Dating by Design Series Box Set

by Jennifer Peel

  He wagged his eyebrows at me.

  I rolled my eyes back at him.

  “We have the game on. Your team is playing.” Zander’s words were smooth and inviting.

  “I almost forgot; they’re playing the Raiders today.”

  “This is going to be fun. Jason is a huge Raiders fan.” Zander’s eyes lit up in excitement.

  “Then we can’t be friends.” All Broncos fans were the sworn enemies of Raiders fans. I walked toward Zander and the Nanettes, smiling.

  “You kids run along and we’ll make popcorn.” Mrs. Marshall shooed Zander and me out. She sounded like my mom for a minute. I had missed my mom when I’d started dating. My dad was all for me never dating, and he would have rather shot my dates than shown them any kindness. He never made popcorn for them.

  Before we exited, Zander kissed Mrs. Marshall on the cheek. “You’re the best.”

  No wonder these women worshipped him.

  Zander and I walked toward the family room together.

  “You know, they could have just asked me for your measurements.” He scanned my body.

  “You think you can guess my measurements?”

  “Not guess, hit the nail on the head.”

  I stood and waited. “Dazzle me.”

  He leaned toward me. “Watch and learn.” He carefully laid his eyes on me. I swore it was like I could feel him inch down my body as his eyes roved. “Thirty-eight, twenty-five, thirty-six and a half.”

  I took a deep breath as if he had physically touched me. “Actually, it’s thirty-six and a quarter inches.” I smirked and walked away.

  He followed laughing. “It was the way the light fell on your dress.”

  “Excuses, excuses.”

  “You have to admit, that was pretty good.”

  “It’s good you’ve checked out so many women that you know precisely any woman’s measurements?”

  “It’s a gift, what can I say?”

  “I’m sure your mother would be proud.”

  “You don’t know my mother.” It was the first time I had heard him sound even remotely serious.

  I stopped and took a peek into his beautiful eyes. I detected specks of gold in them. “I didn’t mean to offend you or your mother.”

  His mouth twitched, holding back a smile. “No offense, darlin’. My mom is an interesting woman is all.”

  “Well, she did raise you.” I smiled.

  “I do like you,” he whispered in my ear before walking away whistling to himself.

  I stopped the shivers before following the noise to the family room.

  Jason and Kenadie sat cozied up on a recliner together. Jason was yelling at the screen while Kenadie read a book, snuggled up on his lap. Totally cute. Zander took a seat on the leather couch and I made it a point to sit on the opposite end.

  Kenadie looked up from her book and gave me an approving nod. “I hope my momma and her friends didn’t scare you.”

  “Almost.” I grinned.

  “Sorry you got roped into my momma’s wedding. I mean my wedding.”

  “I’m happy to help.”

  Zander wasn’t one to be ignored. He slid down the couch and settled right next to me.

  “Don’t scare her either, Zander.” Kenadie glared at her best friend.

  “Me? She’s the scary one.”

  “Feel free to smack him, Meg.”

  Zander dared me with his eyes.

  “I would, but I think he would like it.”

  Kenadie and Jason laughed.

  “Why didn’t we invite Meg over sooner?” Jason kissed Kenadie’s head.

  “I see how it is, man. Every time I bring a beautiful woman around, your loyalty goes out the window.”

  “Like I said, there’s no better excuse than a beautiful woman.” Jason kissed Kenadie.

  “Get a room already.” Zander grimaced.

  Jason held onto Kenadie, and in a swift move, stood up with her in his arms. “Good idea. I think it’s about time I got her home anyway.” It was barely four o’clock in the afternoon.

  Kenadie giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. I’d never heard her do that. “See you later.” She didn’t bother to look at Zander or me.

  They may have been the cutest couple I’d ever known.

  “Well, I guess I should go too.” It felt odd staying there with only Zander for company. I wasn’t sure where the other ladies had gone. How long did it take to make popcorn?

