Special Order Groom Read online

  MITCH STARED AT the pasty-faced woman as he seated her on the floral chaise lounge inside a room filled with daintily painted objects. If it weren’t for the fact that Bess was obviously ill, he would have wanted to take the time to leisurely admire the artist’s work. “I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t you tell them you were in pain?”

  “I didn’t want to worry anyone,” Bess said, her voice tight. “My chest has been bothering me on and off for a few days, since before Crystal’s party. I didn’t want to spoil it for her. She does so worry about me, you know.”

  Mitch gently took the thin, delicate fingers in his, feeling the crinkly skin and the somewhat moist palm. He frowned. Bess was in pain, hurting more than she cared to let anyone know. “I think you should see your doctor,” he said, unobtrusively taking her pulse.

  “I am,” she replied, her breath shallow. “There’s no one I trust more than you, Mitch.” She turned to look at him. “You have no reason to trust us, but I’ve always known you were a good man. You were a good boy, and you turned out to make your parents proud.”

  “Rest,” he told her. “Close your eyes and try to relax.” He didn’t have anything with him to assist him in diagnosing her complaint, but his immediate reaction was that she needed to be at a doctor’s office at the minimum, and perhaps in a hospital. “I’m going to tell Elle and Martin that you need to see a doctor immediately.”

  “I am. You’re the best there is, and make house calls, besides.”

  He nearly ground his teeth at her continued faith in him. Yes, he was a cardiac specialist, but he had none of her health history. Her regular doctor would know what medication she might be taking and be familiar with her history. “Bess,” he said gently, “you must see your physician. He’ll know best how to treat you.”

  She sighed. “He’ll probably kill me, the old coot. But you do what you think is best.”

  He patted her hand. “Hang on. I’ll go talk to Elle and Martin.”

  Turning her head, she met his gaze. The expression in her eyes was soft and grateful. “I know you still like my daughter, Mitch. I shouldn’t have told you to stay away from her. Please forgive me. I mean well, but…”

  She stopped speaking suddenly. Mitch wasn’t certain if she was in greater pain or merely tired.

  Without hesitating further, he hurried inside the main house.

  Chapter Seven

  Crystal stared at the larger-than-life woman taking up three square feet of her bridal salon. She was as tall as Mitch. She carried herself like Mitch.

  She could not be called svelte.

  “Mitch said you did a nice job with Genie. He thought maybe you could help me, too,” Janet McStern said, her voice sweet and unsure.

  Crystal hadn’t seen Janet in years, but this was not how she remembered her. Janet had always been more like Mitch in frame, but not overweight. Nor so uncertain.

  And though business was business and couldn’t be sniffed at, Crystal had to wonder at the real reason behind Mitch sending his other sister to her shop. “I understand Mitch really likes your fiancé, Janet,” she said carefully as she motioned for her to take a seat on the sofa. She wanted a chance to chat with her about her wishes for her dream wedding—clearly petite, funky Genie couldn’t be used as a guide. Janet had lovely chestnut hair and dark blue eyes. She had a tiny nose set above finely drawn lips that carried tiny dimples beside them, as if she was a woman who loved to smile and laugh—ordinarily.

  “All my family loves him,” Janet said warmly. Her expressive eyebrows rose under delicate bangs, lovely hair that Crystal thought only needed an upsweep to maximize her fabulous eyes.

  Like her brother’s.

  They could pick out a lovely, understated veil to attach to a pretty chignon, and voila`—

  “Can I ask you something, Crystal?” Janet asked.

  “Sure.” Her mind was on the type of gown that might most flatter Janet’s nicely healthy figure. In a magazine she’d recently seen a stunning lace over satin—

  “Why haven’t you married?”

  Crystal’s mind snapped back to the salon. What an awkward question coming from Mitch’s sister! “I haven’t met the man of my dreams,” she hedged. That was the truth, wasn’t it? She hadn’t in the last decade, anyway.

  “Oh.”

  Janet crossed her legs at the ankles and Crystal noted the high-heeled red shoes she wore. Obviously, the fiancé was tall enough for Janet to wear those shoes, and that was a good sign. Crystal could have a wide choice of shoe styles to suggest Janet choose. She liked the fact that Janet didn’t feel the need to dress down because of her weight.

