Jennifer Probst - Searching for Someday

She rolled her eyes and laughed. “No. Now don’t mention drugs, Jane’s coming.” They watched as Brian rose from the table, put his arms around Jane, and gave her a quick, intimate hug good-bye. Kate studied their interaction, noting the close body language, the open facial expressions, and the relaxed muscles. A solid match, one best suited for a more intimate date to see if a physical attraction could grow. Jane looked so different from the last time she had seen her. The ill-fitting clothes had been replaced by a pair of snug jeans, high-heeled boots, and a rich gold sweater that brightened up her face. Comfortable but fresh. Her normally curly hair had been tamed to fall into luscious waves and flirted with a pair of gold hoop earrings. Stained red lips was her only makeup, bringing a man’s gaze to her mouth. The old glasses had been thrown away for a pair of trendy Coach tortoiseshells, giving her the sexy librarian look men died for. Brian whispered something in her ear, and Jane laughed, then turned and strode toward the coffee bar.

They waited until Brian was safely down the street and away from view.

Ken grinned like a proud mama bear. “Girlfriend, you rocked that date. Tell us everything.”

Kate nudged her. “Anything you feel comfortable telling,” she corrected. “Did us being here help or hinder the date?”

Jane’s normally serious face broke into a smile. “Helped. I hope it wasn’t dumb to ask you to be here. I hated to think Brian thought I couldn’t handle a simple date by myself, but I just wanted to know you were here in the room. Some crazy reverse sort of Cyrano, but just silent.”

Kate patted her arm. “No, many of our clients ask us to stay. And it’s not dumb. The key is to make sure you’re comfortable and relaxed in the environment so you can let go and really see if you have something together. Did you like him?”

Red bloomed over her cheeks. “Yes. We had a lot in common. He met my eyes when we spoke, and he seemed interested in my career and research.”

“We thought since he taught poetry you both would have an immediate conversation topic. We still have a few minutes before Tim gets here. Here, I ordered some biscotti—let’s share.”

Kate bit into the honey-almond cookie, enjoying the crusty texture contrasting with the sweetness, a delicious combination of hard and soft that made biscotti her go-to snack to offset her coffee addiction.

“What happens if they don’t like me?” Jane asked.

“Then you’re not right for each other,” Kennedy answered. “Remember what we spoke about? Just because a man isn’t attracted to you doesn’t mean you’re unworthy of him. It’s a give-and-take—the same elements work in a woman’s favor. We do our best to pick the best suited and wait to see if anything takes root.”

Kate nodded. “This isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Too many women get so stuck on one rejection that it ruins their confidence and blurs the vision of a man who may be right beside you.”

Jane sighed. “You’re right. I suck at this.”

Kate snapped a biscotti in half and slid it over. “You’re new at this, Jane. We all have issues and hang-ups. We created Kinnections because we realized women should be having a lot more fun finding Mr. Right. Why be miserable during the journey?”

Jane pondered the thought, studying her fingers as her brain clicked away. Kate enjoyed Jane’s company. Once she let go of her expectations of what society wanted her to act like, her natural intelligence and charm shone through. Kate wondered why Slade was so overprotective. Curiosity simmered within, and she fought the temptation to casually ask questions about her brother. She ached to know more about his childhood. Other than his ex-wife, had there been others who ruined his ability to trust? Arilyn counseled Jane on her past, but Kate never liked to probe just for curiosity’s sake. They each had a role in Kinnections and tried not to overstep boundaries just because of their friendship. What Jane confessed to Arilyn was deeply personal and private.

Kate glanced at her watch again. Yes, they’d be at an early dinner now. Probably sipping cocktails while they waited for their table. Would he obey and wear a more casual outfit like they counseled? Would he rush the date to get more intimate, or enjoy her at leisure, unveiling each of Hannah’s layers like removing tissue paper from an expensive gift? Would he even think about the kiss they shared or had he easily gotten over it?

“Earth to Kate? What’s up? You look weird.”

She shook her head and refocused. “Sorry, just tired.”

“More like distracted.” Her friend studied her face. “I have a great idea. Why don’t we all go out tonight? A girls’ thing. We’ll talk about men, drink cocktails, and wear ridiculous high heels. And dancing. Definitely dancing.”

Usually Kate craved her remote, Robert, and her pjs on a Friday night. But the thought of Slade with Hannah could torture her this evening. Getting out of the house and being distracted would be the best thing. Jane looked surprised at the invitation.

“Uh, you guys don’t have to include me to be polite. I have to work on my research.”

“No work tonight, for any of us. You’re coming with us, right, Kate?”

Kate gave Jane a smile. “Absolutely. We’ll have fun, I need a night out. I’ll text Genevieve, and you text Arilyn. We’ll meet at The Grille for dinner and then go dancing at Mugs. Deal?”

Jane lit up. Odd, it was almost as if she didn’t have the opportunity to socialize too much. Probably like her, Jane had become used to being alone, and it was hard to break the habit. “Okay, thanks for inviting me.”

Tim walked through the door and glanced around. “Here’s bachelor number two. Are you ready?”

Jane took a deep breath, adjusted her sweater, and nodded. “Yes. I can do this.”

“Remember: be yourself. Relax. He’s not scary, just an alien of the opposite sex that we’ll never understand but must learn how to accept and mate with.”

Jane laughed at Kennedy’s remark and strode over to Tim. Kate watched as they introduced themselves, then sat at the same table to share conversation. She was tempted to walk close enough to see if she got a tingle of awareness but besides cheating, Kate was afraid there wouldn’t even be a crackle. And that would only depress her.

“If we’re going out tonight, I need to head back to Kinnections, then get home to Robert. Can you handle this by yourself?” she asked.

Kennedy waved her purple-tinted nails in the air. “Of course. Wear something slutty tonight. If you keep insisting you don’t want to hook up with Mr. Electricity, then you need to find someone else. I swear if you hit thirty without losing it, Kate, I’ll hire a gigolo for you.”

Kate sputtered a laugh. “Stop threatening me. I promise to dress like a tramp if you’ll get off my case.”

“Done. I want to see lots of skin.”

Kate stuck out her tongue, grabbed her purse, and headed out.

SLADE SMILED AT THE exquisite woman across the table from him. He had to admit, Kate had hit all the facets he always desired in a woman. Besides her physical attractiveness, Hannah Easton was an accomplished businesswoman. Intelligent, successful, with a kind of humor he enjoyed and admired. If he drafted up all the qualities of his perfect mate, Hannah’s photo would be right beside it.

Except . . .

He didn’t want her. Didn’t crave to back her up against the wall, lift her skirt, and bury his fingers between her thighs. He didn’t want to devour her mouth, suck on that lower lip, and bask in the husky moans he ripped from her throat. She didn’t piss him off, turn him inside out, and make his soul shake with need.

Ah, crap.