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CHAPTER 38
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 39
Wyatt paced to his front window and stared blankly at the maple tree in his yard. His temples throbbed. So much had happened lately, he hadn’t had time to assimilate it all. Yesterday, his father phoned to say his mother had called and they were getting together to talk. Wyatt’s trip to the mountains had paid off, after all. Maybe he wasn’t a stupid Cupid after all. Maybe this was a good sign. If his parents could come to terms, he, too, had a chance of mending things with Mackenzie. Jackson should have made it to her shop by now. Maybe Wyatt should have gone along to see how things worked out. He glanced nervously at the flickering candles he’d scattered throughout the house. He’d placed them in every room, anticipating Mackenzie’s wonder when she saw them. Surely, she would come to him… Soft music played on the stereo in the front room. Wyatt shook his head. If she didn’t show, he’d feel like the biggest fool for creat
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 1
“Wyatt, I need you! I’m quite desperate!” Panic laced Estelle Daniels’s voice. Wyatt Carlyle swallowed in discomfort. His stomach tightened. Normally women spoke those words to him with a sultry breathlessness, something he felt more capable of handling. He’d stepped into the office of Benjamin Swanson, his business partner, with nothing more on his mind than reviewing the day’s trading and their clients’ portfolios over their nightly shot of tequila. The last thing he’d expected was to walk in on a squabble between Ben and his wife-to-be. Wyatt’s gaze swung from Estelle to Benjamin. His partner sat rigidly behind his massive walnut desk. His expression reminded Wyatt of his own father facing off with his mother, back in the days when they tolerated being in the same room. Estelle lunged toward Wyatt and he stiffened. Her small hands clung to his arm, eliciting a sense of frustration. Why did he have this desire to help her, when he’d
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 2
Wyatt pulled his mind from Kimberly’s magnificent legs and delicious curves. He’d rather spend Friday night with her than with a ‘sweet, nice’ girl.“Can’t you find someone else, bro?”“There isn’t anyone else, Wyatt! I wouldn’t have asked you if someone else was available.” With a frown, Wyatt scooped the legal pad off the desk. He scanned the page-long list of scratched-off names.“You asked Fred? The security guy? And you asked him before asking me?”“I told you I was desperate.” Wyatt tapped the pad.“Dude, my name isn’t even on here.” Benjamin glared at him.“Okay, what will it take? How much?”“What? You’re bribing me now?” A chuckle rose from Wyatt’s throat.“Dude… you couldn’t pay me enough.”“I’ve got it! Kimberly!” Benjamin’s eyes widened. He moved toward Wyatt.“You take Mackenzie to dinner, then get her to the party and I’ll put in a good word for you with Kimberly. I’ll even invite her to the party.” Visi
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 3
Mackenzie frowned. The woman looked ready to have a stroke and seemed determined enough to keep at it until Mackenzie joined in.“Okay, Judi,” she replied, raising her arms and swaying. “Just for a minute.” She glanced around again to ensure no one saw.“Move those hips!” Judi’s hips pivoted in exaggerated circles. Mackenzie chewed her lip in concentration. After a few moments, her muscles warmed and she smiled. The music flowed over her. Her body moved in tune with the sax’s sultry strains.“There! I think I’ve got it, Judi.”“Oh, you’ve got it all right,” a deep masculine voice sounded from behind her. “The question is, are you giving any of it away?” Embarrassment flooded Mackenzie as she swung around to face a tall stranger. He stood a few feet inside the shop’s door. The light breeze ruffled his dark blond hair. His eyes, as green as the summer sky, shone with undisguised admiration. His gaze ran lazily over her hips, then up, pausing a lon
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 4
Music played softly overhead as Mackenzie looked a bit stunned at the price tag of a clingy black dress. She sighed and glanced at Helen, her shopping companion. Thank goodness her friend had come along to help. Nothing in Mackenzie’s assortment of flowing skirts and dresses would do for her date with Wyatt. She needed Helen’s discerning eye to pick just the right outfit. She pulled the black dress from the rack, then draped it over her front.“Sexy... That’s what I want. No flowers, no pastel tones, and no ruffles or fringes.”“Well, mercy me, Miss Thang! I never thought I’d see the day when my best friend in the whole world would throw away those Barbie dresses and go for black…” Helen exclaimed laughing. Helen held up a wine-colored sheath for Mackenzie’s inspection.“If sexy is what you want, sexy is what you gonna get.” Mackenzie nodded. Helen added the dress to the pile on her arm.“So, tell me more about Mr. Breathtakingly Gorgeous,” Hele
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 5
The sun filtered through the garden window of Mackenzie’s kitchen, showering light on her plants. A curl of steam drifted up from her big coffee cup. She glanced up and frowned at the date on her kitchen calendar. Friday the thirteenth… Her big day… Mackenzie lifted her mug in salute.“Happy birthday to me.” Ignoring a vague sense of impending doom, she focused on the night to come. The phone rang. She swallowed the hot brew and smiled when she saw the ID of the caller.“Morning, Mom.”“‘Happy birthday, my darling. You aren’t moping about, are you?’” Serena Swanson’s voice held its usual note of censure.“Actually, no. I was just toasting the grand occasion.”“‘Mackie, it’s nine in the morning… Surely, you’re not drinking…’”“No, mother! It’s just coffee.”“‘Decaf?’” Mackenzie grimaced.“No! Ew!”“‘That caffeine will age you, baby girl, mark my word! You’re such a beauty now. And young. Oh, to be young again… To hav
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 6
‘Did he really say that? Please, God… let me die now!’ Blood pounded in Mackenzie’s ears as Wyatt sank back into his seat. His chair creaked in the sudden silence. George ran his hand down the front of his white dress shirt.“I’ll… Uhm… I’ll get you some fresh rolls… give you the time to decide…” He looked curiously at Wyatt, then scuttled away without a backward glance. Slowly, the tables around them returned to their former buzz. Mackenzie stared at her date in stunned silence. ‘He knows... Dammit, Benjamin!’ Her brother had no right to divulge such personal information. Heat climbed her neck. Anger and embarrassment warred in her. Was her virginity the reason for Wyatt’s brusque behavior?“I’m… Mackenzie, I’m really sorry. I don’t know why I said that…” Wyatt heaved out a breath.“Forgive me, I didn’t mean to cause a scene.” Not trusting herself to answer, Mackenzie pursed her lips and counted to ten.
