Love Imagines (Sully Point, Book 6) (4 page)

"Hi, Rose!" Nicky said, holding up a hand and
waving it.

"You might know my brother, Sam Carter," Rose
said.

The smile on Nicky's face got bigger.
"Sam? And Anna and little Joshie? They are my friends."

"Well then, I guess we can be friends too. I'm
Sam's sister."

Nicky nodded vigorously. "Okay! We can be friends
too."

"Me too?" Ben asked.

"Yeah. I know you. You were at the movie. I saw
you."

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I have been in the
movies. It's my job."

"My job is keep the park clean."

"You do a great job, Nicky. The park looks really good,"
Rose said.

"Okay! I gotta go look for things to pick up,"
Nicky said.

"It was nice to meet you, Nicky," Ben said.

"Okay! Bye-bye!" Nicky turned and vanished into
the trees.

Rose and Ben turned back to face each other.

"I'm glad he has a job here," Rose said.

"I do volunteer work back in L.A. with the Special
Olympics. I often think if people would only realize how much the
differently-abled have to offer, it would change a lot of things. Nicky seems
perfectly content, unlike some folks I've met who don't have enough to occupy
them.

"But now," Ben said, clearly changing the subject.
"I want to get a drink somewhere and maybe check out the Bakery. Let's see what
there is of interest between here and there."

"Okay," Rose said, and they got up from the table
to leave the park.

They discovered Deb's Deli when they exited the
park, and went in to get something to drink. The place wasn't very busy at this
time of day since it was still early for lunch.

"Can I help you?" a woman behind the counter said.

"Yes, I want bottled water," Ben said. "What do
you want, Rose?"

"Rose? Rose Carter?" the woman asked.

"Yes, I'm Rose."

"Sam's sister, right? And Beth and Maggie's. I'm Deb. I know all your family."

"Good to meet you," Rose said. "And this is Ben
Sterling. He's in town for—"

"Oh, I know," she said with a bright smile. "He's
the actor here for the play. I'm trying out in the auditions tomorrow."

"Nice to meet you, Deb," Ben said. "I didn't
realize that people from town would be in the play, too. That's cool."

"Yes, Mr. Christopher says he has to have one play
a year with a lot of townspeople. Now what can I get you Rose?"

"Do you have lemonade? I saw a sign on the
window..."

"Yeah, sure. Here's your water, Ben."

Ben started to take it, hesitated, and then said,
"I changed my mind. I want the lemonade too."

Soon they were seated at a table drinking icy cold
lemonade. Rose shivered, loving every sip. The balance of sugary sweetness and
tangy lemons was perfect.

"This is superb," Ben said. "So tell me, are you in
a relationship with anyone?"

Since she'd just been taking a sip, it got spewed
out across the table. Mortified, she quickly mopped it up with napkins.

"Sorry, sorry. You startled me. Uh, no, there's no
relationship in my life at the moment. It's been a while."

"Same for me," he said.

She knew she must have looked surprised because he
continued.

"I got tired of the same kind of woman, someone in
the business who was more fluff than substance. Where everything was about
appearance rather than what was inside the person. Of course, I suppose in your
line of work, you have to be concerned about appearance."

"What? Oh, yes, sometimes."

"Only sometimes?" he asked puzzlement in his voice.

"Er...you know what I need? Sunglasses for the
beach. That shop next door looked like it might have some. Let's go check."

She stood up and took a final drink from her
almost empty lemonade. Ben shrugged and finished off his drink, too, and then
headed for the door.

"Bye, you guys. Come back soon!" Deb called after
them. They waved and left.

Rose tried on a number of pairs of sunglasses in
the next shop until she found some that Ben said were 'movie star perfect.'
They were leaving the shop when they ran into Cody Grainger.

Rose introduced him to Ben, explaining that Cody
was Anna's brother and was married to Julia.

"What are you two up to on this sunny day?" Cody
asked.

"Just looking around the square," Ben answered.
"Tell me, Cody, where are some picturesque places for me to get photos around here? I
want to include Rose in some of them."

