none of my business,” Colleen said. “If you want to date again…”

“I’ll date,” her mother agreed, as if she had no intention of seeking her children’s permission. Maybe Colleen hadn’t overheard everything when she’d eavesdropped. “I wasn’t talking about me. I’m sorry about you.”

“Yeah. I am, too.” Colleen sighed. “I should have told the truth eight years ago. Poor Abby.”

“Abby would have left anyway. For eighteen years, she couldn’t wait to leave Cloverville,” Mary McClintock reminded her. “You just gave her an excuse. You can’t blame yourself for her going.”

Colleen shook her head, insistent. “I should have told the truth back then.”

“No one would have listened to you.”

Colleen nodded. “That’s what Abby said. That no one would believe me.”

“No, there’s more to it than that. No one would have
heard
you.”

Colleen winced.

“I
noticed,
Colleen.” Her mother’s voice cracked with the pain of the memory. “Like Rory, I knew when you took off with your backpack.”

And still her mother had never looked for her?

“You would get this look on your face, as if you were trapped, and you’d take off by yourself for a while. I figured you just needed time alone. It’s what your sister asked for, too, before leaving her groom at the altar. But you’re not like Molly. You didn’t really want time alone. You needed to know that you mattered.” Her mother’s voice was full of regret. “Now I know that I should have gone after you. I’m so sorry…”

Colleen stood up and pulled her mother into an embrace. “No, I’m sorry. Everyone was going through so much, and I was acting like a selfish brat wanting attention.”

“You
should
have had my attention,” Mom insisted.

“You were distraught. You were hurting as much as Dad was, knowing you were losing him.” Colleen couldn’t imagine the pain her mother had felt.

“You deserved to have my attention,” her mother insisted.

“You deserve so much, Colleen. You deserve a man who will love you.”

“Mom!” Frustration sharpened Colleen’s voice.

“I haven’t seen you since this morning, so I don’t know if that handsome Dr. Jameson found you in the park,” Mary McClintock blithely continued. Despite what she claimed, she still didn’t hear Colleen. “He stopped by this morning with those adorable twins, and he seemed really anxious to see you. He’s so good with the boys.”

“Yes, he is, but…”

“And he’s so handsome,” her mother continued. “He’d make some lucky girl a fine husband.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t want a husband?”

“I know. You’re scared.” Her mother sighed and admitted,

“I’m scared, too.”

Colleen blinked back tears of frustration. “Mom, is it worth it, to risk your heart?”

“I loved your father so much,” her mother replied, her dark eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I had so many happy years with him. Wonderful memories.”

“That ended in a nightmare.”

Her mother shook her head but didn’t deny it. “No. It’s just that it ended before it should have.”

As would Colleen’s infatuation with Nick.

“I’m worried about you, honey,” her mother continued. Her fingers touching Colleen’s chin, she tipped her daughter’s face toward the porch light. “You have that look again. That scared, trapped look, like you’re about to run again.”

But Colleen already had—from the park. And just as it had happened all those years ago, no one had chased her.

“So, Colleen, you’ll type that application for insurance on Mr. Meisner’s dog?” Clayton asked from where he lounged in the chair beside her desk.

“Sure,” she murmured, distracted, as she stared at the screen of her desktop computer. The letters and numbers blurred together as her mind drifted back two days, to the park and Nick’s kisses.

“I think a million is a fair amount of insurance on old Lolly, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she answered distractedly, then she mentally replayed their conversation and groaned. “You caught me.”

“A million miles away.”

Cloverville Park wasn’t that far.

“You okay?” he asked, his eyes full of concern.

She nodded. “Yes.”

“You’re worried about Molly,” he guessed.

“Not really. Molly’s smart. She’ll work everything out. She just needs time.” Maybe that was all Colleen had needed years ago. Maybe she hadn’t needed anyone to look for her; she’d only needed time alone to figure out what she’d wanted. She’d always gone home again.

