Kissing Kendall

by Jennifer Shirk

  Sort of.

  “You can share anything with me.” Then she quietly sucked in her breath and braced herself.

  “Well, it was great. I had no idea she and I had so much in common.”

  Kendall’s heart sank as Rick gave him a thumbs-up sign.

  “That’s great,” Rick added. “I went to school with Brandi. She was a cheerleader, if I remember. Still good-looking?”

  Brad nodded with heavy emphasis. “Beautiful.”

  Kendall gave a little anxious cough. Brandi? Oh, come on. Brad went out with a woman named Brandi? Honestly, what kind of mother would name her child that? It’s as if the woman was just begging for her daughter to grow up and become a Hooters waitress.

  “Beautiful?” she squeaked.

  Brad nodded. “And smart, too. She’s studying to become a nurse.”

  Nurse? She highly doubted that. Brad had probably heard wrong. She could picture “beautiful cheerleader Brandi” as of one of those nurse Strip-o-Grams before she could an actual nurse. But she tried to disguise her annoyance at his gullibility—for their friendship’s sake. “That’s wonderful,” she murmured.

  She carefully put the broom aside, feeling more than a twinge of disappointment over Brad’s details. But what had she been expecting to hear? That he had a terrible time? That the woman he would ask out on a date was a troll and couldn’t carry on a simple conversation? That Brad was really interested in her and not this…Brandi?

  No! Kendall didn’t want to hear any of that. She wanted Brad to meet someone and be happy.

  Rick broke her thoughts when he slapped Brad good-naturedly on the back. “Well, since you’re having such good luck with women maybe I will too.” His attention shifted to Kendall and he began appraising her with more than mild interest. “So, Kendall, would—”

  Brad quickly took the man by the shoulders and spun him around. “Water heater is that way,” he reminded Rick in a curt tone.

  Rick chuckled. “Okay, I can take a hint. Work first, pleasure later. Nice meeting you, Kendall,” he called over his shoulder. “We’ll have to continue this conversation another time when the boss isn’t around.”

  Brad shook his head as he turned to Kendall. “Sorry about that. Just ignore him.”

  “I don’t mind. He’s harmless. Thanks for having him come here today to check out my…pipes.” She blushed.

  “Yeah, well, I wanted to make sure your plumbing and dishwasher were up to par. I figured you might not have thought of that, and you don’t want to end up washing dishes by hand on opening day.”

  “You’re right,” she said, grinning at his thoughtfulness. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  He slung his arm over her shoulder and pulled her to his side. “That’s something you never have to worry about. You’ll always have me around to look out for you.”

  Kendall’s grin slowly faded. What he said wasn’t exactly true. She wouldn’t always have him—for more than one reason. A slow chill settled down her spine, leaving her queasy. Brad was back in her life as her friend, but for how long? Soon he’d have a girlfriend as his priority. Then he’d have to leave for his schooling. She’d be left alone again.

  Better to remember all that now and keep her distance.

  She pulled away, leaning against the counter. “So who knew Georgie could be such a great matchmaker, huh?” she asked, changing the subject and trying to sound upbeat in the process.

  “I wouldn’t give her too much credit. She introduced me to a nice girl, that’s all. Time will tell if it could be anything more. But I guess you never know, I could surprise you and end up engaged before the summer is over,” he said with a laugh.

  She gave him a weak smile, feeling her heart take a sudden nosedive to her stomach. “Yeah, that would be a surprise.”

  “Surprise!”

  Georgie jumped, then stumbled backward. Luckily, Walt caught her in his arms before she could fall on her backside. “Oh my gosh! I can’t believe you all did this!” she exclaimed, jumping up and down with laughter.

  Brad’s apartment had been decorated with wall-to-wall pink and blue balloons and crepe paper for her shower. Kendall had had her doubts, but she and Dee managed to make his bare bachelor pad frilly and festive in no time. Brad even went the extra yard and had a baby picture of Georgie blown up and posted on the wall by the gifts.

  Kendall and Dee rushed up to Georgie and threw their arms around her. “Of course we’d throw you a shower,” Kendall told her. “Did you honestly think we wouldn’t?”

