she murmured.
“I know,” Melissa said.
“Okay, let’s discuss the wedding.”
Melissa sighed. “It’s a bit overwhelming. We have no idea where to start. Michael’s mother said we should set a date and get the minister first, but I don’t know any.”
“I do.”
“Really?”
“Sort of. Alix Turner, who works at the French Café, is married to a minister. Would you like me to get his phone number for you?”
Melissa nodded. “That would be great.”
“What about your dress?” Anne Marie asked.
Another deep sigh. “I haven’t even thought about that yet.”
“I’ll do some research—a friend of mine owns a dress shop, and if she doesn’t have what you need, she’ll know someone who does. Then I’ll make an appointment with Alix over at the French Café so we can check out a catering menu and look at wedding cake designs.”
“You’re sure you have time for all this?”
“For you, Melissa, yes,” Anne Marie told her. “Ellen will help, too. It’ll be good to get her mind off her grandmother.”
“Thank you,” Melissa whispered with a watery smile.
She might not ever be a mother, Anne Marie realized, but she was a stepmom and she’d make a wonderful grandmother for Melissa’s baby.
She’d learned two things from Melissa. The habits of a lifetime could be changed. And family could come about in the most unexpected ways.
Chapter 26
When Barbie approached the ticket window at the movie complex, she was pleased to note that Tessa was handling sales again that night. As soon as she’d advanced to the front of the line, Tessa broke into a huge smile.
“Uncle Mark left a ticket for you.”
Barbie hesitated. “He bought my ticket?” So far, they’d met at the pool four times for the adult lap swim session—and that was it. Although they’d kissed that first day in the water, they hadn’t since. Not for any lack of desire, at least on Barbie’s part. But the circumstances weren’t ideal; their privacy the first time hadn’t been repeated, and she wasn’t interested in giving the seniors’ swim class an eyeful.
“It’s a date,” Tessa said, as if she needed to clarify.
“Please tell me we’re not seeing another horror movie.”
“No,” Tessa assured her. “It’s a courtroom drama. Lots of talking. You don’t have to worry about being scared out of your wits.”
But Barbie was scared. She’d fallen for Mark and fallen hard. The wheelchair didn’t frighten her, but the man who sat in it did. Their relationship wouldn’t be easy and the realities of a future with him were intimidating. Yet the strength of her attraction overcame her doubts.
He was slowly letting her into his life, and that thrilled her. As was her custom, she purchased popcorn and a soda and entered the theater.
“Howdy,” she said as she slipped into the seat directly beside Mark’s.
“Hi.” He didn’t look in her direction.
“Thanks for the ticket.”
“My pleasure.”
She tilted her bag of popcorn in his direction and he took a handful. “As Tessa pointed out, this is like a real date.”
“Aren’t we both a bit old for that nonsense?”
“I certainly hope not,” Barbie said. “My mother has a male friend and they’re dating.”
“You make it sound like high school.”
“Does it feel like that to you? In some ways it does to me.” In good ways. She woke each morning with a sense of happy expectation. Mark was in her thoughts when she drove to the dress shop and then at noon when she dashed to the fitness center. He’d never asked for her phone number, which she would willingly, gladly, have given him. It would’ve been sheer heaven to lie in bed and talk to him on the phone, like she had with her high school boyfriend. And then with Gary…
“Yeah, it feels like high school.” Mark snorted. “In all the stupid ways.”
“Mark!”
“I’m not a romantic.”
“No!” She feigned shock. “I never would’ve guessed.”
“I’ll be honest with you,” he said, his voice clipped. “I don’t expect this to last.”
“You’re obviously an optimist, as well,” she teased.
Mark still wouldn’t look at her. “I don’t know what you expect to get out of this relationship, because I haven’t got much to give.”
“Would you stop?” This little speech of his sounded rehearsed.
“Let me finish.”
“All right, have your say and then I’ll have mine.” She tilted the popcorn in his direction again.
He stared at it. “I can’t eat very much of that.”
“Why not?” He had eaten it earlier, so it wasn’t a food allergy.
“I have a lot of limitations, Barbie. For instance, I can’t eat whatever I want.”
“Few of us can eat whatever we want. You know what? Everyone has limitations. Okay, so yours are more obvious than some people’s. But I have several of my own, which I’m doing my best to keep under control.”
“Let me guess.” He pressed his index finger to his lips. “First, you have one hell of a temper.”
She laughed outright at that. “How kind of you to remind me.”
“What I’m trying to say,” he continued, “is that this relationship is doomed. You apparently get some kind of emotional kick out of flirting with me, and that’s fine. It’s good for the ego, and mine’s been in the gutter so long that this is a refreshing change. But I’m not a fool. A woman like you can have any man she wants.”
“Mark, I—”
“I don’t mean to be rude here. However—”
“Why not? It hasn’t stopped you in the past.”
He grinned. “True. Just let me finish, okay?”
She motioned with her hand. “Be my guest.”
“This is the way I figure it.
