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“Shanda?” Jerry asked. Kenneth nodded. “To discuss business?” he asked sarcastically.
“When did you become such an ass?”
“I’ve always been one. I was wondering when you stopped,” Jerry joked.
“It’s going to take a lot more than a beautiful woman to change me, Jerry.”
“You can’t change someone who doesn’t want to be changed. And you might really want to reconsider seeing Shanda Sunday if you truly aren’t interested in her. From what Mother has said about her, she is nothing like those who normally marry into the Heart family.”
Kenneth understood what that meant. The women the Heart men married had strong business minds and were financially stable. Shanda was neither of these things. Even her family, from what Shanda had told him, wasn’t driven by success. She was happy living in her small town, with a country lifestyle. Kenneth didn’t need a yard, or green trees around. The sound of the city excited him. It meant opportunity. A lazy day sitting on a porch wouldn’t accomplish a damn thing.
“Then I guess you know why this isn’t going anywhere,” Kenneth informed Jerry.
“Time will tell. For now, I’m going to leave you to drink alone. I have a prior engagement, one that doesn’t come with any strings, just a hell of a lot of…fun.” Jerry got up and tossed a twenty on the bar. “I’m sure Shanda would appreciate your company tonight.”
Jerry left him sitting there alone, and Kenneth was tempted to text Shanda. She hadn’t said what time she was going to her parents’. From the sound of it, she didn’t want to be there either. Maybe she was looking for an excuse to bail. If it weren’t for Jerry reminding him how wrong she was for him, Kenneth probably would’ve called her. Instead, he downed his beer and matched Jerry’s twenty lying on the bar.
He was going to take his own advice, and spend his night making money. Let the others all fuck off. More opportunity for me.
When he opened the car door and got inside, a lone strand of blond hair landed on the dash in front of him. What the fuck?
He pulled out his cell and scrolled down to her number.
HOW DID IT GO WITH YOUR SISTER?
Kenneth wished he could retract it immediately after sending it. But she responded.
ON MY WAY NOW. WILL CALL YOU WHEN I LEAVE. WISH US LUCK.
That sucked. Never did he think he’d be the one waiting next to a fucking phone hoping some girl would call. It was like she’d cast a spell on him. One that only having her might break. Just better not break me in the process.
Shanda hadn’t expectedto hear from Kenneth. It was thoughtful of him to check on her, and if there would’ve been more time, she’d have told him that. But she wasn’t one who liked to text. It felt so…impersonal. She liked sitting down, having some ice cold sweet raspberry tea and talking face to face. Since he didn’t live next door, it wasn’t like she could call him after visiting with her parents and ask him over. Talk about it sounding like a proposition. Want to come over and chill? She might as well just ask him to spend the night.
She pulled into her parents’ driveway with DeeDee and Larry right behind her. Shanda’s cheeks were flush, and it had nothing to do with what was about to go down. DeeDee walked over to her window and she rolled it down.
“Getting out?” she asked.
Shanda nodded. “I just want to send a quick text.”
“Kenneth?” she asked. Shanda nodded. “Okay, I promise we won’t drag this out so you can go and have some…fun.”
Shanda said, “I’m not leaving you to face the firing squad all alone.”
DeeDee put her arm around Larry. “Funny thing is, I won’t be. Larry is right here.”
“Then why do you need me?” she asked.
“Because you’re my sister and she’ll expect you to be here. Besides…” she lowered her voice, “you told me to do this.”
She couldn’t argue with that. “Figures, you take my advice when it is convenient for you.”
“You know me, I’m an opportunist. Now make it quick, before Mom comes out looking for us. By the way, I didn’t tell her we were coming.”
Shanda knew right away that was a bad plan. Mom was the sweetest woman alive, but didn’t like surprises. Even for her fiftieth birthday their mom had threatened them that they would pay with their hides if her daughters threw her a surprise party.
“You’re not helping yourself by doing it this way. Maybe we have time to drive away and come back another day?” Just not Sunday. But if DeeDee asked her to, she’d tell Kenneth she couldn’t see him. Her sister was important, and if someone needed her, she hated to let them down.
“Too late. Mom is already looking out the window. Hurry up, and talk to Kenneth. We won’t be able to stall her for long,” DeeDee said before heading to the house.