Cody grinned at them. "How about on a boat out on
the water? I run a charter fishing boat business in addition to the Bait and
Tackle Shop. You guys really ought to go out on one of the boats while you're
here. Do either of you fish?"

Rose shook her head, but Ben raised a hand. "I've
been deep sea fishing before, in the Gulf of Mexico and it was exciting. We
should go out on his boat, Rose."

"Fishing? I don't know..."

"Even if all you do is sunbathing, you'll have
fun. There's nothing like the feeling of being out on the water in the quiet,
with no sounds except for water lapping against the side of the boat," Cody said.

Rose laughed. "You are an excellent salesman.
Okay, I'm game. When should we go?"

Cody consulted the tablet he'd been holding in one
hand. "Let's just see here...We could fit you in tomorrow morning.
Otherwise it will be a few days."

"Tomorrow? I guess that would work," she said. "I
have nothing else going on, so why not? I'll just need to buy a bathing suit."

"Count me in, too," Ben said. "How could you
come here without a suit?"

"I was in a hurry when I packed. Is there a mall
around here, Cody?"

"Yep, sure is." He gave her directions on how to
get there and then walked into the shop on his original errand.

Ben and Rose continued walking to the corner. They
were almost past the Bakery when the door opened and tantalizing smells wafted out.

"That smells fantastic. We have to go in. We
deserve a snack after that walk," Ben said with a grin.

"Why not?" Rose said. She was still trying to
figure out what on earth had made her agree to going out fishing on a boat. It
had been many years since she'd been on a boat, and she'd never fished. And
that didn't even begin to consider the fact that she had to buy a bathing suit.
Knowing Ben would be there made it a tough decision on what kind to get.

"Rose? You with me?" Ben said.

"Oh, sorry. Just thinking about how I've never
fished before. Tomorrow should be interesting. Wow, are those cannoli?"

"Those look remarkably edible. Let's get some and take them
up to your place."

The girl behind the counter had a nametag that
read 'Kayla,' and Ben held up two fingers and said, "Two please, Kayla."

"Sure! Are you two in town for a while?" Kayla
asked.

"Oh, we're not...that is, we aren't..." Rose said,
stumbling to a halt.

Ben grinned at her. "You never know, Rose."

Rose felt herself blushing. "I just moved in
upstairs. I'm Rose Carter, sister of Beth, Maggie and Sam."

Kayla's eyes widened. "You're the—"

"The model, that's right," Rose said hurriedly.

Kayla frowned, and then shook her head and handed
the pastry box to Ben. He introduced himself and Kayla welcomed them both to
the town. Rose occupied herself trying to decide if the whole model identity
was too big a pain to continue with, or if it was worth keeping.

They headed up to the apartment, and Rose made
them coffee to go with their pastry.

"I'm going to have to take a longer run on the
beach than usual," Ben said as he bit into the sweet treat.

"I know. I usually eat so healthy, but this is
just...fantastic. Yum."

They ate and drank in silence for a minute or two.
Ben looked at Rose and said, "Why? Why have there been no men in your life for
a while?"

"No time. And I guess I expect a lot of a man."

"What kinds of traits are you looking for? Able to
leap tall buildings in a single bound? Or something more prosaic than that?"

She smiled. "I want to feel I trust him, really
trust him. That he's honest with me, and is able to feel real love for just one
person in a relationship. That he wants a commitment, not just an affair. I
want to know that I can depend on him like he can depend on me, that he is a
partner in my life as I am in his."

Ben leaned back in his chair and said,
"Interesting."

"Honestly, I don't believe I just said all that to
you. I feel so comfortable with you that words just pour out of my mouth."

He reached across the table and took her hand in
his, gently holding it. "I'm glad you feel that comfortable with me. I like
being with you, too."

They sat that way for a moment looking into each
other's eyes intently, and then they both pulled their hands away at the same
time.

"Well...I need to get to that mall and buy a
bathing suit," Rose said.

"And I need to check in at the Playhouse for the
auditions this afternoon. Mr. Christopher wanted me there for them." He paused,
and stood up as she did also, and then said, "I had a great time this morning.
Thanks for going out with me."

