Aimee (A Time for Love Book 3) (2 page)

Aimee had met her new roommate Mandy only briefly, since the younger girl was heading off on the tropical holiday that was supposed to have been her honeymoon. Ironic that the other girl had been running away from a wedding at the same time she was facing the fact that she couldn’t make her own wedding happen, Aimee thought. Still, Mandy had covered the rent in Aimee’s absence and would be paying half when she returned, so Aimee could still afford the apartment without Tom. Something about the way Tish had described her had given Aimee the impression Mandy was a bit of a drama queen, but Aimee didn’t care. A drama queen would be a nice change of pace from a self-absorbed, self-important chef whose talent couldn’t match his ego.

Immediately Aimee felt guilty for the unkind mental description of Tom. And why was she thinking about him, anyway? He was probably too busy with his new life in San Diego even to remember her.

She shucked off her bridesmaid dress, took a long bath, and lay in bed for hours, clutching her pillow. When she finally slept, her dreams were a jumble of gourmet dishes, mountain scenery, and faces from Dana’s wedding. But she didn’t cry, which was progress from all the previous nights since she’d left Aspen.

The next morning, Aimee made a couple of phone calls and then called Charlene and asked her to meet for brunch.

“I was going to text you later,” Charlene said.

She was nibbling at her egg white veggie omelet, while Aimee dug into cinnamon French toast. Aimee had hardly eaten since the breakup, and she was relieved that her appetite was returning.

“I didn’t want to wait. I’m tired of living like a sad-sack dumped girlfriend that everyone has to handle with care. I’m through crying and done hoping Tom will come back. Dana and Tish found happiness. Why can’t we?”

Charlene eyed her with a skeptical expression. “What do you have in mind?”

“Doing what they did! I met this woman last night at the wedding, and I started thinking why not? So I did it!”

Aimee paused, enjoying the apprehensive expression in Charlene’s eyes.

“I made us both appointments at A Time for Love!”

“Tell me why you’re here.”

Aimee was sitting in a plush mauve leather armchair across the desk from Edwina Darby, the woman in buttercup silk she’d made at Dana’s wedding. Edwina smelled of flowers, and her gentle smile immediately made Aimee feel like she understood her.

Aimee had intended to say simply that her last relationship ended and rather than wasting her time dating men who couldn’t commit, she’d decided to enlist a professional to help her. Instead, she found herself pouring out the whole sorry saga of life with Tom, from their first date in college to their four-year almost-engagement to Tom’s unromantic proposal and the final breakup.

“So I’m just looking for someone who’s ready for marriage and a family,” she finished. “You helped Dana and Tish, so I was hoping you could help me.”

Edwina nodded. “Tell me a little bit about yourself.”

“I’m twenty-seven. An only child. You know about my engagement. Tom’s the only serious boyfriend I’ve ever had. I work at a hospital, in the dining services area. I enjoy cooking and sewing. I’m more of a homemaker than an adventurer, and I’m looking forward to having a house of my own. And I want kids. At least two, maybe more.”

“Do you like your work at the hospital?”

“It’s an important job, making sure the patients have nutritious meals.”

“Do you
like
it?” Edwina was watching her closely.

“Sure. It’s okay, I guess.”

“Do you want to keep doing it for the rest of your life?”

Aimee scrunched up her nose. “No. I’d like to be a stay-at-home mom, or maybe work part-time.”

“Doing what?”

“Something related to food. Tom and I started a catering business, but it didn’t work out.” And she was still paying off the loan they’d used to finance the business, but she saw no reason to mention the fact. “Tish still hires me occasionally for events at the hotel.”

“So you think you’d like to work in catering?”

“Maybe, but the hours don’t always work well for someone with a family. Lots of late nights and weekends.”

“If not catering, then what?”

“I’ve always liked the idea of opening a little mom and pop store with my husband. Maybe a bakery or candy store, where I’d make some of the items we sell.”

Edwina jotted a note on the legal pad in front of her laptop. “What about your family?”

“It’s always been just Mama and me. I’m an only child.”

“And your father?”

“He died when I was four. I can hardly remember him.”

Aimee shifted in her seat. The statement was true enough. Most of the images she had were of a shadowy figure with upraised fists, yelling. Her mother would take her to the basement and lock the door. They’d play games or listen to music and ignore the yelling and banging from above. He’d left before Aimee turned five, and she hadn’t seen him since.

“You listed compassion, and commitment as the traits you value most highly?”

Aimee nodded.

