My Lucky Groom

your new job. How did it go?”
    “I burned the coffee.”
    “I’m sure they’ll forgive you.”
    “Four times.”
    “But I thought you’d worked at a coffee shop?”
    “Serving, not cooking.”
    “Well, I missed my Metro stop.”
    “You what?”
    She smiled mysteriously. “That didn’t mean I couldn’t find a Washington hottie to help me.”
    “Ventura! What are you talking about? You met someone?”
    “I saw Richard,” Ventura whispered. “And, oh my goodness, Mary, I looked a total wreck.”
    Mary paused a beat to study her. “You don’t look bad now.”
    “It was worse in the morning with run pantyhose and wild wet hair.”
    Mary cupped her mouth with her hand. “Are you serious?”
    “Naturally, Richard was as put together as always.”
    “He’s impeccable, that one is. I want the name of his tailor.”
    Ventura produced Richard’s business card. “Well, you can call him and ask.”
    Mary expression brightened. “Nice work. He gave you his card? What’s up?”
    Ventura felt her face fall at the admission. “He wants a nanny.”
    “That’s it?”
    “Oh, girls!” Nanette hollered from the next room. “Your gentlemen friends are growing restless!”
    Mary opened her mouth and stuck in a finger, making a gagging motion.
    Ventura giggled before growing serious again. “What are we doing to do?”
    “We’ve got to get rid of them.”
    “The sooner the better. But how?”
    Mary pursed her lips in thought, then pulled a carton of ice cream from the freezer with an evil grin. “Men a la mode?” she whispered to Ventura. And then, much more loudly, she called to Nanette, “Coming right up!”

    A few minutes later, Ventura primly carted in dessert plates loaded with generous slices of pecan pie. Mary followed with a container of ice cream and a solid silver scoop.
    Larry eyed Ventura lasciviously as she set down his plate. “Why, thanks, sweetness.”
    Mary coquettishly batted her eyelashes. “Ice cream with that?”
    Larry licked his lips, and Ventura shuddered. “Tasty-tasty.”
    With incredible cool, Mary dug a huge mound of ice cream out of the box then… “Whoops! Oh, heavens to Betsy!” she proclaimed, putting on an exaggerated Southern tone. “Just what have I done?”
    “Hey!” Larry spewed, springing from his chair as the cold ball of French Vanilla landed square in his lap.
    Ventura set down Louis’s dessert with a smile. “How about you?”
    “I’m sure he wants some too,” Mary went on without skipping a beat. Before Louis could get another word out, she’d scooped out two more hunks of ice cream and “Uh-oh!”
    “Oh dear.” Ventura brought her hands to her cheeks, surveying the double balls nestled together above Louis’s plaid pants.
    He pushed back in his chair with a scowl, sweeping the ice cream balls off his lap and onto the Oriental carpet under the table.
    “My good rug!” Nanette cried with dismay.
    Louis stood haughtily, joining Larry by the door in the foyer.
    “I don’t think that was any kind of accident,” Larry scolded, still dabbing his slacks with his hanky.
    Nanette stood from her chair, clearly offended. “Now, I’m sure they didn’t do that on purpose.”
    “Of course not,” Mary said before Ventura added, “We’re so sorry.”
    “Harrumph!” Larry leaned forward to wipe Louis’s crotch, and Louis slapped him. “Stop that! We’re in public now!”
    The girls raised their brows at each other.
    “Why don’t we all sit back down—” Nanette began.
    “Not on your life, sister.” Louis already had his hand on the knob and was pulling the front door open.
    A few minutes later, the three women leaned out the door and watched the men scamper down the sidewalk, their knees bent out sideways like bow-legged cowboys.
    “Don’t forget to call!” Nanette yelled after them, which only made them move faster.

Chapter Four

    Jason smiled politely at the preppy blonde in pearls as he walked her to the door. “Thanks so much for stopping by. We’ll get back to you by the end of the week.”
    After seeing her outside, he returned to Richard, who sat with his elbows on his desk, head in hands. “None of them are any good.”
    “I didn’t think Helga was so horrible.”
    Richard set his palms on his desk and stared at him. “She was scary. Admit it.”
    “Okay. Just a tiny bit. But Ricky and Elisa need discipline. You said so yourself.”
    “Not that kind. The woman didn’t even smile.”
    “So maybe she has dental