Follow Your Heart (Catalina Cove #4) - Brenda Jackson Page 0,21
permanent man in my life is the last thing I want now, but if Mama Laverne says I’m next, then I’m not going to buck the idea. She has an astounding track record and I hear about too many women out there who can’t find a good man. I’m happy to let her find one for me.”
He took another sip of coffee. “Are the people she put together happy?”
“They’re extremely happy and in love, but believe me when I say that originally, they were upset with how she did things.”
He didn’t say anything as he thought about what she’d said. He could understand them being upset about it. Who would want their lives manipulated that way, regardless of the outcome?
He bit into his muffin and instantly decided he liked it. “This is good.”
“I told you it was.”
A short while later they cleaned up the trash from the table, and were now ready to get the day started. “I’m going to get the boat moving. You might want to join me. The sun will be coming up shortly.”
“All right.”
As he headed up the steps, he was compelled to look back over his shoulder at her. She was sitting at the table, sipping the last of her coffee with what appeared to be a wistful look on her face. Was she thinking about that guy Tanner? Why did it bother him that there was a good possibility that she was?
“Victoria?”
She glanced up and met his gaze. “Yes?”
“I hope Tanner Jamison is worthy of your affections.”
She nodded. “He is. Mama Laverne would not have chosen him for me if he wasn’t. She hasn’t gone wrong yet.”
He came close to telling her that there was a first time for everything, but decided not to. It really wasn’t his business and he refused to think about it any longer. Nodding, he turned and went up top.
* * *
VICTORIA RELEASED A deep sigh when Roman left. It was hard to ignore the thrumming pulse rushing through her and the flutters that went off in her stomach whenever she was around him. That didn’t make sense. How could she be promised to one man, but attracted to another?
She stood, then went to one of the portholes and looked out. It was destined to be a beautiful day and she hoped she wasn’t making a mistake by accepting Roman’s invitation to go fishing. She was attracted to him but that couldn’t be helped. He was such a good-looking man. That couldn’t be helped, either, since he looked a lot like his father, and she would have to say Roman Sr. was good-looking, as well.
She’d heard stories of how much of a ladies’ man Roman’s father used to be before marrying Roman’s mother, Traci, who had been her aunt Marilyn’s best friend while growing up. Did Roman inherit more than his father’s good looks? Did he carry a player card in his wallet like her single brothers and cousins? Like Tanner? What if he did? Didn’t he have every right to do so as long as he wasn’t hurting anyone? He had told her yesterday that he was not looking for romance with anyone.
She figured any woman he did get serious about would come under close scrutiny with the media, because Roman was a well-respected senator. She’d noted during the television interview that Norma had asked about his future plans; more specifically, if those plans included a bid for the presidency. Instead of evading the question like most politicians would have done, he had given her an honest answer by saying that he had given it some thought, and that if he did such a thing it would be a decade or so away. At present, his main concern was the people of Texas and their welfare.
She thought the presidency was an awesome goal for him to aspire to and hoped he would be careful in choosing a mate. There would be women out there who’d want to be his wife, just so they could wear the title of first lady.
The thought of people using others to propel their own agenda made her think of Karl McDowell. He was the guy she’d dated her second year in college. She had loved Karl and he’d been the first guy she’d ever shared a bed with. He was the first and, so far, the last.
After they’d been seeing each other for about six months, he suggested that she take him home to meet her family over spring break. When she told