Looking for Love (Boxed set) (4 page)

Heloise continued, "I know you may feel awkward at first, but as time goes on, we'll become friends. Now, let me tell you about myself. I'm fifty-six years old, was divorced for five years, and hated the singles scene. But I'm proud to say I recently married my daughter's OB-GYN."

Jenna's pulse raced, comforted by her statement. If it worked for this lady, it could work for her.

"Now, let's get acquainted by using a letter game. Say the first letter of your name and choose a word to describe yourself that starts with the same letter. For instance, I'm Happy Heloise."

Strained whispers filled the room, then Happy Heloise pointed to two women in the front row. Jenna guessed them to be in their forties. One wore a baggy gray sweat suit, the other leggings and a long spangled T-shirt. The first woman's mousy voice squeaked. "I'm Carol—Cooking Carol. I own a bakery."

The next woman seemed more confident. "I'm Daring Darla. I like to do adventurous activities like bungee jumping, white-water rafting, and mountain climbing."

A dark-haired woman about Jenna's age wearing a low-cut, blood-red dress that revealed very large breasts spoke next. Why was she here? She obviously wouldn't have any trouble meeting men. Jenna could suggest a good, sturdy bra to support those bosoms though.

"I'm Needs-a-lot-of-attention, Naomi," she said in a husky whisper. "At least that's what the guys tell me."

A wolf whistle broke out from somewhere behind Jenna.

The instructor pointed to two men. "Next."

The first man glanced at Jenna. His instant eyebrow raise and smile could have been just friendly or he could be the bed 'em and shed 'em type.

And she was tired of dating guys who wanted one-night stands. That was the reason she'd signed up for the class.

"My name is Morris Jones. Just call me Marvelous Morris."

Jenna rolled her eyes. And so modest.

The next man shifted nervously and rubbed one hand over the patches of gray hair scattered across his shiny head. "I... can I ask a question?"

The teacher nodded.

"What's the name of this class?"

Happy Heloise grinned. "How to Get Married Within a Year. Didn't you sign up for it, sir?"

The man's pudgy face broadened as his mouth fell into an "o."

"No, ma'am." He patted his balding head in a self-conscious gesture, lurched from his seat, and hurried out of the room.

Heloise shrugged. "He must be looking for Hair Growth Through Positive Thinking."

Chuckles filled the room then the introductions continued. "My name is Woodruff P. Nelson." The man's beard was so bushy Jenna couldn't tell what his face looked like beneath all that hair.

"And a word to describe you, Mr. Nelson?" Heloise asked.

Woolly.
It was on the top of Jenna's tongue to blurt it out, but she caught herself just in time.

The man scratched his fuzzy chin. "Wealthy."

A few of the women immediately turned their charming smiles toward the furry man. Then two more women burst into the room. One, a girl barely out of her teens; her mother a woman in her mid-thirties. The young girl's stylish haircut was obviously meant to make her look more mature, but the bubblegum she popped ruined the effect. The older woman's stiff, high hair reminded Jenna of a hornet's nest, and a very visible make-up line marred the edge of her neckline. They scooted into the back seats.

Heloise motioned to a set of identical twins, the first one dressed in a classic two piece business suit, the second in a conservative navy dress. "I'm Serious Sue."

The second one grinned. "And, I'm Practical Paula."

"Your turn, Red."

Jenna hadn't realized she'd been scribbling on her notepad during the conversation until the man behind her nudged her. When she realized she'd been doodling Zack's name, she instantly covered the page with her hand. "Uh... Jenna, just Jenna."

The handsome, young man sitting behind her leaned forward and whispered. "You should have said Jenna the Jewel."

Heat climbed her neck as she glanced over her shoulder to see a dark-haired man smiling at her. "Charming Charlie at your service," he said glibly.

Jenna smiled tightly, then followed Heloise's gaze as she pointed to another man in the back. "I suppose you could call me Wise William," he said.

