“Are you trying to tell me that I’m not going to be able to get it up for any woman but Jane Fox? I’m gone on her—sure—but I can’t see that being the case with me. She’s not the only woman in the world, Harrison. The woman today was just as physically attractive,” Walter said.
Harrison made a face and nodded. “You’d think that because you’re a confident man, and because you don’t know how bad it can be. Every time your father tried to fool around with someone else, his equipment failed him. I tried to tell him that it just doesn’t work that way. His mind had chosen a woman and his body was just backing it up. Being a scientist though, Leland had to fail quite a bit before he accepted it as a fact. It was almost too late by the time he came to me for help.”
“Are you telling me my world-renowned physicist father, Leland Graham, not only bought into your one woman theory, but also asked you for help?”
“Yes. That was right before he broke up your mother’s engagement. Did he ever tell you about that? He planted himself in front of April until her fiancé came around, then Leland kissed her like he owned her. Your father took a punch to the chin for it and got knocked on his brainy ass. April ran to his side and her fiancé dumped her for being sympathetic. Never been more proud of your father, not even when he was nominated for that hoity-toity science award,” Harrison said, grinning at the memory as the last of his cognac slid down smoothly.
“The hoity-toity science award was the Nobel Prize in Physics, Harrison,” Walter said, leaning back in his chair to shake his head. “And Dad said he married Mom because she was the only woman who understood how important his work was to him.”
Harrison snorted at the vanilla story. “Bullshit. What he told you was pure crapola. Leland Graham was smitten and stupid with it. He kept your mother in bed for six months after he broke up her engagement, and married her as soon as he could to make sure she stayed there. Whatever it was April was looking for in a man, Leland made sure she found it in him. I’ve questioned a lot of things about your father over the years, but his love for your mother has never been one of them. They still have the same kind of love between them that I had with your grandmother. I only wish your Aunt Rue would have gotten that lucky. I’m hoping you do and that I live long enough to see it.”
“Not that I’m really buying any of this, but since we’re talking about how to get someone’s attention, got any ideas how to get Jane to give me a chance?” Walter asked.
Harrison shook his head. “Not yet. . .but I’m working on it.”
Walter climbed to his feet feeling light-headed. He rarely drank, and tried to keep it to red wine or a couple of beers when he did. His system just didn’t handle alcohol well. He hoped the wine didn’t give him a hangover tomorrow. The eco architects were coming by to examine the grounds at North Winds.
“Headed back to my place now, Harrison. Need anything before I go?” Walter asked.
“Just a hug,” Harrison replied, stretching up a little as his grandson bent to him. “Goodnight, Walter. Thanks for listening to an old coot’s stupid theories.”
“Goodnight, Harrison. See you at the office tomorrow. Don’t be in a hurry unless you want to watch me train Amanda.”
Harrison shook his head. “No need. You made a good decision there.”
Walter nodded. “Thanks. I had a good feeling about her. If she works out, I can focus all my energy on the renovations. I really didn’t want to deal with residence problems. It took about two days for that to become completely clear to me. I don’t know how Jane did it.”
“Jane is a special kind of person,” Harrison said, waving goodbye as Walter nodded, sighed, and closed the door behind him.
***
Jane checked her watch again. Her date had excused himself twenty minutes ago and hadn’t returned. She drummed her fingers on the table, wondering what she would have to tip the waiter to get him to check on him in the restroom. The restaurant was in the process of closing. Only two tables with customers were left and she sat at one of them.
“Excuse me,” Jane said, flagging down her waiter. “Could I ask you a big favor? My date went to the bathroom and I’m starting to get worried about him.”
The waiter stared at her, surprise widening his gaze.
“What’s the matter? Did I offend you with my question? If so, I’m sorry. I wouldn’t ask, but I really am worried,” Jane explained, smiling to show her sincerity.
“That guy you came in with was your date?” he asked.