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 7
Heat again filled Mackenzie’s cheeks.“Well… We finished early.” Her traitorous stomach announced its emptiness at that moment. Whether or not Estelle heard the rumbling over the loud music, she took Mackenzie’s arm to lead her to a table laden with food.“Try these crab cakes, Mackie. I’m working with a new caterer, and I need your honest opinion…” Mackenzie turned to Estelle.“This is too much… I can’t believe you had the time to plan this party with the wedding next weekend…”“I didn’t want your birthday to get lost in the shuffle… It is a very important day in the Swanson family. And I’m going to be a part of this family quite soon. You see, I never had a sister, Mackie. I wanted to get us off on the right foot.”“Thank you… From the bottom of my heart…” Mackenzie’s gaze swept the room, while unwanted emotion clogged her throat.“All this was so… so very thoughtful of you.” Guilt tightened her chest. Maybe she hadn’t given Estelle
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IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 39
Wyatt paced to his front window and stared blankly at the maple tree in his yard. His temples throbbed. So much had happened lately, he hadn’t had time to assimilate it all. Yesterday, his father phoned to say his mother had called and they were getting together to talk. Wyatt’s trip to the mountains had paid off, after all. Maybe he wasn’t a stupid Cupid after all. Maybe this was a good sign. If his parents could come to terms, he, too, had a chance of mending things with Mackenzie. Jackson should have made it to her shop by now. Maybe Wyatt should have gone along to see how things worked out. He glanced nervously at the flickering candles he’d scattered throughout the house. He’d placed them in every room, anticipating Mackenzie’s wonder when she saw them. Surely, she would come to him… Soft music played on the stereo in the front room. Wyatt shook his head. If she didn’t show, he’d feel like the biggest fool for creat
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 38
Jackson Daniel Kingman glanced up and pointed across the room.“I can still see this place as it was back then… There was a long counter over there. I used to come by after work with my buddy and sit and drink cup after cup, just to watch her, just to hear her… It took me nearly three weeks to work up the nerve to ask Judi out. I knew I was a goner when she poured that cup of coffee in my lap.”“But… what happened?”“She tried mopping it up with a towel.”“No, I mean… Uhm… Why didn’t you two marry?” He shook his head.“It was a stupid thing, really.” His eyebrows furrowed.“We got into this stupid fight… The church double-booked us. I wanted to elope, but Judi wouldn’t hear of it. She had to have her church wedding.” Jackson paused, dragging his ragged hand over his face.“I thought she was getting cold feet… That she was stalling or something. All the churches around were booked solid for months.”“And what happened next?” Mackenzie asked.“My
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 37
With a scowl, Wyatt adjusted his sunglasses. Summer had hit the state with a vengeance, rolling in with record-breaking highs. The sun beat down on him. Heat shimmered off the road as he peered across at Mackenzie’s shop. He’d been a dedicated cynic for most of his adult life… So, how on the hell was he going to change into a true romantic overnight? Pacing the length of Benjamin’s office, while racking his brain hadn’t gained him anything but his partner’s frustrated glare. Wyatt had meant to escape to his favorite thinking spot, the roof, but lost in thought, he’d stepped onto an elevator headed for the street level. Wyatt exited, then kept walking. He hadn’t realized where he was headed until he arrived at this place. Somewhere along the way he’d lost his tie, and rolled up his sleeves. In spite of that, sweat soaked his shirt. All that walking, and he still hadn’t come up with a fail-proof, knock-her-socks-off kind of plan. He squi
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 36
A light breeze ruffled Wyatt’s hair as he paused inside the threshold of Mackenzie’s shop. So many memories… He glanced toward the space in front of the long counter, where he’d first laid eyes on Mackenzie, and closed his eyes.“Hi,” a friendly voice broke his reverie. A sturdy brunette approached, bearing a plate of sweet-smelling cookies. She extended the plate.“Would you like one?”“No, thanks.” She shrugged, then nodded toward a far corner.“We always provide a little something for our readers to nibble.” Wyatt followed her gaze to a cozy sitting area, furnished with numerous mismatched, but comfortable-looking chairs. Nearly a dozen women filled the area, all chatting at once. A center coffee table already held a tray with a pitcher and glasses of pink lemonade.“Our reader’s group,” the brunette supplied without his asking. He nodded, quite impressed. Not only was Mackenzie a knockout, she had a good head for business.“Is your
