[Dating by Design 02.0] Statistically Improbable

by Jennifer Peel

  I slid out of my truck and landed on the paved drive.

  Zander was waiting for me. His eyes perused me. “You look too sinful for church.”

  “Do you say that to all the girls?”

  “I don’t usually date church girls.”

  “I figured.”

  He grinned. “Did you miss me yesterday?”

  “Yes. I was pining away waiting for you to call me. What kind of a fake boyfriend are you anyway?” I pushed past him to join everyone else entering the house through the back door.

  “So, you’re on board with the whole pretend girlfriend thing?”

  I spun around to face him. “I’m thinking about it. I’m just not sure if I want to be seen with you. I mean, what does that say about me?” I gave him a wicked grin.

  He gazed into my eyes and leaned in. “It would only speak of your excellent taste.”

  “I think I’m going to make you a crown, Mr. Arrogant.”

  By this time all eyes were on us. I tucked some hair behind my ear and walked away from Zander into the group, who had mixed reactions on their faces. There was Mrs. Marshall who looked pleased, Jason seemed amused, and Kenadie pensive.

  I felt awkward as I approached. I didn’t want to give anyone the wrong impression. Yes, I was attracted to Zander, but I was beginning to see how right the system was. Men like him and women like me were completely incompatible. But there was this part of me itching to knock him down a few notches, to get him to kiss me. Not so it would lead to anything, but to show him he wasn’t all he thought he was cracked up to be. And his parting words from Friday rang in my head. I was now a challenge to him and he was going to do his best to make me kiss him.

  Game on.

  Chapter Five

  I found myself undressed and being poked and prodded by the Nanettes in Mrs. Marshall’s sewing room after lunch. Kenadie wasn’t kidding when she talked about how hands-on they were.

  Cissy pinched my butt. “I miss my firm rear end. Enjoy it while you can, sugar.” When she started talking about my perky boobs, I covered my girls with my arms just in case.

  I’m not sure I had ever felt so exposed, but I had never had a dress made for me before. “How much do I owe for the dress?” I looked down at Cissy who was measuring my waist.

  Mrs. Marshall squeezed my shoulders. “Aren’t you the sweetest thing. I’m taking care of everything, don’t you worry. You just show up and look gorgeous.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Of course, dear. But if you would like to help, maybe you can work with Lana on the bridal shower. She’s a little young to plan these sorts of things by herself.”

  “I would love to, but what about Renee?”

  The room got quiet.

  Mrs. Marshall leaned in and lowered her voice. “Well . . . I would love for Renee to be a bridesmaid, but Rick and Renee have had a tumultuous relationship. On again and off again. I never know week to week.”

  “Oh. They look so happy together.” They had left right after lunch to visit with Renee’s family.

  “They are, but they’re both so stubborn. It’s hard when you blend two families. They both carry a lot of baggage.”

  “That would be hard.”

  “Rick’s afraid if Renee’s in the wedding and they don’t work out, it would be a hard reminder for him later on down the road. If he would just marry her like I know he wants to, then it wouldn’t be an issue.”

  Cissy and Adelaide both said, “Amen,” simultaneously in support of their friend. I’m sure it was a hot topic amongst them.

  I smiled at the friends. How wonderful it must be to have such lifelong friends. “I hope it works out.” It was all I could think of to say. Especially under the circumstances as I stood there in my bra and underwear.

  Cissy stood up. “I think I have all I need.”

  That was a relief. The women surprised me and stayed while I put my dress back on.

  “So tell us, sweetheart, what’s going on between you and Zander?” Adelaide applied a layer of ruby lipstick to her thinning lips.

  I shimmied into my slip. “We’re just coworkers, maybe friends.”

  “Uh-huh,” the Nanettes rang in tune.

  “What else would we be?”

  “You two seemed awfully cozy during lunch.”

  I could see why they would think that. He kept whispering in my ear, even if it was to ask me to pass the rolls. “He’s only putting on a show.”

  The ladies eyed each other conspiratorially.

  Mrs. Marshall approached me and helped me zip up my dress. “He’s never brought a woman to ice cream on Friday night before. Or here for that matter.”

  I smoothed out my dress. “That makes sense, considering he was in love with your daughter.”

  The women once again looked between themselves with interest. I saw the wheels turning in their heads, like they could speak telepathically to each other. Then they all three focused back on me.

  “I think he’s been long over Kennie. He was only using her as an excuse. And now he doesn’t have one anymore.” Mrs. Marshall gave me an encouraging smile.

  I stepped back. “Don’t look at me. He’s only hoping I’ll take Kenadie’s place and help fend off any women he feels aren’t worthy of him.”

  “Zander is fully capable of fending off women on his own. He wants your company, just like he wanted Kennie’s,” Mrs. Marshall said adamantly. Her friends were nodding.

  “Someone should tell him that. Besides, I’m not interested in him that way. We’re completely incompatible.” That was a half-lie. I was interested in him, but I shouldn’t be. He got to me. Like the shivers I felt at lunch when he whispered in my ear. And when he leaned in close, my insides felt like I was on a roller coaster.

  The women all laughed at me.

  “That’s what I said about my Ralph and we’ve been married for well over forty years,” Cissy said.

  “I didn’t even like Ken when I first met him. I thought he was a pest,” Adelaide confessed.

  Pest might be a good word for Zander.

  I was trying to formulate a response—or at least a way to escape—when someone pounded on the door.

  “Is this where all the beautiful women are hiding?”

  I rolled my eyes while the Nanettes giggled.

  “He’s a charmer, that one.” Adelaide stood up to answer the door.

  Mrs. Marshall wrapped me in her arms. “Don’t be so quick to judge a book by its cover,” she whispered in my ear. “He’s a good man, even if he doesn’t believe it.” She stepped back without another word or a second glance at me.

  I watched as Zander wrapped up all those women in his arms, making their day. I might have grinned at him. He did have a certain charm, even if he was full of himself.

  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 sett
led 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?”