Chapter 1 : Part 4

Dinner First, Me Later?
by Candy Halliday

(Page 4 of 4)

Like mentioning that he didn't see the point of rinsing every item thoroughly before placing it in the dishwasher - he'd sure received a lengthy lecture about that statement. Pointing out that he saw no reason for fifty different cycles on the washing machine hadn't been the brightest thing to say, either. That comment had resulted in Tish bringing poster board and markers and forcing him to write out his own "dos and don'ts" chart to hang in his laundry room.

But Jen's long list of Quick and Easy recipes had been helpful, and he'd also been assured that kids would eat anything as long as it was disguised well enough in a casserole. He didn't like to brag, but his Chicken à la King was getting to the point that it was almost edible.

The unlimited advice he'd received on child rearing was also valuable, though the thought of what it did take to be a good parent still had his head reeling. That vague "pick your battles" phrase still had him stumped, for instance. How exactly did a parent determine which battles to pick? He still didn't have a clue about that.

He'd finally come to the conclusion that as much as he appreciated each and every one of their helpful housewife hints, he could always rely on the standard Guy's Approach to Domestic Living as a backup plan. Namely: Eat out when you don't want to cook; call Merry Maids when you don't want to clean; and take the laundry to the cleaners if you can't figure out the damn dos and don'ts chart.

At any rate, the new house in the suburbs was ready now. Danielle was registered in a good middle school. And he was even signed up with a neighbor to carpool three days a week when school started in the fall.

All of my bases are covered, Jake thought proudly as he took a seat at Tish's kitchen table. As far as he could tell, there wasn't as much as a cloud on his domestic horizon that could possibly throw him a curveball now.

"Someone else will be joining us in a minute, Jake," Zada Clark said as Tish placed a cup of coffee on the table in front of him. Jen Marshall smiled and pushed a plate of fresh blueberry muffins in his direction.

Jake reached for a muffin, and Zada said, "We wanted you to meet the only other single person in our cul-de-sac before my dinner party on Friday night. Alicia Greene is the realtor who worked with your attorney on the purchase of your house."

"About your dinner party Friday night, Zada," Jake began, but the stern finger pointed at his nose stopped Jake midsentence.

"You are not backing out of my dinner party!" Zada insisted. "Your daughter doesn't even arrive from LA until Saturday. You can attend one last adult function Friday night before you become superdad."

Jake started to argue, but Zada jumped up from the table at the sound of Tish's front door opening. "That's Alicia now," she said brightly and hurried out of the kitchen.

Tish and Jen immediately exchanged guilty looks.

Jake realized Zada was up to something, but he never had the opportunity to ask. Angry voices from the hallway gave Jake his answer.

"Don't shush me, Zada! You've been talking over me for weeks, but this morning you are going to listen to what I have to say."

"Alicia, please! Not now."

"Why, the very idea that you think I would be interested in Jake Sims makes me mad enough to spit!"

What the hell? Jake thought.

He looked over at Jen and Tish.

Both of them avoided his gaze.

"Just because the three of you stay glued to the television every time his underwear commercials flash across the screen doesn't mean you can include me in your little fan club!"

"Alicia! For your own good, shut up!"

"No, I will not shut up! And spare me the reformed bad-boy speech you gave me yesterday. I've never been attracted to bad boys. Especially bad boys who prance around in their underwear, claiming to be reformed! So don't expect me to go along with any matchmaking at your dinner party Friday night. If you push it, Zada, I'll tell Jake Sims right in front of all of you that I am not, nor will I ever be, interested in someone like him. Got it?"

Jake looked over at Tish and Jen again. "I sure got the message loud and clear. Didn't you?"

Tish and Jen were both too embarrassed to speak.

Shocked, Jake decided, best described the look on Alicia Greene's face when she came to a screeching halt in the kitchen doorway. But she was breathtaking. Possibly the most genuinely beautiful woman he'd ever seen: long blond hair, a definite stop-traffic figure, deep blue eyes round with astonishment at finding him sitting at Tish's kitchen table.

Until their eyes met.

She recovered quickly, the lift of her chin saying she'd meant every word. She'd never been attracted to bad boys like him, and reformed or otherwise, she never would be.

Jake tried to suppress a bad-boy grin.

He couldn't pull it off.

But he had decided one thing. He would go to Zada's dinner party on Friday night, after all. If for no other reason than to enlighten his extremely pretty - and definitely uptight - neighbor with a few very important facts.

First, bad boys do not prance.

Second, even bad boys could be reformed - somewhat.

And third, never say never.

Copyright © 2007 by Candy Viers

About the Author

Candy Halliday is a renegade Baby Boomer who is also a part-time dental hygienist. She's been married to her Mr. Right for 17 years, has one daughter and two fabulous grandchildren.