The Wedding Wish

okay?” Robert turned his eyes on Isabel as she stood on shaky knees, the ground beneath them crunching. She couldn’t help but see the absurdity of the moment, nor its irony either.
    “I was just thinking.” She gave a wry twist to her lips and surveyed him soundly. “Now that we’ve broken the ice between us, maybe we should have dinner?”
    He laughed lightly, his face awash with relief as he dabbed his damp clothing with napkins. He handed a stack to her, and she did the same. “Dinner sounds great. What did you have in mind?”
    “I was thinking of taking you home to see my parents,” she said, knowing as she did the idea seemed right. They’d invited her over this evening anyway. Naturally, they’d be happy to see an old family friend.
    “Are you sure? It’s kind of late notice.”
    “Don’t be silly,” she said, swatting his shoulder with the side of her cup. “My folks will welcome you with open arms.”

Chapter Two

    Kip pulled back the door with a broad grin beneath his bushy moustache. “Baby,” he said in his deep Southern drawl. “Welcome home!”
    He paused momentarily, narrowing his gaze at Robert. “You, on the other hand,” he said with a dismissive look, “can stay outside. Or go home altogether. Whatever it is you’re peddling, we don’t want any.” He began to press his hand toward Robert’s chest, but Isabel pushed it away.
    “Daddy! I’m surprised at you. This is Robert. Robert Reed. Don’t you remember?”
    Kip took a step forward and assessed Robert with an appraising frown. “Robert? Little Robert? Nooo. ”
    Trudy brushed past him, squealing with glee. “Well, look what the cat dragged in! Robert Reed, of all people!” Her blonde bob bounced as she wrapped him in a tight hug, then pulled back with an appreciative smile. “And all grown up too.” She nudged her husband with her elbow. “Just look at him, Kip. It’s almost hard to believe he’s the same boy.”
    “Hmm, yes. Hard to believe at that.” As far as Kip recalled, Robert had been buck-toothed and scrawny. And—this part hadn’t slipped his mind—forever angling to get his hands on Isabel. He’d developed the sneaking suspicion that little Isabel was becoming interested in Robert too. He’d come home from work early one afternoon and had discovered them playing some sort of parlor game that involved both of them lying down on the sofa. When Robert’s dad had been transferred to another position up north, Kip had been more than relieved. He’d been ecstatic. A preteen girl was hard enough to handle without a boy with raging hormones living next door. And Kip knew a thing or two about hormones. He’d been a young man once himself.
    Robert nodded politely at them both. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, it’s really great to see you.” He extended his hand toward Kip, but Kip just stared at it like it was some frightening harbinger from his past. What on earth is the boy doing here? After all this time? And how come my dear daughter looks like she’s already got stars in her eyes? Didn’t she just break up with a boyfriend? Okay. So maybe that was two or three years ago… But still, a woman’s tender heart needs time to heal.
    “Kip…” Trudy urged in a sing-songy voice, her grin tight across those pearly whites.
    “Oh, right.” He shook Robert’s hand. Extra firmly, to remind him Kip was the man in charge. If Robert was up to no good at thirteen, who knew what kind of trouble he could brew as an adult man?
    “Where are our manners?” Trudy said brightly. “Robert, Isabel, please come inside.” Then, to Kip’s horror, she turned to Robert and said she hoped he’d join them for dinner. While women prided themselves on intuition, Kip’s manly instincts had never failed him. They’d gotten him by in business and had helped him become one of the area’s most lucrative contractors. It helped that he’d developed a keen sense about who to trust and who not to. Robert Reed had always been on Kip’s not to list. And until Robert did something stellar to change his mind, Kip was standing by his first impression.

    Trudy excused herself to go check something in the kitchen as Kip settled his gaze on Robert’s. “Can I fix you something to drink?” he asked in a perfunctory tone that said he’d have preferred it better if Robert hadn’t stayed at all.
    Isabel grinned sweetly at her dad, oblivious to the whole thing. “I’ll have some wine, thanks. White, if you have it.”
    Robert