My Lucky Groom

open as new groups of passengers boarded and disembarked, but Ventura felt unable to move a muscle. She just stood there, caught up in his gorgeous dark eyes.
    Richard stepped a few inches closer, and Ventura’s heart hammered harder. “Ventura,” he said as the doors clipped shut, “I think that was your stop.”

    Lucky for her, Richard took pity on her plight and offered to escort her to Farragut North. They stood saying their good-byes outside the station, in the small park adjoining the square. An azure sky opened up above them while pigeons fluttered all around.
    “I hope your interview goes well.”
    “Thanks for getting me here. I never would have made it alone.”
    “You’ll get the hang of things quickly enough.”
    “I hope so.”
    He studied her a moment, considering something. “I wish I could offer you a spot at the magazine, but we’ve got a really small shop.”
    “It’s all right, I understand.”
    He nodded and pulled a business card from his jacket. “Say Ventura… You wouldn’t consider…? I mean, I know it might seem out of line for me to suggest…”
    Ventura’s pulse picked up a notch as she met his gaze. Was he about to ask her to lunch? Maybe even out for dinner?”
    “But I do have an opening at home.”
    “Home?”
    “Help watching my kids.” His handsome face registered concern. “We had some trouble with our last nanny.”
    Ventura’s world caved in on her. Naturally, she should have known. There she’d been thinking that Richard was flirting with her, angling to ask her on a date. When all he’d wanted in truth was domestic assistance.
    “I’m afraid I’m not in the nanny business.”
    “But you do have experience? With children, I mean?”
    “Well, of course, I babysat in high school. A little bit in college too.” Ventura stopped herself. Where was this going? She didn’t need to provide explanations to this man. She was here to work in journalism and had spent a lot of time going to school for it besides. “I appreciate the thought,” she finally said. “But I’m really looking for something different.”
    “Of course you are,” he said with kind understanding, but he handed her his card just the same. “I hope you’ll take this anyway. Just in case.”
    “Just in case?”
    “You come across someone who might be qualified?” He raised his brow with a hopeful expression. “You can have them reach me here.”

    Mary widened her eyes at Ventura, then glanced toward the kitchen. “I think we should serve dessert.” They sat in the dining room with two of Nanette’s late-day surprises. Even in her scariest dreams, Ventura couldn’t have imagined anything this bad.
    Ventura plucked Larry’s clammy grip from her knee. “Sounds like a plan.”
    “Don’t be in such a hurry, darlin’,” Larry purred. Ventura pushed back in her chair, its legs loudly scraping the wooden floorboards beneath it. He was impossibly thin and old . For sure pushing fifty, with a balding head and bulging eyes that were charcoal in color like his pilled sweater vest.
    Ventura cleared their plates and scurried toward the kitchen, fighting the urge to retch.
    “Wait for me!” Mary yelped, clanking silverware together as she nabbed things off the table and hurried after her. But not quickly enough. Potbellied Louis leaned back in his chair to pinch her butt with a chortle when she passed by, muttering something about bringing him plenty of sugar.
    “You boys are so bad!” Nanette said, slapping her end of the table with a giggle. “Next time, you’ll have to bring a friend for me.”
    Mary passed through the swinging kitchen door with a gasp. “What did I tell you?”
    Ventura dumped her dishes in the sink in disbelief. “Those guys are at least twice our age.”
    “Politicians think they can get away with it.”
    “Yuck!”
    “No joke.”
    Ventura heaved a sigh and leaned back against the counter. “What was Nanette thinking?”
    “Maybe they looked good to her. ” Mary shrugged. “Her judgement’s not all that, you know.”
    “I wish we’d had some warning.”
    “Nanette’s sneaky that way. Though she’ll usually drop a hint.” Mary suspiciously eyed Ventura. “Did she say anything to you? Anything at all?”
    “She might have made some mild suggestion on my way out the door this morning.” Ventura grimaced. “But honestly, I had no idea.”
    “No, of course you didn’t.”
    “I’m sorry this had to happen to you on your first day of