You Belong With Me (5 page)

              Jane’s eyes clouded and shrugged. “Oh I dated.
A ton
. But it got kind of old in a weird way. It was always a big group of us going out you know, which was fun I guess, but at the end of the night, I’d be talking to someone completely different than my date. And my date would be off somewhere flirting with one of my roommates. But I have to say, I wouldn’t mind finding someone cute. I really feel like I’m ready for it you know? Like my heart and mind and body are all in sinc at the same time.”

              Kit nodded and swirled the ice in her drink with her straw. “I totally know what you mean Jane. It’s gotta be right or it doesn’t matter who walks through that door. It won’t happen,” she said looking pointedly at Layla.

              Layla widened her eyes and tried to look innocent. “Oh yeah, I know what you guys mean,” she added quickly, looking away.

              Kit snorted and shook her head at her sister. “You know what? I think we should all make a pact. We’re all starting over, right? Heck, we’re here celebrating the beginning of our new lives. So I think we should all agree to be open to new relationships. How about it?”

              Jane nodded her head, grinning. Layla frowned. “I’m not really looking for anything romantic right now Kit. Besides, we have so much to focus on. I think adding a new relationship on top of everything would be kind of crazy. Why don’t we focus on getting the bakery up and running and say,
maybe
in six months, I’ll think about dating,” she said, using her calm social worker voice.

              Kit glared at her and sat forward, spearing her with her warm hazel eyes. “Sweetie, this is for your own good. You’re about to shatter you’re so frozen. You need to open up to the possibility of love. And I need to heal from my last crappy relationship and Jane needs to experience what it’s like to date a real man, and not some dumb college guy. This will be good for all of us.”

              Layla shook her head doubtfully. “Kit, you just barely broke up with your boyfriend. Statistics show that it’s a good idea to take some time for yourself, learn from your past mistakes so you don’t repeat them and
then
work up to a new relationship. Just jumping from one man to the next cannot be good for you,” she said worriedly.

              Kit rolled her eyes. “Your statistics don’t know everything. And when was your last serious relationship Layla?
Hmm?
A few months ago?
No?
Over a year?”

              Layla blushed and looked away. She’d been pushing men to the side for a long time. Jane cleared her throat and reached over and grabbed her hand.

              “Layla, Kit’s being a bully, but I think we should listen to her. Kit has been picking the wrong men from day one. She picks guys she knows will leave her. And you, you just assume they’ll leave you, so you’ve given up. I’m determined though. I am determined to date men who will stay. I’m not going to fall into any weird psychological pattern because our father left us so long ago,” she said in a determined voice that had Layla and Kit staring at her in surprise.

              Layla glanced at Kit who was looking at her with wide eyes. “
Whoa
. Way to decimate us with razor blade psychology Jane,” she said quietly, still feeling the cut.

              Jane winced and sat back in her chair. “Sorry, but I took a few psychology classes in school. We don’t have to keep the pattern just because we were born into it, you know? Why not break free? Why not believe that we can pick our own happy endings? Kit could find a man who wants to be faithful to her. And you Layla, you could too.
If
you wanted to,” she said softly.

              Layla closed her eyes and looked away. The conversation had gotten way too deep and slightly painful. She opened her eyes as she breathed out a sigh and looked at Kit. Kit looked like she’d been hit by a two by four.

              “Kit? You okay there?” she asked softly.

              Kit looked up and ran her hands through her long red waves. “Well, you have to admit, she has a point Layla. She’s kind of right. I have picked idiots.
Every time
. I’ve always picked the bad boy with the motorcycle. The player. Maybe I should pick some boring guy with a 9-5 job and a dependable salary. We’ll shop at Home Depot on Saturdays for fun and go for walks in the park with our dog,” she said sounding forlorn.

              Jane laughed and shook her head. “Dependable, trustworthy men don’t have to be boring Kit.”

              Layla grinned slightly too at Kit’s sad face. “No more guys with tattoos for you Kit,” she said in a commiserating voice.

              Kit grimaced and sat up as the waiter brought their food. Layla had ordered the salmon, Kit the pan seared scallops and Jane the blackened halibut. As the waiter walked away to check on his other tables, the women dug in to their fragrant and fresh food.

              “I am in heaven,” Kit breathed out as she savored the flavors in her mouth.

              Layla agreed, as she took another spoonful of chowder. “This place is amazing,” she said closing her eyes in pleasure.

              Jane smiled and took a sip of her drink and then sat up, kicking her sisters under the table. “
Hey.
Check out this guy. He must be the owner. Who wants to call dibs?” she asked quietly with a mischievous grin on her face.

              Layla glanced over her shoulder at the man making the rounds of the tables and smiled appreciatively. He was medium height, but powerfully built. He wore a dress shirt open at the neck, with the arms rolled up and dress slacks. He had to be the owner. He walked around the room as if he owned it. There was an air of charming confidence, but it was the overt masculinity that had Layla passing immediately. This guy was one of
those
men, so confident, so aware of their attractiveness and power that he probably had at least three girlfriends on the side if not more.

              “I’m passing. What about you Kit?” she asked grinning as she saw the interested look on her sister’s face.

              Kit groaned and smiled ruefully. “I’d snag him in a heartbeat, but Jane just told me that I can’t have hot, exciting men like that. Jane? You want to call dibs?” she asked, as she grinned at Jane’s wide eyed appreciation.

              “
Wow
, he is way too hot for me. I could never handle a man like that,” she whispered, sounding unsure and young. “He looks like Mr. Darcy, Rhett Butler and a sexy vampire all rolled up into one gorgeous package,” she said, looking away quickly as the man in question turned to walk toward their table.

