Dating by Design Series - Box Set

by Jennifer Peel

  She smacked my arm. “You’re no fun.”

  I shook my head at her. “I love you.”

  She squeezed my cheeks between her hands. “Maybe you should start experimenting, my little love.”

  Here we go again. She was almost worse than Zander. “What are you saying?”

  She grinned evilly. “You know what I mean. I don’t mean for you to go and sow your oats, but could you at least go on a few dates? Give me some hope that I might have more than one grandchild.”

  I laughed. “No one says sow your oats anymore.”

  “And yet, you still know what I mean.”

  I got dinner on the table quickly so we could pray over it and occupy our mouths with food. I had no desire to talk about my non-existent love life for the umpteenth time.

  “I suppose Lana already told you she was asked to prom?” Momma asked as soon as we said amen.

  “Yes, we’re going shopping tomorrow for a dress. Do you want to come with us?”

  She waved her hand at me. “The genealogy society is meeting tomorrow and I’m chairing it this year.”

  “That sounds nice.”

  She wickedly grinned. “Well, Tracy Ellerby wanted to chair this year, but she hardly knows who her great-grandparents are. And have you ever tasted her shortbread cookies? So Cissy, Adelaide, and I put the kibosh on that. You know, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. Just be sure to bring the dress by afterward so I can give my approval.”

  “Sure thing, Momma.”

  “I think something in a jewel tone would be lovely with her dark hair and blue eyes.”

  I knew she would have an opinion. I also knew that’s why Lana chose me over her Nana. I only invited her out of politeness and because I knew she couldn’t come. If she came, Lana would end up looking like some debutante ready for a ball instead of a sixteen-year-old girl.

  On our drive over to the recreation center, Momma droned on about how much she loved Max and what a fine catch he was. Son of a Southern lawyer, all-star baseball player, honor student, and extremely handsome.

  “I hope Lana doesn’t get serious with him. She’s too young.”

  Momma looked over from the passenger seat and I could feel her look of disdain. “Well, at the rate you and your brothers are going, great-grandchildren are my only hope. I was only eighteen when I married your daddy.”

  “Those were different times.”

  “You kids all say that, but from where I sit, it isn’t all that different. Your daddy worked at a movie theater to work his way through school. We scrimped and barely scraped by for a while, but I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Things haven’t changed, love, priorities have shifted. I look at my children and I’m proud of each of you. You’re all hard workers and you make more money than most, yet none of you seem very happy.”

  I was wishing I had taken up Jason and Zander on their offer. I loved Momma, but sometimes her words cut to the bone. She didn’t mean to, but the truth hurt. I knew she wasn’t implying I needed a man to make me happy, but my brothers and I were all married to our occupations. It was escapism at its finest.

  I stayed quiet as we changed into our bathing suits in the locker room. Besides, when Momma and her friends got together, I didn’t need to say much. While they rambled I stayed lost in my thoughts. I knew I needed to make some changes, and I was mostly willing to, as long as it didn’t involve the opposite sex. I wanted to recapture the old me, but at the same time be better. I just wasn’t sure how to accomplish that and stay safe. I looked around at Momma and her friends. This was quite the life I had carved out for myself, Friday night at the rec pool exercising with women twice my age. At least it gave my self-confidence a boost.

  Cissy walked by and pinched my butt. “What I wouldn’t give for a firm rear-end again.”

  I smacked her hand away. Those biddies were so handsy. She cackled, while Adelaide praised my perky boobs. Oh, these women. At least they hadn’t mentioned my uterus … yet.

  Beverly, the instructor, was like Momma and her friends, perhaps in better shape, but she was a good ol’ Southern biddie like the rest. I did hope, though, I looked like her when I was sixty-five.

  We started off walking across the pool in long strides to warm up. I was treated to the musings of the Nanettes, as I liked to call them. The hot topic was Mr. Wilson and the very young biology teacher.

  “Now hush, girls,” momma scolded her friends. “Kennie doesn’t think we should talk about him.”

