This Matter of Marriage by Debbie Macomber (9)

Nine

Bingo!

March 20

H allie rolled her grocery cart over to the display of fresh tomatoes and carefully made her selection. She wanted everything to be perfect for this dinner. She’d been dating Mark for two weeks now, and he’d teased her into agreeing to cook for him. Granted, her expertise in the kitchen was severely limited, but she knew how to grill a decent steak. Her antipasto salad—thick tomato slices, mozzarella cheese, Greek olives, roasted red pepper and salami—was impressive; even her mother said so. Add baked potatoes and steamed asparagus, and she’d come off looking like a younger, slimmer version of Julia Child.

“Hey, Dad, there’s Hallie.”

Hearing her name, Hallie turned to find Steve shopping with his kids. His cart was filled with frozen pizza, canned spaghetti and a dozen or so frozen entrées.

“Howdy, neighbor,” Steve called out.

“Hi, guys,” Hallie replied, pleased to see them. “How’s it going?”

“Great,” Steve said. “I haven’t seen you around lately.”

“I’ve been putting in a lot of extra time on a project at work and—” she beamed as she said it “—I’m seeing someone.”

“Seeing someone?” Steve prompted.

She looked around and lowered her voice. “I signed up with Dateline. They put me together with Mark.”

“Congratulations. I knew you’d eventually land on your feet.”

“Thanks. Mark and I’ve been seeing each other a couple of weeks now, and so far so good.” She held up both hands, fingers crossed.

“Hey, Dad, ask Hallie,” Meagan urged, pulling on her father’s sleeve. “She’d be perfect.”

“Yeah, Dad, you can ask Hallie,” Kenny said excitedly.

Steve ignored the pleas and would have moved on if Hallie hadn’t stopped him.

“Ask me what?”

He shook his head. “It’s nothing.”

Clearly he was lying. “Steve!”

“All right, all right.” He didn’t seem too eager to elaborate. “Would you mind if we talked about this over a cup of coffee?” He gestured at the small round tables set up in front of the grocery-store deli, which sold sandwiches, salads and hot drinks.

“Sure.” Hallie had to admit to being curious. She followed the Marris family to the deli; while she made sure their carts weren’t blocking the aisle, Steve purchased two cups of coffee, plus hot chocolate for the kids.

His son and daughter sat down with them, Meagan waiting patiently for her father to speak. Kenny, less patient, kicked at the legs of his chair.

With a quelling frown at his son, Steve asked Hallie, “Do you bowl?”

“Bowl? As in ball and pins?” Hallie said. “Yeah, I guess, although it’s been a few years.” She hadn’t been all that adept at bowling, but then she’d never been athletically inclined.

“What was your average?”

“Well, I could generally knock down three or four pins. Why?”

“Dad needs a woman who can bowl,” Kenny explained.

Steve darted his son another quelling look. “I prefer to do this myself, all right?” He turned back to Hallie. “I’m part of a couples bowling league, and since my marriage breakup my sister’s bowled with me. Unfortunately her husband was transferred to Wichita last month and she had to drop out of the league just before the tournament.”

“Dad needs a female partner for the tournament,” Meagan clarified.

“Oh,” Hallie muttered, her heart sinking. She was sure she’d be more of a liability to Steve than a benefit. Heaven knew she owed the guy, but she wasn’t sure he’d appreciate the kind of help she could give him.

Steve noted her hesitation. “Don’t worry about it, Hallie. It’s no big deal. I’ll find someone.”

“It’s just that I don’t think I’d do you any good. Like I said, I haven’t bowled in years.”

“It’d just be one afternoon.” Again it was Meagan who spoke. “You could bowl one afternoon, couldn’t you?”

“Surely there’s someone better qualified than me?” she asked hopefully. Maybe she could rope Bonnie into helping him. Her assistant was due a little penance.

“Nope,” Kenny said. “Dad’s already asked everyone he knows.”

“Kenny, Meagan,” Steve said gruffly, “Hallie says she can’t do it. Let’s leave it at that, shall we?”

“But…but we could teach her,” Meagan persisted. “She can’t be that bad.” So said the girl who’d run circles around her.

“Well…” Hallie felt herself weakening. Twice this man had come to her rescue, and not once in the weeks that followed had he reminded her what a fool she’d made of herself. That in itself demanded her consideration.

“I’d be willing to give it a try,” she offered, gesturing vaguely. “The kids are right. All I probably need is a refresher course. And, really, one afternoon isn’t going to hurt. It’s the least I can do after all the help you’ve given me.”

“So you will?” Steve asked, sounding pleased.

“Like I told you, I’m going to need a little coaching first.”

“No problem,” Steve replied. “How about Friday night? We’ll take the kids bowling and then go out for pizza.”

“When’s the tournament?”

“The next day—Saturday afternoon.”

“Okay.” Hallie hoped she didn’t live to regret this. “I’ll mark my calendar.”

“I knew Hallie would do it!” Meagan grinned.

“Glad to help,” Hallie said, and swallowed tightly. “What are neighbors for?”

The dinner with Mark went even better than she’d dared hope.