  Georgie blushed, casting a sheepish glance toward Brad. “I had a feeling you might do a little something for me.” Then she smacked her brother on the arm. “You little sneak,” she chided. “You actually let these two talk you into having the shower at your apartment. That’s hilarious. And so devious. I love it.”

  Dee smirked. “Thank you, thank you. All in a day’s work, really. We can be quite devious and convincing when we want to be.”

  “Convincing? More like relentless,” Brad added. “Kendall and Dee were on me like two pit bulls. I seriously had no choice.”

  Kendall shoved him playfully in the chest, which she couldn’t help but notice was solid like a concrete wall. “That’s not true, Georgie. Brad was happy to help. You know he would do anything for you.”

  Brad threw his arm around Kendall and brought her up against his side. “Shhh…,” he fake-whispered in her ear, causing a tingle to run up her neck. “Don’t give my sister that kind of information. She’ll use it against me mercilessly.”

  “You know it,” Georgie agreed with a chuckle, then she kissed him loudly on the cheek. “You’re the best brother anyone could ever have. Thank you.”

  Brad rolled his eyes but grinned. “You’re an okay sister, too—when you’re not being obnoxious and broadcasting my love life all over town.”

  Georgie opened her mouth, about to respond to Brad’s gibe, when Walt stepped up and pointed her in the direction of thirty women crammed shoulder-to-shoulder in Brad’s living room. “Let’s not ruin the moment between you and your brother, honey. Why don’t you go say hi to your guests?”

  Georgie gazed into the room and beamed. “Oh my gosh, you’re right,” she said, then kissed him and headed straight for the crowd.

  Walt shot Brad a satisfied smirk. “You owe me. And I believe that’s our cue to get out of here before our testosterone levels start to drop.”

  Brad looked down at Kendall, his arm still wound snugly around her shoulders. “I guess my duty here is done. Georgie was delivered to her party right on schedule. My place is officially yours for the afternoon, so I’m going to take off, unless there’s anything else you need from me,” he added in a throaty whisper.

  Kendall swallowed. She was going to need him to hold her up soon if his thigh brushed up against her hip one more time. He was such a wonderful combination of hard muscles and soft embrace. It was all she could do to move away from his touch.

  “Um, no, I don’t need anything else,” she told him, slipping out from his arm. Liar. She pasted on a bright smile and thought her cheeks would crack from the force. “Go, please. We’re good here now.”

  Brad’s gaze narrowed on her for an extra beat, then he finally stepped away. “Okay, Walt, I can see we’re definitely not wanted here anymore. Let’s leave the women to their fun.”

  “Yeah, we hate to leave. It looks like a rip-roarin’ good time,” Walt quipped, gesturing over to Georgie, who was shaking two rattles in her hand listening to which one sounded more soothing.

  Dee harrumphed. “You won’t be so down on showers when you see the loot Georgie will come home with. Now scoot.” She shoved them both none too gently toward the front door, then gave them a tight wave good-bye. “Ciao, gentlemen. Come back in two hours to load up the car.”

  Kendall couldn’t help but laugh at their surprised expressions just before the door promptly slammed in their faces. “Now that you kicked out the men, and the guest of honor and everybo
dy else is finally here, I’m going to go throw that sherbet punch together.”

  She turned to go, but Dee quickly caught her forearm. “Not so fast,” Dee said. “I thought your grandmother was coming.”

  Kendall sighed, experiencing the disappointment of her grandmother’s absence all over again. “I know, I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you. She’s in…Las Vegas, I think.”

  “Vegas? But why? She knew Georgie’s shower was coming up. Did she have to go away again so soon?”

  “Yeah, well, I kind of stopped trying to understand the way Grammy thinks. Unfortunately, that means I’m not even counting on her being around when the bakery opens either.”

  Dee rubbed her hand up and down Kendall’s arm in a soothing manner. “I’m sorry, hon. I know how much it would mean to you if Maeve were here for the grand opening.”

  “It’s okay.” Even though deep down inside, it wasn’t. She didn’t want to lose anything else in her life. Having already lost her parents and her husband, she couldn’t stand the feeling that she was losing her grandmother too. And it seemed as if Maeve was pulling away from her more and more.

