“Mimi didn’t know about the picture,” he snapped. “She’s a nice girl.”
His father ignored Seth’s comment as he slammed the door behind him. Seth collapsed onto his gray leather sofa and glanced around his living room, irritation and worry burning through his veins. Mimi didn’t want anyone to know they’d been together.
He wondered if she’d seen the newspaper.
* * *
The Sugar Hill Café was fairly quiet, Mimi thought, save for her own occasional self-chatter. “Why did you sleep with Seth Broadhurst? You’re a fool, Mimi Hartwell. What if you do wind up…?”
She dumped a cup of cocoa into the rich batter and stirred vigorously. She’d already tried three different variations, but each had failed, and now she was obsessing about whether to add more peanut-butter chips or butterscotch.
Anything to help her forget that revealing newspaper photo. Better to obsess about a recipe than whether or not Hannah might have found out about her and Seth. Or whether she might turn up pregnant. Or whether Seth had seen the newspaper. Or whether Seth was comparing their lovemaking to the times he’d been with Hannah. Not that Hannah had mentioned their sex life.
The last thought had bulldozed into her mind and sent her to work an hour ago to keep busy. Even though she’d told herself it didn’t matter—she wasn’t competing with Hannah, and surely Seth was too much of a gentlemen to compare the sisters—she still couldn’t let the matter go. Besides, Hannah was happily married, and Mimi didn’t intend to sleep with Seth again or be with him in any way, shape or form. She wasn’t going to obsess about Hannah or Seth or their nonrelationship anymore. She would not even give the man a thought.
Except the rich chocolate did remind her of the dessert they’d shared in the hotel. The way he’d tasted all warm and sexy. She licked the spoon, savoring the sensation of chocolate batter on her tongue and remembering the hot way Seth had looked at her when he’d licked the whipped cream off her finger.
Furious with herself, Mimi emptied the batter into the baking pan, popped it into the oven and peeked from the kitchen. Except for Penny and Chris, the two teenagers who helped out on Saturdays, the coffee shop was empty. The young couple stood hunched together, laughing as they sipped café mochas, obviously in love. Simple for them. Not for her and Seth.
The bell chimed above the doorway, and her father walked in, carrying the Saturday paper under his arm. Mimi sighed and braced herself for his questions.
* * *
Normally Seth didn’t schedule appointments on Saturday, but one of the single parents from his divorce group had called, sounding troubled, so he’d told her to meet him atone o’clock. Anything to keep his mind off Mimi and the night before. And the way they’d parted.
He had a feeling Mimi wouldn’t call him if she discovered she was pregnant. She’d certainly acted as if it would be the last time she’d ever see him.
His methodical mind kicked in. On one level, the thought of not seeing Mimi again, or any of the Hartwells, seemed like a good idea. He needed to move on with his life. He had to live up to his position at the hospital, the expectations of his parents. He tapped his pen on the desk, thinking of the numerous lectures his father had given him. His father’s father had wiled away all the family money, so Seth’s dad had grown up near poverty. Intelligence, hard work and determination had been the key to his dad’s escape from a destitute life. Not wanting his son to suffer the same fate, he’d given Seth the finest education money could buy. Seth understood it was his duty not to let down his family. His intelligence had been a gift. And he wanted to use it to help others.
Mimi’s face flashed into his mind. He’d started out wanting to help her. But then things had gotten out of hand.
He knew they were wrong for each other. But would he ever again experience the
His father ignored Seth’s comment as he slammed the door behind him. Seth collapsed onto his gray leather sofa and glanced around his living room, irritation and worry burning through his veins. Mimi didn’t want anyone to know they’d been together.
He wondered if she’d seen the newspaper.
* * *
The Sugar Hill Café was fairly quiet, Mimi thought, save for her own occasional self-chatter. “Why did you sleep with Seth Broadhurst? You’re a fool, Mimi Hartwell. What if you do wind up…?”
She dumped a cup of cocoa into the rich batter and stirred vigorously. She’d already tried three different variations, but each had failed, and now she was obsessing about whether to add more peanut-butter chips or butterscotch.
Anything to help her forget that revealing newspaper photo. Better to obsess about a recipe than whether or not Hannah might have found out about her and Seth. Or whether she might turn up pregnant. Or whether Seth had seen the newspaper. Or whether Seth was comparing their lovemaking to the times he’d been with Hannah. Not that Hannah had mentioned their sex life.
The last thought had bulldozed into her mind and sent her to work an hour ago to keep busy. Even though she’d told herself it didn’t matter—she wasn’t competing with Hannah, and surely Seth was too much of a gentlemen to compare the sisters—she still couldn’t let the matter go. Besides, Hannah was happily married, and Mimi didn’t intend to sleep with Seth again or be with him in any way, shape or form. She wasn’t going to obsess about Hannah or Seth or their nonrelationship anymore. She would not even give the man a thought.
Except the rich chocolate did remind her of the dessert they’d shared in the hotel. The way he’d tasted all warm and sexy. She licked the spoon, savoring the sensation of chocolate batter on her tongue and remembering the hot way Seth had looked at her when he’d licked the whipped cream off her finger.
Furious with herself, Mimi emptied the batter into the baking pan, popped it into the oven and peeked from the kitchen. Except for Penny and Chris, the two teenagers who helped out on Saturdays, the coffee shop was empty. The young couple stood hunched together, laughing as they sipped café mochas, obviously in love. Simple for them. Not for her and Seth.
The bell chimed above the doorway, and her father walked in, carrying the Saturday paper under his arm. Mimi sighed and braced herself for his questions.
* * *
Normally Seth didn’t schedule appointments on Saturday, but one of the single parents from his divorce group had called, sounding troubled, so he’d told her to meet him atone o’clock. Anything to keep his mind off Mimi and the night before. And the way they’d parted.
He had a feeling Mimi wouldn’t call him if she discovered she was pregnant. She’d certainly acted as if it would be the last time she’d ever see him.
His methodical mind kicked in. On one level, the thought of not seeing Mimi again, or any of the Hartwells, seemed like a good idea. He needed to move on with his life. He had to live up to his position at the hospital, the expectations of his parents. He tapped his pen on the desk, thinking of the numerous lectures his father had given him. His father’s father had wiled away all the family money, so Seth’s dad had grown up near poverty. Intelligence, hard work and determination had been the key to his dad’s escape from a destitute life. Not wanting his son to suffer the same fate, he’d given Seth the finest education money could buy. Seth understood it was his duty not to let down his family. His intelligence had been a gift. And he wanted to use it to help others.
Mimi’s face flashed into his mind. He’d started out wanting to help her. But then things had gotten out of hand.
He knew they were wrong for each other. But would he ever again experience the
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