The Relationship Coach (2 page)

“She’s already approached me about our dating service. I lied and told her our agency didn’t have any men her age. She’s had enough husbands.” Lacey’s shoulders shuddered involuntarily. And her stomach warned of impending nausea at the thought of matching her mother with one of her clients. Finding her mother husband number six felt incestuous.

Amanda shook her head, her chestnut curls quivering. “But how much longer can you postpone telling your mother and sister about you and Dean shacking up? You’re practically engaged to the guy.”

Lacey had grown up with multiple fathers, siblings, and aunts and uncles, men who’d walked into and out of her life before the ink on the wedding license dried. “As long as possible to put off the lecture on marriage. When we’re both ready, we’ll get married. No one is forcing me down the aisle. I’m doing this once and only once.”

“Great! The relationship coach is hiding her feelings from her mother,” Amanda said quietly as they continued down the long hall past other exhibit rooms in the hotel.

Lacey vehemently denied what she knew was true. “I’m not hiding my feelings. I just haven’t chosen my battlefield yet. Because, believe me, once she learns we’re moving in together, there will be a bloody battle.”

***

Reed lifted his right arm and slammed the racket against the tennis ball. Ty Ward, his best friend, college roommate and now cameraman, returned Reed’s serve, smashing the ball onto the court. Reed raced to return the volley and knocked the ball out of bounds.

He leaned over, rested his hands on his knees, and tried to catch his breath. “Damn. That’s game-set-match. I guess drinks are on me today.”

Ty slapped his hand on Reed’s shoulder. “It’s not often I win, so hell yes. Drinks are on you.”

Still fighting to control his breathing, Reed straightened and contemplated his friend. “Let’s shower and go see who’s hanging out at the club this afternoon.”

“You mean, see if Blair is working today.” Ty’s sly grin filled his thin face. His appearance was more like a child of the sixties with his tied back dark hair, yet the ladies loved his big brown eyes and long lashes. With just a smile, they seemed to flock to his side.

“No, man. She gave my ass the boot.”

In a nanosecond, Ty’s jaw dropped like a tennis ball and bounced back up to his lip. His eyes widened. “When did this happen?”

“Blair attended a
Twelve Steps of Dating
seminar, and afterwards, we had the ‘what are your intentions’ talk.”

Ty grimaced in that universal man connection of oh-no-not-that-talk. “I hate those.”

They walked toward the men’s side of the clubhouse, passing the empty swimming pool. “We dated for six months, and she wanted to know where we were headed, which is chick speak for how soon can I expect an engagement ring.”

“Did you tell her when people in hell manufacture ice chips?” Ty asked.

“I tried to play it cool. I told her it was too soon to start talking about marriage. But she unloaded me the next day via text,” he told Ty, his chest squeezing his lungs until his breath felt labored. It wasn’t that he loved Blair. He thought she’d bought into his lies. He thought they would be together for several more months. He thought he’d be the one to call it quits.

“A text! Really?” Ty laughed until his face flushed red and tears shimmered in the corner of his eyes.

“It’s not funny. It’s the first time I’ve been dumped since college. I’m the dumper, not the dumpee.” That had been the pattern, since Mary, his college sweetheart, had returned his engagement ring. It seemed she loved the idea of a new car more than marrying him, and her daddy had delivered on the deal-a brand new red Corvette.

“What did Blair say?” Ty asked.

Reed pushed the troubling thoughts from his mind. Why screw a perfectly good day with thoughts of a woman who’d rejected his heart and his ring?

“That she had given our talk consideration and decided I wasn’t serious about getting married. It would be best if we ended our relationship.”

“Hey, she made it easy for you.” Ty picked up his bag and racket.

“She confessed to attending the
Twelve Steps of Dating
seminar. The woman teaching the course had given clues to when someone wasn’t really serious. I hit every one of her benchmarks,” Reed said.

Ty high-fived him.

“Blair said, ‘I know you don’t want to get married.’” He paused. “What could I say? She’s right. I’m not getting married. Ever.”

At thirty-two, he was done with
forever after
. When a woman thought a car was more valuable than her relationship with him, then he could use women for what he wanted. Sex. And more sex.

Ty’s brown eyes stared at him, curiosity in his gaze. “What now? We’ve wrapped up your project and spent a month resting. You have no girlfriend. What’s next?”

The familiar zing of excitement gripped his chest, and he couldn’t wait to get started back doing what he loved. He smiled at Ty, anxious to see his reaction. “Yesterday, Graham gave us a new project.”

“What dictator are we taking down?”

“I have to thank Blair for giving the idea to Graham.”

“Blair? The girlfriend?”

“Yes, our next documentary is on a relationship coach.”

Ty’s groan echoed over the empty court, and he raised his fist in the air and took a pretend swing. “Crap.”

“Hang on, man. It gets better,” Reed said laughing at his camera-man’s antics. “I did some research. It seems anyone can hang out a shingle saying she’s a relationship coach. You acquire a special certificate then start a coaching practice. Some are therapists, but most are just ordinary individuals who think they know what’s best for people.”

For the first time ever, he’d turned Graham down when he’d told Reed about the documentary. At first he’d thought this wasn’t his style of film, but then when he learned what Ms. Morgan was doing and how much she was charging, he’d known he had to expose the beautiful schemer. And when Graham had promised Reed his choice of subjects for the next film, he’d jumped on board ready for the adventure.

Ty’s forehead wrinkled. “And we’re going to do what?”

“We’re going to expose relationship coaches as frauds. And we’re starting with Lacey Morgan,” Reed said. After meeting the charming charlatan, Ms. Morgan, his reluctance had changed into excitement, especially since Graham had promised to give Reed free rein on the next film.