Not half-bad, Jenna decided. His articulate, precise way of pronouncing each word made him sound intelligent. Maybe he was a professor or scientist. Out of all the men in the class, he seemed to be the only real possibility for a date. He was attractive, at least in a mild kind of way. Nothing earth-shattering like Zachary West, but well... this man obviously wanted a relationship. If he didn't, he wouldn't be taking the class.

He gave her a pleasant smile. Jenna returned the look, forcing herself to make eye contact as he settled back in his chair.

The mother and daughter pair took their turn. "I'm Wanda Butterworth," the older woman said. "You can call me Wild-Woman Wanda. I like my men wild and warm and devoted to one woman."

The younger girl spit her gum into the palm of her hand. "You can call me Tired Tina. Tired of guys who can't keep up with me."

Tina's comment brought a series of raised eyebrows and hushed murmurings.

Heloise settled on top of the desk and kicked off her heels. Her long black gauzy dress floated around her and fell in a puddle on the desktop. "Now, I'm assuming you're all here because you want to find a permanent, long-lasting relationship with somebody—hopefully, your fated mate. That's hard to do sometimes, especially in a big city like Atlanta."

Heloise wrote the word
commitment
on the blackboard in huge capital letters. "The first thing you need to do is think commitment. When you meet someone, keep that in mind. If the person you're attracted to is a pronounced bachelor, singles lady, or has an aversion to commitment, cross them off your list and move on."

Several people nodded their agreement as Heloise wrote the words on the board:

AVOID COMMITMENTAPHOBICS—DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THEM!

"First, I want each of you to make a list of the characteristics you think are important in a spouse."

The sound of notebooks opening and laptops booting up filled the room.

"Excuse me?" Needy Naomi raised a purple finger- nailed hand. "How do you spell 'voyeurism'?"

Charming Charlie took great pride in spelling the word. Serious Sue's face turned twenty shades of red and Practical Paula broke into a coughing fit.

Tired Tina glanced up from her Ipad and looked anxiously around the class. "Are we going to have to show these to everybody?"

A sparkle of understanding tinged Heloise's eyes. "No," Heloise said, "we don't have to share. Not unless you want to. Now, once you've finished writing the characteristics that appeal to you, make a list of places you might meet people. When you're finished, we'll discuss it."

Everyone got busy. Jenna stared at the empty white paper and chewed her eraser, wondering what characteristic would top Tired Tina and Needy Naomi's list.
Man must be able to perform sexually, non-stop, for twenty-four hours.

Charming Charlie tapped her shoulder. "Hey, Red. Want to go for a drink after class?"

Jenna shook her head. "I can't. I have to work later." It was a lie, but Charming Charlie didn't fit her requirements.

Then she jotted, "My Fated Mate." Seconds later, she silently read her list.

* Most important: Wants to make love twenty-four hours a day

Sighing at her own joke, she circled the first line, then continued in a more serious tone.

1. Wants to get married

2. Loves children

3. Friendly and loving

4. Ambitious, hard worker

5. Handsome

Then she wrote down her list of places to meet men.

1. Work

2. Church

3. Bars—no way

4. ?

She was stumped. Her life consisted of work, her friends, church, and the association for small business owners she belonged to. While she contemplated other places that might be socially acceptable to meet a future husband, she flipped her notebook back and stared at the page she'd been scribbling on before.

Whatever had possessed her? She'd written Zachary West's name all over the page just like a teenager. Remembering Heloise's comment about crossing the commitment-shy people off her list, she immediately drew a big X over Zack's name.

All fifty-three of them.

* * *

Zack couldn't get Jenna Barrett out of his mind.

He slowed his pace slightly, allowing his brother to catch up with him as they jogged their usual course. It was later than usual and the path seemed empty, a rare occurrence for the busy park, especially on a Saturday, but Zack was grateful for the quiet. He inhaled the scent of freshly cut grass as they passed the pond where a group of baby ducks waddled close to the water's edge. The hazy beginning of sunset painted the sky in orange and yellow, the cooler evening air exhilarating.

"I'm surprised you made it away from your bride long enough for a jog," Zack said wryly.

