My cousin and aunt have arrived before me, and wave to get my attention when they see me entering the dining room. I approach the table and give them each a kiss on the cheek before sitting down and placing a cloth napkin in my lap. There’s already a tall glass of Diet Coke with a lime wedge waiting for me. Barbara Jeanne has the same thing in front of her, while Saundra is sipping on a glass of clear liquid with a lime wedge, no doubt her favorite brand of vodka.
Even though we have lunch and girl talk weekly, I’m getting a strange vibe today, like there’s a hidden agenda. Since I don’t believe in beating around the bush, I eye them both suspiciously and call them out. “Okay, what’s going on? You two look like you’re up to something.”
Barbara Jeanne intently examines her nails, while Saundra gives me that regal air as if she’s about to say something important. “Sally, dear, we just want to make sure you’re happy here, and making friends.”
Barbara Jeanne suddenly pipes up. “By making friends, she means you need a man.”
“Barbie, don’t be disrespectful.” Saundra turns back to me. “A Patrick woman has a prominent place in Green Springs society. You aren’t getting any younger, my dear. Barbie isn’t either, but I’ve had no luck so far finding her an acceptable suitor. But I’ll think about that another day.” I feel like I’m at Tara listening to Scarlett O’Hara speak her “tomorrow is another day” monologue. She continues. “Now then. Some of my women’s club friends have brothers and cousins who are widowers or divorced. I’m sure they’d be happy to make introductions.”
My mouth gapes open in shock. My aunt thinks I need a man to take care of me? What is this, the 1950s? Apparently, I need to school her on how independent I am and the fact I’ve survived well enough on my own in Chicago. I clear my throat and do my best to calm myself prior to responding. “Aunt Saundra. I appreciate you looking out for me, but I’m not in the market for a man. I’ve got enough on my plate settling in here, getting the shop up and running, and spending time with you all. I’m very happy with my new life.”
My aunt reaches over and pats my hand. “Oh, dear. I’m sorry, I misunderstood. I pride myself on being enlightened, but it didn’t occur to me before. I’m happy to introduce you to somewomenfrom fine families.”
Good grief, where did that come from? “That’s not what I meant. It’s not that I don’t want to date a man, I don’t want to date anyone right now. I’m perfectly content being single.”
Saundra huffs and takes a gulp of her vodka. “Well. I tried. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, I suppose. Your father never settled down with anyone, and it seems you don’t plan to either.”
Once again, I take a deep breath, so I won’t say something I’ll regret. I know she means well, and it might be the alcohol talking, but she’s getting on my last nerve, especially with her dig at Sandy. Barbara Jeanne speaks up again, hopefully to shut her mother down.
“Sally, I know you and Mr. Green are friends. Why aren’t you dating him? I see you texting all the time. And that guy Drew that works at the garage with him is yummy! Maybe we could double date. Can you hook me up?”
Before I can get out a denial about Nolan, Saundra pounces on her daughter. “Barbie, I willnotallow you to date amechanic.” She says the word mechanic as if it’s the lowest form of manual labor.
“Mother. Stop being such a snob. I’ll have you know Drew is a Moyer, and weren’t you and Daddy friends with his parents before they moved to Florida?”
Saundra takes another gulp of her vodka before responding. Wow, she can put away some liquor. “Oh, the Moyer boy. Why on earth is he working in a garage? I can’t believe a Moyer would do such a thing.”
Barbara Jeanne fires right back at her mother. “Maybe because he likes it? And by the way, Mr. Green owns that garage, and his family founded the town, so surely he would be an acceptable date for Sally.”
“Well, of course; that is, if Sally weren’t socontentbeing single.” Saundra gives me that haughty look that she likely spent years perfecting.
This train wreck of a conversation needs to end now, before I curse out my aunt in the middle of the country club. I’m ready to eat and get the hell out of here, so I signal the server to bring over our standing lunch orders.
Chapter 18
Nolan was meeting Sally for dinner this evening. He wasn’t going to pick her up; she’d forbidden him to do so on the grounds it wasn’t a date. As he double-checked to make sure his shirt was tucked in properly for what felt like the tenth time, he sure did feel the nervousness of a first date. What he wouldn’t give for it to actually be one. As he’d told her many times, Sally was the whole package. Beauty, brains, sass, and drive. He was as happy sitting and talking with her as he thought he’d be in bed with her. Well, scratch that, maybe not as happy. His ultimate fantasy was lying with her, skin to skin, sweaty and breathing hard as they talked and came down from a pleasure high. He was hoping tonight he could push their friendship boundaries.
Twenty minutes later, when Nolan arrived at Leo’s Italian Place, Sally was already waiting by the hostess station. As usual, she took his breath away. “Did my heart love ’til now? Forswear it, sight, for I ne’er saw true beauty ’til this night,” he murmured to her, as he placed his hand on the small of her back. Sally was dressed in a fitted, black dress, the material hugging her curves and plunging into a deep vee at the bodice. She looked as she always did, sexy and classy, but in a more visceral way tonight.
“Shakespeare tonight, Nolan?Romeo and Julietis my least favorite of his works, by the way.” She smiled over her shoulder at him as they followed the hostess to their table. “I’ll take the compliment just the same. You look very handsome as well.”
He pulled out her chair and helped slide her in closer to the table before taking his own seat. The candlelight from the sconces and tapers on the tables made her skin glow and shimmer. He swallowed, forcing from his mind thoughts of how soft her neck would feel under his lips. His desire for her was quickly growing from a want to a desperate need.
“Thank you. Now tell me, why isRomeo and Julietyour least favorite?”
He waited for her response as the waiter arrived, pouring their water and listing the specials. They both ordered on the spot; the house lasagna sounded too delicious to pass up.
“I realize it’s heralded as the greatest love story of all time, but, in reality, it’s about two teenagers who commit suicide instead of standing up to their parents. True love? I don’t think so. Infatuation, certainly. You don’t fall in love in two days, or however long it was, before they got married in secret. Juliet was the worst thing to ever happen to Romeo and vice versa.”
“So cynical. I thought most women found it romantic.”
“Nolan, if you haven’t realized by now, I amnotmost women. NowJulius Caesar,thatis a good Shakespearean play.” She paused, taking a sip of water. “It’s also the play with my favorite Shakespeare quote: ‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.’”
“That’s deep.” He knew he sounded like an idiot, but he couldn’t think of anything else to say. Sally was constantly surprising him. He racked his brain, trying to remember another quote fromJulius Caesar, but came up empty. All he could see, feel, and sense was her. She consumed him. He was in awe, caught up in the candlelight dancing along her smooth skin, the small smile formed on her lips, her fingers wrapped elegantly around her water glass, and her bright blue eyes holding his gaze. “You’re so beautiful, city girl.” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.
She lowered her eyes slightly, as if embarrassed. “Thank you, country boy, but you know you shouldn’t say that. We’re just friends.”
“Friends can compliment each other. Plus, I’m just statin’ a fact. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and I’m damn lucky to be the guy havin’ dinner with you right now.” He toasted her with his water glass, mostly to do something with his hands. An awkwardness fell over the table, and he wasn’t sure how to dispel it.