Edwina consulted the sheaf of papers she’d just had Aimee complete. “You described your ideal man as a gentle soul who’d rather talk things out than fight?”

“Definitely. No violence, no yelling. Someone who can work things out in a reasonable manner.”

Edwina made a note. “And the period in history you’d most like to visit? You left that section blank.”

“There’s no particular period in history I’m drawn to,” Aimee said. “I’d say a time when family was important. I like the idea of going back in time, to a point where the world was simpler and life wasn’t so… confusing. When right and wrong were clearer.”

“No particular time. Simpler life,” Edwina repeated.

“Yes.” When Edwina didn’t follow up with another question, Aimee asked, “Do you think you can help me?”

“Yes.” Edwina slid a glossy folder across the desk. “This packet explains our program. In Phase 1, you’ll have up to three initial matches, with two dates each, one on your match’s terms, and one on yours. After each match, I’ll meet with you to gather feedback and see if you want to move on to Phase 2 with that match or get another match. If you don’t choose to move to Phase 2 with any of the three initial matches, we’ll meet to evaluate what’s not working before we try another batch of matches. But that rarely happens,” she smiled.

“Oh, do I have to buy the whole program?” Aimee hesitated. She hated to say it, but she made herself continue. “My budget’s a bit tight. I was hoping to pay for a single match or something.”

“We find it works best if our clients follow the program as a whole. But we are running a promotion now. Phase I is free if you sign up by Friday, and you only pay if you choose to move on to Phase 2. If you do, we can work with you on payment terms.” Edwina stood up. “Why don’t you read over our materials, and you can come in and sign up when you’re ready?”

“I will, thanks.”

Aimee stood too and let Edwina walk her to the door, but she stopped before they left the office. “Wait!”

“Yes?” Edwina halted beside her.

“I don’t want to go home and read it over. I’m sure I want to sign up. I’d like to get my first match as soon as possible.”

No more moping over Tom or feeling sorry for herself. Besides, she was afraid that if she left, she’d never come back.

“If you’re sure?”

“I’m sure. And I have a request.”

“What’s that?”

“If my friend Charlene signs up for the program, I’d like a double date. It’s been
so
long since I’ve had a first date,” she explained, and Edwina made another note.

Aimee returned to A Time for Love’s waiting room with a packet of papers and a date for Saturday night. Charlene’s appointment was scheduled immediately after Aimee’s, and the two friends had ridden together to the office. Charlene was leafing through a photo album, which she set down when Aimee appeared.

“Your turn,” Aimee said.

“How’d it go?”

“Fine. We can compare notes afterwards.”

Charlene still looked skeptical of the whole situation, but she followed the receptionist back to Edwina’s office. Aimee took Charlene’s seat and picked up the photo album she’d been viewing. The album contained page after page of happy couples. The last page was a photo of Dana and Benjamin, taken at their wedding. Dana was beaming at the camera, while Benjamin’s attention was on his new wife. Their happiness showed clearly in the photo, and Aimee felt tears sting her eyes. Dana was a good person. She deserved her happy ending. Could Edwina find someone for Aimee who’d bring her that kind of happiness? Maybe her picture would be in the album someday.

She was still looking through the albums when Charlene returned, less than ten minutes later. Her friend’s expression was less than thrilled, but Aimee still thought coming to A Time for Love was a good step for both of them. Maybe they’d be following in Dana and Tish’s footsteps soon.

“Ready to go?”

Charlene didn’t wait for an answer, just headed for the elevator, and Aimee noticed she wasn’t carrying a packet like the one Edwina had given her. Aimee thanked the receptionist who’d shown her and Charlene to Edwina’s office and followed her friend outdoors.

“Did the meeting not go well?” Aimee asked once they were in Charlene’s late-model Mercedes. She wasn’t sure she could go through with the date on her own. “I know you weren’t sold on the idea, so it’s okay if you decided not to join.”

“No.” Charlene looked at Aimee and clarified, “I didn’t decide not to sign up. This means a lot to you, doesn’t it?”

“I just thought it’d be great, going through the process together.”

“Well, you got your wish. We’re double-dating Saturday night.”

“Great!” Aimee smiled. “We can make a girls’ day of it. Do our nails, pick out clothes, help each other with our makeup.”

“Sure, okay.”

Charlene smiled back, but Aimee knew her friend was making the effort for her sake. She’d never known Charlene to date. Her life seemed to revolve around her career. Maybe it would be good for both of them to go out with some decent men. Even if the date was horribly awkward, it could hardly be worse than her breakup with Tom.