  Georgie suddenly came over and shook a rattle in between them. “Hey, this is a party,” she said, frowning. “No sad faces allowed. We need to be celebrating this baby—and celebrating my brilliant matchmaking skills too.”

  Dee blinked. “Your matchmaking skills?”

  “Yep. Brandi Hunter was on my list of eligible women for Brad. He ended up calling her last week and they totally hit it off! How’s that for skill?”

  “No wonder Brad’s been in such a terrific mood lately,” Dee said.

  Georgie raised the rattle to her chin in thought. “Hmm… I don’t know about that. He’s still kind of crotchety, but now I’m beginning to think that’s just his personality. Or that he’s only crotchety toward me. Either way, there is marked improvement in his overall attitude lately.” She narrowed her eyes at Kendall. “You’ve probably been seeing him more regularly than any of us. Have you noticed a difference in Brad?”

  “Oh. Well, maybe…” Kendall couldn’t quite meet Georgie’s gaze. She had been noticing a difference in Brad all right, but not in his attitude toward her. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the answer Georgie was looking for. To be honest, Kendall couldn’t really tell if Brad was happier. He always seemed to be in a good mood whenever he was at the bakery working with her. If anything, she was the one who was crotchety and frustrated, and every day she worked with Brad, her mood worsened.

  “Brandi’s family lives in Virginia,” Georgie added, “which will work out great when Brad goes to his Quantico training in the fall. She’ll be able to stay with her parents when she goes to visit him, which I’m sure she will. And double bonus, Brad told me that Brandi’s father is a retired police chief. So you see? They have so much in common. They’re perfect for each other.”

  Kendall’s heart gave a tight squeeze, even though what Georgie was saying should have been music to her ears. Brandi did seem perfect for him. She understood what it was like living with a police officer, since her father was one; she was used to the danger and could live with the risks. Plus, Georgie obviously thought a lot of Brandi to pair her with her brother. Kendall had no right to come between them.

  She took a deep breath. “Um, Georgie, would you happen to…uh, have any of those matchmaking skills left in that little bag of tricks for me?”

  Dee and Georgie whipped their heads in her direction and stared at her in stunned silence.

  “Oh my gosh, did you just say what I thought you said?” Georgie finally asked breathlessly.

  There was no turning back now. “Well…yeah. I guess. Do you think I’m ready?”

  Georgie’s expression softened as she reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, honey. Only you can answer that for sure. But you’ll never know unless you try. You might surprise yourself.”

  She nodded. Right. She had to try, but she also needed to be careful and protect her heart in the process. “But I would like someone…” She paused, looking for the proper phrasing. “I want someone…” Safe? Careful? Not a daredevil? A couch potato? “I don’t want to be set up with a firefighter or anything like that. Do you know what I mean?”

  After a moment, a dawning of understanding showed in Georgie’s eyes. “Yeah,” she said kindly. “I think I can manage that.”

  Kendall smiled. “Then…go ahead and match me up.”

  “That’s great, Kendall,” Dee said, clasping her hands together in anticipation. “I can’t believe you’re really doing this.”

  Georgie’s brows came down in a hard V. “You’re not kidding, right?” she asked, shaking a finger at her. “You’re completely serious? Because I don’t think my baby or I would be able to handle the disappointment if you suddenly changed your mind.”

  Kendall laughed. “No, I’m sure. Cross my heart.”

  “Great.” A crafty smile slipped onto Georgie’s lips as she began rubbing her hands together. “I just so happen to have a list here with me,” she said, reaching into her pocket and holding up a crumpled piece of paper.

  Kendall and Dee exchanged surprised glances. “You carry a list of eligible bachelors with you at all times?” Dee asked, blinking.

  Georgie shrugged. “Hey, you never know when the opportunity to use it will arise. Such as now. See? It always pays to be prepared.”

  “Who do you have on that list?” Kendall asked, wary.

  Georgie scanned the paper, then looked up. “How about Eric Meadows?”

  Dee snorted. “Pass.”

  Kendall looked at Dee. “Pass?”