              Layla grinned at Jane’s reaction and noticed that Kit had run her hands through her hair to make it look fluffier. This should be interesting.

              “Good afternoon ladies. I’m Rob Downing, owner of the Iron Skillet. Is everything to your liking?” he asked, smiling at each woman individually before coming back to rest on Kit.

              Kit might have passed, but that didn’t stop her from smiling flirtatiously up at the man, letting her large hazel eyes work their magic. “The food is amazing. Please give our compliments to the chef,” she said, taking another bit of her scallop.

              The man stared for a moment before blinking as if he were dazed. He smiled at Kit then turned to Layla. “And you, how is your meal?”

              Layla knew men were powerless against Kit’s arsenal of beauty. She was like a siren. Knowing he couldn’t possibly be interested in her, she relaxed and smiled up at the man. “I’m really impressed Rob. The food has so much flavor. How long have you had this restaurant?” she asked, noting Rob had to be in his late twenties or early thirties.

              Rob grinned and put his hands in his pockets. “Just over a year and I love it. I retired from the Mariners and didn’t have much to do, so I decided to follow in my dad’s footsteps and open up a restaurant.”

              Jane grinned at Rob. “What position did you play? We
love
watching Mariner’s games,” she said, not even trying to hide how impressed she was.

              Rob grinned at her. “Third base. I tore my shoulder though and I was out. But it was a fun ride while it lasted,” he said with a rueful smile.

              Kit studied Rob, tilting her head. “The ride always comes to an end, doesn’t it?”

              Rob looked back at Kit. “There are always new adventures to find. New rides. That’s what makes life so great. You ladies enjoy yourselves and I hope to see you back soon,” he said, smiling politely at all of them before walking over to the next table.

              “Wow.
He. Is. Amazing
,” Jane said shaking her head as she turned her head to watch him. “I might re-think my stance on Alpha males,” she murmured.

              Kit sighed and stretched out her arms high over her head. “Stick to the Betas Jane. They don’t cheat and they don’t leave you for the next better thing. Or
next adventure in
Rob’s case,” she said carelessly.

              Layla frowned and shook her head. “I don’t know Kit. I didn’t get a player vibe from him. Maybe he’s a reformed player? He might be harmless,” she said, glancing at the owner as he picked up a customer’s baby and held him loosely on his hip, totally at ease.

              Kit glanced over and stared pensively for a moment before swirling her fork through her pasta. “Then he’s married or taken. Forget it girls. I’m actually thinking of finding the closest tattoo parlor and getting Rosie the Riveter on my arm.”

              Jane shook her head as she glanced at Rob one more time. “No ring Kit. I looked. And I bet you that he asks you out,” she said sagely.

              Kit frowned and looked away. “You kind of just told me that I’m psychologically hardwired to pick men that will break my heart and leave. Why would this guy be any different?”

              Jane looked over her shoulder and Rob right before he disappeared into the kitchens. “I liked him. And I’ve never liked any of your boyfriends before. I say why not?”

              Layla grinned and nodded. “Go for it Kit.”

              Kit laughed and shook her head. “I’ve always been the one to leap before I look. I’ll start dating when I see you two dating. Besides, I might do something wild and crazy and play hard to get.”

              Layla groaned silently and went back to her salmon. Kit would be forty before she dated then because she wasn’t in the mood to have her heart broken. She just wanted to focus on the bakery and have fun with her sisters. She wanted to take Bubba for walks and stare at the ocean. Men? Not a priority.

              Jane sighed and wiped her mouth with her napkin. “You’re going to have to wait a long time then Kit. We’ve seen two good looking men today and the realtor couldn’t take his eyes off Layla and Rob the Restaurateur just about swallowed his tongue when he looked at you. Sometimes it sucks having gorgeous sisters,” she said sadly.

              Layla’s mouth fell open in shock. “Jane! You are incredible. You have this fresh, innocent beauty that’s sweet and good and wonderful. You’re way more attractive than me,” she said looking upset.

              Kit snorted and shook her head. “You guys are both being ridiculous. And Layla, you’re being silly. Beauty isn’t something you can compare and add up. Jane isn’t more beautiful than you and you’re not more attractive than her. Men who love gorgeous, fresh faced blonds will swear you are the most beautiful woman in the world. Men who find red-heads fascinating will like me,” she said with a serious lack of humility, “and men who find innocence and goodness and big brown eyes and dimples the epitome of beauty will fall at Jane’s feet. Beauty isn’t a one size fits all. No one is more or less. We’re all just different, which is good, because so are men.”

              Jane’s eyes went wide as she nodded. “You are so right. Okay, I’m going to stop being jealous of you two if it kills me. But where are all the men who think I’m so amazing?” she asked looking around the restaurant curiously.

              Kit laughed. “You just watch. We open the bakery and I bet all the men in Fircrest will be lining up to see you. Because you have something special that me and Layla don’t. You have the ability to actually like men. Layla can’t stand them and I don’t trust them. Men tend to have issues with
our
issues,” she said as Layla grinned in acknowledgement.

              Jane smiled and relaxed her shoulders. “You do have a point there. Okay. I’m not going to rush it then. When it happens, it happens. Now, if you two are finished, let’s head back and bake something.”

* * *

              Rob watched from the kitchen as the three women thanked their server and stood up. The brunette was adorable, a total ringer for Jennifer Garner and the blond was a stunner. But something about the red head made him want to know more. He grinned at himself and turned back to the kitchen. He’d sworn off dangerous beautiful women years ago. And that woman had danger written all over her.

Chapter 5 – Treats