Operation Date Escape

perfect man for you,” Nanci said, breaking the silence .
    Kelsie rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. You don’t even know the guy.”
    “Okay, let’s look at what I do know. He’s incredibly sexy. Any argument there?”
    “No ,” she grumbled.
    “He risks his life to save others.”
    “It goes with the job,” Kelsie replied nonchalantly, but in all truth she admired men like Cole.
    Ignoring her, Nanci went on, “He’s got a great smile which I know for a fact you’ve already taken notice of. And for the cherry on top of that sweet dish of a man, he throws candy to kids at parades.”
    “And how would you know that?”
    “Hey, I’ve been to parades before. Cole’s a firefighter and they always throw candy from their trucks when they go past kids. In fact, last July I wrestled a kid to the ground for a snack size Reese’s Cup.”
    She shot her friend a questioning look. “You did what?”
    Nanci pointed a finger at her. “Now don’t go looking at me like I’m that ugly old witch who rides the bike in the Wizard of Oz. That candy was mine. They threw it to me and this kid came charging out of nowhere to steal it. And during PMS week nobody takes my chocolate.”
    Kelsie could relate to that, but taking candy from a kid... “Hope it was worth it.”
    “Not really. By the time I got it back it was all smooshed.”
    “I’m sure it still tasted good.”
    “I wouldn’t know. I gave it to the kid.”
    “Let me get this straight. You wrestled him for the candy and then gave it back?”
    Nanci nodded. “I certainly couldn’t eat it that way. There’s a method to eating a Reese’s Cup, you know. You bite all around the outside edge first, saving the center for last. You can’t do that when the cup is smooshed. Now, getting back to you and Cole...”
    “ It would never work between us.”
    “How do you know? You haven’t even given the guy a chance.” Nanci pulled a half empty pack of sugar-free Dentyne from her purse and held it out to Kelsie. “Gum?”
    “Thanks.” She helped herself to a piece, unwrapping it as she drove. “For your information, I don’t have to give Cole a chance for me to know it wouldn’t work between us.”
    “Why?”
    She popped the stick of cinnamon gum into her mouth, and then tossed the wrapper into her purse, which was lying between the bucket seats. “Well, for one thing, he’s too good looking.”
    Nanci arched a brow. “And you prefer ugly?”
    “Kyle was hot and look where that got me.”
    “Your ex ’s being an asshole has nothing to do with his looks. Besides, Cole seems like a genuinely nice guy. Your mom’s going to love him,” she added as they turned onto the street where Kelsie’s mother lived.
    Kelsie felt a rush of panic at the mention of her mother. “No she won’t.”
    Her friend laughed. “Of course, she will.”
    “She won’t have a chance to ‘love’ him, because she’s not going to find out about my going out with Cole. Your lips are sealed, remember?”
    Laughing softly, Nanci pretended to zip her lips shut again, murmuring, “She won’t find out from me.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

    Unfortunately for Kelsie, sealed lips in Nanci’s case was in reference to the glossy topcoat her friend had applied over her bright pink lipstick. Because the first thing out of her friend’s mouth when her mother slid into the backseat behind them was, “Good morning! Nothing’s new with me. You might check with your daughter though.”
    “I’ve already heard,” Kelsie’s mother replied.
    She had? Kelsie met her mother’s gaze in the rearview mirror, surprised to find her frowning. Of all people, she would have expected her mother to be beaming with delight over the news.
    “What on earth were you thinking?” he mother scolded. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about it.”
    “You’re upset about it?” Kelsie said in surprise as she pulled back out onto the main street.
    “Of course, I’m upset. What mother wouldn’t be?”
    Who was this woman in her car and what had she done with her real mother? “I thought you wanted me to date,” she said in confusion.
    “What?”
    “How did you find out about Cole asking me out?”
    “Cole?”
    “The hunk she’s going out with Saturday night,” Nanci happily chimed in.
    Her mother shot forward in her seat, her expression changing to one of surprise. “You’re going on a real date?”
    As opposed to all those awful blind dates her mother and Nanci had set her up on? “You said