The Perfect Groom. Ruth Scofield
Aunt A.”
Showering quickly, she also shampooed her auburn curls. She gave her hair a halfhearted swipe with the towel, then decided to let it dry naturally. Rummaging through her closet, she grumbled about having to dress again at all. She’d much rather wear her pj’s and robe. She’d likely pass out as soon as supper was over anyway.
At the bottom of her chest, she found a loose navy sweat outfit and pulled it on. Shirley wouldn’t care what Ivy wore.
“…and Ivy opened her store three years ago. She inherited her father’s creativity, you see,” her aunt’s gentle voice murmured through the hall as Ivy sauntered down it in stockinged feet. “But she never could focus in a single direction, poor dear. So the interior design store gives her enough variety—”
Not focus? Aunt A never understood her occasional interest in architecture or how the two areas of design interacted.
Whoever her aunt was talking to, it wasn’t Shirley. Ivy reached the kitchen door and stopped cold. Her aunt’s small plump figure stirred a pot on the stove while a tall, athletic one filled three glasses with milk.
“Hi, Ivy. It’s about time you got out of that shower,” Noah said as though his presence in her kitchen were quite a normal occasion. His gaze swept over her face, free of makeup, and noted her still-damp hair, minus its usual smooth fall. “We’re starved.”
“Yes, we certainly are. And you must be as well. Sit down, children. Soup first. Then a nice chickenand-noodle casserole.”
“Noah!” She ignored her aunt’s direction entirely, trying not to let her mouth drop open like a buffoon. “Why are you here?”
“Taking shameless advantage of your aunt’s generous invitation,” he said, hooking a foot around a chair leg to bring it out from under the table. He appeared completely at home in her small kitchen, and wonderfully comfortable with Aunt Arletta. “She asked me the other day after I agreed to chauffeur some seniors on an outing. We’re making it a weekly adventure.”
“What?” Heart beating with sudden suspicions, she licked her lips to ask calmly, “What are you making a weekly adventure?”
“Our outings,” Aunt Arletta answered with delight. Ivy let her breath out, thinking herself almost too foolish to have thought her aunt meant she’d invited Noah for a weekly dinner.
Yet, knowing her aunt, the idea wasn’t so farfetched. She continued to listen to her aunt’s explanation, trying not to stare or be taken in by Noah’s handsome face.
“Noah’s agreed to play chauffeur and escort for the senior outings until spring. We had sixteen of us today, and having a nice young man like Noah to assist some of us into the bus was a pleasure. He took us right to the back of the Thomas Hart Benton House so that no one had to go up those steps. Used the ramps for the two in wheelchairs so all of us could go. Even old Robert Dearborn was pleased, and you know how crabby Robert can be.”
Ivy blinked. Noah touched her shoulder, reminding her to sit. Sinking into the chair, she narrowed her eyes at him slightly; no one could be that perfect.
Considerate and generous to older people and functioned well in a kitchen? What was he up to? What did he want? He’d only joined the church a week or two ago. He’d sat nearby during the worship service. While always polite, Ivy’d never encouraged his interest by one single eyelash sweep.
He caught her suspicious gaze and gave her a silent shrug while his mouth spread into a half smile, his eyes glowing with personal invitation. Come and see, he seemed to beckon. Come on, I’m harmless.
She could almost fall into those warm eyes, sweet as molasses.
“Noah, we’d be pleased if you offered thanks for our supper,” Aunt Arletta suggested. “We so seldom have men guests around our table these days. Not since Ivy broke her engagement to that—”
“Aunt A!”
“All right, all right. But it’s true.” Aunt Arletta’s eyes weren’t a bit repentant. “We don’t have men guests these days. Personally, I’d like to hear a man’s prayer of thanks.”
“I’m honored, ma’am.” Reverence replaced his gentle teasing as Noah bowed his head. “Lord, we are deeply grateful for your bounty here in this kitchen, and for friends and life. We thank you for this meal and the hands that prepared it. We ask you to bless each of us and the evening ahead with your favor. Amen.”
Ivy blinked at the sincerity she heard in Noah’s voice. Did he really know the Lord so well? She’d met a few men who pretended far more piety than they really felt. Later actions gave her reason to question if even their basic faith was a lie. Like Leon.
She’d thought Leon perfect at first. An ambitious lawyer, he belonged to a wealthy, high-profile church. His faithful church attendance and involvement in the church’s finance committee impressed her. Everything looked bright between them.
She soon found his controlling nature to be obsessive. When she pointed that out to him, he couldn’t see it as wrong. The final break came when he wanted to delegate Aunt Arletta to a home. Any home other than his. He had no room in his life for a dotty old lady, he’d told Ivy, and neither would she after they married. That particular wedding dress she’d packed away without a single pang of what-might-have-beens.
Ivy let her aunt and Noah carry the conversation and listened with only half an ear as they discussed the day’s events.
“And how is the holiday season shaping up for you, dear?” her aunt said, finally noticing her silence.
“Earl quit today,” she said, chewing slowly on a piece of bread. She wondered how long she could let the floor go before she had to tackle it herself. “Said he had a full-time job elsewhere and wouldn’t have time for me anymore.”
“Oh. Well, you’ll find somebody else to do your floors.”
“Floors?” Noah said, dipping a second portion of chicken and noodles onto his plate. “I know someone who’s looking for a part-time job. A college kid. Works for me in the summer, mowing lawns and such. Brad could help with your wall displays, too.”
“I’ve been managing my wall displays all right up ‘til now,” she stated, pressing her lips together. Sort of. She’d hired a man to hang those heavy mantels.
“Sure you have. And that’s why you don’t change the display as often as is needed. Is it really wise to try to handle something beyond your physical strength?”
“‘Blessed is the man who finds wisdom…’” Aunt Arletta quoted.
“‘Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom,’” Noah responded with his own Proverbs quote, and a quick smile for the older woman before turning back to Ivy. “How about young Brad? Are you willing to train him?”
Ivy let go of her pride and glanced at Noah hopefully. “He’s not looking for just a Christmas job, is he? I need someone every week.”
“I think it’s safe to say he’d stay with you ‘til spring, at least.”
“All right. Send him around and I’ll talk to him. Thanks, Noah.” Ivy smiled into his eyes, her gratitude for his help making her forget all about ulterior motives. Right now, she’d take whatever help came her way.
And she was simply too tired to fight the attractive buzz Noah’s brown eyes gave her. Eyes that made her want to put her head on his strong shoulder and sigh.
She’d have to watch that, she told herself. Falling too easily for a charming man had been her downfall the first year in college.
Dan was gorgeous, with long dark lashes any woman would envy, and a romantic nature that swept her off her feet. After only two months of seeing each other, they become engaged, planning a perfect future life together. Ivy’s head drifted with the clouds as she chose her wedding dress and four bridesmaids’ dresses. She worked extra hours and even went without meals to pay for