Sweet but Sexy Boxed Set (77 page)

“
No, you didn’t.” The neighborhood seemed familiar. Large turn of the century homes dominated immaculately manicured front lawns. Unease prickled her skin. “Janie…Oh, no. Janie. If you’re my friend, you’ll turn this car around and take me home.”

“
Of course, I’m your friend, Cheris. How could you think anything else?”

The evidence mounted. Cheris recognized the house as Janie pulled into the circular driveway, parked it, and jumped out with keys in her hand.

“No, no, no!”

Janie crouched down and looked at her friend through the open door.
“I am also your sister-in-law, at the moment anyway, and we are going to have a nice lunch in the nice backyard with our nice family. Not the extended family, mind you. They’ve all gone home, which is a relief. Just Monnie, Chip, you, me, and Geoff.”

“
Give me your keys,” Cheris demanded.

“
No way. Mom has promised this will be only lunch and chit-chat. No talk of weddings, receptions, or anything like that. She promised me, and I’m going to hold her to it.”

“
You’re a dirty, scheming jerk. You did something to my car, didn’t you?”

Janie shook her head and spit in on the pavement.
“Did you even see the priestess this morning?”

“
Did you just spit on your parents’ driveway? Are you sure you’re related to them?”

Janie grinned.
“I thought for sure she’d put you in a better mood.”

“
Was she in on this, too?”

“
Of course not. I was hoping you would talk to her though.”

Cheris stared stonily through the windshield at the perfect house.

“Well, did you?”

“
Oh, all right,” Cheris snapped as she threw open the door and stomped out of the car. “But you better be careful. I’m beginning to think you have confidence in Kelly’s ability to provide counsel.”

“
I’m not a complete heathen,” Janie commented as they walked around the side of the house and to a wooden gate. “My parents did take me to church every Sunday when I was growing up.”

“
Too bad none of it stuck.”

“
Yeah, yeah,
Granny
.” She opened the gate revealing the backyard Cheris remembered from the night before.

On the other side of the pool sat Chip, Monnie, and Geoff at a round glass-topped table under the shade of an umbrella. Slumped in a wrought iron chair Geoff was neatly dressed in khaki pants and a forest green golf shirt. Monnie was the first to spot them, and her face broke into a wide smile as she waved them over.

“Hello, girls. Come on over and have a seat.”

From the startled expression on Geoff
’s face, Cheris knew he hadn’t been expecting her for lunch. Cheris’ steps faltered when he half way stood up, then took his seat again. Cheris’ stomach fluttered. She forced her feet forward toward the table. Chip and Monnie beamed at her. Geoff’s expression was unreadable.

“
So glad you could join us for lunch, Cheris,” Chip said standing up as they approached.

Geoff stood as well.

“Okay, here now. Janie, you sit here between me and your dad,” Monnie directed as she moved over one chair. “Cheris, you can have the seat next to Geoff.”

Dutifully, Cheris sat down without looking at him, her skin burned from…what? Was she embarrassed? Nervous?

Why should she be nervous? She was having lunch with her in-laws.

She had in-laws.

“Here, dear, how about some ice tea?” Monnie poured the drink from a crystal pitcher into a glass. “Come on, Chip. Help me with the food.”

They stood up and walked the short distance to the back door. When it closed behind them, Janie sat forward and grinned.
“A hundred bucks says I get called in to the house to help prepare lunch and give the lovebirds time alone.”

“
I don’t think either one of us is dumb enough to take that bet,” Geoff replied.

The door opened and Monnie stuck her head through the crack.
“Janie, come in here a minute, would you?”

“
Do I know Monnie Dearest, or what?” Janie grinned at them before bouncing into the house.

Cheris stared at the frosted glass table top. The silence at the table deafened the chirps of the birds in the trees.

“Will they come back?” She glanced at Geoff, and the corner of his mouth upturned in a smile.

“
Eventually. After all this
is
supposed to be lunch, and I see no food on the table.”

“
Do you think they know something’s up with us?”

“
Most definitely. Before you and Janie arrived, I was getting lectured about how to treat women, how to be a good husband, what makes a good marriage.” He shook his head in derision. “They think the quickie Serenity wedding was not a good start to happily-ever-after. As if I hadn’t figured that one out already.”

