My Lucky Groom (Summer Grooms Series) by Ginny Baird Read Free Book Online Page A

phone.”
    “Um.”
    “You do have a smart phone?”
    Ventura reached in her purse and extracted her antiquated
cell, the kind that came with the most basic plan. And that was six years ago.
    “No worries.” Richard shot her a soothing smile, and
Ventura’s heart stilled. How she wished he wouldn’t do that. Smile at her in
that super hot way that made her wish they were out on a date rather than
discussing her business duties. Ventura bit her bottom lip, hoping that thought
hadn’t been written all over her face. But maybe it had been. Because at this very moment, Richard had stopped talking and was
gazing intently into her eyes. She wondered if he sensed it too, this
secret pull between them. Or perhaps it wasn’t mutual at all, and there was no
pull—only her overworked imagination futilely tugging.
    Richard seemed to snap himself out of it, picking up on his
earlier thought. “We’ll work all that out. You’ll definitely need high-tech
communication to be part of our team.” Ventura thought of her decrepit old
laptop but didn’t mention it. “I’ll get Jason to set you up with a new phone
tomorrow.”
    “You mean like a company phone?” she queried.
    “You can keep it for personal use as well. We’ll cover the
charges as long as you’re employed.”
    “Thanks, that’s very nice.” She looked down at the huge day-planners
in her lap, then opened the purple one on top. An enormous spreadsheet accordianed out of its front pocket. “Wow.”
    “Kids need structure,” Richard assured her. “Keeps them
busy.”
    “Very,” Ventura said, unable to stop herself, as she opened
Elisa’s folder and another enormous spreadsheet tumbled out.
    Richard cleared his throat. “You’re not suggesting the kids
are overscheduled?”
    “Not at all,” she said quickly. “It’s just that…” She
studied Elisa’s list. “Ballet… Piano… Soccer… Karate…? How old is Elisa again?”
    “Five. Oh, I know!” he said, apparently misreading her look.
“She should really be a brown belt by now. I had no clue I was supposed to
start her in PeeWee K at age three.”
    Ventura gulped. She had no doubt that Richard loved his children,
but it appeared they scarcely had any time to be kids.
    His handsome face took on a touch of melancholy. “Vicky used
to handle everything,” he confided. “If it hadn’t been for Jason, I never would
have been able to keep things together.”
    Her heart ached for him. It was hard to imagine what that
might have been like, being left on his own with two little babies. So maybe he did overschedule them, but was that
really his fault? Richard was simply being a good dad in the only way he knew
how — by being super
organized. “I’m sorry, Richard,” she said sincerely. “That sounds rough.”
    He met her gaze with soulful eyes. “At times, it has been.”
    She wasn’t sure what else to say. Suddenly things between
them seemed to have gone from professional to personal. But maybe that’s how it
was going to be. It would be difficult not to develop some kind of personal
relationship with Richard if they were both working in the interest of the same
thing — the benefit
of his children.
    “In any case,” he said after a beat, “the system we’ve put
together seems to work reasonably well. Jason’s a master at scheduling. Even
coordinated both kids’ activities in a way to minimize driving time.”
    Ventura’s heart skipped a beat. “Maybe I should have told
you. I don’t own a car.”
    “Wouldn’t expect you to drive your own,” he said, nabbing a
set of keys off the holder on his desk.
    Ventura stared out the front window. The shiny blue
convertible Jason had picked her up in sat at the curb. “I’m not sure I should
drive that.”
    Richard laughed. “That one’s not suited to car seats. You’ll
take the Lexus.” He handed over the keychain, and their palms brushed. It was
just the slightest touch, but Ventura felt electrified by it just the same.
Richard