  “Big time pass. Eric’s in jail for tax evasion.”

  Kendall shot Georgie a horrified look. “For goodness’ sake, Georgie! What are you doing trying to set me up with convicts?”

  Georgie held up a hand. “Okay, okay, calm down. A little blip on my part, but not to worry, I have more men up my sleeve.” She bent her head and went back to studying the list. “Hmm…” she said after a minute. “Now that I think about it, I have been holding on to this paper for a while. Maybe this thing needs updating.”

  Dee smirked. “Wow, you think?”

  Suddenly Georgie’s head snapped up, her eyes widening in excitement. “Hey, wait a minute, forget the list! I have the perfect guy for you, Kendall. In fact, he came in to the pharmacy and talked about you just the other day.”

  Kendall’s cheeks grew hot. A man had actually been talking about her to Georgie? Suddenly she felt as if she’d transcended time and gone back to eighth grade all over again. “Really?”

  “Who is he?” Dee asked.

  Georgie straightened her shoulders. “Richard Caldwell,” she announced proudly, as if the name said it all.

  Dee and Kendall glanced at each other and shrugged. Kendall turned back to Georgie with a frown. “Who’s Richard Caldwell? Should I know him?”

  “You sure should know him, considering he’s one of Brad’s friends and just recently did some plumbing work for you free of charge.”

  “Oh, right, Rick. Of course I remember him.”

  Rick flirted with her the day she met him, but she hadn’t taken it seriously at the time. Maybe Georgie really was on to something. Rick was attractive and he seemed nice. Being a friend of Brad’s spoke volumes too. And, he owned his own plumbing business. She didn’t think she could find a man with a more perfect or “safe” profession.

  “What did he say to you, Georgie?” Dee asked. “We need some more information on the guy before Kendall commits to giving him her phone number. What exactly did he say about her?”

  “He thought Kendall had the most beautiful smile—which she does, so obviously the man has good eyesight. That’s a plus.” Georgie tapped her chin and thought some more. “Oh, and, uh, he was pumping me for information about her hobbies. That’s a good sign, too. He’s obviously into your intellect and not just your body—another plus.”

  “Ooh, that is a good sign. I give this guy two thu
mbs up,” Dee said, doing just that.

  Georgie turned to Kendall expectantly. “Well, what do you think? Can I tell him to call you?”

  Kendall hesitated for a fraction of a second, but then nodded, hoping she at least looked confident. “Sure.”

  Dee and Georgie high-fived each other and let out a whoop. “Oh, that’s great!” Georgie exclaimed. “I think it’ll be good for you to at least go out once. If anything, it’ll be a fun distraction.”

  Kendall managed a smile for her friends. Georgie was right—a distraction would be good. It was time to let the whole attraction-to-Brad thing fizzle out if she ever wanted to move on with her life and get him off her brain, and this was definitely a first step. Even though she wasn’t completely on board with dating Rick, she had to remember that in the long run, she’d be thanking herself.

  After all, it was better to be safe with her heart now than sorry later.

  Chapter Six

  Brad pulled his police cruiser to the curb, stopping right in front of Kendall’s soon-to-be bakery. Not that he had any business being at her store or spending any more time with her while he was on duty; he had put in more than enough hours helping replace the flooring a few days ago. But after his run-in with a shoplifter at the local convenience store an hour ago, he needed his mood uplifted and found he was seeking her out.

  He had convinced himself there was nothing more to read into his actions. They were friends and he wanted a friendly smile—and maybe even one of Kendall’s homemade muffins, if she were testing out her oven as she said she would be.

  He walked through the door just as Kendall picked up a hammer. As soon she saw him, she broke out into a lovely grin—the grin he’d been counting on to lift his spirits—and it felt as if the lights in the room had tripled in wattage. He stifled a sigh. Every time he thought he’d gotten over her effect on him, she’d go and sucker punch him with a smile—and just like that, he would be toast.

  She looked completely delicious today—better than her homemade banana bread—in her hip-hugging jeans and an aqua tank top that showed off her lean, athletic arms. He just stood there like the fool he was, appreciating the sexy picture she made and drinking her in with his eyes like a dehydrated man.