“I’m worried about Molly,” Clayton admitted, rattling her pens as he played with a container one of the kids from the hospital had made her out of an old soup can and a laminated comic strip. She’d always had a fondness for Garfield and little kids.

“You don’t have to worry about her,” Colleen assured him.

“She’s only been gone a couple of days.”

His eyes narrowed. “So you do know where she is? You’ve talked to her?”

She shook her head. “No. Have you?”

“No.” He sighed and leaned back in the chair again. “And that’s probably a good thing.”

“Why?”

He shrugged and looked at the ceiling. “My roommate.”

“Nick?”

Her brother narrowed his eyes again, as if suspicious of her familiarity with the best man.

So she amended, “Dr. Jameson…he’s still staying with you?” He hadn’t given up when she’d refused to tell him Molly’s probable whereabouts.

Clayton nodded. “He’s worried about Josh.”

“And he wants to find Molly for him.” Despite his claim, he hadn’t given up. To call him single-minded was to understate Nick’s ruthless focus.

“Yes.” His hand tightened around the pen holder. “And I think it’ll be safer for Molly if he doesn’t.”

“He wouldn’t hurt her,” Colleen said, jumping to Nick’s defense.

“Not physically,” Clayton agreed. “But I don’t think the doc has that great a bedside manner with people he actually likes. I can’t imagine what he’d say if he found Molly, but I’m sure it’s nothing she could handle hearing right now.”

“I think he’s more upset than Josh is,” Colleen mused, remembering her conversation with the jilted groom.

“I think so, too.” Her brother sighed. “I can’t begrudge him his loyalty to his friend.”

“But you want to protect Molly.” Just as he’d tried to protect all of his siblings when he’d assumed his father’s responsibilities. Only Colleen had gotten hurt on his “watch.” She hated that he’d blamed Abby—and himself—for her foolish mistake.

“Has he been giving you a hard time?” Clayton asked.

“What?” Her pulse quickened, her face heating. “When?”

Clayton’s eyes narrowed again, his suspicion regarding her attitude obviously increasing. “I heard you danced with him at the wedding. The reception. The…”

“Welcome-home party for Abby and Lara,” she said.

He grimaced. “Yeah, that.”

“I hope they’re home to stay.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” he reminded her, refusing to be sidetracked. He could be nearly as focused as Nick.

“Has Dr. Jameson been giving you a hard time?”

Not needing her big brother to fight her battles, she shook her head. “No. He’s just upset for Josh. He hates that Molly hurt him. They’re really close.”

His voice wistful, her brother asked, “Have you ever had a friend like that, Colleen?”

“Yes,” she answered without hesitation. “Abby.”

He snorted.

Had
he
ever had a close friend? Their father had been sick for so long that Clayton had never really had time to relax or just be himself. Their mother was right. He did need Abby in his life.

“Abby really is the best friend I ever—”

“I don’t want to talk about Abby,” he interrupted, his square jaw taut as he clenched it.

He never wanted to talk about Abby. He probably didn’t even know about her business, which would make her a perfect tenant for the empty space next to the agency. “Clayton…”

“I don’t have time, Colleen. I have two appointments in a row this afternoon. Mike Simpson’s coming in to talk about life insurance.”

“Again?”

“He’s going to buy a policy eventually.” Because Clayton never pressured. He was the kind of salesman their father had been, more concerned about the customer’s needs than his own commission. “And after him, the Frazers are coming in to review their policies.”

“I’ll print out all their records for you.”

He set her pen container back onto the corner of her desk.

“I already did that last night.”

Of course he had. Clayton did everything himself. Even though she was his office manager, he didn’t really need her to run his office. No one had ever
really
needed Colleen. While she was afraid of falling in love with someone, she wouldn’t mind someone falling for her. Adoring her. Hell, she’d settle for wanting—really wanting—
her.
Not her sister’s whereabouts.

Clayton continued, “And I made notes on the copies.”

