“Hey, man.” Jacob thrust his strong, muscled hand out to Roger. “Jacob Parkerson. I live in Monica’s cottage out back.”
“Oh.” The slightly overweight man with thinning hair shook Jacob’s hand. Mom and the girls weren’t fooling me, he was closer to fifty than forty. “Roger Merit.”
Jacob took the flowers from me. “Why don’t I put these in water for you, and you two head on out.”
I narrowed my eyes at Jacob.
“Thanks,” Roger said. “We have a reservation at Luigi’s at six. I assume you like Italian?”
“Sure.” I walked over to the entry table and picked up my clutch.
“You two crazy kids have a fun night,” Jacob said as he gave us a cheeky wave.
I glared at Jacob as Roger led me out the door.
“Thanks,” Roger said. “I’m sure we will.”
Chapter 8
The restaurant was cozy, and the food was delicious. But I couldn’t enjoy the date like I should. I kept wishing it was Jacob sitting across from me, not Roger. I took a drink of my wine and tried to focus on what he was saying.
“It’s been a little slow at the office,” Roger droned on. “Not really peak season time, you know?”
He pushed up on his upper dentures. For some reason they kept wanting to slip. I sighed and gulped down more wine.
I should stick to someone like Roger. Sure he was a little on the husky side, and his hairline was receding a little—okay, a lot. And he was dull as dirt. At least in three years when he woke up one morning, he wouldn’t look at my wrinkled face and run screaming from the relationship.
I pinched my leg and winced. I had to stop comparing this guy to Jacob. Two days ago I was livid at Mom and the girls for setting me up on a date I wasn’t ready for, and now suddenly I was comparing every man I saw to Jacob.
“That man that lives in your backyard,” Roger said. “I’m not sure it’s safe for you, a single woman, to be living with a strange man.”
I stifled the sudden rush of anger I felt at Roger telling me what I could and couldn’t do. Who did he think he was? He sure the heck wasn’t my husband.
“He spent twelve years in the military, his family lives in Oregon, and he’s good with his hands.”
Roger choked on his beer. “Excuse me?”
I felt a blush spread across my cheeks. “He likes working with his hands. He’s helping a friend of his do carpentry work.”
“You know what they say about men who’ve recently come back from overseas?” Roger asked. “They can go crazy at any time over any little thing. I’m just trying to watch out for you.”
I gave him my best tight smile. “I appreciate it, but I assure you I’m perfectly safe with Jacob living in my backyard.”
Roger looked over my shoulder. “Oh, really? Is that why he’s stalking you?”
I whirled around in my seat and blinked in surprise at Jacob standing by thePlease Wait to be Seatedsign. It wasn’t until he stepped back and motioned for someone to go ahead of him that I realized he wasn’t alone.
Mom, Mimi, Gilda, and Ingrid pushed and shoved at each other, each vying to grab hold of Jacob’s arms. Laughing, he gathered the four grinning ladies around him and followed after the hostess.
They were almost to our table when Mimi let out a cry of surprise. “Well, look it here everyone. It’s Monica. Are you eating here tonight? We had no idea.”
Roger frowned. “You suggested I take her here for our date.”
My mouth dropped open. Had Mom and the girls planned this?
“What’s going on, Mom?” I asked.
“Nothing,” she said. “After we left your house yesterday morning, we decided since Jacob was new in town, we should introduce him around. So I got his number from Frank Carson today, and we told Jacob we’d pick him up tonight and see what we could do about setting him up like we are you.”
