The Wedding Wish (Summer Grooms Series) Read online

  “Sir?” Robert asked in surprise.

  “The proposal.”

  A few days later, Robert called to ask Isabel on a special date. What was special about it was that he wouldn’t tell her where they were going. He’d also been less than forthright about the discussion he’d had with her father. Trudy hadn’t been able to get a word out of Kip either. In a strange way, it was as if the two men had formed a pact. Isabel and her mom hadn’t even realized men could be that way. So sneaky. Something was up for sure. But, whatever it was, it couldn’t spell gloom and doom. Her dad seemed far too chipper as of late. And why on earth was he sorting his CDs in a way to single out dancing music?

  Robert held back the door as Isabel stepped into the car. “Your carriage awaits.”

  She eyed him curiously as he skirted around the car and took his own place in the driver seat. “Still won’t say where we’re going?” she asked when he took his seat beside her.

  “On a picnic.” He beamed, patting the basket in the backseat. It was late in the day, and the sun was just setting.

  “On the beach?” she asked, hopeful.

  “Better.”

  After a bit, Isabel realized they were driving north, headed toward her old neighborhood.

  “Robert?” she asked uncertainly. “Don’t tell me this is a double date with my parents.”

  “Nope, sweetheart.” He winked, and her tailbone tingled. “This night was meant for you and me.”

  Soon they were through the gate to her old neighborhood, and Isabel understood. Robert was taking her to his favorite place. That spot overlooking the valley where he used to go as a kid.

  “My lady,” he said, opening her door and helping her out of the car.

  “You’re being awfully chivalrous tonight,” she said, arching an eyebrow.

  He opened the back door of the car and pulled out the picnic basket. “That’s because I’m out with a princess.”

  “Let’s see…” she said, flirting. “That would make you…a prince?”

  “Don’t make me get out my sword and show it to you.”

  “Robert!” she said with a laugh, but her heart was light.

  “Come on.” He took her hand. “The sun’s just going down.”

  She let him lead her up the winding path that snaked through falling shadows. This was so romantic, just the two of them stealing away. Even though it was in her old neighborhood, she couldn’t help but feel a bit reckless. Like she was sneaking off in the night with some forbidden guy. They climbed up on that old, flat-topped rock with the magnificent view of the city, even more majestic now with the sky streaking purple and grenadine.

  “I hope this is all right?” he asked her.

  “It’s perfect.” She helped him spread the blanket, then took a seat.

  “Hungry?” he asked, settling down beside her.

  “A little.”

  He rummaged in the basket and handed her half a baguette.

  “What’s this?”

  “Cheese sandwich.”

  Isabel laughed at the memory. As kids, that was what they threatened to pack when the two of them ran away. They often made plans to run away together, but Isabel never truly thought it would come to pass. “This is pretty elegant cheese,” she said, peeking between the bread layers. “And, oh! What’s that?”

  “Brie and prosciutto.” He pulled one from the basket for himself, unwrapped it, and took a hearty bite. “Since we’re adults now, I thought I’d step it up.”

  Isabel nodded, taking a nibble of hers. Boy, was it good. Better than any old slice of cheddar on white bread for certain.

  “Can I pour you a drink?”

  “A drink would be great.”

  To her surprise, he extracted a bottle of expensive champagne. “Really going high-class tonight, huh?”

  “Only the best for the best,” he said, popping the bottle open.

  The cork arced through the air and flew off the rock, catapulting into the valley below them. Isabel giggled. “You’re a lot of good fun, you know that?”

  “Good fun?”

  “Yeah,” she said, feeling her face warm all over. “Great to be with. I don’t know… It’s like… Like I never have to worry too much about what to do or say. All I have to do is be myself.”

  He filled a plastic cup with bubbly and handed it to her. “That’s the way I like you.”

  After he filled his own cup, she raised hers in a toast. “That’s the way I like you too.”

  “Chips?” he offered, pulling out a bag.

  “I’m glad you didn’t worry about packing healthy.”

  “Hey!” he protested. “These are all natural. See?”

  Isabel felt as light and breezy as the late August winds blowing around them. She’d had the very best summer with Robert. One she’d never forget. They sat in companionable silence, both enjoying their food and the view. After a while, Robert packed away the remnants of their dinner, but not the champagne.

  “You know what I like about this spot?” he asked her. “I like the fact that it’s always been here for me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If these hills had ears…” he said with a laugh.

  “Oh?” she asked, looking over at him. “What would they hear?”

  “Probably an earful about one special girl.” He looked wistfully over the valley. “Isabel… Isabel… Isabel… That was her name. If you listen closely enough, you can probably still hear the echo.”

  “Go on,” she said, nudging his arm.

  “Okay, I will.” He swallowed hard and set down his champagne. “Isabel,” he said as night grew nigh. “I have something to tell you. A confession to make.”

  She watched his eyes, dark embers in the lengthening dusk. “Yes?”

  “When I was, oh, about…” He stretched his hand high above the rock in front of him. “Yay high.”

  “What?”

  “Okay,” he admitted. “Maybe I was a little taller. But, hey, the important thing is it was a long time ago.”

  Isabel’s heart skipped a beat as she wondered where this was going.

  “I was thirteen, in any case.”

  “I liked you a lot at thirteen,” she said in a low whisper.

  “Yeah,” he answered. “I liked you a lot too. We shared a lot of things between us, kept some pretty good secrets. But there’s one thing I never told you.”

  She looked at him expectantly.

  “I never told you about this.”

  “This place? No, you didn’t.” She looked around at the gorgeous scenery. “Why not?”

