The Fairy Tale Bride

She walked into the kitchen and flicked the switch on the kettle. “Are you busy? Do you want some coffee?”

For a second he hesitated and then followed her to the doorway. That had definitely been an invitation. He wasn’t reading anything wrong.

“So how come you hang out at the hospital so much?”

It was the most natural question. The one that had been playing around in his mind. Lisa was a good-looking woman with a business to run. She didn’t seem awkward and she wasn’t lacking in friends, so it seemed a little unusual. The hospital wasn’t exactly overrun with young volunteers. Lisa must be the only one that didn’t have grey hair.

She licked her lips as she put out the cups. “I like it. It’s a nice way to give back to the community.” It was an evasive answer at best and she wasn’t looking him in the eye.

“And…,”

This time she did meet him in the eye. “And in some places, Adam Brady, you might be called a nosey parker.”

He leaned against the door jamb as she spooned coffee into two cups and put a tea bag into a pot. “Ah, mystery. I like it.” He folded his arms. “So, let’s keep this going. Every time I’ve seen you, you’ve been wearing black. What’s that all about?”

She lifted the kettle and started pouring the boiling water as one eyebrow lifted in amusement.

“Don’t tell me,” he said. “It’s a secret society. An ancient prophecy. A different kind of religion.” The edges of her lips were turning upwards as he spoke. “No, wait. I’ve got it. You’re modelling yourself after that new TV female police detective that always wears black.”

She smiled as she handed over his coffee cup. “I think you’re going to need a whole load of sugar to sweeten that up.” She tipped her head to one side. “I don’t need to ask you if you’re single, Adam, because with those kind of sweet-talking words, I just know that you are.”

Good. She was every bit as fiery as he’d hoped. And she gave as good as she got.

She picked up the tea and cookie for Mrs. Goldman. “It could just be that I wear black because I think it makes me look more professional,” she edged past him in the doorway and then muttered, “and slim.”

It only took a minute for her to deliver the tea then return. “You’ve got a perfect figure. Why would you worry about looking slim?” he asked quickly.

She shook her head as she picked up a cookie from the nurses’ station. “I don’t really. I actually kind of like black.” She shrugged. “No mystery, it’s just become kind of a habit.”

He moved away from the door and back towards the nursing station. “I think you’d look good in other colors too.”

She gave him a suspicious glare. “What colors?”

“The blue. Like your friend was wearing in Grey’s the other night. It would bring out the color of your eyes.”

She laughed. “It would bring out the color of my eyes? Adam Brady, how would you know the color of my eyes?”

She set her coffee cup down on the nursing station right next to him and he gave a little smile. “I got a little close the other night. They kind of jumped out at me.” He was teasing – and she knew it.

“You did get a little close. Gotta be careful of that in a place like Marietta.” She gave him a little nod. “People might talk.”

He moved a tiny bit closer. She noticed and he smiled even more. “What would they say?”

Her voice lowered. “Just that some newbie hot-shot doc was getting fresh with a local girl.” She gave a little tut. “Could get him in a whole host of trouble.” She was starting to laugh now. Playing him at his own game.

He leaned forward. “So, what do people do around here for fun?”

She raised her eyebrows. “For fun? You’ve never lived in a town like Marietta before, have you Dr. Brady?”

He shook his head.

She reached up and touched his tie. “Talking of clothes – did I mention that the last time I saw you – you were wearing the same tie?”

He looked down. “Really?” He hadn’t even though about it. This blue tie was one of his favorites.

She nodded. She was standing just under his chin looking up at him with those pale blue eyes outlined in black. For a second he quite forgot where he was. They could be back in Grey’s, rather than in the middle of a hospital ward.

Something sparked behind her eyes. “It seems I’m not the only one with a habit.” She lifted her hands. “As for things to do in Marietta, I’ve got to assume you don’t do rodeo?”

He shook his head quickly.

“And you’re too early for the Marietta Fair. That’s a whole lot of fun.”

“So what does that leave?” he asked.

She shrugged. “There’s really only one thing left then.”

“There is?” Right now his city-boy blood was starting to race. Lisa Renee was a whole lot hotter than ever expected. He had no idea at all where this was going.

“There is.” She kept him waiting. She was doing this deliberately. Toying with him. He hadn’t flirted this much in the last two years.

She titled her head to the side, giving him a clear view of her soft skin at the bottom of her neck. Boy, this woman knew how to flirt. Why on earth was she still single?

“Come on, Adam, it’s easy. Food.”

Food. Of course. Not quite the answer his brain had been racing towards, but it would do. Anything that meant he might get to know Lisa Renee a tiny bit better.

“Where do you suggest?”

She licked her lips again, then lifted her hand, counting of

f on her fingers. “Well, there’s Grey’s – but you’ve already been there. Then there’s Rocco’s Italian, the Main Street Diner, Beck’s Place a few miles from town, or the Long River Cookhouse a few miles in the other direction.”

“Which is your favorite?”

She seemed surprised by his instant response. “It depends who is paying,” she shot back.

“I am.”

She blinked, then the edges of her lips turned upwards again. “Dr. Brady, are you asking me out on a date?”

“I might be.”

She put one hand on her hip. “How do you know I don’t have a husband and ranch full of children?”

He pointed to her hand. “No ring. And…,” he squirmed a little, “I might have asked around.”

She covered her face with her hands. “Oh no. Round here that’s almost like inviting folks to the wedding.”

He laughed. “Call me a city boy then. I’ve obviously got a lot to learn.” He glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one else was listening. “Are you going to teach me?”

Her gaze narrowed and for a second he wondered if he’d taken things just a tiny bit too far. But how far could you really go in a brightly lit hospital ward, with twenty patients, other staff and a full set of clothes?

“I have work to do,” Lisa said quickly, walking behind the desk and picking up a pile of books – fairy tales, of course. “I’m due on the children’s ward.”

She started to walk down the corridor towards the swing doors. Black baggy yoga pants again, but he was remembering the slim fitting jeans from Saturday night.

As she reached the door she turned her head. “Pick me up on Thursday night at the salon. 7:00pm. And surprise me.” And with a swing of her hip she knocked the doors open and disappeared.

Chapter Five

‡

Lisa couldn’t quite work out where all the jitters were coming from.

It could be the annoying reporter that had phoned her shop seventeen times this week, trying to get an exclusive on Nancy’s dress.

As if.

It could be the fact that the bridesmaids were late. Again.