Never Say Never

by Donna McDonald

  Ann shook her head. “Cal’s younger than me and he looks it. At least the other men I went out with were nearer my age. I say my attraction to Cal is entirely about my attitude. Either of those two guys I dated would have been great for me if I could have felt the same level of attraction for them. They were certainly willing to show me a good time and try to get to know me, even when I didn’t turn out to be the right woman.”

  Georgia threw up both hands. “How could you be? Because the right woman for them is probably twenty-two and fresh out of college. Rich guys drive sports cars and dress for dinner, Ann. They like their women young and dumb and freaking obedient. Hell, all men are like that, but not all men can lure a sexy gold digger who puts out on demand. Someone great like you is just their backup plan.”

  Cal drove a sports car and wanted her madly, but she for sure wasn’t going to share that fact, no matter how great it would have been bragging to her jaded friend. Ann narrowed her eyes at the unfairness of Georgia’s running commentary, but decided to see this insane debate as divine intervention. It only helped her plans to have a good reason to force her friend to go with her Friday night.

  “That’s mean and you know it, Georgia. You’re old, cranky, and cynical about love. And your daughter is so much wiser about romance than you’re admitting.”

  Georgia didn’t answer her. Ann leaned forward on the table and pushed a little harder.

  “If you’re going to make all these negative pronouncements—you old blow hard—you need to at least offer some convincing personal proof. Cal’s taught me that’s impossible without putting yourself out there and seeing how it really is. So come with me to this stupid fundraiser Friday night and check out this third guy Mariah has set me up with. Make an informed decision instead of just spouting a crabby opinion every two seconds.”

  Georgia opened her mouth, but Ann held up a hand.

  “No arguing—I’m not finished yet. If afterwards you can convince me the guy’s a rich loser, then I’ll listen to what you have to say and never debate this issue with you again. But if you like him, even a little bit, then you can’t say another damn word about Mariah’s work or what she does to find any of us a date. You’ll just have to suck it up and be supportive to us.”

  “Why do you care so much about proving me wrong?” Georgia demanded.

  “Because I may be more of a realist than you. Cal is a terrific man, and we’re terrific together, but he’s always going to be a decade younger. That is not something I can wish away with starry eyes just because we have great sex. Love changes. Sexual attraction fades. I have to know the man I commit to is going to like me and still want me when relationship reality sets in. At my age, this next relationship will likely be the last one I’ll ever have in my life.”

  They both turned when Trudy cleared her throat. “My sister married a very wealthy man. He was a young widower when they met. They have two residences, a vacation home in Barbados, a cabin in Oregon, and they travel a lot now that my brother-in-law is fully retired. Her life is way more stable than mine. I’m still working some and have responsibilities when I’m not, even though I’m nearly sixty. She’s older than me and living with a nice person she still loves after nearly forty years of being married to him. My brother-in-law’s money is making my sister’s golden years truly golden. I think Ann’s right to do all the reality checks. One of Mariah’s wealthy clients could be a wonderful husband to spend the rest of her life with.”

  Georgia’s gaze moved between Trudy’s and Ann’s. “How am I considered the jaded one here? You two think having money fixes everything. Well, it doesn’t. Look at Mariah and her cheating ex.”

  Ann gave Georgia a chastising look. “That’s not what either of us said. And stop trying to divert the discussion. If you aren’t brave enough to take my dare for Friday, just say so.”

  “You’ve been a real pain in the ass lately,” Georgia snapped.

  Crossing her arms, Ann glared. “I’m not the only one. Admit you might be wrong and you can stay home.”

  “No.”

  Trudy chuckled, as did Jellica, who’d been remarkably silent for most of the discussion.

  Ann grinned. “So are you coming? It’s formal. You’ll have to find a sexy black dress and put on makeup again. Looking like a hag will be considered cheating. You have to look your best and be your most charming. My date’s rich men friends have to at least believe you like them a little bit or the dare is cancelled.”

