The Scheme

Her eyebrows scrunched together, and all I wanted to do was smooth out the ridges with my fingers. To my utter happy glee, I watched Stiff stroll to the door and leave with the blonde. But then I saw the look on Kendy’s face.

I had a sudden urge to make her forget about him, to make her laugh again as she had been earlier.

“He’s leaving with her, and he hasn’t even had a chance to look at my outfit.” She crossed her arms over her chest. The very chest I’d been touching a moment ago.

I couldn’t help but laugh silently. I should’ve felt bad that her purpose of the night was walking out the door with another woman, but her reaction amused me. More than that, I knew she deserved better than that loser.

“Hey, if it helps, I think your outfit is hot, and not to mention . . . you look absolutely beautiful tonight,” I said, trying to break her mood.

It was the truth. She had been so focused on Stiff that she hadn’t noticed she had the attention of most men in our vicinity. Stiff was the minority.

I garnered a small smile, but her eyes moved to the door and she frowned again, jutting out her lip even further.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her in. “Let’s go, pretty girl. I’m taking you for a late night snack. You don’t want to waste a good outfit, and I don’t want you to think your night was all for nothing.”

She peered up at me through her sad blue eyes and hesitated. Her look alone tightened my chest.

Knowing I had to see that smile again, I tucked an escaping strand of her blonde hair behind her ear and gave her a grin. “This is what good boys do; we take damsels in distress to di

She sighed heavily, but linked her arm through mine. “I want some wine with my food because, just so you know . . . there is going to be a lot of whining tonight.”

I pulled her hand tighter around my bicep. “Sounds good. Let me say goodbye to Trey and we’ll get you that wine,” I said, leading us out the door. “Wine makes everything better.”

***

KENDY

We walked into the first grease pit we saw. Greektown Gyros in neon pink letters was written on the auburn awning. My stomach grumbled, even though I’d had di

A waitress led us to a table for two in the back and, as soon as we sat down, I plucked the menu stuck between the wall and the napkin holder. It was printed on the back of a brown bag. Real classy.

I sca

He chuckled and eyed me over his menu. “Not at all. Shit, it’s the weekend. I might join you.”

The waitress wrote down our order. I got a Miller Lite, and so did Brian. Thankfully, she was quick to hop on it and bring us our bottles.

I chugged that baby down like it was water and slammed it against the table, causing the salt and pepper shakers to teeter back and forth.

Brian smirked. “Slow down. We haven’t even eaten yet.” He reached over and placed his hand on top of mine. Warmth spread through our co

I jutted out my chin, the image of Dr. Klein leaving with little Miss Blondie playing in my mind, dampening my mood. “I don’t understand. He’s all prim and proper at work. I know he has to be, but then he goes out and takes the first chick he meets home?”

“How do you know he just met her?” He reached for his bottle and took a big gulp.

“Well, he just left with that . . . that girl.” Good comeback.

“But he walked in with her. How do you know that’s not his girlfriend?”

I widened my eyes at him. “Because I stalk him relentlessly, and not once has a girl called him at work. No one visits him, and everyone who has worked with him for a while has never, ever, ever mentioned a girlfriend.” I reached for the little bit of beer I had left, watching the copper-colored liquid swish against the glass. Placing the bottle under my lips, I closed my eyes and tipped it all the way back. Then, I placed the empty bottle on the table. “I don’t understand him. I’m cute, right?”

He studied me, messing with the fork in his hand.

When I didn’t get a response, I threw him my big puppy dog face.

“Of course, you’re cute, Kendy.” He laughed.

“You’re very convincing.” I rolled my eyes. “Then what’s his problem? I’ve tried everything, all the tricks in my Kendy dating book, and nothing. I didn’t even have a chance to show him my hot-to-trot outfit. Today was my chance, but he blew it out of that club faster than a marathon ru

I picked up the fork on the table and, in an unladylike fashion, pounded it against the fake wood, causing the water glasses to shake. “Quick, change the subject.” I didn’t want to think about how this Saturday night turned into a total waste of time.

“Good. I don’t want to hear any more about Dr. Stick-up-his-ass or whatever you call him,” he replied, the pinched expression leaving his face.

“Stick-up-his-ass?” I asked, laughing.

“Yeah, I’d say that nickname is appropriate.”

A waiter brought our gyros, breaking our conversation. I watched his eyes drift to my cleavage before placing the food in front of us, and I pulled up my halter-top, a little self-conscious now that we were in a fully lit diner.

“What is it about this guy?” Brian tilted his head, a tinge of concern in his voice.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, how did he get so lucky to win your attention?”

Lucky?

He thought Dr. Klein was the lucky one? I couldn’t help but soften, a small smile built at his thoughtfulness.

“You’re sweet.” A flush crept up my cheeks as the story only a few people knew wanted to roll out of my mouth. “Promise you won’t laugh if I tell you something?”

“Promise,” he said, but I knew just looking at his big boyish smile that he’d fail.

“Forget it.” I reached for my gyro and took a big bite. Some of the cucumber sauce missed my mouth and slipped down my chin. Picking up my napkin, I dabbed at my face to wipe it off.

“No. Promise.” He raised up his hand as if swearing on the Bible. “And when a Boy Scout swears, he means it.”

I studied his face, which turned serious, giving me the courage to continue. “So . . .” I swallowed the food down, looked toward the plate of French fries next to my gyro, and noted the pita overflowing with onions. “I believe in astrology, the alignment of the stars, fortune telling, and all that jazz.”

His mouth twitched, and I debated stopping, but he motioned with his hands for me to continue. “Go on.”

“I’m a Pisces and—practically everything they say about Pisces is true.” I peered up at him through my lashes. “We’re generous and emotional souls. Kind. Compassionate. I think that’s why my calling truly was to become a nurse.” I picked up my fork and poked it through the meat, which had fallen out of my sandwich. “Well, one summer when I was in high school, Beth and I went to track down this popular psychic in Leon, a couple towns south of our hometown.”

I noted that he hadn’t touched his food. He seemed engrossed in our conversation, which urged me to continue. “Beth didn’t want to get her cards read, but I kind of coerced her to come with me. There was something I needed to ask the psychic.”

I reclined against the chair as I recalled the day. I’d specifically gone to find Evangeline because I’d heard of her and needed to know things—things for my mama, for our family, and mostly for myself. She’d been known to be exceptional with fortune telling.

That hot summer day, one I remembered so vividly, Evangeline told me about my father and foretold my future.