Matched For Love(3)

He glanced her way and blinked as if he was surprised she’d asked. They’d known each other for over a year, and she always enjoyed talking to him, but they’d never shared a meal before. So she quickly added, “Just as friends, of course. Not a date or anything.”

Relief crossed his face, and that sexy smile of his was back. “We’d love to, right, Ash?”

His son, busy repotting one of Em’s plants, nodded. “Yeah. That’d be good.”

“Great. Then it’s a date.” When Deek’s blue eyes cut her way again, she said, “I mean it’s a non-date?” She lifted her palms in frustration. “We’ll go eat after?”

“Sounds good.” Deek returned his attention to making Emily’s science fair project judge ready.



Deek breathed in the aroma of garlic, red sauce, and juvenile sweat that hung in the air at Papa G’s pizza parlor. It was a noisy, fun place for kids. Since theirs were both off feeding the machines tokens while they waited for their pizza to come, he’d have to hold up his end of a conversation with a beautiful woman. Lori was way out of his league. Tall, built, dark-haired beauties like her always made him a little tongue-tied.

Drawing a deep breath for courage, Deek pulled out a chair across from Lori and settled in, hoping for once he could manage not to be awkward while eating dinner with a woman.

When Lori grinned at him, his heart rate spiked. Showtime.

She said, “Thanks for all the help with Em’s project. Science stuff would’ve been my husband’s forte. It’s certainly not mine.”

Should he comment about her dead husband? Was that bad form? Man, he hated small talk. “It was no trouble.”

That was a lame response. He wished Annie would just change her damned mind about them and come home so he wouldn’t have to go through the torture of having dinner with single women.

Lori had said it wasn’t a date, though. He needed to relax and act like he was having pizza with one of the guys. “I mean, I was the biggest math and science geek there was in school. I enjoyed helping Emily.”

“You were a geek in school?” Lori’s eyebrows lifted. “I’d never have guessed that.”

He nodded. “I was skinny, gangly, had glasses, and everyone copied off me whether I liked it or not. The kids called me Derek the geek, and eventually, it morphed into Deek. They called me that for so long, I didn’t think to change my nickname when I went to college.”

Lori’s green eyes danced with amusement. “I think it’s a great nickname. And you’re hardly gangly now.”

“My dorm mate in college took mercy on me. He showed me the wonders of the free gym privileges that came with our tuition. And how to hide my geekiness in public. I only geek out now when I’m home. It’s the only place I still wear my glasses too.” He was babbling and should shut up. “Was that too much information?”

“No.” She took a sip of her iced tea. “And since we’re confessing our at-home quirks, ever since my husband died, I started wearing yoga pants every day. He hated them. But now I have ten pairs.”

The tension drained from his shoulders. Lori was easier to talk to than most attractive women. She’d always been nice, and he honestly liked her, so why had he been nervous? “I’m all for being yourself, especially at home. And you look very nice tonight, even though those pants probably aren’t as comfortable as yoga pants.” Lori wore a pretty blue sweater and gray slacks that showed off some impressive curves. But maybe he shouldn’t have said that? Crap. Did he just put his foot in his mouth?

Lori’s right brow popped up. “Thank you.” She glanced in the kids’ direction. “They should be running out of tokens any minute.” She kept her gaze diverted from his.

He had put his foot in his mouth. “That wasn’t a pickup line… I mean.” He closed his eyes and ran a hand down his face to compose himself. When he blinked his eyes open again, he said, “I should just apologize in advance for the dork I can sometimes be. You and I usually talk about school stuff or our kids, but personal things trip me up. I never know how much to share. It’s why I hope Annie, Asher’s mom, will come back home and finally marry me. We’re both giant nerds and meant for each other.”

“No worries.” Lori’s smile returned. “So you were never married to Asher’s mom?”

“I asked. But she has big dreams she wants to fulfill before she settles down. I can understand that, I guess. But I grew up without a mom, and I don’t want that for Asher. It’s why I stopped dating. My heart just wasn’t in it. Asher would be better off with Annie.”