Chapter Ten
The drive to the restaurant began with five minutes of unneeded apology, followed by an uncomfortable silence. Jerry shot his passenger a quick glance. Her tension was apparent in the stiff way she held herself, and the definite downward turn of her mouth.
"So tell me." He broke the silence, his voice edged with mischief. "Are you dating me as an act of rebellion? 'Cuz if you are, it isn't going to work. Parents love me. I'm actively recruited as daughter date material by mothers the county over."
A corner of her mouth quirked, and she threw him a look from the corner of her eye. "Steven is Mom's first line of defense. We'll have to get past him first."
"Oh. Wow." Jerry blew out a breath and pretended to consider the issue. "That's going to be tough. Steven's a police officer, and, well, just plain scary. I'm definitely going to have to think about this one."
Kim laughed and whacked him on the arm. "Coward!"
Her laughter and reaction warmed him. The tension drained away and their banter continued during the rest of the drive to the restaurant.
* * * * * * * * *
Kim watched Jerry as he described his job at the family's architectural firm. His eyes shown with affection as he talked about his brother Joshua and his family. Having such a flexible brother as a boss sounded like heaven.
The waitress interrupted his story to take their food orders. "Hi, I’m Heather and --" Tall, dark-haired and gorgeous, she stopped short and gaped at Jerry for a full two seconds.
"Jerry?" She slapped him on the shoulder. "Jerry Dumas, it really is you. I knew there was something about that sexy walk the minute you walked into that door. Seems like forever since we've talked. How ya been?"
Jerry returned the smile, but Kim thought she saw a bit of discomfort around the edges. "I've been pretty good. I didn't know you were working here now."
"Apparently," Heather exclaimed. "I can't believe it's been so long since you broke my heart. What is it? Six months? A year?"
"Yeah," Jerry nodded. "Something like that. Look, Heather. . . "
"Oh, listen to me, just gabbing on," Heather cut him off. "You're obviously here on a date. Silly me. Listen, you guys sit back and relax and I'm going to make sure you have the best service. Now, tell me what you'd like."
Kim looked uncertainly across at Jerry. She wasn't sure she necessarily wanted to be served by her date's ex-girlfriend. It filled her mind with all sorts of unpleasant possibilities.
Heather's gaze took on a knowing look. "Listen, why don't I get someone else to be your server? Maybe you'd be a little more comfortable. I know how I'd feel if I was in your shoes."
"No offense, really." Kim told her.
"Hey, don't even worry about it. I understand completely. I'll go talk with Shari and have her trade you with one of her tables, okay?"
Kim felt a little guilty as Heather offered her a seemingly genuinely warm smile before telling Jerry it was great to see to him again. She shot a sheepish grin in Jerry's direction as he watched Heather leave.
"Sorry."
"It's okay," he assured her. "I wouldn't have brought you here if I knew Heather worked here."
"Ugly breakup?"
"Not really. More we were going in different directions."
"Ah," Kim nodded. "That's too bad. She seems like a nice girl."
"You know how it is," he shrugged self-consciously. "Things just sort of . . . die sometimes. Despite our best intentions."
She studied him for several moments. There was obviously a little more here than he was willing to admit. But she decided to let him off the hook. Heather didn't seem to have any malice against him. As if thoughts of Heather had summoned her, Shari arrived to take their orders.
When Shari left the table, Jerry turned on the charm and regaled her with stories of his childhood and college days. She laughed until her stomach hurt and then she laughed some more.
Once the meal arrived, things settled down somewhat. Kim was thankful for that. She didn't think it would very attractive if she ended up aspirating her shrimp. The conversation moved on to more serious topics. She was flattered by the way Jerry listened. His focused his warm gaze completely and attentively on her. And his smile was always ready and always full of promise. She thought it quaint that he even stood when she excused herself to go to the ladies room.
Things changed, however, upon her return. Two young women, a blonde and a redhead, were at the table talking and laughing animatedly. The redhead was definitely displaying possessive tenancies. Kim stood politely and looked down at the trio.
The blonde, settled diagonally across from Jerry glanced up at her before moving quickly to her feet. "Oh. Hi." She threw a quick embarrassed smile in her redheaded friend's direction before making an obvious 'let's go' gesture with her head.
