The Bachelor Takes a Bride

“Hi, Marco. What brings you to the neighborhood? Or is this your usual destination for manscaping?”

He looked at her blankly. “What?”

She pointed to the sign in the window offering manicures, pedicures, facials, hair removal and body treatments.

To his credit, he recovered quickly, holding his hands out for her inspection. “Now that you mention it, I’m hoping to get something done about these ragged cuticles.”

Except that there was nothing wrong with his hands. They were broad and tanned, his fingers long and lean, his nails clean and neatly trimmed.

“Ask for Lori,” she suggested.

“I’ll do that,” he promised, and his smile—quick and easy—made her knees feel weak. “Actually, I was just in the neighborhood on business.”

She glanced across the street. “Business by any chance linked to the rumor about a new Italian restaurant opening up where Mykonos used to be?”

“You don’t strike me as the type of person who would pay much attention to gossip.”

“Which isn’t a denial but a deflection,” she noted.

“And proves that you’re as smart as you are beautiful,” he said.

Out of the corner of her eye, Jordyn saw that Tristyn and Lauryn had arrived. “And that’s another deflection.”

“A fact,” he assured her.

“What’s a fact?” Tristyn wanted to know.

“It’s a fact,” Marco said, encompassing both of the new arrivals with a smile, “that all of the Garrett women are smart and beautiful.”

“And you’re as handsome and charming as always,” Tristyn assured him.

He looked at Jordyn again. “See? Some women think I’m handsome and charming.”

“Some women are easily impressed,” she replied. “And we’re going to be late for our appointments.”

“Full-body massage,” Tristyn said, winking at Marco. “They give us a discount if we rub the oil all over one another.”

Marco’s eyes went wide—and then glazed over.

Lauryn laughed even as she smacked Tristyn in the arm.

“She’s kidding,” Jordyn assured him.

He blinked and refocused. “Oh. Right. Of course.” He took a step back. “Have a good day, ladies.”

* * *

Sweet Serenity Spa was located in a renovated three-story colonial revival home with different services offered on different floors. The lower level had eight pedicure stations in a circle around the outside of the room, usually separated by movable folding screens. Two of the screens had been removed so that the sisters could chat while they were pampered.

“So tell me about the hunky guy outside,” Lauryn said after they’d picked their polish and had their feet soaking in individual baths of warm, bubbling water.

“You mean Jordyn’s new boyfriend?” Tristyn asked.

Jordyn sighed. “He isn’t—”

“I’m so glad you’re dating again,” Lauryn said.

“I’m not dating Marco,” she said firmly.

Lauryn’s brow furrowed as she turned to their other sister.

“Well, he wants to be her new boyfriend,” Tristyn said.

“And I’m not looking for a boyfriend,” she told both of them.

“It’s been more than three years,” Lauryn reminded her gently.

“I’m well aware of how long it’s been.”

“Brian wouldn’t want you to grieve forever.”

“I’m not still grieving,” she denied.

“Then why won’t you go out with Marco?” Tristyn demanded.

“I’m just not interested in dating anyone right now.”

“I understand that in theory,” Lauryn said. “But the man knocking on your door is a mouthwateringly tempting reality.”

“And she’s the married one,” Tristyn pointed out.

Jordyn couldn’t deny that Marco was mouthwatering. And tempting. But she was more scared than she was tempted. Because in the few short weeks that she’d known him, she’d realized that she liked him. And if she spent more time with him, if she actually went out on a date with him, she might find that she really liked him. Then that liking might lead to her wanting more, and she wasn’t willing to risk anything more.

“How’s Kylie?” she asked, referring to Lauryn’s fourteen-month-old daughter in a not-so-subtle attempt to change the topic of conversation.

“She’s getting so big,” Lauryn said. “And so independent. Since she started to walk, she doesn’t like being carried anymore.”

“Which probably isn’t a bad thing, considering that you’re going to be carrying another baby in a few months.”

“Not for another eight months,” she reminded her sisters. “Which is why Rob and I agreed not to tell anyone about the pregnancy yet.”

“We’re not anyone,” Tristyn protested. “We’re your sisters.”

Lauryn picked up the glass of spring water infused with cucumber and lime, and sipped. “He’s a little worried about having another child so soon,” she admitted. “Since Kylie was born, I’ve only been working part-time hours at the Gallery, and business isn’t great at the Locker Room.”

The Gallery was Garrett Furniture’s showroom where Lauryn had been a sales supervisor prior to her maternity leave, and the Locker Room was her husband’s sporting goods store downtown.

“How are the renovations on the house coming along?” Jordyn asked, hoping the shift in topic might ease the furrow in her sister’s brow.