  “Why? You’ll miss the game.” Zander inched closer to me.

  “It seems weird staying with Kenadie gone. I hardly know Mrs. Marshall. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”

  “I’m not worth staying for?”

  “Is that a trick question?” The game and announcer caught my attention. I stood up. “Go! Go! Go! No! No! What an idiot. He totally could have made it.” I realized how loud and crazy I sounded. I looked down at a grinning Zander. “I really should go.”

  “You can’t go now.” Mrs. Marshall walked in with a tray that held a bowl of popcorn and two steaming mugs of hot chocolate, even though it was seventy degrees outside. “Sit, sit,” she commanded me.

  I obeyed quickly.

  She set the tray down on the coffee table in front of the couch. “You two enjoy.”

  “You’re going to stay with us, right?” I think it sounded like I was begging.

  “Heavens, no. I have a ton of wedding stuff to do.”

  I started to stand up. “I can help with that.”

  “Adelaide, Cissy, and I have it under control. You’re obviously enjoying the game. Just holler if you need anything else.” Her eyes told me to sit down again.

  I did just that.

  She smiled and walked away with a spring in her step.

  I turned toward Zander. “Why do I feel like we’ve been set up?”

  “Because you’re a smart woman.”

  “I feel like if I leave, I’ll be grounded.”

  Zander, in a gentlemanly move, reached for one of the mugs and handed it to me. “Then sit back and stay a while. And remember you’re holding hot liquid before you jump up again. But I do hope I get a repeat performance.”

  I took the mug from him. “Are you teasing me, Zander?”

  We came face to face with inches between. “I mean every word.”

  Breathe, Meg.

  Chapter Six

  I wasn’t sure how the dynamics would be in the office Monday morning after the weekend I’d had. I hadn’t planned to spend so much time with my coworkers. Once in a while, when I first started working here, I would do something outside the office with Eva and Cara, once even with Kate, the in-house psychologist, but it was usually a quick lunch or dinner. I never imagined spending all day and well into the evening at my boss’s mom’s house. But like I said, we were set up, and Mrs. Marshall kept checking on us to make sure I stayed.

  She even fed Zander and me dinner. It was served to us on the couch while I watched my Broncos lose, to Zander’s delight. Of course, he was an Atlanta Falcon’s fan. And they did have a good team this year.

  I thought back to Zander walking me to my truck last night at Mrs. Marshall’s insistence. He was as arrogant as ever. “Still wouldn’t say no to a goodbye kiss.” He leaned against my truck. His posture and mannerisms were inviting, but I resisted his charm.

  I stood in front of him and gave him my best seductive grin. I wasn’t sure how well I pulled it off, but I noticed his lips part, so I would say it worked okay. I leaned in. He grinned with a cockiness I had never witnessed before, so I leaned in more, placing my hands on his hard chest, which wasn’t bad. It almost had me wanting to kiss him. I breathed in his clean scent. I bit my lip before the act was up. I whispered, “If you want to touch these lips, you’ll have to make the first move.” I dared him with my eyes.

  We stood there for a few seconds, before his lips curled up into a smile. “Darlin’, as tempting as you are, you’re going to have to do better than that.”

  I pushed
away from him, determined to knock him down a few notches and maybe bothered that he didn’t even flinch. “Goodnight.” I got in my truck, trying to ignore his laughter.

  “If it makes you feel better, you almost had me believing you were going to go through with it, and I looked forward to it,” he called through my closed door.

  I walked into the office thinking about his departing words. And wondering why I was even playing this game with him. I said a quick hello to Daphne, the new receptionist who had taken my place, before I headed to my office. She handed me a chocolate bar in honor of it being Halloween. I was looking forward to eating it later. In turn I handed her a pumpkin spice muffin from the basket I carried. I always brought in a treat for our Monday morning meetings.

  I passed by the wall of bliss, a wall plastered with engagement and wedding announcements from our clients who had found true love through our service. Front and center was a picture of Kenadie and Jason. I think Zander had tacked it up there.