“So you’re all ready. I’ll have Angela brew some fresh coffee,” she said, referring to the agency receptionist. “I know Mr. Simpson likes it strong and sweet.”

“Yeah, have her put on the coffee. Then run upstairs for that file,” her boss instructed. “I left it—”

“Upstairs?” Where Nick was still staying.

“Yeah, I either left it on the coffee table or on the chest or the dresser in my bedroom. Yeah, it’s probably in the bedroom.” He brushed a hand through his dark hair. “God knows I’m not sleeping in there lately, so I might as well work.”

She could identify with his sleeplessness, but she imagined her brother had another reason behind his insomnia. “Molly’s fine,” Colleen assured him. “You don’t have to worry about her.”

Clayton nodded then muttered, “It’s not Molly keeping me awake.”

“So what is?” She hoped he wasn’t worried about her. Had Mom said anything to him?

“Uh, I really need that file. Mike Simpson is always early.” He glanced at his watch. “And so are the Frazers. I won’t have time to grab it myself.”

Mike Simpson wasn’t early. Ever. But apparently Clayton wanted some time alone before his appointment.

Colleen needed some time alone before she headed up the back stairs to her brother’s apartment and her brother’s houseguest. So she put on the pot of coffee herself. Then, knees trembling slightly, she climbed the steps.

Nerves danced in her stomach at the thought of seeing Nick again. But he was probably gone. Even though he was staying with Clayton, he had no reason to hang around the apartment all day. He’d taken vacation time to watch the boys, so he wasn’t expected at the hospital. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t show up to work.

Despite not having the bedside manner of his best friend, he was just as dedicated to his work. She could tell that he loved being a doctor; it was probably the only thing he’d ever loved. Even though she doubted he was in the apartment, Colleen knocked and then pressed her ear to the door to listen. Nothing moved inside; she heard no music or TV. She turned the knob and walked in.

For a bachelor, Clayton kept his place clean; everything in order, just as he liked his life. She searched the living room easily, but no file sat on the coffee table. Not even a paper or magazine had been left on the polished walnut surface. She headed down the hallway toward his bedroom in the back.

Sounds from inside the bathroom drew her to a stop outside the closed door. The pipes rattled and whined as water rushed through them. “Oh, no…”

Nick wasn’t gone.

Before she could think to move, the shower cut off. Her pulse quickened at the realization that only a door separated her from a naked Nick. Then not even the door separated them as he pulled it open.

Water dripped from his wet hair, droplets falling onto his broad shoulders and trailing down the sculpted muscles of his chest and arms. Entranced, Colleen followed the trail of water down his chest and onto his washboard stomach, to where it stopped and was absorbed by the towel wrapped around his hips.

So he wasn’t entirely naked. Just mostly. The towel reached only to midthigh, leaving his legs bare except for a dusting of golden hair.

“Change your mind?” Nick asked, his voice hoarse.

“What?”

“About running the other night. You don’t want me to leave you alone.” He reached out, his hands closing over shoulders.

“Is that why you came up here?”

“I did…didn’t…think…you’d be…” She averted her gaze to a spot on the bathroom wall behind his shoulder as steam from his shower and the scent of soap wrapped around them.

“You didn’t come for me?” he asked teasingly.

She shook her head.

“Of course you didn’t,” he mockingly agreed. He was so damned arrogant. But then, he had reason to be.

She had to ignore those reasons. She had to ignore him. “I came up to get a file for Clayton. He left it in his bedroom.” She gestured down the hall.

“So he’s working at night,” Nick mused of his host. “I thought he had a woman on his mind, keeping him awake, too.”

“Too?” She bit her lip too late. The question had already slipped out.

“You know you’re all I think about,” he told her, pouring on his charm. “I told you that at our picnic.”

“But I didn’t believe you then.” And she shouldn’t believe him now. Even if dark circles rimmed his green eyes, verifying his sleepless nights.