“
You should humor them. I know they mean well.”

“
I know, but I’ve been running my own life pretty well for the last ten or twelve years. All of the sudden they have all the answers.” Geoff crossed his arms on the table and rested his chin on them.

“
They’re married. It seems to me they probably do have a lot of the answers…about marriage anyway.”

He seemed so morose. Cheris reached forward and smoothed a hand over his hair to offer comfort.

“This is my problem.”

“
So, you made your bed, now you’re going to lie in it, is that right?”

Geoff tilted his head and studied her face.
“All by myself. All by my married self. In bed.” His eyes sparkled at her, the image of him not by himself in bed becoming clear in her head.

Cheris
’ heart raced.

No. She didn
’t want to think about that! “Marriage is more than what happens in a bedroom,” she snapped.

Geoff straightened.
“Exactly what I was trying to tell Mom and Dad. But they insist sex is the glue that holds a marriage together. Can you imagine how traumatic it is to hear that kind of stuff from one’s own parents?”

Cheris gazed at Geoff
’s deadpan face and chuckled. “I suppose until they enlightened you today it was your belief that they found you under a cabbage leaf.”

“
That’s absurd. It was the stork that brought me.”

“
The stork, huh? How very difficult it must be to find out your parents have had sex at least twice in their thirty-five year marriage.”

“
Once. We’re twins, remember?” He shuddered. “I hope they haven’t said anything to Janie about it. Her uncorrupted ears couldn’t take it.”

“
Now I know you’re being ridiculous.”

“
What? You know something about my sister you’re not telling me?”

“
I know she’s got a crazy brother.”

“
He is crazy, insane. About you.” Geoff grasped her hand and stroked it, his finger turned her palm up and caressed the soft flesh at her wrist.

Cheris watched their hands.
“How could you be? You don’t even know me.”

“
I know you more and more each moment.”

Chapter Six

“I’ve just been imagining that it was really me you wanted after all and that I was to stay here for ever and ever. It was a great comfort while it lasted. But the worst of imagining things is that the time comes when you have to stop and it hurts.”

—
Anne of Green Gables
by L.M. Montgomery

Monnie stood at the window watching the young couple. “Oh, Chip. He’s holding her hand. Isn’t that sweet? Maybe they’re patching things up.”

“
What’s to patch up? They’ve only been married two days.” Chip took plates out of the cabinet and set them on the table.

“
Don’t act like you don’t know they’ve been having problems. You told me yourself last night she said she’d never live with him. What kind of marriage is that?” Monnie held the curtain still peering through the glass.

“
I shouldn’t have told you what I heard.” Chip opened the refrigerator door and pulled out several covered bowls. “That was their private conversation. Besides don’t underestimate your son’s power of persuasion. You know once he sets his mind on something, he gets it. I saw that drive when he wrote his dissertation in seventeen months. He’s set his mind on that young lady out there, and I’m afraid she doesn’t stand a chance.”

“
Doesn’t she have a choice?” Janie walked into the kitchen with freshly laundered cloth napkins in her hand.

“
She certainly does, and as I live and breathe, she’ll choose Geoff Arrowood.”

“
How can you be so sure?” This from Monnie.

“
Because he has my irresistible charm. Any woman is powerless against it.” Chip placed the plates on the service caddy along with the leftovers from the night before.

“
Oh, Dad, your modesty is inspiring.”

“
You watch him. No one else exists when she’s within fifty feet of him. He’s in love, and he’s going to make sure she’s in love before it’s all said and done. Would you agree, Monnie?”

“
I sure haven’t seen him so focused since he finished up his doctorate,” Monnie commented from her lookout.

“
After all those years you harassed him about not settling down.” Chip shook his head. “And all along he was just waiting to find Cheris. Monnie, I think that’s everything. Let’s go get to know our daughter-in-law.”

****

The door opened, and Monnie and Janie walked out with smiles on their faces. Chip followed pushing the caddy laden with food and dishes. Cheris extricated her hand from Geoff’s and clasped her hands in her lap. Chip and Janie sat down as Monnie set dishes on the table.