  Cissy and Adelaide looked at me like I had lost my mind. “Honey, it’s not gossip when it’s true,” Adelaide professed.

  I didn’t say anything in return because I knew it was a lost cause. Instead, I was treated to an uncomfortable conversation about how Bunsen burners don’t make for good mood lighting. That’s really all I can say about it without throwing up in my mouth. This was more a conversation Zander would appreciate, and I was sure Momma would be relaying it to him on Easter that coming Sunday when he joined us for lunch. I was already making my escape plan for when that moment came.

  We had a stimulating hour of exercise, at least I did. I think I may have been the only one who came to the class to work out. Beverly added some new kick-boxing moves and squats that paid for the price of admission, or at least for the ice cream I would be indulging in momentarily.

  I showered and dressed quickly after class, to the laughter of the Nanettes. In a way, I was jealous of them. Friends since high school, each married since the dawn of civilization, and each happy. Even Momma, who still mourned Daddy, was happy and lived life to the fullest. At least I had Zander. I wondered if he would do water aerobics with me when we were old, gray, and flabby. I doubted it. I’d probably still be pretending I was his girlfriend on occasion, while we watched sports and ate barbecue.

  I sat on the bench outside the locker room waiting for the Nanettes to put on their faces, because Southern women didn’t go out in public without their faces on, or at least that’s what Momma said. For her sake, and my sanity, I threw on some mascara and a light coat of pinkish lip gloss.

  My dates for the evening all came out at the same time like they did every week. I stood up and joined them. They surrounded me and we moved like a herd to the exit.

  Cissy strung her arm through mine on the walk out. “Such a pretty girl you are. You know my nephew is still single and he recently finished med school. What do you say?”

  “No, thank you.” I had met her nephew, Orin. He was gorgeous and intelligent, but narcissistic. I had already tried the narcissistic route and it didn’t turn out well. Besides, I didn’t date, and doctors had high divorce rates.

  She wasn’t deterred. She got handsy on me again, and touched my abdomen. “You would have such beautiful babies together.”

  “In that case, would he be willing to donate his sperm?”

  That stopped Nan Marshall dead in her tracks. She smacked my arm. “Young lady, if you’re going to have a baby, you’re going to do it the old-fashioned way.”

  “And how’s that again?” I sassed her.

  “Kenadie Anne Marshall.”

  “I love you, Momma.”

  She rolled her eyes at me and her best friends laughed hysterically.

  Momma held my hand on the ride over to Shasta’s. I knew she meant well and she was worried about me, but there wasn’t anything to be worried about. I was an upstanding citizen, with a terrific credit score and a healthy savings account. I mean, what more could you ask for in life?

  Shasta’s was crowded because it was Friday night, but we got our corner booth. We were about to order when my phone went off. I picked it up to see it was a text from Zander.

  Jason and I will be there in five minutes.

  Why? And I hope you aren’t texting and driving.

  What do you mean why? The Nanettes love me. Need I say more? Oh, and you’ll be happy to know Jason is driving.

  See you in five.

  I looked up from my phone and listened for a
moment to the debate on what they should order. They always ordered two things and then shared. I didn’t know why. I guessed having your very own dessert was too much. I always ordered the same thing, a double scoop of butter brickle in a bowl. “Zander texted me and he and a friend are meeting us here.”

  The Nanettes all looked up with interest and, dare I say, giddiness. Zander was right, those biddies loved him. He had a way of paying them compliments and they ate it right up.

  “Don’t get too excited ladies, or I may have to tell Ralph and Ken.” Ralph belonged to Cissy and Ken to Adelaide.

  I think they may have blushed as they brushed off the accusation.

  “Why you two kids never hit it off, I’ll never know,” Momma lamented.

  I didn’t bother replying; we’d had this conversation at least a hundred times.

  “Is Zander’s friend male or female?” Adelaide asked.

  “Male,” I responded as I checked an email from work on my phone.

  “Single?”

