Operation Date Escape

book.”
    “I needed to get away for a few days to think. My life’s been pretty complicated lately.”
    “Only because you make it that way.”
    There was definitely some truth to that.
    “ And for your information,” her mother continued, “those few days felt like weeks to me.”
    “I’m sorry. I never meant to worry you. I wasn’t exactly thinking straight when I left town.”
    “ I’m assuming by the calls I’ve received from Cole that your leaving had something to do with him.”
    Kelsie nodded. “He’s falling in love with me.”
    “What?” her mother gasped, her frown morphed instantly into a smile.
    “ At least he was before I took off out of town the way I did.”
    “Oh, honey.” Her mother reached out, laying a comforting hand on Kelsie’s arm. “Are you in love with him?”
    She nodded again. “Yes.”
    “Then things will work out. You’ll see .”
    “I really hope so, Mom.”
    Her mother gave her a reassuring smile. “Cole’s been trying to reach you for days. I think he was more out of his mind with worry than I was over you. And I’ll tell you right now I was at my wit’s end. That tells me he still cares a lot about you. Have you called to let him know you’re back?”
    “No. I’d rather talk to him in person when I explain why I did what I did.”
    “Then go talk to him.”
    “He’s on duty today. I’d rather wait until tomorrow when he’s off to talk things over.”
    “I suppose one more day won’t make that much of a difference.” Her mother smiled. “I’m so happy for you, honey. To be honest, I was afraid you’d never let a man into your heart again after what happened between you and Kyle.”
    “I never thought I would either.”
    Her mother clapped her hands together. “Ooh! This means I’ll finally get a couple of─”
    “Grandchildren,” Kelsie finished for her with a smile.
    “Yes,” her mother said. “Lots and lots of them.”
    Now she was a breeding machine? “If,” she told her mother, “and that’s a big ‘if’, I can get Cole to forgive me for running out on him, we’ll go from there. One step at a time.”
    Her mother sighed. “I suppose there’s nothing I can do to help out. You know, to sort of move things along a little faster.”
    “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’d rather handle this on my own.”
    “Fine, but don’t take too long. Your mother here isn’t getting any younger. I’d like some grandchildren before I’m too old to enjoy them.”
    “Point taken.” She couldn’t help but smile at the thought of having a baby with Cole someday. One with his dark hair and dark eyes. And please oh please his dimple.
    “I really am happy for you ,” her mother said in all sincerity.
    “ I suppose you’ll be even happier when I tell you my other good news.”
    Her mother’s face lit up. “Y ou’re already pregnant!”
    “Mom!”
    Her mother held up her hands. “Sorry. But you can’t blame a mother for trying. So what’s your other good news?”
    “I’ve writ ten a book.”
    “What kind of book?”
    She hesitated, debating the best way to tell her mother what she’d been doing. Would she be upset that Kelsie hadn’t taken her blind dates more seriously? Not that there had been much possibility of that happening, considering the men she’d been set up with.
    “It’s called OPERATION: DATE ESCAPE. I came up with the idea when you started setting me up on all those blind dates.” She went on to explain to her mother what the book was about and that she’d come home to find she had an offer on it.
    “M y daughter’s going to be famous! Wait until all of my friends at work hear about this.”
    “ Mom, I don’t think selling one little how-to book is going to put me in the famous author category. But thanks for being happy for me.”
    She glanced at her watch. “I’d better get going. I’ve got another showing in Dublin in an hour. Then I have a few things I need to see to afterwards.”
    “Just as long as those things don’t include any wedding planning,” Kelsie warned , remembering what Cole had told her about the wedding cake tasting.
    “I wouldn’t dream of it,” her mother replied with a grin as she headed for the door. “At least not yet. Be sure to call me as soon as you’ve straightened things out with my son-in-law to be.”
    “Mom...”
    “Gotta run,” she called back with an over-the-shoulder wave as she closed the door behind her.
    Kelsie shook her head, smiling. Today