  Ann didn’t look away when Georgia glared at Trudy and Jellica for laughing. Any show of weakness would give Georgia an excuse to back out.

  “Fine. I’ll go. But I think this is stupid.”

  Ann shrugged. “So? That’s exactly what I said when you got me to agree to this dating nonsense in the first place. Consider this dare my way of getting even. The makeover didn’t count because that new haircut took a decade off your face. You should let your daughter make all your hair decisions.”

  Georgia’s exaggerated eye roll set them all laughing at her irritation and Ann couldn’t have been happier. Getting Georgia to go with her to the fundraiser dance had worked out better than she’d hoped.

  Now she needed to focus on the second part of her plan.

  Chapter Ten

  Ann tried not to laugh when the twenty-something cafeteria worker showed her to a table in a remote corner. Who had a reserved seat in a medical building’s cafeteria? Apparently, the doctor who owned the whole place did, which shouldn’t have surprised her. She was also told her “date” had taken the liberty of ordering lunch for both of them.

  Thinking about what kind of person would do all that, Ann frowned as she sat at the non-descript table waiting for him to appear. If the man thought he was going to treat Georgia Bates so cavalierly, Dr. Brentwood Colombo, too-rich-for-his-own-good plastic surgeon, would need to hire a proctologist to remove Georgia’s foot from his handsome butt after she’d kicked it.

  After ten minutes went by, another cute cafeteria worker brought a basket of crackers to the table along with a tray containing two gourmet salads. Ann highly doubted the healthy greens with sprinkles of goat cheese and almonds had been assembled in the kitchen of a place sporting laminate table tops and plastic seats.

  Moments later, a carafe of tea with mint leaves was delivered, along with two glasses full of chipped ice.

  Having been raised to be polite, Ann ignored the salad and instead opened a package of crackers to nibble. It would stave off her hunger enough until her now very late date showed up. Luckily, she didn’t have anything in her mouth when the man finally appeared in the cafeteria doorway. All it had taken was one look to completely understand why Georgia had nicknamed him Hollywood.

  Females swarmed him with welcoming smiles and happy chatter. Some even offered hugs which he returned in kind with no holding back. Their reactions were understandable given the way he looked. Slightly taller than most women, Brentwood Colombo wore a custom fitted suit that matched his still nearly black hair color. He had gray temples instead of Cal’s striking silver ones, but the drabness just created a contrast for his clear skin and clearer eyes. The man was clean shaven with a polished white smile that shone all the way across the room.

  In all ways, he was sinfully handsome, but his allure was more than that. He seemed to genuinely take an interest in every woman who spoke to him. He asked questions, laughed at teasing, and gave each and every one of them a caring smile.

  In short… the man was the polar opposite of Georgia Bates.

  If Trudy and Jellica could see what she was seeing, they’d be just as astounded as she was that their cranky pants friend had enticed this incredible looking man into asking her out. Ann shook her head to dislodge her shock. The last thing she needed was to be less than confident about fostering the man’s relationship to Georgia. But for the first time since this idea had occurred to her, she did wonder if she was in over her head.

  So was Georgia if she really liked him… which could explain her f
riend’s determination to run the other way.

  Sighing in resignation when the hostess put a hand on his arm and pointed at her, Ann plastered a welcoming smile on her face to greet him. She really had no right to judge Georgia’s reaction when she was just as contrary. Looking the handsome man over as he got closer and closer, all she could think is that he still fell short compared to a grinning, teasing Cal who couldn’t seem to keep his hands off her. If this hadn’t been her last date, feeling this level of ambivalence about such a good-looking man her age would have called a halt anyway.

  “Hello,” Ann said cheerily, deciding to hide the discomfort of her personal epiphany with a friendliness she wasn’t yet feeling. She stood for introductions, totally stunned when he leaned in for a quick hug, smelling just as good as he looked.

  “Hi Ann. I’m Brent. So sorry to keep you waiting. I had a patient who didn’t come out of post-op as quickly as I’d hoped.”

