“Gentlemen, come on out.”
Geo sat and watched as three rather beefy men rounded the corner and sat before him.
Alicia asked her inane questions, and Geo tried to listen with Penny in mind. The truth was, he didn’t want her dating any of them.
“What’s the most romantic gesture you’ve ever made?”
The first man had a significant beard. “I brought flowers to a girl once,” he replied.
“I like to leave little notes to remind the woman I’m dating how special she is,” man two answered.
Geo narrowed his eyes. That was too good. Man two was out.
“I surprised my ex once with her favorite movie and soup when she was sick,” man three explained.
“Great, now, question two—what’s your favorite quality in a woman?”
“Uh, legs, definitely legs.” Man one ran his fingers through his beard as Geo wondered if there was food in it.
“It can’t get much better than a beautiful smile,” the second man answered.
Yep, he’s out, Geo thought.
“I’m an eye man,” the third guy replied. “I love that sparkle in the eyes.”
Penny had that sparkle. He definitely couldn’t choose man three, either.
“Okay, Geo, which man will it be?”
Geo narrowed his eyes and gave each man the once over. He stroked his chin as if he were deep in thought. Then he smiled as he made his choice. “Number one.”
“One it is. Two and three, get back to work. And we’ll be right back to reveal the choices Penny and Geo have made.” Alicia smiled into the camera until the red light went off. “Thanks so much for being good sports about this. Penny? Come on over here.”
Penny walked around the partition, wringing her hands in a nervous motion. She sat on a stool next to George as assistants carted away the other chairs and Alicia fixed her makeup in a compact mirror.
“Did you know?” Penny asked out of the corner of her mouth.
“No idea,” Geo answered. “I guess things change pretty fast in the TV world.”
“Live in five!”
Alicia pasted a smile on her face and turned to the camera again. “Welcome back, St. Louis. It’s time for Penny and Geo to meet the dates they’ve chosen for one another. Who wants to go first?”
“Ladies first,” Penny spoke before Geo could. “Geo should meet who I chose for him.”
“All right, Jessica, come on out.”
George stood to meet his chosen woman, only chancing a quick glance in Penny’s direction as she shrugged at him. He turned and watched a mousy young girl walk in his direction. She pushed large glasses up on her nose and tucked her long, stringy hair behind her ear.
“Hi, Jessica, nice to meet you.” Geo extended his arms to the girl and folded her into his embrace.
“What was it about Jessica that made you choose her for Geo?” Alicia asked Penny.
“Well, Geo has said he likes all types of women, and Jessica just had something about her, a spark, you could say. I thought she could handle anything Geo threw at her.”
Alicia laughed as Jessica blinked at Geo. She had hard eyes. She wasn’t going to let any man pull anything past her.
“Now, Penny, it’s your turn to meet who Geo chose for you. Ken, come on out!” Alicia threw her hand to the side of the studio floor where a man walked toward them from the dark.
Penny shifted in her seat, and Geo heard her draw in a breath. He was certain he’d chosen the right man to get his point across.
“Hey, Penny.” Ken leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, rubbing his beard across her face.
“Nice to meet you.”
“And why did you choose Ken, Geo?” Alicia asked in her news anchor voice.
“Penny definitely has a type, and Ken, well, he’s it.”
“And there you have it, two happy couples. We’ll have to let you know how this goes, folks. Next? The weather.”
“And we’re out!” a camera operator shouted.
“Thanks for playing along, guys. We’ll see you next week.” Alicia rushed off before anyone could say anything more.
Geo watched as Jessica scurried away without so much as a word to him. Then he turned and saw Ken with his arm around Penny. She was gazing up at him in awe, his beard brushing against her shoulders. Geo shifted his weight beneath him and approached.
“Tonight at eight, Penny?” he asked. He wanted to insert himself into the conversation and stay there.
“Yeah, I’ll meet you at the lounge,” she replied.
Geo backed away and started to remove his microphone pack, giving Penny and her new beau plenty of girth. He smiled and waved a few fingers in her direction when she gave him a seething look over the man’s shoulders. She’d obviously picked a woman who wouldn’t be right for him, so it was only fair. Okay, so maybe he’d gone too far in choosing someone with such a long beard. It had to remind her of her disastrous matchmaking date, but still. At least Geo didn’t have any more competition…
Plus, he had a plan. He’d let Penny see what was out there in the bars. Just as she was being hit on by another guy less than her caliber, he’d swoop in and remind her of how much she was really worth. With any luck, she’d see him in a whole new light.
Chapter Seventeen
Penny showed up to the lounge where she and Geo agreed to meet dressed to the nines. If she was going to attract any men tonight, she had to bring her A game. Nic loaned her an LBD. Apparently, every woman should have a little black dress in her closet, and since Penny didn’t, the one Nic had in stock would have to do. The high heels her sister made her buy on discount were already pinching her toes, but at least she hadn’t had to change her hair. The best she could have done there was wear a wig. But the extra layer of lipstick and the additional blush made her feel invincible. She wasn’t herself. She could hide behind the makeup and other get up. She needed to date to get Geo out of her head. It was her only option at this point. He was New York bound, and she had to have a man in tow by the end of the series if she wanted the cover story to be hers.