“Yes,” Jane answered cautiously, tilting her head. “Why do you ask it that way?”
“That guy left about twenty minutes ago. I figured you knew. Sorry.”
Jane watched the waiter pause for a moment, probably to let her absorb the information, but her mind just couldn’t quite take it in. When she didn’t answer fast enough, the guy served up the rest of her humiliation as fast as his lips could move.
“Don’t take it too hard, ma’am. This happens a couple times a week. Want me to get the manager? He’ll let you come in and pay tomorrow if you can’t pay tonight. He’s a really nice guy about women who get stiffed.”
Jane’s mouth opened and closed in surprise.
Pay. Of course. She’d have to pay for the hundred and twenty dollar dinner they had both eaten. Unbelievable. The guy had just run away and left her to pay for the meal.
“No. That won’t be necessary.” Jane dug in her purse and pulled out a credit card. “Here. This will take care of it.”
The waiter looked sadly at her for a moment before rushing away to settle the bill. After he left, Jane leaned back in her chair and stared in shock at the empty chair across from her. All through dinner she had been thinking what an attentive man her date had been. He’d asked her questions, listened to her answers. How could he have just left?
Jane shook her head at how foolish she felt. So much for her online dating foray. She could definitely mark investing in one of those services off her potential new projects list.
When the waiter returned, she tried to offer a confident smile as he left the receipt for her to sign. She bent to the task, mumbling to herself as she added on a healthy tip for the waiter’s embarrassed honesty. “Just give up the search, Jane. There are no good men left in Falls Church to date.”
Masculine laughter reached her ears and had her lifting her head. Sitting at the table next to hers was a man dressed in business clothes.
“Sorry. But that’s a pretty harsh denouncement, don’t you think?” he asked.
“Not really. My much lighter wallet doesn’t think so either,” Jane said, laying the pen down on the receipt.
The waiter grabbed it and ran away from her faster than JD making one of his escapes. Fine. What did she care what a stranger thought of her situation? She gathered her things and stood. All she wanted right now was to put the sad, sorry evening behind her.
“You’re way too young to be so jaded. Go out with me sometime. Let me prove to you that there are at least a few good men left in town,” he ordered.
“No thanks,” Jane said, shaking her head. “I’ve decided not to date strangers anymore.”
“Probably a smart idea,” he said with a nod.
Jane watched as the man rose from his table, walked over, and held out a manicured hand for her to shake. She took her time in responding, looking at his hand, his suit, and his nice face before putting her hand in his. The man was probably her age she guessed. A little too polished for her taste, but he had kind eyes. She shook his hand like she would a business client’s.
“Hi. Nice to meet you. I’m Jane Fox—eternal dating optimist—but not as gullible as tonight’s situation indicates. I’m just having a lousy week.”
“Nice to meet you too, Jane Fox. My name is Kenneth Adams. What are you doing for dinner tomorrow night?” he asked.
“Eating at home. It’s way cheaper and far less embarrassing,” Jane answered.
Her mood lifted when Kenneth Adams smiled at her self-effacing joke, reve
aling a dimple in his cheek. She liked the way he was biting his lip to keep from laughing too.
“What if I promise to pay for dinner before I run out the door no matter how we get along?” Kenneth asked.
Jane snorted, dropped his hand, and sighed. “Oh, why not? How much worse can you be? No, don’t answer that. Let me just pretend that I’m going out with the last nice guy in Falls Church. It’s an illusion, but I really need one right now. It will make retelling this story a whole lot better later.”
His amused smile of approval got an answering one in return from her. Her foolish date tonight had cost her a lot of money, but as she climbed into a cab, Jane decided she’d had much worse ones. Kenneth Adams was the most promising man she’d met in a long time.
Chapter 3
As his mind drifted from the conversation around him, Walter looked away to watch a waiter refilling wine glasses at a table several feet away from theirs. The couple kept smiling at the waiter and making him laugh. Wondering what they were celebrating was far more interesting than anything happening for him that evening.