The redhead, seated directly across from Jerry, shot Kim a look and moved to her feet as well, but her motions were not nearly as hurried. She introduced herself as Katrina, and the blonde as Jenny. "It's good to meet you. Kim, is it?"
Kim nodded. "It is. It's nice meeting you, as well. Are you friends of Jerry's?" She settled into the seat that Katrina had recently vacated. It put her back into the picture as the real date in the situation, but she wasn't thrilled with the fact that she had to look up at the women.
Jerry for his part had flushed pink, and seemed to be waiting with trepidation for the woman's response.
Katrina nodded. "Oh, yes. Jerry and I go way back." She winked at him.
"Katrina and I knew each other in high school," Jerry piped up in his own defense. "We both ended up back in the old town after college."
Kim didn't missed Katrina's amused lifting of the brow at Jerry's reference to high school. "Yes. We knew each other quite well," Katrina said, as if Kim needed her suspicions confirmed. "We were like bed bugs. Even in college."
"And then Katrina got married to a great guy. My best friend in fact." Jerry's tone changed slightly.
"You weren't exactly in a drought, sweetheart. And besides, the marriage was great. Until the divorce." Katrina stared pointedly in Jerry's direction. Kim did not like where this was going. Thankfully, Jenny came to the rescue.
"Well, it was nice meeting you, Kim." Jenny jumped into the mounting tension. She linked her elbow with Katrina's, and began tugging her friend away from the table. "We've gotta get out of here. Got a date with a rented movie. See ya."
Kim turned back to Jerry. "Katrina is obviously an ex-girlfriend. But Jenny?"
Jerry nodded.
Kim sighed in exasperation.
"It it's any consolation, it was almost three years ago."
"Let me guess. In both cases you were going in different directions?"
"In a manner of speaking. In Katrina's case, we were going to the beach for spring break. Only, she decided she liked my friend better. Jenny and I, well, we just knew it wasn't right. Especially since she and Katrina were such good friends. It was a mutually agreed upon parting of ways."
"Well, I guess you're two out of three in the nice girls department." Kim relented.
"Not three out of four?" Jerry pressed, a twinkle in his eyes.
Kim considered him, unable to resist a broadening smile. She liked Jerry. He was an attractive guy with an attractive personality. He wasn't half bad in the kissing department, and women obviously liked him. A lot. Question was, did she want to be one of a chorus. Her expression sobered.
"Despite our . . . necking session," she said, hoping that her embarrassment wasn't showing too much. "Why did you ask me out?"
Jerry sobered. "Why'd I ask you out?" he parroted. Evidently he hadn't been expecting that question. "Because I like you, and I want to get to know you better." His voice lowered and he leaned slightly toward her, his gaze warm and earnest. "I think there could be something really special between us."
Kim had to mentally shake herself to get her mind back on track. That charm of his was like a lethal weapon. "You hardly know me," she reminded him.
Jerry allowed a small smile that lifted just the corner of his mouth. "I know enough to want to know more." His didn’t touch her, but the way he looked at her was like a caress. Her heart rate increased in response.
"I haven't had a lot of boyfriends," she heard herself saying. She didn't want to come out and say how inexperienced she felt. The three ex-girlfriends she'd met that night equaled the sum total of all of the men/boys that she had ever dated. She didn't give her heart easily, because when she did, she gave it fully. Her reactions with Jerry had been very much outside of the norm for her.
"I'd never hurt you," Jerry replied, going to the crux of the matter, even though she hadn't stated it. "I'm really not some kind of a playboy looking to make some sort of conquest, even though I have had more than a few girlfriends. Most of them would tell you that I'm a decent sort of guy."
"I know that you're decent," Kim responded. "I can tell. But that's what I'm afraid of. That you can end so many relationships and have the women still remain your friends. I'm not that woman, Jerry. I don't know that I could do the bittersweet thing and still be your bud. I'm probably sounding like some sort of obsessive lunatic, but I can't be that casual. I take my relationships very seriously. I can't go down a path, unless I know where it leads."
An odd expression crossed over his face. "Then you're just the kind of woman that I need. Because I know where it is I want to go."
Kim swallowed, wincing slightly at the words she knew she had to say. She spoke them softly, hoping that in some way it would lessen the blow. "I'm not sure that you're the type of man that I need."