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“Yeah, and that’s probably the last smart decision about people he’s made. In the last three months he’s dragged home a boring accountant, a less-than-mesmerizing electrical engineer, and a computer programmer whose sole hobby is playing video games. All in the hopes of trying to find me a husband.”
Before Nan could respond, she continued, “Now, I’m sure they’re all fine men, but I had absolutely nothing in common with them. Come to think of it, Rob and that computer programmer had a great time together after supper playing video games.”
“Yes, that was less than successful, I admit that. But Rob has learned from his mistakes. That’s why he thought you and Kenn would have something in common. You’re both history nuts.”
“And of all the ‘history nuts’ in the world, who would think that Rob would choose the one who hates romance writers like me? Which, by the way, is my new career.”
“I don’t think Rob got far enough in the conversation to explain that you’re now a full-time romance novelist. And I’m positive he didn’t know this was the guy you met at the bookstore.”
“Did Cooper know when he accepted the invitation I was going to be the woman Rob wanted him to meet? Because had you mentioned my name—or even that I’m now ‘officially’ retired from academic life and writing romances, he never would have accepted. I’m sure of it. I’m telling you, our little encounter was less than pleasant.”
“I heard Rob tell someone on the phone, but he told me he left a message with the secretary.”
“That sounds familiar,” she muttered, thinking back to how she got corralled into coming. “I assume the secretary is still Debra Dilley. And I can just imagine what she said. ‘I’ll have Kenn call you if there’s a problem with this.’ ”
Nan looked amazed. “Well, yeah. I think that’s exactly what she told him, but how did you know?”
“Remember? I used to work there. And I know Deb.” She shook her head. “If he would have known there was some romance author here, even if he didn’t remember my name, he never would have accepted the invitation, either. His dislike for creatures”—she flashed air quotes—“like me is that great.”
“Oh, stop being so melodramatic. This isn’t one of your novels. Maybe you just misread him. He seems like a very nice man. Besides, can’t you put your romance writer hat aside for just one evening to meet him on some common ground?”
Typically, a remark like that would not have even bothered her, but the pressures of the last several days were bearing down on the normally impish writer.
“No. I cannot. And what are you implying? That you’re ashamed of my new profession? You want me to hide it?”
“No, not at all, but couldn’t you just—?”
“Just what?” JJ cut her off. She grabbed her sister’s hand and began pulling her. She headed for the bedroom.
Along the way, they passed the living room, where the men were apparently engaged in a similar conversation. “Excuse us one moment, gentlemen, Nan has something to show me, don’t you, Nan?” JJ said as she dragged her sister past them. Her sister, a hopeless look plastered on her face, nodded slowly, and shrugged.
When they reached the master bedroom, she shut the door and locked it.
“What are you doing? Have you gone mad?” Nan asked.
“No, I just happen to know that at the far end of your walk-in closet,” she began as she switched the closet light on, “you have a bookcase.” She pulled her sister over to it. “And oh, by the way, it’s filled with nothing but—oh, look—romance novels. And oh, look. Upon closer inspection, not one of them is mine. So, you can’t say that you’re just collecting my novels. You are a closet romance novel reader.”
At the realization of the horrible pun, the sisters burst out laughing.
****
Finally, the four of them were in the same room at the same time. JJ reluctantly sat next to Kenn at the small round table. Then realizing how close they were sitting, she stood up, walked behind the chair, and moved it about six inches away from him and closer to Nan. She pushed and shoved her legs between her sister’s chair and her own as she sat back down. Satisfied with the space separating them, she took a healthy drink of the red wine already poured. Rob and Kenn shared a confused look as they watched this elaborate performance.
Unfortunately, she still felt some of the sexual chemistry she experienced at the Physics Café. Those “love-scene residuals,” as she called them, flared up again. And there was that scent of his cologne again, darn it. Boy, it was distinctive. And boy, did it drive her crazy.
As Nan passed the main course of roast beef around, she nervously made small talk.
“Kenn, did you know that JJ used to be on the history faculty of the University of Northern Ohio?”
Kenn shook his head. “I knew she had been a history professor. I didn’t realize it was at UNO.”
“Yeah, she wrote the book,” Rob said,“The Historical—”
“That’s all history now, as they say,” JJ interrupted, as she waved the biscuit she just plucked from the basket being passed around.
“Here, Kenn, have a biscuit.” She shoved the basket of biscuits into his hand.
She already knew his views on conspiracy theories.Let’s not bring that up again. Good grief, the publication of the book caused enough controversy originally. No need to replay the same scenes.