  “No, worries. I just got here,” Ann lied, quickly giving him points for apologizing.

  “Sit… please,” Brent said, taking the opposite chair. “I took the liberty of ordering in for us. The food here in the cafeteria is unfortunately basic. I wanted to do a little bit better for our lunch so I had them pick up catering for us.”

  Feeling churlish now in the face of his genuine niceness, Ann smiled. “That was very thoughtful of you.”

  Brent chuckled. “But…?”

  “Beg your pardon?” Ann said, one eyebrow raised. His grin dared her to not answer. Her husband had always said she was hard to read, but lately she felt like she had an “Ann’s Private Thoughts” billboard running across her forehead.

  Brent studied her for a few moments. “But… don’t surprise me again,” he joked, his grin growing wider. “The hesitation was implied by the slight frown you worked hard to hide from me when you answered so politely. I normally don’t buy food for complete strangers, but in my defense, it seemed better to risk your irritation than feed you a deli sandwich with chips.”

  A snort of surprise slipped past Ann’s defenses. “You’re safe. Saying rude things to a handsome and very thoughtful lunch date would be completely terrible of me, wouldn’t it?”

  “Perhaps, but I prefer honesty in my relationships. Don’t you?”

  His self-deprecating shrug and apologetic smile were boyishly charming. Ann giggled at the contrast of it with the rest of his appearance. Poor Georgia. This man was never going to give her enough to complain about on a regular basis. He was just as charming as Mariah had said… not to mention very sharp and knowledgeable about women. He really might be her friend’s perfect match.

  Ann’s candid laughter filled the space between them. Brent shrugged again, obviously unconcerned about the impression he was making on her. She liked him for that… and she was starting to really like the idea of him dating her grumpy friend.

  Her original plan bloomed to life again with even more possibilities.

  “How much honesty are you wanting from me?” Ann asked, unable to stifle her merriment. His wince made her laugh again. “Tell me something, Brent… can you crank that boyish charm down a few notches? Or is it just too natural to turn off?”

  “The latter, I’m afraid,” Brent answered.

  Ann nodded, but the smile on her face never faltered. “Okay. Here’s my honesty. I only said yes to this lunch date so I could check you out because I sincerely care about my friend, Georgia.”

  “Georgia who?”

  Her mouth dropped at his question. Unbelievable. Either he didn’t know her name, or worse, he didn’t remember. “Georgia… as in Georgia Bates. Surly woman who fixes things?” His continued blank stare had her narrowing her eyes. “Mariah’s mother? The woman you asked out in a bathroom?”

  “Oh. Her,” Brent said quietly, grunting before laughing. “You’re talking about Ms. Plumber with the perky breasts.”

  Ann burst out laughing at his description—this time drawing the attention of the entire room to them. “You seriously didn’t know her name, did you?”

  Brent shook his head. “No, and Mariah wouldn’t tell me. I thought about having her investigated, but I figured that would look too desperate.”

  Ann’s smile was wide. Her laughter was from her gut, which seemed to please him.

  “Georgia… Sweet Georgia,” Brent sang, picking at his salad with a fork. “Sounds too nice for someone that sarcastic. She called me Hollywood. I liked that nickname a lot, especially with the wicked look she gave me that went along with it, but I don’t think that’s what she wanted me to feel.”

  Ann nodded as she continued to laugh. “At least I know we’re talking about the same person. That’s definitely Georgia.”

  Brent stopped eating. His eyes crinkled when he smiled. “I confess that I keep reliving the day we met over and over. Nothing I do paints our interactions in a better light. The attraction was instantaneous, but no matter what I wished had occurred, the truth is she didn’t seem as impressed by me as I was by her.”

  “Oh, you made an impression alright. Georgia’s told all her friends about you. In fact, you come up remarkably often in conversation considering all she does is complain,” Ann added, giggling when his eyes widened at the news.