  “I’m not sure I’ve met the man of my dreams, either,” Janet said. Her voice was casual, but the look in her eyes was not. It was edgy, and distressed. Somehow heartbroken.

  Crystal’s pulse picked up rapidly, too rapidly. Drat! I should have known there was a hook in this fairy tale!

  Gently, she closed the book of wedding fashions she’d placed on the sofa between them. Janet hadn’t bothered to so much as pick the book up. “I don’t know what to say, Janet.”

  Her sweet face rounded with an embarrassed smile. “I’m hoping you’ll tell me I simply have wedding jitters. That you see this all the time in your shop, and that all brides get them.”

  Crystal’s heart ached for Janet. “I’m sorry. I see a lot of nerves. There’s more anxiety between these four walls sometimes than a shrink probably sees in a year. Butterflies are very common, but I sense that you’re talking about doubt, not wedding bell panic.”

  Janet’s smile was sad. “He’s such a nice man.”

  “Oh, dear.” Crystal reached for a tissue box and pulled one out for herself before thinking to hand one to Janet. What an unfortunate spot for Janet to be in! She could sympathize with her dilemma. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I don’t know how to tell my family,” she said softly. “They’re crazy about him. They’ll think I’m nuts to let him go. And my friends will, too. I know they’ll say I’m lucky to have him, considering my size, but—”

  “Don’t let anyone say that to you. That’s ridiculous!” Crystal’s back went up and the urge to cry left her instantly. “You shouldn’t get married just because someone will take you even though you’re not in current weight fashion. You should get married because you’re in love with him and he’s in love with you!”

  “Good men are hard to find.”

  “That’s why you should enjoy the good ones when you meet them, but marry the one who doesn’t make you feel like he’s doing you a favor. Or like you have to marry him because you might never get a second chance. It’s supposed to be a partnership of equals. You should feel beautiful and accepted on your wedding day.”

  “I’ve been so worried lately that I’ve been eating like a herd of wild horses.” Janet’s cheeks turned pink, her skin dewy.

  “I thought maybe you didn’t seem quite your old self,” Crystal softly said. “I love cheesecake when I’m upset. And I don’t mean just one or two slivers. I mean I love the entire thing, and I’m not picky about the flavor.”

  Janet laughed. “Mitch was right.”

  “About what?” Crystal felt a frown coming on. She wasn’t going to agree that Mitch was right about anything until she knew exactly what it was.

  “He said you could help, and he was right.”

  “I don’t think this was the kind of help he meant.”

  “No,” Janet said with a smile. “Especially not since he told me that you’d help me find just the right dress.” She reached over to clasp Crystal’s hand. “Thank you so much for helping me find the right attitude instead. I’ve been so panicked and worried wondering if I was a fool to break off an engagement. You’ve given me an immeasurable gift. And I really do appreciate it.”

  “You’re welcome.” She got up to walk Janet to the door of the salon.

  “I’ll be back when I’ve met the right man.”

  “I hope so.” Crystal tried to smile. “I�
��d like to meet him.”

  Janet smiled and started to walk out. Suddenly she turned around. “Can I ask you one more thing?”

  “Of course.”

  “Do you want to meet the man of your dreams?”

  “Um, no. There seems to be an unwritten rule that if you work in a bridal salon, you have little time for dreaming of your own wedding.” There. Nice cover, Crystal.

  “That’s too bad.” Janet shook her head. “I always hoped you and Mitch would get back together. So do Mom and Dad. For that matter,” she continued, “I noticed Mitch sure does talk about you a lot these days.” She shrugged. “Oh, well. One thing I’ve learned is that if something’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be. Bye, Crystal, and thanks again.”

  “You’re welcome.” Crystal shut the door and went to sink down onto the sofa. Great. Mitch was going to breathe fire when he learned that she’d been instrumental in helping Janet to break an engagement of which his family approved!

  Tough luck. Janet hadn’t been happy. If Crystal had to explain that fact to Mitch, she would.