  “He’s not married, if that’s what you’re asking.” I looked up to them all nodding their heads in unison, with evil glints in their eyes. “What?”

  “Nothing,” they replied in unison.

  I prayed silently for strength to survive the night and the shenanigans that would ensue with my three favorite senior citizens. I knew what they were thinking, and they were going to be disappointed yet again. I was done with men. Period.

  Zander and Jason strode in a few minutes later and walked straight back to us. The conspirators made sure Jason was sandwiched between Momma and me. Zander settled in nicely between Cissy and Adelaide. He was audacious enough that he soon had his arms around them both. They giggled like schoolgirls.

  I rolled my eyes at Zander and he winked in response.

  Jason was very polite and thankfully kept his hands to himself other than to shake each of their hands. When he took my momma’s he said, “I see where Kenadie gets her looks.”

  Momma acted as if that was the greatest compliment she had ever received. She nudged me hard in the side before we sat back down. I think she bruised a rib. Jason had no idea what a firestorm that comment was going to create in the coming days, or what it could cost me. Momma had probably already planned out our future together and how many grandkids she could get out of the deal. I don’t know why she wouldn’t accept that wasn’t in the cards for me.

  Then he had to order the same as me.

  “It’s like fate,” I heard Momma say to herself. Except everyone could hear. The Nanettes were beaming and nodding their heads. Zander clued in and smirked. Jason seemed oblivious, thank heavens.

  “So what brings you guys out this way? What about the game?” I asked in hopes of directing the conversation to more appropriate subjects.

  “The game was boring as hell,” Zander said.

  Momma gave him a warning glance for swearing.

  Zander smiled smoothly. “So I told Jason I knew where to find the prettiest women in all of Georgia.” He squeezed the Nanettes and they giggled again. “And here we are.”

  Momma tried to act coy to his little compliment. She gave him a look like all was forgiven for his little language mishap. I didn’t consider hell to be a swear word. I mean, it was in the Bible after all, but believe me, that argument did not fly with Momma.

  “Well, tell us about yourself.” Momma nudged Jason.

  He sat up a little taller like he was trying to be impressive. “I design homes for a builder in Milton County.”

  “How lovely,” Adelaide said.

  “They really are lovely, right up your alley, Adelaide,” I said.

  Adelaide was a retired interior designer.

  All the Nanettes’ eyes sparkled, but it was Cissy that spoke. “So you’ve seen his homes?”

  “I’ve seen pictures of them.”

  “You two have been out before?” Momma was beyond excited.

  I practically choked.

  “Just for dinner,” Jason answered before I could speak. Why would he say that? Yes, it was true, but not in the way Momma was desperate for.

  Zander was looking oh-so-smug. I kicked him under the table and looked at him like he better fix this and quick. He chuckled before he jumped in. “I brought Kenz with me to meet Jason for dinner.”

  “Oh,” my mother sighed in obvious disappointment.

  “So, do you have a girlfriend?” Cissy asked.

  If only I could have kicked her.

  Jason cleared his throat. “No, not at the moment.”

  There was an eruption of smiles at the table.

  “But I’m not looking for one, either,” he added. “My fiancée and I recently broke off our engagement.”

  The smiles came to a crashing halt.

  Cissy reached across and patted his hand. “Well, better to find out before than at the altar.”

  Everyone but Jason looked my way in pity. I felt anger coursing through my blood and a great desire to storm out of there. They all knew that was an off limits topic. I hoped, by the look I gave them, they didn’t push it any further.

  Jason ran his fingers through his thick hair. “Yeah, that’s what my parents said, too.”

  I couldn’t tell if he was upset by it or not. Maybe he was the one that did the leaving. I wondered if there was some poor devastated woman in Texas pining for him at that very moment. Or perhaps it was a mutual agreement.

  I had never been so happy to see ice cream arrive. Everyone needed to busy their mouths with something other than words.

  I wasted no time taking a bite of the most delectable ice cream ever. Jason took the same route, but everyone else at the table kept staring at the two of us.