He arrived with a bottle of her favorite wine and a bouquet of spring flowers. He raved about the meal, especially her antipasto salad, and claimed he’d never tasted better. Hallie figured she could get used to having a man tell her how wonderful she was.

They sat in front of the television, sipping the last of the wine from her best crystal goblets. The latest action-movie video played, but neither paid much attention to the actors racing across the screen. Mark relaxed against the sofa, his arm around her shoulder.

“You’ve been holding out on me,” he said in a chiding voice.

Half smiling, she twisted her head to look at him. Not for the first time, she was surprised at how classically handsome he was. Blond, blue-eyed, with a square jaw and perfect masculine features.

“What do you mean?” she asked, linking her fingers with his.

“Not only are you a successful career woman, but you can cook. Do you know how rare that is these days? Most women do whatever they can to keep out of the kitchen.”

The last thing Hallie wanted was to mislead him. “Sure, steak and a baked potato. Everything else is a challenge.”

He chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose. His eyes grew serious. “Everything feels right with you, Hallie. I can’t believe I’m here with you in my arms.”

She lowered her gaze, not ready to let Mark know how attractive she found him. “I feel the same way. You’re worth every penny I paid for you.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “I knew when you arrived at the restaurant a half hour early that we’d get along just fine.”

She snuggled closer to him. “I was a nervous wreck.”

With deliberate movements, Mark took the wineglass from her fingers and set it aside. Cradling her head between his hands, he slowly lowered his mouth to hers.

Hallie felt the kiss all the way to her toes. She’d been kissed plenty of times before, but not like this. Never like this. His touch, his kiss, reminded her that she was indeed a woman. A desirable woman.

“You taste so damn good,” he murmured close to her ear.

“It’s the wine.”

“It’s you,” he countered. “You intoxicate me.”

She opened her mouth to remind him that they’d shared an entire bottle of wine, which might have explained any intoxication, but he chose that moment to lower his mouth to hers again. The kiss was deep and involved, and when he raised his head they were both breathing hard.

“Oh, my,” Hallie whispered, her eyes closed. The taste of his lips lingered on hers.

Mark began to kiss her neck and the underside of her jaw. Hallie leaned her head back as awareness shivered up and down her spine.

“I knew almost from the moment we met that you were the one,” Mark whispered.

She’d shared his reaction, his enthusiasm. Meeting Mark had made up for her unhappy experiences with Marv and Tom. He was everything she’d hoped to find in a man—in a husband.

He continued kissing her, and his hands traveled to the front of her sweater, cupping her breasts. “You’re so damned beautiful,” he whispered.

Hallie bit her lower lip, as he manipulated his thumb over her nipples, which rose instantly to attention.

“Look how responsive they are.” His voice was elevated slightly with sexual excitement. “I can’t believe how perfect you are.”

He slipped his hand under her sweater, his fingers investigating her warm smooth skin. All the effort that had gone into losing those ten pounds had been worth it, Hallie realized. She’d gladly do it all over again just to hear the awe in Mark’s voice as his hand stroked her abdomen.

He kissed her once more, his tongue parting her lips, exploring her mouth. His breathing was heavy and labored when the kiss ended. “Hallie, sweet Hallie.”

“Oh, Mark…”

“I realize we haven’t known each other long.”

“Two weeks.” It seemed as if he’d been in her life for months.

“Let me spend the night. I know it’s soon, but I need you so much.”

Her eyes flew open and the warm sensual fog began to clear. She’d known—hoped—that eventually this would happen. She thought of the glorious silk nightgown she’d purchased a couple of months ago with this moment in mind. But it was too early in the relationship.

“I’m crazy about you.” He kissed her again, weakening her resolve. The series of kisses that followed left her drowning in a sea of arousal. She searched desperately for a life preserver, a reason, an excuse.

“Hallie, can’t you see what you’re doing to me?”

“Yes, but…”

“It’ll be good, I promise you.”

“Mark, I need to think.”

“Don’t think, Hallie, feel.” He removed her bra before she was aware of what he was doing. When she heard her jeans zipper ease open, she pressed her hand over his. Their eyes met in the semi-darkness.

From somewhere deep inside she found the answer. “Not yet.”

Disappointment clouded his eyes. “Soon, though, right?”

She smiled and kissed him. “Soon.”

Mark accepted her decision with good grace, then helped her adjust her clothes. When her desire had cooled slightly, she went into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Mark followed her and agreed they were both in need of something to sober them up.

They sat back down in the living room with their coffee. “I’ve got a tight travel schedule this week and I’ll be gone for a few days,” he said regretfully. “I’ll call you, though.”

She nodded. “I’ll be here every night but Friday.”

“Friday?” He frowned suddenly and studied her.

Rather than launch into a lengthy explanation, she said, “I’m helping a friend. Saturday afternoon, too, but I’ll be home by about four.”

“A friend?”

“Yeah.” She didn’t elaborate.

Again she felt his scrutiny. “Save Saturday night for me.”

She smiled, oddly discomfited by his frown and at the same time relieved that he hadn’t questioned her further.