“
I hope you don’t mind leftovers, Cheris. We have so much food from last night.” She took the lids off several bowls, and unwrapped finger sandwiches. Setting them on the table, she nodded and sat down. “I tell you what. I love parties, but it’s work putting one on. That’s why we’re eating out here—not a clean surface in the whole house.”

They passed the dishes around the table, and each person filled their plates. Soon everyone was eating. No one asked Cheris specifically about herself allowing her to volunteer whatever information she felt comfortable. Geoff was quiet, and Cheris stole glances at him wondering what was on his mind. Wasn
’t he comfortable with his family? One time he caught her staring at him, and he winked.

Just like he had the night before at the party on the stairs.

“Cheris.” Monnie’s voice captured her attention. “I saw you and Annie Hill talking at the party last night. Isn’t she just a darling?”

“
Yes, she is,” Cheris agreed. “She’s been like a grandmother to me since I’ve lived here.”

“
Is that right? You know I love Hip Granny’s website. I’ve gotten several good tips from there.”

Janie laughed. As
Hip Granny
Annie Hill was the local celebrity in town. Very few people knew Cheris had taken the reins from Annie in every responsibility but promotion. Annie still did webcasts and TV talk shows. Her picture was the one on all the publicity. But it was Cheris who researched topics, wrote the columns, and organized lives on the web.

“
You’ve done a few podcasts,” Geoff commented.

“
You’ve seen them?”

He nodded, his gaze warming her and making her heart skip a beat or two.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing. What is it? A podcast?” Monnie asked.

“
It’s an audio or video clip on the internet. I…I have two of them on
Hip Granny
. I’m IT there. At Annie’s insistence, I demonstrated some helpful computer technology for users to take advantage of.”

“
Well, isn’t that interesting? Geoff, how did you know about the podcasts?” Monnie smiled at her son and waited for an answer.

Geoff quirked an eyebrow at Janie who squirmed. Cheris watched the silent exchange with interest.
“Come to think of it, Janie,” he said at last, “I believe you told me
Hip Granny
had some computer tutorials on their site.”

“
So that’s how you fixed them up?” Monnie asked Janie.

“
Well…” Janie shook her head as she watched her brother. “Yes. That was the beginning of it, Geoff. Other than I must have mentioned Cheris a time or two as my friend. But that was
it
.”

Geoff smirked. Cheris
’ eyes narrowed.

He had something on Janie.

What could it be?

“
We’ll have to look at those podcasts, Cheris. Won’t we, Monnie?” Chip commented. “What do you think Hip Granny will do when Annie retires? She has to be at least seventy.”

“
Yes, Cheris,
is
there someone who will take Annie’s place?” Janie jumped on the topic with all fours.

Oh, boy.

“There has been some conversation about it. As far as I’m concerned, there will be no publicly disclosed changes in the person who is Hip Granny.”

A chorus of understanding sounded around the table.

“Sounds like you’re not allowed to tell us.”

Cheris picked up her glass and drank deeply from it. Oh, she was allowed to tell, but she didn
’t want to, and she hadn’t allowed anyone else to either. The only reason Janie knew was she had found Cheris’ contract one day when she had been at the apartment. Cheris had threatened her life if she ever breathed a word about it.

Every once in a while Bill approached her about coming out as the organizing guru, but she
’d convinced him that Annie was the essence of Hip Granny. She was a success as the seventy plus hip grandma. If the public found out she was a twenty-something single woman, the implications would be similar to the New Coke disaster of the mid-eighties.

It didn
’t matter that blind taste tests had shown it was preferred.

Coke was more than a taste. It was familiar, and people didn
’t like change.

Whenever Bill began to harass Cheris about being the new
Hip Granny
, she sang the jingle from the old commercial.

Well, she didn
’t know if it was the jingle or not. She’d made it up. Bill didn’t know. No one did, because New Coke has been a failure.

And Hip Granny wasn
’t a big enough icon to overcome a marketing disaster like that.

Bill was all about the money, so singing the jingle always worked on him.