"I had a good time, too," Rose said. "When did
Cody say we had to be at the dock in the morning?"

"Nine. Want me to come pick you up?"

"Sure. I'll be ready."

"Okay then. I'd better get going. See you later,
Rose."

She walked him to the door and there was a moment
when they stared at each other again. She wondered if he would kiss her, but
then he just smiled and started down the stairs.

"See you tomorrow!" she called after him.

He waved and then was gone.

Rose closed the door and leaned against it,
thinking. "Definitely a sexy swimsuit," she said to the empty room.

* * * *

Maggie was waiting with excitement in the
examining room when Doc Watson entered. She always loved hearing the baby's
heartbeat.

"Hello there, Maggie. How are you feeling?" Doc
asked.

"Perfect," she said with a smile.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, that's not
something I hear very much in here. Is something new going on?"

"All my family is here now. Rose arrived and is
living in my old apartment above the Bakery."

"Rose," Doc said. "Isn't she the doctor?"

"Yes, she is. Doc, if she's still around when the
time comes, I want her in there with me, in delivery."

"That's fine, Maggie. I want you comfortable and
happy, plus she's a doctor." He stopped talking and a slight frown flew across
his face before he looked at Maggie again. "You know, I'd like to speak with
her. How can I get in touch?"

Maggie was surprised, but gave him Rose's cell
number. She thought the Doc seemed preoccupied, but then he smiled at her and
she thought she'd imagined it.

"Okay, so now can I listen?"

He laughed and handed over the stethoscope while
he pulled the sonogram machine over. "Let's see how things look today."

Later, when she was walking down Main on the
square, she wondered what that frown had been about. If it was about her, he'd
have told her. It must be something else, she decided. She was walking over to
the apartment and restrained herself from entering the Bakery, turning the
corner and going to the back of the building, only to find Rose getting into
her car.

"Rose! Wait up!"

Maggie hurried over to the car and gave Rose a
hug. "Where are you going? I was coming to visit."

"I need a swimsuit from the mall. I'm going
shopping."

Maggie looked at what her sister was wearing and
said thoughtfully, "You know, you need to shop for clothes, too."

"What's wrong with this?"

"Nothing, nothing, but...you're a bit out of
date."

"It never mattered what I wore under my white coat
at the hospital, usually I was in greens anyway."

"I think you need company, Rose. I'm going with
you," Maggie announced.

"Mags...actually, yeah, that might be a help. I need
advice on the swimsuit."

Maggie grinned and got in the car. She was
flabbergasted when Rose told her that she and Ben were going out on Cody's boat
in the morning, and that they'd spent this morning together.

"I can't believe it! You never date and suddenly
this man is just, poof, in your life. What's going on?"

"I don't know. I really don't."

Rose appeared to be concentrating on her driving,
and Maggie let her be silent for a few minutes. But then Maggie had to ask
questions.

"Is he very handsome? I can't remember any of
his movies."

"He is...so handsome, Mags, so sexy."

"Ooh."

"But it's more than that," Rose said quickly.
"He's got this gentleness about him, a kindness that comes through. He's funny
and quick to laugh, and when I'm around him...it's like I've known him forever.
But I've only just met him!"

Maggie smiled at her sister's confusion. She knew
exactly what that was like. Her relationship with Eric had developed quickly
and now they were blissfully happy. Maybe Rose had stumbled upon the love of
her life. Maggie knew better than to say that, however.

"Then a killer suit is a must-have. Plus you'll
need a cover-up and some sandals. By the way, those are marvelous sunglasses."

"Like them? I got them in the shop by the deli
this morning. Ben helped me pick them out."

"You look like a model in them."

"And that's another thing—should I be doing this
whole model thing or should I just tell him who I really am? I'm starting to
think maybe it was a mistake."

Maggie shook her head. "No, Rose, you haven't had
any time off in the last few years. It's time for you to learn how to play
again. Have a little fun with it, and then later on tell him. I'm sure it won't
be that big a deal."

"Maybe...there's the mall. They are always so
big," she said, sounding dismayed.