As he’d expected, The Rose Garden bustled with activity. Christmas was only a few days away, and shoppers taking a welcome lunch break now filled the restaurant. Thom glanced about the room as they were waiting to be seated. He recognized a few associates, who acknowledged him with nods. Two women sitting by the window gave him an appreciative glance and he warmed to the attention. That was when he caught sight of another pair of women.
Noelle and her younger sister, Kristen. Wouldn’t you know it? He nearly groaned aloud. He hadn’t seen or heard from her in ten years and yet in the last three days she seemed to turn up every place he went.
This wasn’t good. In fact, if his mother were to see them, she might very well consider it her duty to create a scene and walk out of the restaurant. Worse yet, she might find it necessary to make some loud and slanderous comment about their mother. Staring in their direction was a dead giveaway, but for the life of him, he couldn’t stop. Noelle. The years had matured her beauty. He’d been in love with her as a teenager and she’d become the greatest source of pain in his life. For a long time, he’d convinced himself that he hated her. Eventually he’d realized it wasn’t true. If anything, he was as strongly drawn to her now as he had been back then. More so, and he detested his own weakness. The woman had damn near destroyed him. In spite of that, he couldn’t look away.
“I can seat you now,” the hostess said.
Thom hesitated.
“Thom,” his mother said, nudging him, “we can be seated now.”
“Yes, sorry.” He could only hope it wouldn’t be anywhere close to Noelle.
The hostess escorted them to a table by the window. He pulled out his mother’s chair, making sure her back was to Noelle and Kristen. Unfortunately, that meant he was facing them. Kristen had her back to him, which left him with an excellent view of Noelle. She apparently noticed him for the first time because her fork froze halfway to her mouth. For the longest moment, she stared at him, then caught herself and averted her eyes.
“Do you see someone you know, dear?” his mother asked, scrutinizing the menu.
“Yes…no,” he corrected. He lifted the rather large menu and pretended to read over the offerings. The strategy of entertaining his mother in order to get her mind off the events of that morning was about to backfire.
In the years since Noelle, Thom had been in several relationships, two of which had grown serious. Both times he’d come close to suggesting marriage and then panicked. It was little wonder after what Noelle had done to him, but he couldn’t blame her entirely.
When the moment came to make a commitment, he couldn’t. He simply couldn’t. And he knew why—although the reason baffled and frustrated him. He didn’t love either Caroline or Brenda with the same intensity he’d loved Noelle. Perhaps it was impossible to recapture the emotional passion of that youthful episode; he didn’t know. What he did know was that the feelings he’d had for other women hadn’t been enough. He’d found them attractive, enjoyed their company…but he needed more than that.
He needed what he’d had with Noelle.
As he thought about the scene at the theater, he started to grin. It couldn’t have worked out better had he planned it. Just thinking about her tossing popcorn at some poor, unsuspecting moviegoer’s head was enough to keep him laughing for years. He’d listened in while she talked about their mothers—and about them. But the most priceless part of all was the astonished look on her face when she’d realized he was sitting right behind her and had heard every word.
“What is so amusing?” his mother asked.
“Oh, I was just thinking about something that happened recently.”
“What? Trust me, after the morning I’ve had, I could use a good laugh.”
Thom shook his head. “It’ll lose something in the translation.”
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed, then sighed. “I do feel better. This was an excellent idea.”
The waitress came by and his mother ordered a glass of wine. “For my nerves,” she explained to the woman. “Ordinarily I don’t drink during the day, but…well, suffice it to say I’ve had a very difficult morning.”
“I understand,” the waitress told her in a sympathetic voice. She glanced at Thom and gave him a small coy smile.
“What a nice young woman,” his mother commented as the waitress walked off.
“I suppose so,” he said with little interest. He looked up, straight into Noelle’s steady gaze.
“Perhaps now isn’t the right moment to broach the subject, but both your father and I think it’s time you considered settling down.”
She was right; the timing could be better. However, a little appeasement seemed in order. “I’ve been thinking the same thing myself,” he said, forcing himself to focus on his mother.
“Really?” Her face lit up. “Is there someone special?” “Not yet.” Involuntarily he stared at Noelle again. As if against her will, her eyes met his and held. Then she looked away—but she quickly looked back.
Kristen turned around and glanced at him over her shoulder.
“Did you know Kristen McDowell is getting married?” his mother said.
Thom nearly choked on his glass of water. “Now that you mention it, I remember hearing something about that.” It also explained why his mother had brought up the subject of his settling down. She didn’t want Sarah McDowell to outdo her in the married children department.
“Now,” his mother said, eagerly leaning forward, “tell me about your lady friend.”
“What lady friend?”
“The one you’re going to propose to.”
“Propose?” He’d only proposed to one woman, the one watching him from two tables away. “I told you already—I’m not seeing anyone.”
“You were never able to keep a secret from me, Thomas. I’m your mother.”
He stared at her blankly, not knowing how to respond. “What makes you think I’ve met someone?”
“It isn’t think, Thom, I know. I told your father, too. Ask him if you don’t believe me. I noticed it the day you came home from your business trip to California. It was the sparkle in your eyes.”
“California?” Thom tried to recall the trip. It had been a quick one, and strictly business. But on the return flight, he’d bumped into Noelle McDowell.
Noelle got home after lunch with Kristen to discover her mother sitting in the family room, stocking feet propped up on the ottoman. She leaned back against the sofa cushion and held an icepack to her forehead.
“Mom?” Noelle whispered. “Are you ill?”
“Thank goodness someone’s finally home,” her mother said, lowering the bag of ice.
“What’s wrong?”
“Never in all your life could you guess the kind of morning I had.” She clutched Noelle’s arm as she spoke.
“What happened?”
Sarah closed her eyes. “I can’t even tell you about it. I have never been more humiliated.”
“Does this have something to do with Mrs. Sutton?”
Her mother’s eyes sprang open in sheer terror. “You heard about it? Who told you?”
“Ah…”