“It’s true, Colleen,” he said, his voice deep with frustration,

“Although I wish like hell it wasn’t.”

“I guess we have something in common after all.”

“You think about me, too?”

She had for years, but she couldn’t admit that without embarrassing herself more than she already had. So she shook her head. “I wonder why you’re wasting your time hanging around Cloverville. Josh is fine, and your office isn’t done yet. You don’t need to watch the boys.”

“Like I said at our picnic, maybe I’m staying for you.”

“You’re wasting your time,” she repeated.

“No, I’m not.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Even though I’m not babysitting, Josh is making use of me. I’m working on his new house.”

“I thought he didn’t have possession for two weeks.” Until after his honeymoon. “He bought the Manning place, right?” She’d canceled their home policy when they’d closed escrow.

He shrugged, and muscles rippled in his shoulders and chest. “I don’t know who he bought it from, but they moved out early. And the place is a mess. We’re peeling wallpaper and painting.”

She reached out to where green paint clumped a bit of his blond hair together. “You missed a spot.”

“I don’t see how. I turned the tub green. Your brother probably won’t be too happy with me.”

“Or me. I need to get that file for him.” She needed to pull her hand and her attention from Nick Jameson first. But her fingers slid through his hair, ostensibly checking for more paint as she admired the texture of the silky wet strands.

“Did you find any more?” he asked, his voice hoarse as if he held his breath.

“What?” she asked, distracted by his proximity.

“Paint?”

“Oh.” She pulled her hand away. “No. I didn’t find any more.”

He reached for her hands and lifted them, settling her palms against the bare, hard muscles of his chest. “You better keep looking.”

His heart beat fast beneath her hand. Her fingers trembled against his skin. She wanted to touch. She wanted to taste. Now that she’d unleashed the impulsive nature she’d suppressed for so long, she couldn’t control her urges. Her needs. She needed Nick Jameson.

I
F NOT FOR THE WARMTH
of her hands against his chest, Nick wouldn’t have believed Colleen was real. She was only a figment of his overheated imagination, the one that had kept him awake the past two nights, taunting him with versions of what might have happened in the park, if Colonel Clover hadn’t lost his head. If only Nick had lost his.

She curled her hands into fists, as if she intended to beat him. She already had; she just didn’t know it. Nick couldn’t tell her. He couldn’t share his feelings with her because he doubted they were real.

How could he fall in love with a woman he didn’t really know? He wasn’t even sure exactly what she did for a living other than that she worked for her brother in the office below. Wearing a crisp white blouse and slim-fitting pinstriped navy skirt, she looked professional. She’d even bound her thick hair into some kind of knot at the base of her neck.

Nothing about her current appearance hinted at the existence of the passionate woman from the park. Maybe he had dreamed
her,
the woman who’d kissed him with such desire.

“You’re getting a file for your brother,” he reminded them both.

She nodded.

“Is that what you do for him?” he asked, curious to know everything about her. “Retrieve files?”

Her lips curved into a smile. “You make me sound like a dog.”

He shook his head. “No one could ever compare you to a dog,” he assured her.

“Maybe I am,” she conceded. “Although my title is office manager, basically all I do for Clayton is fetch.”

“He doesn’t give you much responsibility?”

She lifted her slim shoulders in a shrug. “Like him, I took the state tests, and I have my insurance license in personal lines and life and health.”

“Personal lines?”

“Auto and house insurance.”

He nodded, as if he understood. But he knew little about insurance. His arrangement with Josh was that his friend would take care of the business end of their practice. Or they’d hire someone. Like Colleen.

No, he wouldn’t be able to handle seeing her every day. It was bad enough that he’d have to drive in to Cloverville every day. He’d pretty much given up on changing Josh’s mind about the location of their office. The boys loved the house their dad had bought. They loved the small town. And Nick was pretty sure they already loved Brenna Kelly, too. She’d been helping fix up Josh’s new house, although Nick doubted she was in any big hurry to get rid of her houseguests.