Melanie Schuster - Way to Her Heart

She and Lucas had been partners in the wedding and he’d been a lot of fun. He was a good dancer and a great conversationalist. Since he’d moved to Columbia to take over as executive chef at Seven-Seventeen, the restaurant owned by the VanBuren brothers, she saw him fairly often. Lucas was a swell guy, no doubt about it. He was also quite good-looking. He was a perfect combination of his African-American mother and Caucasian father, with thick, wavy, golden-brown hair, green eyes and tawny skin. He was nice and tall, too; all the VanBuren men were inches over six feet.

“Is there something in my teeth? Do I have a hanger or something?” He flipped down the visor to peer in the mirror and stare in his nostrils with mock anxiety.

“No, you don’t. I’d tell you if you did, promise,” Sherri said with a laugh.

“You’re staring at me. I thought I looked weird or something.”

“Not at all. I was just thinking about how good-looking you are. Your whole family, I mean. You VanBurens are a handsome crew,” she said.

“Thanks, but I can’t take credit for that. I merely reap the benefits of a beautiful mixture of races and genes. My mom and dad are the ones who have the good looks. They were just kind enough to share them with us. Just like you shared yours with Sydney. She looks just like you,” he said. He had a deep, rich voice and she enjoyed listening to him talk.

“Our baby pictures are identical,” she confessed.

“Okay, here’s the place,” Lucas said as he turned into the parking lot of the giant farmers’ market located on a part of Hilton Head island known as Honey Horn.

Sherri was duly impressed with the huge, immaculately kept facility. She was so busy looking at the market that she almost missed the fact that Lucas had opened her car door. She put her hand into his absently until she felt the warmth of his strong fingers. A sensation like a mild electric shock raced right up her arm, spreading warmth as it went. Wow. What was that? Profoundly glad that Lucas had glanced at something in the distance, Sherri gracefully exited the car. She was pretty sure she had a goofy expression on her face and she was relieved he hadn’t seen it. Luckily, he didn’t seem to have noticed her momentary schoolgirl foolishness. As they entered the market, Sherri inhaled the fresh smells of the gorgeous produce displayed in tempting piles.

“Sydney would love this. She might have forsaken her beloved doggies to see all of this.”

They stopped by a stand that sold locally made baskets. Lucas bought two large ones and a T-shirt with the market logo for Sydney. “Now she won’t feel like she missed out. We’ll have to bring her here the next time we’re on the island.”

“That’s so thoughtful of you,” Sherri said warmly. “She’s a big fan of yours. She thinks you’re the funniest man she ever met and she says that you cook better than Jared, and that’s high praise because she knows her food.”

“You have an amazing kid, Sherri. Smart, well-behaved, cute as a button and a budding gourmet. You’re a great mom.”

Sherri stopped looking at the heirloom tomatoes in unusual colors and gave him a big smile. “Thank you for saying that. My life is all about Sydney and my job. I had just started my internship when I found out I was pregnant. It wasn’t easy, but it sure was worth it. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“I hope her father feels the same way about her.”

Only someone who knew her really well would have been able to read the look on her face, fleeting though it was. She was about to give him an answer when her cell phone rang. Grateful for the distraction, she hastily answered it. It was Alexis, being her usual nosy self.

“I was just checking on you,” she said cheerfully. “You two got out of here so fast I didn’t realize you were gone. Having fun?”

“Yes, I am. Is my daughter behaving?”

“She’s always a perfect little lady, you know that. I’m going to let you change the subject because you get that weird look on your face when you don’t want to talk about something and I don’t want Lucas to think you’re nuts. So you’re safe for now.”

“You’re too kind,” Sherri mumbled.

Alexis ignored her snarky reply and went on. “My darling husband wants his brother to bring home more lemons and shallots and some fresh basil along with whatever else he went to get. And he says he’s making the fire now so it’ll be hot when you two get back.”

“I’ll let him know. We should be back soon.”

“Good because while they’re grilling dinner, I’m gonna be grilling you!”

Sherri ended the call while Alexis was still giggling madly. As she put the phone back in the pocket of her shorts, Lucas returned to her side. She relayed Jared’s requests and he nodded absently. Taking her hand, he began to lead her to the aisle where the shallots and other aromatics were. He looked down at her with a warm look of concern.

“Is everything okay? You had kind of an odd look when you were on the phone,” he said.

“It’s a bad habit,” she admitted. “I make the strangest faces without realizing it. I don’t do it at work—just when Alexis is picking on me.”

“You two are as close as sisters and if you’re anything like my family, y’all probably pick on each other constantly. Besides, it’s cute as hell when you do it.”

He squeezed her hand and gave her another of his crooked smiles. The same warm thrill ran through her as before, making her forget about the teasing she’d endured earlier and the interrogation she was sure to face once Alexis got her alone. For once, she was in the moment, just enjoying Lucas’s company.

* * *

As far as Lucas was concerned the weekend was a total success. He got to take the baby steps that Sydney had advised simply by taking Sherri to the farmers’ market. They had some time alone and he got to look at her long, shapely legs as much as he wanted. Everything about her appealed to him, from her thick, coarse hair with its stylish cut, to her sweet, natural face with the sprinkling of tiny freckles across her nose. She was graceful and sexy without making a big deal of it. He was used to artificially pretty women who made a big deal of their beauty like it was a new kind of currency. The message they sent out was “I’m irresistible because I have long hair and big boobs, so have sex with me!” Lucas was no snob and he had a very high sex drive besides, so their willingness to engage in frisky sex was very convenient for much of his dating life, but not anymore. Now it was annoying to Lucas. It was easy enough to get what he wanted from the bouncy-boobie-bunny kind of woman, but he no longer desired that kind of relationship. It was like eating in five-star restaurants after a lifetime of fast food; now that he knew better, he did better.

Sherri was a different kind of woman altogether. She was a challenge. Besides being fresh, pretty and accomplished, she was a mother with a very smart and charming child. There was no margin for error here. He had to come correct or not come at all. When kids were involved, all other bets were off. He couldn’t just hop aboard Sherri for some fun-filled sex and go on his merry way—not that he wanted to. He had a strong desire for her—that much was true. But he wanted way more than sex. Sex was a wonderful thing and he looked forward to having lots of it with Sherri, but that was just the beginning of what he wanted to share with her.

He had sat across from her at the dinner table just to watch her eat. Everyone raved about the food and ate with great appetites, but the way Sherri consumed her meal was extremely enticing. He and Jared had made a real feast, starting with goat cheese crostini and a platter of marinated vegetables fresh from the market. The way she looked eating the spears of asparagus and cucumber was stimulating to say the least. The entrée consisted of grilled lobster and jumbo shrimp, with tender breasts of chicken and petite filet mignons. This was accompanied by dainty grilled pattypan squash, colorful fingerling potatoes and long, crisp haricots verts with cremini mushrooms. When he wasn’t watching the sensual way Sherri enjoyed the meal, he was keeping an eye on Sydney. She had excellent table manners and an equally good appetite. She ate everything on her plate and came back for more of her favorites, the pickled golden beets and the squash.