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 35
The constant murmur of voices mingled with the clink of silverware against fine china. Mackenzie set down her water glass and pasted on a brave smile for Kenneth.“What will I do until you get back?” He reached over to squeeze her hand.“You’ll be just fine. You’re tough.”“I wasn’t so much this week. I’m not usually so mopey.”“You had your moments. But were just moments. I saw fire in your green eyes. I know who you are.” Mackenzie pulled her hand from his to fiddle with her fork.“How long will you be away?”“I don’t know. But I’ll be back before you know it.” Her throat tightened.“I’ll miss talking to you, Kenneth.” His eyes warmed.“I’ll miss you, too. But you’re not getting rid of me. We’ll still see each other when I get back.” She nodded as sadness settled over her.“Mackie, may I ask you something?” The serious look in Kenneth’s eyes sent a ripple of apprehension through her.“Of course.” He scoo
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 34
“No! Absolutely not!” Mackenzie shook her head. “You can’t do that. You two love each other. You are the definition of true love…” She pointed to her mother. “You always said she was your Little Dove.” Serena took the handkerchief Hank offered. She blew her nose with a hardy blast. “It’s true, darling.” Her eyes glittered. “I’m sorry. We didn’t want you to find out this way. We were going to tell you and your brother sometime after the wedding. We didn’t want to spoil things.” “Spoil things?” Mackenzie’s throat burned. She blinked, but this time her tears refused to be tamed. They spilled down her cheeks in hot torrents. “My God! You’re ruining everything!” She was acting like a spoiled child as she turned, then ran from them. All Mackenzie wanted to do was throw herself onto her bed, then kick and scream until she had no breath left in her. How could they? Had the world conspired to prove to
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 33
Wyatt’s heart thudded as Mackenzie moved down the aisle. Why was it that now that she was so beyond his reach, she’d become even more beautiful? His gaze swept over her slim form in the satin dress. Mentally, Wyatt caressed each hollow, each curve of her luscious body. Benjamin coughed beside him, jolting Wyatt back to the present. Good God, he stood before the altar of a church, lusting after Mackenzie. If there was a hell, he’d just gained entrance. She stepped up onto the raised platform, then maneuvered into place beside the petite brunette. Once Georgina joined them, the organist broke into the ‘Wedding March’. Estelle appeared at the back of the church, radiant in a pearl-colored gown, her father at her side. Clamping his mouth shut, Wyatt stood stiffly beside Benjamin as Estelle approached. The ceremony itself proceeded in a blur. Concentrating on the nuptials proved impossible for Wyatt when all he could thi
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 32
The next morning dawned sunny and bright. Kenneth called to say he’d be a little late, but they’d make it in plenty of time. Just hearing his voice was balm to Mackenzie’s aching heart. He’d shown up for the rehearsal dinner and she’d made it through by keeping her smile plastered on and nodding and agreeing with everyone. She’d left as soon as politely possible, feigning a headache. Kenneth arrived close to the time he’d promised. They’d just entered the vestibule when they ran into Mackenzie’s parents. Serena fussed with her husband’s tie.“Why did you wear this one? I had a nice one picked out for you. I don’t think this tie is right for this outfit?” With an impatient grunt, Hank batted her hands away.“This is a perfect tie. Sonia bought it for me for my birthday. At least she had the decency to celebrate with me.”“I was ready to celebrate with you. You just chose to go off with that floozie trainer of yours before I got back from my group
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 31
Mackenzie forced her feet in the direction of the main doors of St. Thomas’s Church. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders as she headed up the wide steps guarding the front. Her legs wobbled unsteadily and she wished desperately that Kenneth was by her side. Dread filled her at the prospect of seeing Wyatt again. Fresh pain seared through Mackenzie at the memory of finding Kimberly at his door, dressed in nothing but his robe.“I’m such an idiot…” she murmured. Humiliation filled Mackenzie at the thought of all the times she’d thrown herself at him. She really thought he cared for her. In his own way, Wyatt probably cared for all the women he slept with. He’d never made any promises and had been honest about his intentions. Like a fool, she’d let her emotions get all blown out of proportion, convincing herself he simply hadn’t yet realized his true feelings. She paused before the double wooden doors. Why had she l