  He pursed his lips a beat, then sweetly stroked back her hair. “Because…this is where I’d planned to take you.”

  “Take me?”

  “Once I’d saved up enough money…and grown into a man, I suppose. I couldn’t think of a quicker way to do it. But I did know I’d want to. The fact of the matter is, I spent a hell of a lot of time practicing up.”

  To her amazement, Robert pulled a small box from the picnic basket.

  “I want you to know that it’s true. You’re the first girl I loved and actually wanted to marry. I asked you over and over again… Right up here on this rock.”

  “What did I say?”

  His eyes twinkled. “You always said yes.”

  He flipped open the ring box, and Isabel covered her mouth with a gasp. A beautiful solitaire glistened in the rising moonlight. “Isabel Miller,” he said, taking her hand, “my sweet, long-lost Izzy. Swear to me you’ll never be lost again. We fell away from each other one time, through no fault of our own. But now that fate has brought us back together, I can’t imagine my life going on without you.” He took the ring and positioned it over her finger. “Say that you’ll be mine. For as long as we both shall live.”

  He met her eyes, and Isabel’s heart rose in her throat.

  “Be my bride.”

  Isabel didn’t know if it had started to rain or whether those were tears streaming down her cheeks. She no
dded, and Robert’s face opened up in a rainbow. He slid the ring on her finger and kissed her soundly. “I love you, baby,” he said in a husky whisper. “I always will.”

  “I’ll always love you too,” she returned. “I probably always have.”

  He took her in his arms then, knocking over the champagne, but neither one cared. They just stayed locked in a tight embrace, each sensing the rhythm of the other one’s heart. It was just like it used to be, only better. And nothing could be better than this. Isabel was so happy, she felt she could fly, straight up to the moon and past the third star…straight on till morning.

  “You’ll always be my girl,” he said, holding her close. And, in her heart, Isabel knew that she would.

  “That’s the only way I’d have it,” she said, hugging him back.

  Epilogue

  Cindy sat beside Trudy at the head table. Both were dressed in elegant attire.

  “I want to thank you for helping organize the wedding,” Trudy told her. “It was a beautiful affair, and you were a lovely maid of honor.”

  “Isabel was a beautiful bride,” Cindy said, motioning with her champagne flute toward the dance floor.

  Isabel and Kip were enjoying the traditional father-daughter dance, while Robert waited in the wings, prepared to take over.

  “She certainly is,” Trudy said with a smile. “You know,” she said to Cindy, “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen Kip so happy.”

  “What happened to the overprotective dad?”

  “I guess he grew up.”

  “Yeah,” Cindy said with a longing look at the happy couple. “I suppose a lot of people did.”

  On the dance floor, Kip gathered Isabel and her billowy gown in his arms. It seemed an eternity he’d waited for this day. Waited for it and dreaded it both. For the main thing he feared was that Isabel wouldn’t find somebody good enough. Someone to love and care for her in the special way that Kip hoped. Now that she had, Kip’s spirit had lightened. Robert was a good man. A man who deeply loved his daughter. He would look after her, Kip was sure of it. And nothing gave him greater peace.

  “Dad,” she said, looking up at him, her eyes a beautiful blue. “I want to thank you for this day. For everything.”

  “I’m glad you’re happy,” he said, holding her close. Then he swirled her around, those old memories flooding back. Cradling Isabel as a baby… Isabel dancing on his shoes at his cousin’s wedding… Isabel beaming in his arms in her first communion dress… Isabel in her graduation cap and gown… And now, Isabel the beautiful bride, about to leave his arms forever.

  Robert approached, and Kip graciously stepped aside. “Take care of my baby girl,” he said in a hoarse whisper.

  “I will, sir,” Robert assured him.

  Kip passed off Isabel as she gave them a laugh. “Come on, guys,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I can take care of myself.”

  “I believe that,” Robert said, taking her in his arms.

  “Then you’ve learned a lot already.” Kip studied him with admiration, then walked away.

  “What did you two talk about on that walk?” Isabel asked Robert beneath the sway of the music.

  “Oh, you know… Stuff.”

  “Stuff?” Isabel playfully swatted his shoulder. “Fine. Keep your little secret.”

  Robert thoughtfully watched Kip pull Trudy onto the dance floor. Even after all their years together, when Kip looked at Trudy, she still blushed like a bride. “Something tells me I could learn a lot from your father.”

  “What?”

  “He won the love of two terrific women. That says something.”

  Isabel grinned broadly. “Yeah. It says a lot.”

  “Will you promise me something?”

  “Anything you wish.”

  “Promise that you’ll go easy on me…if we have a daughter.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s nothing, really,” he said, studying Kip and Trudy from across the room. “It’s just that I guess I’m starting to understand your dad.”

  “Robert Reed,” she scolded, “swear to me you won’t be that impossible.”

  He held her close, kissing the top of her head. “Sorry, Izzy. Can’t promise you that.”

  The End

  A Note from the Author

  Thanks for reading The Wedding Wish. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please help other people find this book.

  1. This book is lendable, so send it to a friend who you think might like it so that she (or he) can discover me too.

  2. Help other people find this book: write a review.

  3. Sign up for my newsletter so that that you can learn about the next book as soon as it’s available. Write to [email protected] with “newsletter” in the subject heading.

  4. Come like my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GinnyBairdRomance.

  5. Comment on my blog at: The Story Behind the Story.

  6. Visit my website: http://www.ginnybairdromance.com for details on other books available at multiple outlets now.

  Back to Top