The Wedding Wish (Summer Grooms) - By Ginny Baird
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
From the time that she could talk, romance author Ginny Baird was making up stories, much to the delight—and consternation—of her family and friends. By grade school, she’d turned that inclination into a talent, whereby her teacher allowed her to write and produce plays, rather than write boring book reports. Ginny continued writing throughout college, where she contributed articles to her literary campus weekly, then later pursued a career managing international projects with the US State Department.
Ginny has held an assortment of jobs, including school teacher, freelance fashion model, and greeting card writer, and has published more than ten works of fiction and optioned nine screenplays. She has additionally published short stories, nonfiction and poetry, and admits to being a true romantic at heart.
Ginny is the author of several bestselling romantic comedies, including novellas in her Holiday Brides Series. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), the RWA Published Authors Network (PAN), and Virginia Romance Writers (VRW).
When she’s not writing, Ginny enjoys cooking, biking and spending time with her family in Tidewater, Virginia. She loves hearing from her readers and welcomes visitors to her website at http://www.ginnybairdromance.com.
Books by Ginny Baird
Summer Grooms Series
Must-Have Husband
My Lucky Groom
The Wedding Wish
Holiday Brides Series
The Christmas Catch
The Holiday Bride
Mistletoe in Maine
Beach Blanket Santa
The Holiday Brides Collection
(Books 1 - 4)
Other Titles
Real Romance
The Sometime Bride
Santa Fe Fortune
How to Marry a Matador
Real Romance and The Sometime Bride
(Gemini Edition)
Santa Fe Fortune and How to Marry a Matador
(Gemini Edition)
THE WEDDING WISH
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Epilogue
A Note from the Author
Chapter One
Isabel strolled quickly through central campus, a backpack slung over her shoulder. The backpack bounced as she scurried along, rushing to make her eleven o’clock class. The day was bright and sunny with Frisbee players dotting the green stretch of lawn. Soon spring semester would end, and a lazy summer ambiance would settle in amid the blossoming dogwoods and magnolia trees. She was studying for her Masters in Art so was determined to go straight through her program. Being a year-round student wasn’t so bad, and her job in the art library helped her afford it. The grant money didn’t hurt either. She’d never really planned to go to school in the same town where her parents lived, but when the financial packages came in, this had been the best offer she’d gotten.
Wham! Isabel felt something slam into her shoulder, and her backpack slid to the ground.
“Oh man! I’m so sorr—”
She looked up into gorgeous brown eyes. He stood about six feet tall, with extra-broad shoulders and honey-blond hair.
His expression lit up. “Isabel? Isabel Miller?”
She paused a moment to study him; then her lips turned up in a grin. It couldn’t be, but it was. The one man who’d completely broken her heart. Of course, that had been at age twelve, but still… “Robert?”
His face warmed all over as he held her gaze. “I can’t believe it’s you.”
“Ditto.”
He bent quickly to the ground and picked up her backpack, then handed it over. “I totally apologize for running into you. Are you all right?”
“I think so,” she said, still dumbstruck. “I mean, yeah. Of course.” Robert Reed, after all this time. Since he’d morphed into a man, she was surprised she’d recognized him. Then again, she could never forget those chocolate-colored eyes.
“I hope I didn’t leave a bruise.”
Oh, he’d left a bruise all right. Way down deep in her heart. But that hadn’t really been his fault. “I’m sure I’ll live,” she said, sliding the backpack onto her shoulder.
“I can’t believe you’re at Eastern,” he said. “Are you a student?”
“Who says you can’t go home again?” she asked with a grin. “How about you?”
“I did the same,” he told her. “I’m in med school, second year.”
She tilted her head to the side, springy curls bouncing. “As I recall, you always had the inclination.”
His handsome face colored from the neck up. No doubt, he remembered too. All those late afternoons in the den playing doctor. Mostly what got examined was her mouth—with his tongue. Not that she’d minded. Isabel had actually suggested the game.
Robert stared down into pretty blue eyes, feeling his temperature spike. While he’d believed Isabel to be pretty as a kid, she was one smoking knockout now. Her golden hair still fell in ringlets past her shoulders, but those shoulders now framed an awesomely female body. “Isabel, let me explain…”
She laughed sweetly, the sound recalling a song from long ago. “No explanations needed. Whatever you remember, I had a part in