Now why had he agreed to this tedious double-date? Oh yeah. . .it was Harrison and his stupid theory. He had thought to do a discreet experiment that would prove his grandfather wrong about his ability to show an interest in other women. So far his gorgeous date had complained about her best friend’s wedding that she hadn’t been invited to be in, expounded at length about her ex-boyfriend’s jealousy, and recited the entire encyclopedia list of all her car problems. He couldn’t remember what she said she did for a living, and wasn’t completely sure she had even shared it.
She certainly hadn’t asked him any questions about his life.
The woman was great to look at, but. . .Walter’s thoughts stumbled over his dilemma as he studied her talking animatedly about yet another boring topic. He felt himself fighting an urge to sigh in disappointment.
She had all the right things going for her. Great hair. Great dress. Great nails. But she was boring. That was the simple truth. He found the woman boring. She was totally self-absorbed and caught up in a trillion tiny petty things. She wasn’t even being very attentive to Amanda, and they were supposed to be good friends.
Damn you, Harrison. Is this what you meant?
His friend Daniel cleared his throat, snapping his full attention back to the conversation, and centering it once more on the attractive woman at his side. She seemed to be waiting for an answer to something she had said. Damn it.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?” Walter inquired politely, flashing her a wide smile in hopes she’d overlook his lack of focus. Instead of answering, or repeating what she had said, his date rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone. He watched her typing frantically for a full minute, wanting to laugh at her setting fire to his man card right in front of him. Why not disparage him online? Hell, he’d already paid for her dinner.
He looked at his friend Daniel and shook his head, sending the universal guy signal for ‘never again’. When Daniel shrugged and Amanda snickered, Walter snorted in reply to their amusement over his blundering.
He and Daniel Reynolds had grown up together, but at the moment Daniel seemed a lot more grown up than him. Walter couldn’t hold back his sigh of resignation any longer when his best friend and the woman he loved linked fingers on top of the table. He was happy for them as a couple, but envious too. He wanted that connection. He wanted friendship. . .and understanding. Someone who got his jokes. Someone who made his days worth living and his nights way more interesting than just dinner with his grandfather.
While his ‘date’ kept on typing furiously and muttering under her breath, Daniel stuck out his tongue and Amanda crossed her eyes.
Then to make a bad date night even worse, Walter thought for sure he heard Jane laughing somewhere behind him. His head whipped around to check, and sure enough there she was, walking to a nearby table in front of some guy dressed in an expensive suit. And not just any guy, but an older guy, a guy who looked exactly like the one Jane kept insisting she was looking for.
Damning his lousy luck and lousier timing, Walter turned back to his table. Here he was out on a date he’d orchestrated to happen, and it felt even worse than what Harrison had warned him it would. What he felt wasn’t guilt though, but something much more awful. It was futility—dating futility. He’d never enjoyed the game, but beautiful players had been in abundance. After meeting Jane, he just couldn’t enjoy any of them anymore, not even for an innocent evening.
Had his father really once gone through this? Even the idea of talking to scientist Leland Graham about the problem of being in love with an older woman seemed too preposterous to contemplate. The last time he’d asked his father a personal question was. . .well, probably never. He’d always talked to Harrison about the things that mattered. Everyone in his family had more or less been relieved by the fact.
When the receipt for dinner arrived at the table, Walter took it from the waiter absently, signing his name, thinking about Jane sitting with the suit guy. He could hear her clearly now, laughing at something the guy had said. In fact, he could hear both of them laughing.
His body grew taut in anticipation of interacting with her. Remarkably, it didn’t seem to care that Jane was with some other man or that some gorgeous woman was currently sitting at his side. Maybe it was his first real caveman moment. That would explain his fantasy of hitting the suit guy over the head and dragging Jane off somewhere with him.
