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“To welcome Reede home, of course. It’s next Saturday. You’re invited. It starts at six, but come early and help Dad with the food. He’s going to barbecue about fifty pounds of meat. Colin is bringing—”
“When did you call Jecca?”
“Last night. Is something wrong? You’re acting very strangely. I can’t believe you haven’t seen Jecca at Mrs. Wingate’s house. You’re usually over there four times a day, and—”
Tris cut her off. To a [herr tnswer he’d have to lie and he didn’t want to do that. “Tell me more about Jecca. What advice will you give Reede if he wants to win her?”
“To use his brain and come up with something different to do with her.”
“Dinner and a movie . . . ?”
“Would bore her to death. You c
an’t imagine the guys in college who were after her. There’s something about her that men like.”
Yeah, he thought, humor, compassion, a willingness to have a good time. Jecca wasn’t the sort of woman to throw a fit when a man stood her up for dinner because he had an emergency patient. “Any marriage proposals?”
“Four that she told me about. Why are you asking all these questions about Jecca?”
“You’re planning to offer this woman to my cousin and friend. I want to make sure she’s worthy of him. Have you got a plan for Reede to follow to win this Jecca?”
“Just not be boring,” Kim said.
“What’s boring to Jecca?”
“You know how so many of those beautiful bimbos you date think it’s enough just to look great?”
Tris nodded. He knew exactly what she meant. There was Heather, who was so beautiful that people on the street stopped to stare at her. Tris had been as enraptured as everyone else. But it had taken only two dates before he realized that she expected him to do everything for her. She seemed to believe her only duty in life was to look good. “I do know,” he said. “Jecca isn’t like that?”
“No. Behind her pretty face she’s a real person. Tristan, what are you up to?”
“What do you mean?”
“All these questions about Jecca! You aren’t planning to go after her, are you?”
“Jecca and I have yet to be introduced.”
She looked at him hard, trying to figure out what he was thinking. “You won’t win,” she said at last.
“Win what?”
“Don’t give me that innocent look. I’ve known you all my life. I’m telling you that no matter how hard you try, you won’t win Jecca.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“Because she’s not like the women in this town. She needs more than to marry some handsome doctor, move into his beat-up old house, then pop out four or five kids.” Kim could feel herself getting angry. “Stay away from her. I don’t want her heart broken, as you’ve done to every other woman who’s tried to get near you.”
Tris thought that if anyone’s heart had been broken, it was his. “I wasn’t aware that I’d damaged any hearts.”
“You’re so damned nice to them that they think there’s going to be more. You’re so sweet and considerate that the women begin to buy bridal magazines after the first date. [ fi"1em"When you tell them to get lost, they’re shattered.”
“Are you saying I shouldn’t be courteous to the women I date?”
“I think you should be more honest. If you don’t like them, let them know.” Kim waved her hand. “This conversation is going nowhere. Jecca isn’t for you, so I ask you to please leave her alone.”
Tristan couldn’t help but be shocked by her words—and no little hurt. How many people saw him as a man who broke women’s hearts? In his mind, he was a good guy for having always been polite to the women. No matter how obnoxious, aggressive, or vain his date turned out to be, he did his best to make her feel as though she was an appealing woman.
To hear that his cousin, someone he loved, saw what he did in a different way, was a blow to him. He chose his words carefully. “I’ve heard nothing but good about your friend and I’d like to ask her out.”
