The Wedding Wish (Summer Grooms) - By Ginny Baird Page 0,2

creative portrayals of the human body. That it was his body in particular didn’t matter one iota to any of the artists in the room. And Robert knew he’d do well to remember that.

Robert approached the Student Center, spying a beautiful blonde seated in a booth beside the plate-glass window. A backpack was parked beside her on the bench as she busily tapped at the laptop positioned before her on the table. She worked with fierce concentration, oblivious to the swirl of commotion around her. The Student Center was always a busy place, with people bustling in and out, chatting loudly and carrying coffee. The young woman was wholesome-looking yet refined. There was something so familiar about the curve of her cheek… Robert reached for the door, and she turned toward him and smiled. His heart leapt in his chest. Isabel. She was even prettier than he’d recalled her being on the lawn. And his memory should still be sharp. That was only four hours ago.

Blue eyes met his and twinkled. “I was beginning to think you’d stood me up,” she said in a soft Southern twang that made the back of his neck flash hot. Isabel and her family had moved here from Atlanta when she was just ten. She’d never fully lost the accent. Even as a kid, Robert had found the sweet cadence of her words intoxicating. He took a seat across from her in the booth, noting he still wasn’t immune to her charms. “I’m a man of my word,” he assured her, settling his own backpack in place. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long?”

“Just a few minutes. But that’s okay. Been checking my new class schedule.”

“For the fall?”

“Summer session, actually.”

“No kidding? I’ll be here too.”

Their eyes locked for a heated moment.

Even though it was so long ago, the memory of their first kiss seemed like yesterday. Robert bringing his ineffectual mouth to hers. Of all things, wearing braces! He’d been so inept, she’d nearly bitten his tongue. Not that he’d blamed her entirely. Even then, he knew he’d probably deserved it, as awkward in his approach as he was.

“It’s a little warm out for coffee,” she said. “I think I’ll grab a soda. Can I get one for you?”

“Uh, yeah. I mean, no.” He felt his temperature spike again and wondered if there was something wrong with the AC in here. Robert shifted on the bench, extracting his wallet. “I’ll get both of ours. My treat.”

She reached in her backpack and handed him her perma-refill tumbler. “I’ve got the enviro-friendly cup. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Very ecological of you,” he said, taking it from her.

He quickly cleared his throat, thinking he must look like an idiot. Flustered by some ridiculous reverie more than a decade old. “I’ve got to tell you, Isabel, you look terrific. How long has it been?”

“Oh gosh, has to have been at least…sixteen years!” She studied him a moment, then delicately arched an eyebrow. “And I mean it quite sincerely when I say you look fantastic too. Totally…buff.”

“How was your class?” he asked, hearing his voice grow froggy.

She pinned him in place with pretty blue eyes. “Revealing. And yours?”

He stood so quickly, his knees knocked the table. “Uh, no, I wasn’t in class,” he said, starting to walk away.

“Really?”

He nearly stumbled over his own feet walking backward. “Let’s just say I had a debt to repay.” If Isabel hadn’t been in that studio, why was she eyeing him so suspiciously? Like she could see right through him, or at the very least clear down to his skin.

“Are you okay?” she asked as he nearly collided with another student.

He shot her a tight smile. “Fine. Just fine. Diet drink should help.”

Isabel watched him walk away, thinking a man with his physique didn’t need to worry about diet anything. And she should know. She’d just studied him in incredible detail. He headed for the drink dispenser, glancing over his shoulder with a tense smile. Why was he on edge all of a sudden? He’d seemed just fine when they’d run into each other outdoors. Could it be he’d seen her sitting in the art studio? Practically drooling in the far recesses of the class? Isabel noted Robert had jammed her cup below the ice dispenser, but his eyes were still glued on hers. She watched wide-eyed as ice spewed forth and began to tumble over the rim of the cup.

Robert stared down in horror at the cascading display. He yanked on the cup,