Susan Mallery - Beth and the Bachelor

‘‘I did the right thing,’’ Beth said aloud. Leaving him like that had been tacky, but getting out of the situation had been exactly right.

She walked to the front door and opened it. Her newspaper lay on the step. She glanced at the house across the street and for once was grateful that Cindy and Mike were gone for the weekend. At least she had a couple of days reprieve until she had to tell her best friend about her evening. She didn’t want to think about Cindy’s response or how Mike would laugh when his wife confessed Beth’s transgressions.

As Beth brought the newspaper inside, the bread machine chimed to let her know it had finished. Upstairs she heard Matt stirring and the running water of Jodi’s shower. Her morning was already underway.

She wouldn’t think about Todd any more today, she told herself. First thing Monday, after the traffic died down, she would drive into the city and find a florist close to his office. She would have them deliver a personal note of apology along with a bouquet of flowers and then she would put the whole thing behind her.

* * *

The scent of roses filled his office. Todd stood staring at the large spray of flowers sitting on his credenza. He’d sent hundreds of flowers over the years but this was the first time he could remember a woman sending them to him.

There was a greeting-card-sized envelope tucked in the greens instead of the usual small florist’s card. He recognized the handwriting—after all, he’d spent much of the weekend reading and rereading the note Beth Davis had left him when she’d walked out on their date. So she’d delivered the note herself to—he checked the address on the delivery notice—a florist just down the street.That was a lot of work for a woman who had stood him up less than seventy-two hours before.

He opened the card and scanned the contents. It was all a repeat of what she’d written on Friday night. That she was sorry to have left without saying goodbye. She appreciated his kindness and hoped he would understand why the situation had been so difficult for her.

‘‘Actually, I don’t understand,’’ he said aloud as he walked to his desk and settled into his leather chair.

She’d walked out on him. Todd still couldn’t believe that had actually happened. He liked to think that while he had a healthy self-esteem, his ego wasn’t overly inflated. But facts were facts. She was some middle-aged woman from the suburbs and he was a rich, single man. Women threw themselves at him, fawned over him and generally made it clear that he could have them whenever and wherever it was convenient. How could she have left their date early?

He told himself to let it go. She and the circumstances didn’t matter. Except he couldn’t think about anything else. Although he’d expected to be bored out of his mind, he’d actually enjoyed talking with her. She’d been nervous, obviously freshly divorced and completely out of her league, but she’d charmed him. He liked that she wasn’t impressed by him. Her being unsure of the situation had been because of her inexperience, not his reputation. Her honesty had startled him, but he’d enjoyed knowing she would say what she thought, not what he wanted to hear.

His phone buzzed. ‘‘Mr. Graham, the marketing team is ready for you.’’

He pushed a button and spoke. ‘‘I’ll be right there.’’

He rose from his seat and crossed to the door. Beth Davis had occupied more than her share of his time. His marketing meeting was scheduled to last all afternoon. When it was over, he would give the flowers to his secretary, toss both notes and never think about Beth again. Maybe he needed to get away for a few days. New York? It was April, the weather could be beautiful there. Or even Paris. He could call up one of his on-again off-again companions and make a mini-vacation of it. He would make up his mind when he left the meeting.

That resolved, he headed down the hall, leaving the flowers, and thoughts of Beth, behind.

Two hours later he cursed himself and the confusion of street names that was Sugar Land. He was lost. He hadn’t bothered paying attention when R.J. had driven the limo down here and he’d only briefly glanced at his Key Map before leaving work.

What the hell was he doing? he asked himself again. He’d walked out of a meeting with only the barest of explanations, he’d driven for nearly forty minutes in the middle of the afternoon, and for what? He told himself it was because he wanted to hear Beth’s apology in person. He told himself that it was about being right, and not anything more significant than that. He almost believed it, too.

‘‘She’s not my type,’’ he grumbled as he pulled to the side of the road and pulled out his Key Map. He located the right page, then found the street. Up ahead was a sprawling mall. He should have turned left on Austin Parkway instead of right.

‘‘She’s not my type and we have nothing in common.’’

She was too old, too intelligent and too sincere. The woman had children. He didn’t like children. At least he didn’t think he did—after all, he didn’t spend any time around them.

Todd turned right at the corner and found himself on Beth’s street. Once again he was struck by the similarity of the houses. He studied the address, then pulled up across from the right one.

A young woman stood in front, watering some plants. She was tall and curvy, wearing a T-shirt and shorts. Todd was startled to realize Beth’s daughter was so old. Beth must have gotten pregnant at sixteen.

He got out of his car and walked up the driveway. ‘‘Excuse me,’’ he called over the sound of running water. ‘‘Is your mother home?’’

The girl spun toward him. Todd found himself staring into Beth’s startled blue eyes. Her hair was mussed, her face free of makeup. While she couldn’t pass for someone in her twenties, she looked surprisingly attractive in her casual clothes.

Her mouth dropped open. ‘‘What are you doing here?’’

‘‘I came to see you.’’

She took one step back, then another. Todd glanced down and saw the potential for disaster. ‘‘Watch out for the sprinkler head,’’ he warned.

But he was too late. Beth’s bare heel came down on the edge of the metal. She shifted immediately, stumbling as she did so. The hose bounced wildly and a stream of cool water danced across the front of his pants, dousing his thighs and his crotch.

Chapter Four

Beth looked horrified. Todd hoped her expression came from her spraying him with water and not because he’d shown up unexpectedly, but he had a feeling she wrestled with both facts.

She dropped the hose to the ground and hurried to the tap. When the water was off, she brushed her hands against her shorts and turned back to face him. ‘‘You’re here.’’

‘‘I know.’’ He sighed and pretended distress. ‘‘I thought things would be different in the suburbs, but I’m not sure I approve of your welcome ceremony. Given a choice though, I guess it beats a baptism of fire.’’

Her gaze drifted from his face, down his body to his soaking trousers. She swallowed. ‘‘I’d offer to toss them in the dryer, but I’m guessing they’re not made out of a wash-and-wear fabric.’’ She shook her head. ‘‘I really didn’t mean to do that. I’m so sorry, Todd.’’

‘‘No problem.’’ Now that he was here, he was more interested in seeing her again than angry by the accident. ‘‘Although I wouldn’t mind being able to towel off some. I’m dripping.’’

‘‘Oh. Yes, of course you’ll need a towel.’’ She glanced at the house, then down the street. Two women stood about a half block down the street. They were talking to each other and obviously interested in the goings-on in Beth’s front yard. ‘‘We’d better go inside.’’