John hadn’t seen Lori yet but seemed to be scanning the hallway in both directions as he walked past. Lori almost stood and waved, but found herself staying put while the pair continued down the hall and out of sight.
She turned to Serena. “I think I’d like to ask that question now.”
“¿Sí?” Serena nodded. “What do you want to know?”
“Has John ever dated anyone seriously?”
“Tough question. Easy answer.” Serena leaned closer. “Up until recently, everyone thought Dawn—the redhead walking with him just now—might be the woman who finally got a ring from him.”
“Really?” Another flash of jealousy hit Lori; this time, there was no mistaking it. Jealousy she shouldn’t be feeling for a friend she barely knew.
“But since he brought you to church,” Serena continued, “I’m thinking they must have broken up.”
“But she was with him. Like a couple.”
“I haven’t seen them together for a while.”
Except for walking the halls together at church. “Who do you think broke up with whom?”
Serena motioned with her hands. “Dawn is not the only woman who has hoped for more with John, but he has always held himself back. If they broke up, he did the breaking. But maybe her heart hasn’t gotten the message yet.”
Yeah, that’s what Lori was thinking, too. She wondered how she could get John to tell her more.
Friend to friend, of course.
~
As they crossed the church parking lot toward his Dodge Ram pickup, John watched Lori walk in those ridiculously sexy black high heels, her slim hips swaying in that elegant, simple black dress.
She glanced at him, her silky blonde hair framing her pretty face, her rosy soft lips parting in a smile.
“So,” he asked, “did you meet any new friends?”
“Oh, yes.” She looked up at him with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “And I heard all kinds of interesting rumors.”
“Really.”
“Oh, yes. About all the guys and their dating patterns.”
“Really.” Uneasy about what she might have heard from Jeanette, who had latched onto Lori as soon as he’d left for priesthood meeting, John asked, “And what exactly did you learn?”
“Well, I heard an awful lot about you, in particular. You seem to be very popular with the ladies.”
She didn’t say anything more, which drove John insane, but she just walked beside him, swinging her little black purse and humming lightly.
He endured the silence until they reached his pickup, when he opened her door and held it for her while she climbed into the cab. “So what exactly did you hear about me?”
Her smile widened as she slid gracefully up, swiveling her long legs and high heels inside. “Oh, this and that.”
Frustrated, he shut the door and walked around to the driver’s side. As soon as he was seated, he turned to her. “You’re deliberately teasing me.”
“Yes. Yes, I am.” She laughed, a delightfully light, tinkling sound. “You deserve it for dragging me to church. Do you know how many years I’ve sworn I would never do that? And don’t you dare mention this to my brother. Greg would never let me forget it.”
“Did you at least enjoy it?”
She shrugged, but her mouth fought a smile. “It was okay.”
“Admit it. You enjoyed it.”
“Okay, I know you well enough to know you won’t stop until I say something. So yes, I, Lori Scott, who swore never to go back to church, returned and actually enjoyed it. There, are you happy now? Can we go home?”
Her words were tough, but her voice held an undertone of laughter.
John was pleased. Not only had he gotten her to church—but she’d liked it. He smiled and started the truck. “So now will you tell me what everyone said about me?”
“Oh, it was great. I learned you are quite the operator and that you have dated all the women in the singles ward—”
“Hardly all.” He was glad Lori hadn’t seen him with Dawn on his arm; it had taken all his persuasive powers to get free so he could find Lori. But Jeanette could have told her anything. “Who told you this stuff?”
“My sources prefer to remain anonymous,” she demurred. “But I was told you’ve dated many, many women.”
“I have.” He even sounded defensive to himself, and that wasn’t right. “I haven’t wanted to get serious with anyone or lead anyone on.”
“Ah. But I also heard that some people thought you were getting serious with a certain redhead.”
Oh, boy. Busted. What did he say now? He wouldn’t lie about it, though he wished he could. “Okay. Yes. I was considering it.”
“So, friend to friend, what changed your mind?”
He paused, carefully—and frantically—trying to come up with a true answer that didn’t state the obvious: I met you. Finally he settled for, “I realized she might not be the one for me, after all.”
“Well, at least hearing all these stories made me realize you were telling the truth about just being friends. It seems like there’s quite the competition to see who can get you to the altar. Bets are being laid and a club is being formed.”
“You planning to join?”
“Not me, mission man. I’m leaving in less than three months, remember? Charles will be back on October fifteenth. I’ve gotta get back to my Manhattan penthouse and my glamorous nightlife.”
Ouch. That reminded him that he didn’t have much time to get to know her—and that he was not nearly sophisticated enough. He’d have to walk a fine line, getting close enough, but not so close he’d scare her away.
And he had less than three months to do it.
He’d have to bump up his schedule a little. “Mom told me to be sure to invite you over for Sunday dinner tonight.”
He’d have to call his mother before then and make sure she realized it was her idea.
~
Lori opened her cell phone, but hesitated with her hand above the buttons. John was coming to pick her up in an hour for dinner at his parents’ home. What was she doing? Had she lost her mind? Totally confused by her attraction to John and her seeming willingness to go along with whatever he suggested, Lori needed to talk to someone, but who?
