17. Julie
Julie
“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” – Dr. Seuss
“ L et’s go everyone, twist those hips like you mean it,” Jacob hollers from up the stage where he’s leading the work out this morning. “Ms. Joy Levine, please stop.”
“Why?” Joy asks warily, narrowing her eyes at her fiancé.
“Good girl.” He winks. “Now turn around.” Still doubtful Joy does as he says, turning her back to him. “Perfect. Now twists those hips for me wildflower,” he adds wickedly as he checks out her ass, shamelessly, in the middle of town square.
Joy sighs, shaking her head but there is a huge smile on her face that Jacob can’t see. “You need help,” she shouts but bends over teasingly. A second later there is very audible, very pained, groan from the stage.
“Get a room!” Alec shouts.
“Only after you,” Jacob hollers back pointing at his hands that, oh-so-helpfully, help Hope move her hips. The two of them giggling like schoolgirls. Oh, to be young and in love…
Unfortunately, I can’t make it every morning, but I do try to come out at least once a week and it’s enough to put me in a jovial mood for a few days. Especially because I see him here.
Griffin’s taken to coming to these and despite my resolve, my eyes still find him in the crowd. They are drawn to him like two magnets, seeking their home. But just as fast as they latch on him, I snap my gaze away. Before anyone takes notice.
There’s no need to give Love Hive any unnecessary incentives because if they’d get even a sniff of my attraction for Griffin, they’d start pairing us up and the last thing I need is yet another rejection from the man.
I’m strong and believe in all the goodness of this world, but I’m not invincible. My heart is barely hanging in there as it is.
The workout lasts for another fifteen minutes before everyone is sweaty and panting. And I only looked at Griff maybe like two more times.
Okay, fine, that’s a lie. It’s more like five. Ten…oh, whatever. The man wears T-shirts that mold against his sweaty chest like second skin.
“One last thing before you all go on with your beautiful morning. Starting today, we will be hosting blind dates in Loverly Cave because we strongly believe in finding your soulmate. There is a sign-up sheet at LPs bar—head on over and Willa will take your name. Good luck to you all and may the odds be ever in your favor. Damn, I always wanted to say that line.” Jacob hops from one foot to the other like a kid on sugar rush.
“I’m marrying an idiot.” Joy sighs, plucking her mat from the ground.
“How do I know you won’t pair me with Norman?” one of the ladies calls out. “I want one of them Colson boys.”
“Mrs. Zinger, both of the Colson boys are already taken.”
“Well, I don’t want Norman. He’s got one foot in the grave. He can’t satisfy me. Now, those Colson boys, they are fine lads.”
“Mrs. Zinger, I repeat, they are both taken, using their body parts to satisfy their women.”
“I’m not picky, I can make an excellent lover.”
“Oh dear Lord, did she really just say that?” Hope asks.
“Why do you assume you’d be paired up with Norman?” Jacob asks.
“Because I’ve been married to that old hag for the past forty years.”
“You still are,” Norman crocks out.
“ Okayyyy ,” Joy draws out as all hell breaks loose around the square. “This has been enlightening as always, now I’m heading over to work. See you all later.” And with that she sashays away. Joy and Jacob recently took over the family practice in town.
Ignoring what sounds like every single resident over the age of sixty now shouting at Jacob and demanding to not be paired with someone they’ve been married to before, I say, “Well, I need to head over to my coffee shop as well.” I have extra staff helping out on the days I’m at the workout, but I’m still anxious anytime I’m away from it for too long.
We all say our goodbyes to one another and I’m halfway across the square when a hot pink ball is rushing toward me. “Julie!” The pink ball turns into Fanny, her white, short, curly hair bobbing up and down with each step. “Sheesh, I barely caught you.”
“What’s going on, Fanny?” I ask, and she holds up a finger while trying to catch her breath.
“Damn Jenny and her cookies, I knew that last one was too much last night.”
“Are you sure it was the cookies and not the cocktails Willa so helpfully provided for you guys?” I arch an eyebrow in amusement while Fanny narrows her eyes at me.
“What do you know about our super-secret meeting?”
I roll my eyes. Last night Dad called me in distress when Mom didn’t come home from her “tea” with the girls.
The phone call came at two-forty-three a.m. I was still on the line with him, pulling on my leggings, to go see what was happening when their front door was opened with a bang loud enough I heard it.
“Only that my mom came home sometime around three a.m. singing “Listen To Your Heart ” and collapsing in the living room. On the floor. Where she’d decided she was going to die last night.”
“Pff, newbie,” Fanny scoffs. “It’s all right, we’ll train Lily better for the next time.”
“Next time?” I start asking and then think better of it. “Nope, you know what, I don’t want to know. So, what can I do for you?” Where Love Hive is involved the less you know the better.
“Show up at seven p.m. tonight at LPs.”
“Huh? Why? What’s happening at LPs tonight?”
“Your blind date is happening.”
“My what date?” I blink. “I thought Jacob just announced the sign-ups.”
Fanny waves me off. “Didn’t your mom tell you? Jenny recently discovered she’s got a clairvoyant bone. She saw the future where you were signing up.”
“You don’t say…” I trail off, slowly, my suspicious hackles up and ready.
Fanny leans in as if sharing a secret with me. “Between you and I, I think it’s a load of crap. But if you don’t show up tonight, it will hurt her feelings and we wouldn’t want that, right? So you’ll come.” That sounded like a statement with a heavy dose of coercion.
“Fanny, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Nonsense, it’s a great idea.”
Not at all , I want to say but I also know enough to know she won’t drop it. And if I refuse, she’ll most likely hog tie me and bring me to this date no matter what.
“Oh, Julie, are you going to do the blind date?” My mom shows up seemingly out of nowhere, looking a little green.
“I’m not sure, Mom, but I think you should go lie down.” I wince looking at her pained expression. “You don’t look so good.”
“I’ll be fine,” she whispers with a brush off and sucks in a sharp breath.
“Oh boy,” Fanny says, wrapping a hand around Mom’s waist. “Let’s go to Willa’s, kitty, you need another mix.”
“Another one?” Mom shrieks in horror. “I don’t think I can handle another one.”
“You’ll be fine, kitty. We’ll build up your tolerance slowly. After all, you still have another single child.”
That catches my attention. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Lily here is not getting any younger while you and that brother of yours refuse to settle down. It’s putting a physical strain on her body, see?” Fanny gestures to my mom who suddenly looks panicked.
“I’m not—”
“Hush, Kitkat. I always know better.” She hushes my mom. “So, you’re going to the blind date, right?”
I do not see how all of these things are connected apart from being sure I’m now a subject of Love Hive schemes, but one look at my mom’s pleading eyes and I find myself nodding.
“Fine. I’ll be there,” I tell them with a strained smile and run away before they have a chance to rope me into any more schemes. At least I'm certain it won't be with Griffin. He'd never agreed to this.
It’s not until I close Sip of Love for the day and clean up that I think about this whole blind date set up.
I agreed because…well, there wasn’t another option. Fanny can get the dead to do her biding, but it’s also my mom.
She’s never pushed me to date or settle down because she knows my heart is taken. But maybe she’s been secretly hoping I’d move on? There’s no harm in going to dinner with someone.
It’s not like I’ll have to get serious or marry them. It’s just a date. Not to mention I don’t know how to say no.