  Fortunately, he was out of sisters. There were no more he could send to her shop. No more relationships she could unwittingly send in a different direction than what he anticipated.

  She sighed with relief.

  The next time the door opened, Mitch walked in. Crystal stiffened into a formal sitting position.

  “Elle and Martin ran your mother over to the doctor this morning,” he told her. “They just called my cell phone to say that she’s being taken to a hospital outside of Dallas.” His eyes softened on her. “If you can put a sign up in the window saying you’ll be gone for a couple of hours, I’ll drive you over. I think they’re not going to waste any time addressing the situation.”

  “Oh, my gosh!” Crystal jumped to her feet, her hands shaking as she scribbled a quick sign to stick in the window. She turned off the lights and Mitch held the door open for her. “I can take my own car,” she said, her heart feeling like it was beating painfully in her throat.

  “I’ll drive you,” he said, without room for argument. “You had a fainting spell when you panicked the other day. I don’t want you to get hurt,” he said gruffly.

  “I did not panic!” She followed him, her ire already flaming to the surface. “I…I was shaken.”

  “And you’re shaken now.” He took her by the arm to lead her to the car he’d parked in front. “By the way, I suggested that my sister Janet come by sometime today and have you help her pick out a dress for her wedding.” He slid into the driver’s seat and switched the Mercedes on. “She’s engaged to a great guy, a surgeon buddy of mine. He’s really top-notch in the field of—”

  “Mitch.”

  He glanced at her, his monologue halting. “What?”

  “Why are you talking so fast?” She eyed him. “You seem uncharacteristically anxious.”

  “I’m not.” He kept his gaze on the road, though they sat at a two-stop intersection and the only traffic around was an old dog sunning himself in the dirt between the road and the shops.

  “Is there more wrong with Mom than what you’re telling me?” Crystal’s stomach tightened uncomfortably.

  “I don’t know much more than I’ve told you. I had Elle and Martin take her to her physician, and they’ve just called me. We’ll find out more when we see them.”

  Crystal’s eyes grew wide. “Why did you have them take her to the doctor?”

  He drove down the street none too slowly, his hands firm on the steering wheel.

  But not relaxed.

  “Bess called me over. She wanted me to tell her what was wrong. Apparently, she hasn’t been feeling quite herself for a while.”

  “I didn’t know that!” Anguish tore through Crystal.

  “Neither did anyone else.” He turned his head to look at her. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” she murmured. “Thank you, Mitch, for coming to pick me up.” And then she sat back in the seat to wait until they arrived at the hospital, her heart palpitating, her hands trembling.

  THE FIRST PERSON they ran into at the hospital was Janet’s ex-fiancé. Crystal knew this in the first few seconds of introduction. Mitch greeted the fellow physician as if he was his best friend in the world, shaking his hand with enthusiasm and grinning with pleasure.

  The doctor held back a little stiffly in the handshake.

  “Crystal!” Mitch exclaimed. “I’d like you to meet Hiram Hensley, one of my great friends, an excellent surgeon and my sister Janet’s fiancé!”

  Crystal smiled—just enough to make her face feel like it was cracking. Before she could say how do you do, Hiram turned a jaundiced eye on her.

  “I feel as though I’ve already met you,” Hiram said. “I believe Janet was in your bridal salon this morning. You gave her some advice.”

  Crystal gulped, her gaze jumping with guilt-speed to Mitch’s happy face.

  “Oh, Janet was already in your store,” he said. “You didn’t tell me that, Crystal!” Mitch held her closely to his side as if she were a good friend—or better. “I sent Janet over to get the prettiest wedding gown she could buy, Hiram. Crystal’s just the person to fix her right up.”

  “She certainly did that.” Hiram leveled a rather pained expression on Crystal. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a young patient waiting. Pea gravel in nose. Can’t be blown out or dislodged and may require my services. Goodbye, Mitch. Crystal.” He swept her with her gaze. “I’d like to say that it was a pleasure to meet you, but under the circumstances…”

  The tall, silver-haired doctor walked away. Mitch’s mouth hung open as he whipped around to stare at Crystal. “What was that all about?”