Not her mother, who would only get her hopes up. And no way she’d call Greg. No, she needed to talk with a girlfriend, but she didn’t know Serena well enough yet. With a nod, she pushed speed-dial seven.
Marti picked up on the fourth ring. “How was the date?”
“It wasn’t a date. He just took me to . . .” She faded off before the word church. Marti didn’t know about that non-date.
“To some amusement park. I know. How was it?”
“I have to admit it was really fun.”
“I’m so glad. And now, where else did he take you that you’re so obviously trying to keep secret from me?”
Lori laughed. “I never could keep anything from you.”
“Especially when you nearly say it. Tell me.”
Lori groaned. “First, you have to promise never to divulge what I am about to say to anyone. Not your husband. Not my family. Not your family. And especially not Greg.”
“Wow. Sounds great. I promise. Now tell me everything.”
“John took me to church today.”
Marti whistled. “So let me get this straight,” she said, sounding amused. “You’re living in Brigham City and you’re dating a Mormon guy who convinced you to go back to church.”
“Yes. Kind of. Not exactly.”
Marti chuckled. “Any lightning strikes?”
“Don’t make me regret having told you.”
“I’m just trying to wrap my brain around this one. I have to ask you this, Lori, though it’s pa
inful.” She paused dramatically. “Are you, like, being assimilated into the Borg?”
Amused by the thought, Lori said, “Of course not.”
“Well, then what else could possibly account for this sudden change of heart? Oh, wait, I know.” Her voice grew excited. “Did you call your father?”
Lori snorted. “As if. I didn’t call to talk about him.”
“Okay. Remind me exactly what you did call to talk about? Because this bogus Mormon-guy-taking-you-to-church story doesn’t fly.” Marti’s voice dripped with disbelief. “Did aliens abduct you? Do you have amnesia? Head trauma? Heat stroke from spending too much time weeding?”
Lori sighed. “I don’t know why I called you, anyway.”
“Because you love me and I love you. Okay, I promise I’ll be serious, because this certainly sounds serious.”
“He’s taking me to his parents’ house for dinner.”
“You’re meeting this guy’s parents today?”
“No. I met them last week at Lagoon.”
“You’ve already met his parents? Wow! He’s a fast worker, isn’t he?”
“You have no idea.” What she loved most about Marti was that it didn’t matter how long they went between phone calls or visits, it was like they’d never been apart. She could tell her anything, and Marti would give just enough sympathy, but not so much that Lori would indulge in tears. “The guy actually wants six kids.”
“Oh.” Lori could hear Marti’s sigh across the states. “That could be a problem.”
“Only if I were dating him. He’s just a friend, remember?”
“Just a friend. Gotcha. Well, in the case of friends”—she stressed the word—“who want six kids, perhaps he’d consider adoption.”
“Adoption?” Pain flickered through Lori. “He wants his own children, not someone else’s.”
“Lori, have you told him?”
“Of course not. Why would I? We’re just friends.”
“Maybe you need to bring up the subject.”
Pain coiled around her heart and squeezed her lungs. “Maybe I don’t want someone else’s children.”
“But you are so good with my kids. You’d be a wonderful mom. And adoption might be a way for you to be a mother. Forget the just-friends guy. Some day you’ll meet Mr. Right. And when you do, adoption could be a great idea.”
“I’d rather not talk about my inability to have children.”
“Hey,” Marti said with a slight edge to her voice, “you brought it up.”
“I know. I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have called.”
“Are you kidding?” Marti’s voice softened. “Now tell me what’s really wrong.”
Lori hesitated to say her real feelings aloud. But this was Marti, who knew her better than she knew herself. Finally, she admitted, “I actually like the guy. And I don’t want to like him. I just want a friend while I’m here.”
“So just be his friend. And when that drives you crazy, call me and I’ll talk you out of getting too serious.”
Lori laughed. “Can it really be that simple?”
“Yes, Miss Analyze-Everything-to-Death. You can be friends, even if you’re attracted to the guy. Just don’t let him kiss you.”
Lori couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “He already did.”
“What? You’re kidding! When?”
“At the amusement park.”
“You’re in bigger trouble than I thought.” Marti’s voice lowered conspiratorially. “Did you kiss him back?”
“Hey, I know what—let’s talk about you instead.”
“You did kiss him back.”
“How are the kids?”
“You’re trying to change a very interesting subject.”
“Yes, I am indeed changing the subject.”
“O-kay then. The kids are great. Kimmi just brought home a paper flower she made for me in Primary . . .”
Chapter Thirteen
“My grocer was Korean, my doorman was Russian, my building super was Israeli, my deli guy was Chinese, my laundry guy was Italian, my newsstand guy was Egyptian, and my favorite falafel guy was Pakistani.” Lori drew in a deep breath and smiled. She was rambling because she was nervous, because she wanted John’s family to like her. “That’s one way Manhattan is different from Utah.”