  The red climbing Brent’s face betrayed his pleasure over learning it. She’d given him hope about Georgia. Now she was very glad she’d come.

  “So if you don’t mind me asking—since we’re being brutally honest with each other—are you still interested in her?’

  Across the table, her handsome companion, who could likely have any woman he wanted, and who’d no doubt had more than his share, sighed so deeply Ann’s heart contracted in sympathy. He looked away from her, the sadness in his eyes real and heart wrenching. But when he looked back, the sadness was gone and humor lurked in his gaze instead.

  “I watched her spray herself in the face with toilet water and just deal with it. Cursing like a sailor, she still joked with me about her breasts winning a wet t-shirt contest. That top she was wearing became immediately transparent. My interest in the thin lace bra she had under it made me stupid. That’s the real reason I couldn’t think of what the water shutoff was called. Not one of my finer moments. I could tell I lost major man points with her.”

  “Don’t expect me to throw stones. That kind of situation throws you off-balance. I kissed a man in my garage while he had me pressed up against my car. Very high school for someone fifty-three years old.”

  “Yes. Sounds like a lot of fun too,” Brent declared.

  “It was,” Ann answered truthfully, her smile back firmly in place.

  Brent huffed. “I could tell the contrary woman liked me when she saw me… and long before she knew squat about who I was. She dismissed her interest in me because of assumptions—that’s how she lost points with me. I liked her ‘No Bullshit Allowed’ attitude, which usually translates into stuffy and boring, but she was none of that. Georgia reminded me of my wife in the best way possible. They’re the two most passionate women I’ve ever come across… and I’ve met a lot of women.”

  “Which wife?” Ann asked bluntly, picking up her tasty tea to take another sip. Boy, was she getting brave.

  Brent looked confused by her question, then his expression cleared. “Oh. My first wife. The others were…”

  “Mistakes?” Ann offered, digging for a noun other than gold digging bimbos.

  Brent shook his head. “No. The others were fine women, just wrong for me. I was trying too hard to push the loneliness away. I thought marrying was the fairest way to handle what I felt.”

  Ann studied his face and only saw sincerity in his eyes. That told her all that she’d come to learn. Out poured her story before she could question the wisdom of trying to make this man her friend.

  “I didn’t date at all after my husband died. Every potential man lacked one thing. They weren’t the man I’d married and lost. Dating without the possibility of falling in love seemed futile, so I just didn’t bother. But I
totally understand why someone else might fill that loneliness with anyone willing to help out. I was stubborn in my refusal to date all those years.”

  “Well, you’re dating now though. That’s personal progress, right? Mariah will take good care of you.”

  Ann chuckled and groaned as she dropped her head briefly. When she raised it again, she shook her head.

  “Georgia was the one who talked me into signing up with Mariah. I’ve gone out with matches she’s found for me, but they were a waste of my dating time. All on my own, I fell for a man ten years my junior who is absolutely nothing like any man I’ve ever known. It’s the craziest thing to feel like this about someone at my age. Georgia is a staunch advocate of this insanity being how love is supposed to work. She loves Mariah, but I don’t think she understands how much normal people need her daughter’s help.”

  Brent grinned as he leaned across the table. “At the risk of sounding like a schoolboy about what you’re telling me, do you really think I stand a chance with her?”

  Ann leaned toward him too, ignoring the interested gazes aimed their way. Conspiratorial plotting might look like an intimate conversation, but she and Brent were knee deep in plotting now.

  “You don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell, which will make your conquest all the sweeter. That’s why you have to try to thaw the woman’s heart. Georgia needs you to push her out of her grumpy complacency about love. You’re the only man who’s managed to get under her skin in the whole time I’ve known her.”

  Brent snorted. “After I met her, I couldn’t date anymore… well, except like this… and I had no choice this time because I really do need a dance partner. I’m expected to open the event I’m sponsoring with a formal dance. My youngest daughter is in a snit at the moment and refused to help me out. Mariah hasn’t let me down yet. So I’m guessing you really do dance.”