The Wedding Wish (Summer Grooms Series) Read Online Free PDF

Whoever it was on the other
end of that line, she’s your very worst nightmare.”
    “And why’s that?” her friend asked defensively.
    “Because she’s already
got her hooks in your man.”
    Both girls suddenly wheeled on Isabel, noticing she’d been
eavesdropping.
    “Uh,” she began uncertainly, “are you two in line?”
    “No, uh-huh,” they said, scooting out of her way. They
huddled together in a whisper while walking toward the door, but Isabel
overheard them anyway.
    “Did you see how she was listening to us?” the second one
said.
    “Yeah,” the first girl agreed. “I’ll bet she’s got the same
problem.”

 
    Isabel returned to the table, feeling disconcerted. She didn’t
know why some random conversation in the ladies’ room had bothered her, but it
had. As she drew near the table, Robert was finishing his call. He spied her
approaching, then quickly wrapped it up. “Yeah,” he said into the mouthpiece
with a hasty glance in Isabel’s direction. “You too.”
    He hit End Call, and Isabel’s heart rose in her throat. “Everything
all right?” she asked, taking her seat as casually as possible.
    “Just fine.” He fixed his eyes on his menu, but his face
seemed to take on a slightly deeper hue. “You wanted the fish, you said?”
    A waiter in a bow tie surfaced to take their orders. After
checking with Isabel and receiving her consent, Robert also asked for a few
more glasses of wine. Why did he look uneasy? As if she’d caught him doing
something he shouldn’t have.
    “Who was that on the phone?” Isabel asked as the maître d’ arrived
to pour their merlot.
    “Just somebody from New York,” he said with a distant air. “Say,
Isabel. Do you think that tomorrow we could—?”
    “Somebody who?” she asked, stopping him.
    “Really doesn’t matter,” he said flatly. “It was business.”
    But Isabel couldn’t imagine what sort of business might take
place on a weekend and at this hour. “I see,” she said, hearing the hurt tinge
her voice.
    Robert stretched his hand across the table and held hers. “I
don’t want you to worry,” he said, meeting her gaze. “Worry about anything.”
    But the fact that he said it only troubled her all the more.
“I’m not sure I know what you’re saying.”
    “Just that things have a way of working out. When they’re
meant to.” He lightly squeezed her hand, but she withdrew it.
    “A light tomato bisque to start?” the server said, setting
their soups in front of them.
    “Yes, thanks,” Robert rejoined, avoiding Isabel’s gaze.
    Isabel knew then that whatever was going on, Robert wasn’t
about to let her in on it. She didn’t know why and she didn’t know what. But he
was hiding something from her, all right. Something gnawed at her, saying her
dad had been correct in his assessment yet again. She had the same niggling
sensation now that she’d had with her last boyfriend, the one who’d run around
on her. After him, she hadn’t become involved with anyone on more than just a
casual basis. It had hurt too much being lied to and misused that way. She’d
thought it would take a lifetime to get over it. But when she’d seen Robert
again, everything had changed. Her heart had finally begun to open up and let
somebody in. And now that somebody was about to sock her in the gut.
    Fire welled in her throat as she tried to push her doubts
away, but they fought…and kicked…and clambered their way back up to the surface,
making her head spin with all the nauseating possibilities. Isabel willed her
eyes not to water, but they did anyhow.
    “If you’ll excuse me a minute,” she said, pushing back in her
chair and stepping away. And then she hightailed it into the bathroom, where
she yanked out a wad of paper towels and bawled into them like a baby.

 

 
 
 
    Chapter Four

 
    Cindy took a bite of her pastrami on rye and chewed
thoughtfully. “Well, I guess there are two ways to look at it,” she finally
said.