Charlene managed to appear slightly more enthusiastic when she showed up at Aimee’s apartment on Saturday. Aimee rarely wore makeup, since it often didn’t hold up well in the heat of a busy commercial kitchen. But she had assembled all the cosmetics and makeup tools she had and grouped them in baskets on the coffee table, along with assorted hand creams and hair styling products, in a setup she remembered from a high school slumber party.

“Do I need this much help?” Charlene asked as she set her bag on the floor beside the couch.

“Not at all. I just thought it’d be fun getting ready together. And
I
need help.”

Aimee knew she was fortunate; she was blessed with a near-flawless complexion, its creaminess set off by her straight, black hair. But her recent crying jags had left her skin blotchy and pink, and her eyes were puffy from tears and lack of sleep. Tom had told her he preferred her natural look, so she’d gotten out of the habit of wearing makeup, but she definitely needed some tonight if she didn’t want to scare off her first match!

“Do you have any soothing cream?” Charlene asked.

She examined Aimee’s collection and selected a tube. Soon she had Aimee’s face slathered in a cooling mint gel and her nails painted with a sparkly frosted rose. She was efficient at everything she did, and Aimee felt completely incompetent next to her. She’d first met Charlene her junior year of college, when Charlene was starting law school. Aimee worked as a student clerk at the law library, and Charlene came to study in the reading room every day. Once, when Tom was late picking Aimee up, Charlene gave her a ride home, and the two gradually became friends.

Now Aimee was thankful her friends hadn’t given up on her throughout the entire Tom fiasco. Once or twice, Tish had told her she should think about what she was doing, but Charlene had just been silently supportive. She didn’t deserve such a good friend. Tears stung her eyes again, and she tried to wipe them away without smudging her nail polish.

“What’s wrong?” Charlene asked.

“You’ve been such a great friend,” Aimee sniffled. “I don’t deserve you.”

“You deserve happiness,” Charlene said firmly. “And who knows, maybe tonight will be the start of a wonderful relationship.”

Her smile seemed more genuine this time, and she began rifling through the basket of lipsticks to find one that would match the nail polish.

Thanks to Charlene’s help, Aimee looked better than she had in ages, she thought as she studied her reflection in the lobby mirror. Her hair gleamed, and the subtle makeup made her eyes look larger than normal. She felt confident in her appearance, and she hoped her date would appreciate it.

“Good evening.”

Whitney, the blond receptionist, showed them to a small conference room.

“Edwina will be with you in a moment.”

As soon as the younger woman left the room, Aimee turned to Charlene. “What if I can’t think of anything to say? What if he hates cooking, and that’s all I know to talk about?”

“Don’t worry; it’ll be fine,” Charlene said calmly. “If you need me, I’ll help out. But if Edwina’s as good as Dana and Tish say, you and your match will hit it off instantly.”

Her words made sense, but they didn’t really ease Aimee’s sudden anxiety. She hadn’t dated anyone but Tom in over six years, and she was afraid she’d be clumsy and awkward. Or worse, what if he said or did something to remind her of Tom, and she started crying? Maybe she wasn’t ready to date yet.

Before she could sink deeper into a spiral of nerves, the conference room door opened, and Edwina walked in. She was neatly dressed, as always, in an old-fashioned blouse and skirt. She smiled, and Aimee felt better.

“Your date is set in 1917,” she told them. “I have some period clothing you may want to wear.”

She gestured to a rack of clothes Aimee hadn’t noticed before. Of course, the time warp date. Dana and Tish had told her the first date would have a going-back-in-time theme. Aimee looked through the rack and chose a striped blouse with ruffles and a full skirt.

“Which one do you want?” she asked Charlene before she claimed her selections.

“We spent almost an hour deciding what to wear, and now you want to change into a costume?” Charlene asked.

“Yes. Please. Come on, it’ll be fun.”

Charlene hesitated a moment and then gave in. “All right. But I’m not wearing that green lace thingie with the feathers.”

“How about this?”

Aimee held out a simple ankle-length dress in deep blue with black piping at the neckline and tiny jet buttons down the front. Charlene nodded. They carried the outfits into the bathroom to change, and all the clothes fit nicely. As Charlene helped Aimee button the back of her blouse, she muttered, “There’s something weird about this.”

“What?”

“Don’t you think it’s odd that Edwina has outfits that just happen to fit us?”

“Not really.” Aimee shrugged. “We’re fairly standard sizes. I’m an eight, and you’re what, a four?”