She chose a seat at the bar and ordered a strawberry lemonade. She was hoping it’d look fancy, even if it lacked alcohol. She knew the moment Geo walked into the lounge because two women seated at a small table nearby took notice. Their quiet whispers and obvious interest made Penny turn to look as well.
Her breath caught as Geo walked through the lounge and took a seat one down from hers. He didn’t greet her immediately, which gave her a chance to check him out. His hair looked slightly longer than the last time she’d seen him, even though it had only been a few hours. He had a five o’clock shadow that screamed attractive to her, and his black blazer opened above a white shirt with the top few buttons undone, like he’d discarded his tie in the car after a long day.
“I’ll have what she’s having,” Geo told the bartender. As he waited for his drink, he scooted down to the stool next to hers and leaned closer. “Come here often?” he asked.
Penny grinned. “Never. You?”
“Occasionally. It’s a nice, quiet spot after a hard day of surgery.”
“Ah, you’re a surgeon?”
“Yep.” George held his long, tapered fingers out toward her. “These hands save lives.” He took the drink from the bartender and nodded. “Thanks.” After a sip, he turned to her with a frown. “Lemonade?” he asked.
“Hope it’s not too strong for you.”
“It is rather sour.” George took another sip. “What do you do?”
Penny thought for a moment. “Airline pilot. Just got in from a cross-country haul and have a long layover.”
“Nice.” Geo turned to her. “Were there any hot stewardesses on your flight?”
Penny punched his arm.
“I guess that ruined it, huh?”
Penny roll
ed her eyes. Their little game had been fun, but it was time to get down to business. “No Jessica tonight?”
“She didn’t feel it was a fit.”
Penny giggled. “She couldn’t get away fast enough.”
“What was wrong with the other two?” George asked.
Penny’s eyebrows rose. “You should have seen them! One was decked out in full leather with tattoos on every inch I could see. And the other? Well…she was a bit on the old side.”
“How old?”
“Like she-gets-the-senior-discount old.”
“I guess I should thank you, then.”
“You’re most welcome,” Penny said with a little bow to her head. “Do I even need to ask why you chose man number one?”
Geo chuckled. “I couldn’t help myself. Why didn’t you bring Ken tonight?”
Penny shrugged. “I figured if I was going to have any luck at the bars, I’d have to leave the other date at home.”
“Oh, so you two are dating, now?” Geo teased.
“Don’t even go there, George. It took me twenty minutes to get away from that guy after you ditched me.”
“Hey, I saved you from one hairy wonder. What more can you expect?”
“Oh, I don’t know, that you wouldn’t try to set me up with another one?”
“Touché.”
Penny choked on her drink and turned on her stool. They were there for a reason. “See anything you like?” she asked.
Geo turned and gazed around the room but then returned his focus to her. “Pickings are slim, but I think we can work with it.”
Penny scoffed. He sounded like a professional at the art of picking up women. “What about me?” she asked.
“You look nice,” Geo commented. “I hardly recognized you. Actually, I wouldn’t have known it was you if not for the hair.” He reached up and pinched a few strands of her short hair between his fingers, lingering just a few beats longer than necessary.
Penny’s heart skipped a beat. “I wasn’t asking how I looked.” She batted his hand away. “I meant do you see any men out there for me?”
“Ah, of course.” Geo surveyed the room again. “Well, there is a guy that’s been staring at you ever since I walked in. I think our little wingman/wing woman situation is already working.”
“You think you made him jealous?” Penny sipped her drink and tried to crane her neck around to see who George was talking about.
“Men like a challenge. I’m going to excuse myself to the restroom, and I’ll bet you anything when I get back, he’ll be sitting where I am now.”
“I’d take that bet, but you’re too good at this not to know what you’re talking about.”
Geo stood, placed his hand around the back of her neck, and gave it a squeeze. “You get those digits, wing woman, then it’s my turn.”
Penny half-smiled at him. As if he needed her help. He was probably just there to watch her fail so he could write about it. Luckily, they were still working together on the articles, so hopefully, she could prevent personal embarrassments from appearing in papers and magazines nationwide.
Penny turned back to her drink and tried not to overuse her peripheral vision. Within seconds, she felt a presence next to her.
“This seat taken?” a man drawled in a voice that sounded a little off.
Penny swiveled to face him. The man was tall, thin, handsome, and possibly drunk. He swayed a bit on his feet.
“Please.” She tossed her hand in the stool’s direction. She wanted him to sit before he fell over, if nothing else.
“I haven’t seen you here before,” he slurred.
Penny smelled the alcohol on his breath from where she sat. She wasn’t sure what she expected. It was a nice lounge, but people came here to meet others and to have drinks. She probably was the only one in the room with a lemonade—other than Geo.
“I haven’t been here before,” Penny replied.
“Oh, I know. I would have noticed. You’re like an angel.”
Penny grimaced. He was trying some kind of line on her, but he wasn’t getting it quite right. “Well, I didn’t get hurt. You know, when I fell from heaven.”