  I wondered if I would ever find anyone to look at me the way Jason obviously adored Kenadie. His eyes clearly expressed his love for her. I knew I could cross Zander off the list. Though I was still going to get him to kiss me first.

  I settled in at my desk and logged in to my computer. I texted both my brothers good morning and wished them a happy Halloween. Even though they were two hours behind me, they were up long before me. Rest was not for a cattle rancher; neither was Halloween. We never had one trick or treater the whole time I grew up. We lived too far out of town; our closest neighbor was a couple miles away. But when we were younger, my mom always made sure to dress us up and take us into town for the harvest festival. I ached a little for home and a whole lot for my mom.

  She was probably shaking her head at me right now, wondering why I was playing games with Zander. I wondered too, but a fire had been lit and I wouldn’t rest until he had a taste of his own medicine. And despite his arrogance, I’d had a fun time with him over the weekend. I felt like I could be myself around him. It was freeing to be around a guy that you knew was never going to want a serious relationship.

  I returned emails and got ready for our weekly scheduling meeting where I would see who I would be “dating” this week. Anyone I ever told what I did for a living was either skeptical or jealous. I knew how weird it all sounded and it wasn’t always a dream job, but for the pay and the perks it was a great job for now. I was still shooting to be the director of a gym or fitness center someday. I needed to graduate first and get my foot in the door. I had time, I reminded myself. I was only twenty-six.

  I heard Zander before I saw him. He was saying good morning to Eva, whose office was next door. She laughed at him, and in her laugh, I heard attraction. Zander lapped up the flirtatious overtones of her responses. The more I thought about it, the more I realized all the women in the office, except Kenadie and Kate, responded to him that way. We were all like the Nanettes, but younger. Kate was the smartest of us, and we should all probably take note. She told Zander in one of our meetings not long ago that it was her professional opinion that he had narcissistic tendencies. He agreed with her and moved on.

  What was it about arrogant men that made them so attractive?

  The answer to my question showed up looking beyond handsome. He was wearing a fitted, red button-down shirt. He oozed charisma as he grinned at me. I turned from him, trying to be offish. I only had eyes for my screen as I typed. “Can I help you with something?”

  He walked right in and sat on my desk. “As a matter of fact, you can.”

  “Yes?” I continued to type.

  “Are you still upset that I didn’t kiss you last night?”

  “Relieved is more like it.”

  He laughed and grabbed a muffin out of the basket sitting on my desk.

  “Well, help yourself.”

  “I always do.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “You’re good at that.”

  I looked up and met his eyes. “Is there some reason for your visit other than to annoy me?”

  “I mainly came for that.”

  My mouth twitched, which only made him grin wider. “Mission accomplished.” I clicked the send button on the email I had been composing.

  “Not so fast. I wanted to see what your plans for All Hallows’ Eve are.”

  “Probably homework and Netflix.”

  “Are you sure you aren’t related to Kenz?”

  “Why do you keep asking me that?”

  “That’s what she would have said before Jason entered the picture.”

  I stood up. “We better head to the scheduling meeting.” I grabbed my basket of muffins.

  “All in good time. First, you need to agree to your new and improved plans.”

  “And what are those?”

  “There’s a costume party in my building and I need a beautiful woman on my arm.”

  “Why?”

  “Isn’t that obvious?”

  “Why don’t you go by yourself and meet someone there?”

  “As much as I love women to clamor over me, I have a bit of a situation.”

  I set the basket down and gave him my full attention.

  He in turn gave me a piercing gaze.

  I shook off the little thrill that gave me.

  “You see, there’s a woman who I’ve politely declined on several occasions.”

  “I thought you liked to be pursued.”

  “There’s a difference between being pursued and stalked.”

  “She’s a stalker?”

  “She needs a healthy dose of reality. That’s where you come in.”

  “How is me pretending to be your girlfriend anywhere close to real?”

  “I know you have it in you to be convincing.”