Seated on Lori’s left, John’s sister-in-law Becky touched her forearm lightly. “It must be a blast living there.”
“Yeah,” said Clint from further down the table, “but I bet you’ve never had funeral potatoes at your fancy New York dinners.”
Surprised, Lori blinked. “Funeral potatoes?”
Roy chuckled and motioned toward her plate at the grated potatoes mixed with cheese and what Lori guessed was sour cream or a cream soup or something similar. “They’re called funeral potatoes because they’re served at luncheons following funeral services. But they’re Clint’s favorite, and so my mother, playing favorites, also serves them when we have Clint’s favorite pork chops.”
“Oh. Well, they’re great.” Lori laughed lightly. “I’ll have to call my mother tonight and tell her I have now experienced funeral potatoes.”
Lori looked around the long oak table at the ten other adults seated there, many of whom she’d already met at Lagoon: John’s parents, his brothers and their wives—Clint and Julie, Kirk and Opal, Roy and Becky—his friend Quinn, and Quinn’s wife, Tricia.
John and his brothers all resembled their father with matching sandy-colored hair, freckles, and boy-next-door looks. Only the eye colors—and obvious taste in women—varied.
An argument erupted at one of the three tables set up for children, and Clint turned around. “Kevin, knock it off. Leave your sister alone.”
Even with the main table and three others, the huge dining/kitchen area was still roomy. The entire house was large. The rambling ranch house had an old-fashioned feel, but she found to her surprise that she liked the cozy, rustic look.
“What else do I need to know about Utah?” she asked.
“There’s no gambling in Utah,” said John’s father, Wild Bill. “So people drive to Idaho to buy a gallon of milk and play the lottery.”
“You’re kidding. There’s no lottery here?”
“Nope,” said John. “The Church frowns upon gambling.”
Clint laughed. “Except for the U versus Y game. That rivalry brings out the betting spirit, even among Mormons.”
“I’m betting on the Bees this year,” said Roy. “That Callister kid is gonna be a good running back. He’s fast.”
Wild Bill nodded seriously. “I bet they have a good chance at taking State this year.”
Lori asked, “Which college team has the Bees?”
“The Bees are the Box Elder high school team.” John nodded. “We know all the players.”
“On a high school team?” Yup, Mayberry with Mormons. Only this time it made Lori smile. “That’s different from New York.”
“And always remember, once you’re married, if you’re called a ten-cow wife,” said John’s mother, Irene, with a laugh, “take it as a compliment.”
Lori was skeptical. “Now you’re pulling my leg.”
Roy lifted Becky’s hand and pointed to her ring. “Now this is a ten-cow ring.”
“Oh, no way,” Clint said. “Julie’s ring is a ten-cow job.”
Kirk said, “Opal’s cost eleven cows, easy.”
Lori laughed. “I still don’t get the cow thing.”
Becky put down her fork. “It’s from a movie—Johnny Lingo. The bigger the ring, the more cows you would be worth in the Pacific Islands.”
“No matter how you define it,” said Roy, “John is going to have to spend a small fortune to outdo his brothers.”
Oh, dear. Time for a
change of subject. Lori’s cheeks warmed. Seated to her right, John caught her gaze and chuckled.
The conversation swirled noisily around her, almost overwhelming, but she liked it. It was a fast and furious energy that reminded her of the high-octane rush of living in New York. As Lori watched John’s family members tease and laugh together, she could feel the undercurrent of love—and it seemed to include and enfold her with warmth.
John bounced his four-year-old niece, Gabi, on his knee, feeding her little bites of funeral potatoes in between his own. “Is that yummy, honey?”
When Gabi nodded her cute little blonde ponytailed head, John looked over at Lori and winked as he continued to baby talk. “Are you really cute?”
“Uh-huh.” Another bounce of Gabi’s ponytail. “I cute.”
John looked back at the little girl on his knee while Lori found herself suddenly struggling to catch her breath. Was this really how family dinners were supposed to be? Happy and rambunctious? With a mother and father at either end of the table?
Was this what her own family could have been like—should have been like—if her father hadn’t deserted them?
Anger flooded her as she realized this was exactly what her father had right now with Fiona and the Hideous H’s. He’d replaced Lori and Greg with a totally new family and never looked back. Lori would never forgive either her father or Fiona.
John leaned close, his brows furrowed and his low voice concerned. “Are you okay, Lori?”
As she looked into his blue eyes, she breathed deeply and let the anger drain away. She wasn’t going to ruin this beautiful moment by dwelling on her own broken family. “Just thinking.”
“About?”
“What a great family you have.”
“I like ’em.” He glanced at his brother, Roy. “Well, except for Roy on certain days.”
“Hey,” said Roy. “What’d I ever do to you?”
“Besides team up with Clint and Kirk to tie me up and feed me to the wolves?”
“Bandit was hardly a wolf.” Roy snorted. “Worst he could have done was lick you to death.”
Across from Lori, Quinn asked, “So tell me—which John Wayne movie will we all be watching after dinner today?”
How to Stuff a Wild Zucchini Page 13