My Lucky Groom

he asked, taking a chair.
    Ventura saw there was no way out of this now. “Of course not,” she said, smiling tightly.
    Twenty-five minutes later, Richard leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and just as engaged as his children.
    “And with that,” Ventura finished, “Andorra the warrior knight knew she held the silver key. The key to the kingdom she’d only known—up until then—in her dreams. Now, all she had to do” —s he shot Ricky and Elisa a wink — “was open the door.”
    “Yeah!” the kids shouted with glee.
    Richard clapped his hands in applause. “Wonderful, Ventura. I don’t know how you did that.”
    She felt her cheeks warm. “It was only a story.”
    “No,” he told her. “It was more than that. You managed to capture us all and completely carry us away.”
    Ventura beamed. “Thanks.”
    “How many do you have?” Richard asked her.
    “Stories? Oh I don’t know.” She gave a light laugh. “I can’t really put numbers on my imagination.”
    “Fascinating,” he said. “Have you thought of writing any of them down?”
    Ventura stared at him. “Like, for…?”
    “Publication.” He looked at Ricky and Elisa. “What do you think, kids? Don’t you believe Ventura could make her own storybooks?”
    “Yeah,” Ricky said.
    “And better than the ones over there,” Elisa agreed, pointing across the room.
    Richard turned his expectant gaze back on Ventura.
    “I don’t know,” she said. “I’ve never really thought about it.”
    “Well, I know good storytelling when I hear it. I’m an editor, aren’t I?” He rubbed his palms together and stood from his chair. “But for now, I see two little munchkins who’ve stayed up past their bedtimes.” He glanced at Ventura. “You’re here a bit late yourself.”
    “I’ve been staying on to help Jason,” she told him. “The kids asked for me to be here at bedtime.” She shrugged. “I hated to disappoint.”
    “No. I’m sure you wouldn’t do that.” He eyed her thoughtfully. “You could never disappoint any of us.”

    A little while later, Ventura was about to sneak out the front door when Richard stopped her. He’d apparently relieved Jason the moment he got home. And Jason, being eager to finally spend an evening with Mary, had quickly taken off.
    “I want to thank you for all you did to help with the kids while I was gone,” he said as they stood in the foyer.
    “I was happy to do it,” she answered honestly. “Elisa and Ricky are very special.”
    “I agree.”
    “I’m glad you had a good vacation.”
    He met her eyes with a soulful gaze. “I needed some time to think.”
    “I’m sure Gloria helped.”
    “Absolutely. Nothing clears my head like spending time on the water.”
    “Water?”
    Richard stared at her dumbfounded. “Gloria’s my boat.”
    “ Boat? ”
    “Didn’t anyone…? Why, of course, why would they have… What I mean is…” He blinked hard. “You didn’t know?”
    Ventura shook her head. “I thought Gloria was the woman you were with on the Fourth?”
    “You mean Jenny?” Richard slapped his forehead. “I’m so sorry, Ventura. I haven’t been very clear about any of this. Gloria’s the sailboat I keep on the Chesapeake Bay. I’ve referred to her as a she for years. It never even occurred to me. Oh gosh. You thought that Jenny was Gloria and that she and I…?” He sputtered a laugh. “Ventura, Jenny’s my sister .”
    Ventura’s mouth hung open. “Sister?”
    “The kids’ aunt. She’s in law school in New York but was visiting for the holiday.”
    “Oh,” Ventura said, feeling the blood drain from her face. She felt suddenly weakened, as if she might faint at any moment from sheer information overload. “Then, you and she…?”
    He vehemently shook his head. “I’m sorry about Gloria. I should have explained.”
    “You don’t really need to explain your personal life to me.”
    He stepped toward her. “Don’t I?”
    “Richard, I have something to tell you.” She felt she should let him know she’d applied for another job and that he might soon need to shop for a new nanny. But could she really do that tonight? His first night home, when he looked like sin in a suntan and was close enough to kiss her once again? She involuntarily licked her lips, aching to taste his. He wasn’t taken after all. Had no other woman on the horizon, just some silly old boat. She imagined him helping her aboard and sailing her away to some faraway place