  “I’m not kissing you.”

  He jumped off my desk. “Darlin’, keep those lips primed. I’ll pick you up at seven.”

  A wicked thought entered my mind. “You said this was a costume party?”

  “Yes ma’am. I prefer a nurse or French maid costume.”

  “Don’t you worry. You won’t be disappointed.” I walked away with my basket, leaving him stunned. That’s right. Two could play his game, and this cowgirl had a few tricks up her sleeve.

  Zander sat across from me in the meeting and I could see in his mind he was picturing me as a nurse ready to give him some TLC, or a French maid ready to do his bidding. He would be getting neither. I did my best to ignore him, but I felt the heat of his stare. He was the first man ever to make me feel his eyes on me. It was unnerving in a sensual kind of way. My insides were melting. It was all the more reason to not pay attention to him. I didn’t want him to know he had that effect on me.

  Kenadie started the meeting off by greeting everyone, but I noticed she was rubbing her neck and turning a shade of red. She blew out this large breath. “Okay, I’m just going to throw this out there. My momma has it in her head that I need more bridesmaids, and I’m sure this doesn’t surprise you, but my pool of girlfriends is limited. With that being said, feel free to say no, but Cara, Eva, Kate, I would appreciate it if you would appease my momma and join my niece and Meg as my bridesmaids.”

  Cara and Eva gave me strange looks, maybe envious. It felt uncomfortable.

  “Meg was already asked because she ran into Kenz’s mom over the weekend.” Zander smoothed over any awkwardness. Kenadie wasn’t the best people person, so she probably didn’t even stop to think that what she said might cause any issues.

  The women all nodded like that made sense and their scowls turned to smiles. I smiled back before catching Zander’s eye. He was still staring at me. “Thank you,” I mouthed. “You’re welcome,” he mouthed right back. He did it in this seductive way that had me wanting to crawl over the table and give in to him. But I took a breath and let reason take over. I reminded myself that he was a player and I was going to take him down a notch.

  Eva and Cara agreed right away, but Kate said she would have to check her schedule. I li
ked Kate. She was reserved, but smart and insightful. And a knockout. Like, model beautiful. She had caramel brown hair with the perfect amount of wave in it, and piercing blue eyes. Kenadie had been having her come to our weekly scheduling meetings for the past couple of months so she could give us her thoughts about how each client evaluation went. She noted things to look for on our dates. She had also given me some personalized training that I really appreciated. We had gone out once for lunch, but she was guarded about her personal life. The one thing I caught on to was that she liked Kenadie’s approach to relationships, and she said she wished she had a service like this ten years ago. I got the feeling she’d had a relationship go bad.

  Kenadie looked relieved. “The dresses and any accessories are paid for and the seamstress will be in tomorrow morning to take your measurements. There’s a rehearsal dinner on December 30th at the Rock Creek Country Club, and that’s where the ceremony and reception will take place the evening of the 31st. Which can’t get here soon enough.” She didn’t sound like the typical bride. She was matter of fact, but I knew how much she loved Jason. It had been more apparent to me as I spent some time with them over the weekend.

  I wondered, when it got down to it, if the ceremony and all the frill wouldn’t matter to me when I finally met the man I was going to marry. That maybe, like Kenadie, I would only care that it meant I was married. I didn’t have a mom around to fuss about wedding details. I wondered how my dad would feel about it. Maybe he would appreciate an elopement. But I always pictured my dad walking me down the aisle and my brothers doing something to embarrass me, like objecting.

  “Now that we’ve settled that, let’s get down to business.” Kenadie relaxed in her seat. “We have thirty-seven dates to schedule this week. As we near the holidays, we will only get busier as people are hoping to find someone special to spend the season with, or maybe just to have someone decent to attend holiday parties and gatherings with.”

  Zander looked my way and gave me a covert wink.

  I texted him under the table, something I had never done in a meeting, but the smirk on his face was too much.

  I’m more than decent.