  “So, Jason,” Momma said, “tell us where you’re from.”

  He swallowed his ice cream and smiled. “Originally New Mexico, but most recently Texas, ma’am.”

  That was it, Momma was more than pleased. “I like a man with manners.”

  Jason smiled before taking another bite of ice cream.

  The Nanettes and Zander all decided to indulge as well. The Nanettes had decided on a banana split and a hot fudge sundae to all share. Zander was a girl and ordered raspberry sorbet. I rolled my eyes at him.

  “Hey, bodies like mine aren’t just made.” Zander wagged his eyebrows at the biddies. “Besides, I have to stay looking good for the ladies.”

  The Nanettes actually giggled.

  Jason scoffed and snorted. My respect for him was elevated. “By the way.” Jason turned toward me. “This is the best butter brickle ice cream I’ve ever had.”

  I smiled. “I’m glad.”

  Why was everyone staring at us? Never mind, I knew. They were hopeless.

  Momma scooted closer to Jason and he turned his attention back to her.

  “Jason, dear.”

  He was already Jason dear? This did not bode well for me.

  “How would you like to join us for Easter services and lunch this Sunday? You do go to church, don’t you?”

  Jason cleared his throat nervously. I almost prayed he was an atheist. That sounds really wrong, but it was for a worthy cause. My own cause, but nonetheless worthy. Right?

  “I don’t get to church as often as I should, but I would love to join you for Easter. Thank you.”

  Momma’s face erupted into the biggest grin. “Perfect. Kennie makes the best banana cream pie you’ve ever had and her homemade croissants are to die for.”

  Jason smiled my way. “Banana cream is my favorite pie.”

  Of course it was, because it was my favorite, too. It was like we had twin taste buds.

  I didn’t even smile. I wasn’t going to give the busy bodies any more mileage than they were already getting out of this little conversation. I only nodded and went back to my ice cream. I did my best to ignore the conversation as it centered around Jason. I say I tried, but Momma was almost being obnoxious as she kept repeating everything he would say.

  “Did you hear that, Kennie, he has two degr
ees? One in computer science, just like you.”

  I nodded and took another large bite of ice cream.

  Zander’s looks should have been illegal. He was getting way too much pleasure out of this. “Jase, you should tell Nan about the time you saved that co-ed from a burning car when we were in school.”

  That earned him a hard kick in the shins.

  Zander winced, but smiled.

  “Did you really?” Momma practically swooned.

  “It really wasn’t that big of a deal,” Jason said humbly.

  “Not that big of a deal?” Cissy and Adelaide exclaimed in unison.

  “Do tell,” Momma urged him. I swear she batted her eyelashes at him.

  “Really, anyone would have done the same thing in my position.”

  Momma actually stroked his arm. “So humble.” She gave his arm a squeeze and I about died. “And strong, too.”

  The Nanettes were out of control, but Jason seemed to take it in stride.

  Thankfully, the mature women were all getting close to their bed time and we had to call it a night.

  Momma slid out of the booth first and then Jason. In a gentlemanly move, he turned to me and offered me his hand to help me out of the booth. Like a fool, I stared at it for a moment. Jason looked down at me, confused.

  “Kenadie,” Momma snapped unhappily at my hesitation.

  That only confused Jason more.

  I took his hand just to put us all out of our misery. Why did he have to be polite? This was why I didn’t have friends outside of my family and Zander. I knew I had problems, but I wasn’t sure what to do about them.

  Jason smiled tentatively at me as he helped me out of the booth.

  “Thank you,” I whispered as soon as I released his hand.

  “You’re welcome.” He looked at me again, like he was trying to figure me out.

  I headed to the cash register to pay.

  Jason easily caught up to me. “Let me pay for you ladies.”

  I shook my head no.

  I thought he would drop it, but no. “Please, I insist.”

  Zander drew close and laughed. “Kenz doesn’t allow a man to pay for anything for her. I’m not even allowed to.”