The man laughed too loudly. “Well, thas good,” he slurred.
Penny caught Geo returning to the lounge out of the corner of her eye. As he walked by a table with three blondes, they gestured for him to sit with them. She sighed. He really didn’t need her help at all.
“My name’s Ben. Whas yours?” The man leaned against the bar, closing the space between them.
Penny leaned back as far as she could without falling off the stool. “Penny.”
“It’s my lucky day!” Ben proclaimed. “I found a lucky Penny!”
Penny smiled. She wondered if there was anyone else in the room she could talk to. Ben was a waste of time. She thought he was handsome at first, but once he started swaying on his feet and slurring in her face, his attractiveness went way down in her book.
“So, Penny, whaddaya say? You wanna make out?” Ben’s face was now inches from Penny’s. She didn’t know how else to get away from him other than hopping down from the stool.
“Excuse me?” She turned to face him, and that was her second mistake. Her first being not hopping off that stool when she had the chance.
“All righty, then!”
For some reason, Ben took her surprised exclamation as an invitation, and he clumsily grabbed her around the waist and drew her to the edge of her stool. Before Penny could do anything but gasp, his wet lips were on her cheek, searching for her lips while leaving drool everywhere they touched.
Penny’s arms were tight against her body, trapped between them, but she managed to squirm just enough to show her discomfort. Instead of moving toward her lips, Ben’s sloppy lips were on her neck now.
“Hey, back off!” Penny twisted her head away from the drunk.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Geo’s voice boomed down on the pair, and Ben jolted up on his stool, nearly falling backward as he did. “Who do you think you are, making moves on my girl?”
Penny stood, relieved to be free from Ben’s grasp. She used the back of her hand to wipe the spit from her cheek and neck as Geo stepped between her and Ben. She sidestepped Geo so she was more beside than behind him. His face was inches from Ben, who looked like he’d seen a ghost.
“I—I’m sorry, man. I din know she was taken.”
Geo’s fists were clenched by his side as he leaned against Ben, a menacing look on his face. “Well, she is. Get out of here,” he demanded. “Now.”
Ben skittered off the stool, finally knocking it over and racing across the room into the darkness on the other side.
Penny placed a hand on Geo’s arm, and he startled at her touch. Turning to her, she noticed his face was red and his eyes were still angry. His breaths came fast and heavy.
“Are you okay?” he asked in a harsh voice.
“I’m fine, Geo. Calm down.”
“Are you sure?” He placed an arm protectively around her shoulders and drew her closer.
“Positive. He was just some jerk. Don’t worry about it. I could have handled him.”
“Let’s get out of here.” He started to move Penny toward the exit.
“What about our experiment? Our articles?”
“We’re writers. We’ll get creative. I need to get you out of here. Now.”
Penny followed his guiding arm as he led her out of the lounge. She had no idea what had come over him, but for once, she didn’t feel the need to challenge him.
Once outside, Geo finally took a deep breath as his face began returning to its normal color.
“What happened to you in there?” Penny asked as they walked down the sidewalk, putting distance between them and the lounge.
Geo didn’t answer at first, an
d Penny didn’t push him. She wasn’t sure he knew what to say, and she wanted to give him time to figure it out. When they reached the doorway of a closed law office, Geo sat on the windowsill, and Penny followed. He stretched his palms out over his legs and took another deep breath. “When I was in college, my sister was a senior at the same school when I was a freshman.”
Penny stayed silent. She was intrigued, and she wanted him to go on.
“She was nice to everyone and deserved nothing but the best. I had this friend, this guy in my dorm. She thought he was cute, so I set them up. One night, a group of us went to a party down the block from our dorm, and the two of them went along. Things didn’t go very well between them when he danced with every girl there but her. When I found out she’d left alone, I went after her.”
“It was only a few blocks, and she was only a few minutes ahead of me, but by the time I caught up…” Geo stopped and turned to Penny, a pained look on his face.
She placed a hand on his cheek. “You don’t have to tell me. It’s okay.”
“No, I want to.” He put his arm around her and pulled her closer. Penny laid her head on his shoulder so he didn’t have to look at her while he spoke. “The guy I set her up with had followed her. He assaulted her—and she never should have been out there alone in the first place. It was my fault. I should have been there sooner. I shouldn’t have set them up.”
“You went after her,” Penny said in a quiet voice.
“I wasn’t there soon enough. I could have stopped it. After that, she was never really the same again. She didn’t trust guys. She didn’t smile anymore, and she didn’t even have the same laugh. It was years before she would even date again. And even then, it took just the right man to break down her barriers and get through to her. And he turned out to be a jerk in the end, too. My sister—” He shook his head. “She deserved better. Every woman deserves better. I know I date my fair share of women, but I promised myself I would never, ever let a woman get treated that way again. Not if I had anything to say about it.”
Penny raised her head, surprise in her features. This was a new side to Geo. She’d seen him act cocky, self-assured, and even like a downright jerk. But she’d never seem him so vulnerable. In that moment, a new feeling overcame her, and she didn’t give herself time to think it over, resist it, or even truly process it.
The Dating Itinerary Page 16