"She knows I like to run," Mark said. "Besides, getting married doesn't mean sacrificing your life. It means you
share
it with someone."

Zack sighed. "Great. You not only gave up bachelorhood, but now you're going to spout off that drivel about how great the ball and chain routine is."

Mark shook his head. "You're hopeless, you know that."

Zack punched his brother's arm. "Maybe. But I'm single and happy. And, I'm staying that way."

"I happen to like being married," Mark said dryly, easing up beside him. "It was my own free choice, bro. Colleen didn't exactly handcuff me and drag me to the altar."

"Really?" Zack arched an eyebrow, ducking to avoid a low branch as they slipped down a path through the woods.

"Yes, really," Mark scoffed.

"She didn't use hypnosis or drugs?"

"Very funny," Mark said sarcastically. "It wasn't just for great sex either. Of course, now those handcuffs—"

Zack groaned. "Don't make me sick with that nonsense about how great sex is with one partner and how nice it is to wake up to the same woman day after day. I'm not buying it."

Mark chuckled, his breathing even as he hurtled over a rock. "Okay, but one day when you're old and alone—"

"Who says I'll be alone?" Zack asked in a shocked tone.

Mark raised his hands in surrender. "All right. You're a stud for life." He grabbed his stomach and made a face. "And now we're changing the subject before I barf from your cynicism. Are you going to do the ad for Jenna's store?"

"I guess so." Zack shot Mark a sideways glance. "I told her I'd make some sketches and see what she thinks."

"Listen, bro, I recommended you because I knew you needed the business." Mark pumped his arms vigorously. "But, you'd better not blow it. Remember, Jenna's a nice girl."

"So you keep telling me." Zack's jaw snapped tight. "Tell me why you're so protective of her, Mark. You just married someone
else."

Anger flashed into Mark's eyes. "I know
that,
and it's nothing personal, at least not the way you're thinking. But I know you, bro—you like women, and Jenna seems sort of... innocent."

"Innocent?" Zack sighed, increasing his pace as the last bit of sunlight slid behind a dark cloud. "The lady sells naughty lingerie and you think she's
innocent."

Mark glared at him, then wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. "I didn't mean she was totally innocent. But she's nice and sincere, a hard worker, not your typical party animal, one-night-stand girl."

"So, you're saying the only kind of girls I date are wild with no morals?"

Mark shrugged, slowing and bending over with his hands on his knees in order to catch his breath. "What's wrong with you today? You're not usually such a grouch."

"I just don't like your insinuations," Zack said snapped.

"Well, you don't have to get so touchy—it's just there are plenty of girls out there you can have a fling with. You don't need to mess with Jenna."

Zack paused, jogging in place. Two cute girls wearing skin-tight running shorts and sports bras ran past and gave him a flirtatious smile, but he barely acknowledged them as he considered Mark's comment. He had no idea why his brother's warnings about Jenna irked him so much, but they did. "What makes you think I'm such a bad guy, Mark?"

"I don't." Mark shook his head. "But I know your attitude toward marriage, and I've been working on Jenna's accounts long enough to know she's not your type. Besides, Colleen likes her and wants to fix her up with one of her friends."

"So, tell her to fix her up," Zack snarled. "I certainly won't stand in the way. I'm simply doing business with her." He picked up his pace, speeding ahead of Mark and following after the two women in spandex, wondering to himself why he'd gotten so defensive over a woman he barely knew.

Let Jenna marry one of Colleen's boring friends or some bozo in her husband hunting class. What did he care?

He didn't need or want a woman complicating his life, especially one hell-bent on
marriage.

* * *

Assignment one—accept a date with someone new
.

Jenna groaned. She'd definitely made a mistake in accepting a date with the first guy who called from her class. If her evening was any indication of how her husband hunting was going to be, she was doomed.

"William, I think I need to sit down," Jenna said.

William Foster was a nice man—sort of.

She'd definitely made a snap judgment when she'd met him in class though. Serious and intelligent had been her first thoughts. Her opinion had drastically changed in the last hour.

Instead of Wise William, he should have called himself Weird William.