  “Oh, dear. Mitch, listen. Let’s talk about this later, okay? I really need to see Mother.” She started to walk away, then decided she was perhaps being selfish. After all, Mitch was trying to help her family. He’d done a lot for them. She reminded herself of this again and slowly turned around. “When Janet came to see me this morning, she was upset.”

  “About Hiram?”

  He was clearly in water too deep, Crystal saw. “About the wedding,” she said softly. “I think that’s why Janet procrastinated about buying a gown. Maybe accepting Hiram’s proposal seemed like a good idea in the first place, but after a while, your sister realized she wasn’t in love with him.” Crystal reached out to touch Mitch’s sleeve. “I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry?” He looked like the breath had been knocked out of him. “You’re sorry?” He glanced after his friend, who’d walked through some double doors. “Janet wasn’t upset about getting married until she walked into your shop.” For a moment, he stood helplessly, his hands at his sides. “I know what it is. You’re trying to get back at me for not showing up prom night. You’ve deliberately ruined both my sisters’ chances of happiness to pay me back.”

  Crystal’s eyebrows rose. “What an idiotic thing to say. Excuse me. I’m going to find Mother.”

  She turned and he lightly caught her hand. “Deny it.”

  “I just did. I only deny stupid accusations once. You’re upset. I’m sorry your good buddy isn’t going to become your brother-in-law, at least not in the near future. But I’m not a vengeful person, Mitch. Once upon a time, you knew me better than I knew myself. Clearly, we don’t know each other at all anymore.”

  She snatched her hand away from him and marched herself over to the nurses’ desk. “Can you tell me what room Bess Jennings is in, please?”

  The candy striper looked at the computer. “Room 101 in the cardiac wing. That’s a temporary room, but you can catch her there now.”

  “Thank you.” Crystal hurried to the elevator bank, aware that Mitch followed.

  They got on the elevator together. The doors slid shut.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “To say that I was shocked is mild.”

  “Fine.” She prayed as the elevator ground to a sudden stop. The doors didn’t open. Her gaze stayed glued to the lit numb
er.

  “We stopped between floors,” Mitch said, punching the buttons again.

  Crystal told herself not to worry. Between ground floor and the first floor was safe enough. She wouldn’t have to climb out very far.

  Mitch shook his head. “This hospital is so old it must have gremlins in the elevators. Somebody will be along shortly and notice it’s not moving.”

  “Use the phone,” Crystal instructed edgily.

  “I tried. It’s dead.” He looked at her, and Crystal was suddenly aware that this was the last place on earth she’d ever want to be, stuck with a man she’d tried for thirteen years to forget. She thought about how he’d kissed her the other day and felt her knees go weak. She thought about him accusing her of messing up his sisters’ lives, and though he’d apologized, it showed he knew nothing about her at all. Or Janet and Genie, for that matter.

  Her feelings were more than hurt that he’d lashed out at her that way. Crystal folded her arms, leaned against the wall and prayed that the elevator would move soon.

  She did not want to be stuck with Mitch. Barney or Frankie she could handle, but this… Out of the corner of her eye, she took in Mitch’s tight jeans, fitted blue polo shirt, soft ebony hair and somehow cute frown as he stared into the elevator box.

  No. Being stranded in an elevator with a man that good-looking was a shame if you didn’t like him.

  And I definitely don’t like him.

  He sighed and turned to face her. “I suppose while we’re in here I should tell you something your mother said to me.”

  She raised her eyebrows but didn’t comment.

  “Now, keep in mind she was in pain, so she wasn’t thinking straight,” Mitch told her.

  Her heart seemed to halt in her chest. “How much pain? What is wrong with her?”

  “No one will know until they run the appropriate tests, Crystal. I don’t have access to her records, so I couldn’t begin to make a guess, other than her heart rhythm seemed to be a bit uneven. And she complained of some soreness in her arm that concerned me. But I’d rather leave the speculating to the doctors in charge. Right now, my concern, since we’re here for a couple of minutes, out of anyone’s range of vision, is imparting to you something odd she mentioned to me.”