“So, Mom and Dad, when are you leaving on your trip?” Geoff, obviously aware of Cheris’ discomfort, changed the subject.

“
I don’t see how we could possibly go anywhere now.” Monnie smiled at Cheris’ curious expression. “Chip and I had been planning on taking a little trip to Savannah. That’s where we went on our honeymoon. But we’ve been thinking about postponing it for a while. I mean, we can go there any time.”

“
Why wouldn’t you go?” Geoff asked.

Chip and Monnie exchanged glances.
“With the party and all, who can even think about leaving on a trip?”

Cheris suspected their son
’s newly married status was the reason.

Oh, please go on to Savannah. Maybe by the time you get back, we can have this straightened out, and you can stay on your side of the railroad tracks.

“You thought it was a good idea before the party. What’s changed?” Geoff persisted.

Monnie shot him an
I’m the mother and I said so
look. When Geoff did not back down from the glare, Chip cleared his throat.

“
Son, you’ve got to admit, you gave us quite a shock last night.”

“
Therefore you’re not capable of taking a trip you’ve been planning for months?” Geoff murmured.

Cheris
’ eyes widened at his serious tone. She glanced at Janie who watched Geoff just as intently. Tension thickened until Cheris could hardly stand it.

No.

No way was she going to be culpable in this family starting a feud.

“
Geoff, sweetie, could you show me to the powder room?” Cheris touched his shoulder as she stood up.

With his jaw still clinched, he finally broke eye contact with his parents to look at her.

“Please?” She trailed her hand down his arm to clasp his fingers.

Geoff allowed her to pull him to his feet and toward the back door. He held it open for her and followed her inside. Through the kitchen and down the hall they walked until he gestured her toward a door.

Cheris turned to face him. “I don’t really have to go.”

“
Then why—”

“
Because I wanted to diffuse that situation before someone said something they would regret.”

Geoff sighed angrily, pivoted, and began to walk away. Cheris hurried around him and blocked his path.
“How can you blame them for wanting to stay to be with us?”

He ran a hand through his hair and glared at the wall.

“They just found out their only son ran off and married someone they’ve never met. Of course, they want to stay here and get to know me. They’re excited and anxious. Did you see your mother’s face last night on the stairs? She had tears in her eyes. Please don’t be angry at them because they don’t want to miss a very important part of their son’s life.”

“
And which part is that, Cheris? The one in which their only son has divorce papers served to him, or the one in which they find out that the only reason they have a daughter-in-law was because their son coerced her into getting married while under the influence?”

Cheris faked a calm pose. She
’d counseled Webbers to ‘fake it to make it’ and followed that advice now. Breathing deeply, she adopted a cool expression, and loosened her already-tensed muscles.

“
The point is, if they want to stay here, it’s their choice. Not yours. Not mine.” Cheris ran her hands up and down his arms wanting him to relax. “Right?”

Geoff sighed again and shut his eyes.
“Right.”

“
So, we’re going to go back out there and be pleasant. If you don’t want to see them this week, don’t come over here. It’s that simple.”

“
It’s never simple when it’s your own family.”

No kidding. If her mom ever found out, there
’d be teeth gnashing of Biblical proportions.

“
Agreed.”

Geoff leaned back against the wall pulling her with him. When had they begun to hold hands? She stumbled against him, and Geoff dropped her fingers to wrap his arms around her.

“If you’re really moving back here, you need to get used to them having a more active role in your life.” Cheris tried to sound matter of fact when she said it, but instead her voice had taken on the characteristics of a twenty year smoker on a hike up the Alps. He surrounded her, his body and the clean scent of Dial soap.

She
’d never thought of Dial as sexy, but
on him
….

“
Will I have to get used to you having a more active role in my life?” His voice reverberated against her.

Her stomach flipped, and tingles which had begun there rippled outward. A sure sign of desire.

Geoff was turning her on.

Geoff Arrowood, her husband.

“I…I don’t know.”

“
That’s not an outright rejection. Perhaps we’re making progress.”

Progress?

Lust was progress?

Geoff bent his head, and touched her lips with his briefly.
“I want to kiss you. Really kiss you.”

“
You’ll behave yourself with your parents?”