But since that likely wouldn’t win him any points, Walter decided he would just go over to her table and make sure she had a chance to see him dressed up every bit as nicely as the man who had come in with her. Maybe then she’d finally see he wasn’t the kid she kept thinking he was. It was at least worth a shot.
Walter looked once more at the woman at his side. The woman was definitely packaged well, but there was just nothing there for him. Not one measly twitch in his pants. Her boring nature unfortunately ruined the rest. On the other hand, just the thought of capturing Jane Fox’s full attention seemed worth the embarrassment of interrupting her date.
Damn it, and double damn it.
He really hated it when Harrison was right.
***
Jane returned the friendly smile of the groomed and attractive man sitting across from her. Her dating luck seemed to finally be improving. . .or sort of improving. This was a second date and true to his word, Kenneth Adams had paid for dinner two nights before. Now it was her turn to reciprocate.
She had always found it very illuminating to see how a man reacted to her buying him dinner. Somehow she didn’t think the highly successful specimen across from her would have a problem with her reciprocity. Kenneth seemed confident and at ease with her, apparently unaware that she was struggling to find things she had in common with him.
For example, Kenneth’s insistence on driving tonight had left her wondering if he was a total control freak. He had picked her up in a Mustang that he seemed to love more dearly than anything else in his life. Or at least it was all he had talked about during their first date. Was it his mid-life crisis car?
Her father loved his convertible too, but Lydia often drove the two of them around in her car. Regardless of which vehicle, she doubted they had ever spent their time discussing the mechanical workings of either. So far Kenneth had talked about his car, his work, and the various people he knew in town.
It wasn’t that she found all of that boring. . .okay, maybe it was a little boring. She was sincerely wishing now that she had stayed home in her pajamas and just made popcorn for dinner. Date number two and she was already having to work hard at maintaining the joking repartee that had marked their first date.
Maybe she was just tired tonight. Or maybe she was just not interested in Kenneth, no matter how well mannered and attractive he was.
Following that thought, the futility of trying to find an interesting man in Falls Church passed through her mind again, joining her depression about having no work
project yet to hold her interest outside her dating life. She winced at her pathetic inner dialogue, chastising herself for having a snarky attitude about everything lately.
Stop whining, Jane. Look at the positives.
Really there was nothing wrong with the man across from her, and many things that were right. Kenneth was forty-six and divorced. As pleasant a companion as he was, Jane figured the split had been his ex-wife’s idea. Unless she hated his car. . .no, that would be a ridiculous thing to leave someone over. Truly, Kenneth Adams was probably the nicest man she’d ever met. . .or at least the nicest one near her age anyway.
Joining in her internal debate, her mind provided an image of Walter sitting in the hospital, waiting on news of Harrison. It stopped providing more data to freeze frame the scene for further internal study. Walter Graham was a good man too. A loud sigh over her comparisons between the two men escaped her throat. Hearing it, Kenneth’s attention shifted from the menu to her. Mild heat climbed her cheeks.
What was wrong with her tonight?
Frustrated, she sighed again. She just couldn’t seem to stop doing that lately.
“Everything alright, Jane? You’re not one of those women who hates carbs are you?”
Jane laughed at Kenneth’s teasing question, feeling guilty about her mind summoning even more visions, this time of Walter leaning in her office doorway. What normal man could compete with Walter’s muscled perfection and all those amazing white teeth?
None. At his age, Walter was prime eye candy.
But Kenneth was real. Kenneth was a better fit. And Kenneth was staring at her waiting for an answer.
“Sorry. My mind was woolgathering. . .and I don’t even knit,” Jane teased back, hoping the joke would keep her date from suspecting her thoughts were on another man.
She felt relieved when Kenneth met her gaze, flashing her a wickedly pleased smile that Jane thought probably got him into quite a few beds. Her date was without doubt very masculine and very attentive. Plus, he certainly knew how to kiss. She’d found that out on their first date just before she had climbed into the cab she’d insisted on taking home alone.
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