“Does Ms. Morgan know you’re about to take her down?”

Reed smiled, feeling like the big bad wolf about to take down Little Red Riding Hood. “I’m meeting with her next week.”

“Do you think she’ll agree to let us film her? Not many people want to watch their business butchered on the big screen.”

Reed laughed, unable to keep the excitement of showing Ms. Morgan for the crook she was out of his voice. “I’m pitching it as a film to highlight the services relationship coaches provide. How they are helping couples find each other in a world where discovering the right person can be difficult.”

Motivation flowed through his veins like a fine wine, making him drunk with anticipation.

“And after we film her, you’ll add in the testaments about how relationship coaches harm people…how there are no regulations or specifications…how anyone can do this.” Ty nodded.

“Bingo. And believe me, this chick will rock the film. She is one hot babe.”

“Man, you and I both know your relationship with Blair would never have lasted,” Ty said, stating the obvious.

“True. But Ms. Morgan’s seminar also ended Graham’s relationship. And he’s pissed.”

Ty shook his head. “Great! Not one, but two rejected males. For the good of men everywhere, this woman’s going down!”

Graham Turner, owner of Graham Productions, was not someone you wanted to provoke into putting a target on your back.
The Twelve Steps of Dating
had ended at step one for him. And he’d been madder than a kamikaze wasp. His sting was lightening fast on target, and brutal!

“You think? And we have Blair to thank for leading me to Lacey Morgan-relationship expert, who thinks choosing the right person is all it takes to have a solid relationship.”

“Hot women and dating,” Ty said with a smile. “It could only be better if they were wearing a bikini.”

A little charm should convince Lacey to sign a release form.

Suddenly eager to get started, Reed took a deep breath to quell the rapid beating of his heart. They couldn’t begin soon enough to exposé this woman.

“I think we need to drink to our next documentary Lacey Morgan. Relationship coach.”

Chapter Two

T
he next morning, Lacey stood in front of her favorite restaurant, waiting for her sister, Kerri. The wind blew Lacey’s hair into her face, and she shoved the long blonde strands behind her ear.

At seven-thirty sharp, a phone call had shattered her dreams and roused her from bed. Kerri had insisted Lacey meet her for lunch. Lacey had agreed with the hope of spending the rest of the weekend alone with Dean after she picked him up this afternoon.

Now, she stood tapping her foot impatiently as she waited outside the door of their favorite salad bar. After a busy week spent indoors, the warm May sun caressed her face like a lover’s hand.

She glanced across the parking lot and watched her mother hurrying towards her. At fifty-five years of age, Brenda Morgan-Spencer still appeared a knockout with bottle blonde-hair and a trim figure. Doing yoga kept her slim, and she’d always been an eccentric dresser, preferring the more outlandish styles that looked like leftovers from the sixties.

Kerri hadn’t mentioned their mother joining them for lunch. Unease tickled like a spider creeping along Lacey’s spine.

“Hi, Mom,” Lacey said, as her mother reached her. She gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. “I didn’t know you were coming. Kerri called and said it was urgent I meet her here for lunch. Do you know what this is about?”

“She told me the same thing. She didn’t sound upset.”

“She already knows what medical school she’s attending,” Lacey said. “Something else must be going on.”

“Yes.” Her mother frowned in that I-don’t-understand-you- girls-way. “She spent sixteen years of her life in school. I don’t know why she’s going for another eight of medical school. I keep wishing one of you girls will get married and give me grandbabies.”

Inwardly, Lacey’s female parts shuddered, and went into hiding. Being the oldest, she’d heard this rant so many times that the word
babies
made her body go into lock down.

“I’m sure whatever Kerri has to say must be important or she wouldn’t have called so early this morning,” Lacey responded, changing the subject away from babies.

“Two grown children and neither of them married,” her mother lamented. “Maybe my next husband will have grandbabies.” She stopped and gave Lacey a questioning glance. “Is that something I can put on my profile? Can I ask for a man with grandchildren?”

Lacey bit her lip to keep her jaw from gaping open like the Grand Canyon. She stared at her mother for a moment and then pretended ignorance. “Your profile?”

Fortunately, her mother spotted Kerri.

“Oh, look! There she is,” she said ignoring Lacey’s question. “She looks happy. Maybe it’s more good news.”

Lacey watched as Kerri’s long blonde hair swayed against her lean body as she jogged toward them. Her appearance was more of a high school girl than someone about to enter medical school.

“Hi, ya’ll,” her sister drawled, giving them each a hug. “Let’s get a table.”

Inside, the waiter sat them at their favorite corner booth away from the main crowd. After they placed their drink order, Lacey and her mother turned expectantly to Kerri.

“What’s the news that couldn’t wait?” Lacey asked. “You’re valedictorian?”

Kerri lifted her left hand. A dazzling rock graced her ring finger.

Lacey sat there starring at the diamond, her lungs no longer seeking air, her blood no longer flowing, her body no longer feeling.

Their mother squealed in excitement, while Lacey resisted the urge to plug her ears with her fingers as her body shuddered, her eyes blinded by the sparkling gem.

“My baby girl is getting married,” Brenda gushed.

Their mother leaped to her feet, threw her arms around Kerri and yanked her sister close. Shock held Lacey prisoner, keeping her butt super glued to the chair.

Lacey sat like a rock in a disconnected haze, her chest tighter than if she were held in a wrestler’s grip. After a moment only the murmur of voices and the clink of dishes and muted voices echoed around them as her mother and sister turned and sent her scathing glances.

“Lacey?” her mother asked. “Aren’t you happy for your sister?”

In two weeks, her sister would graduate from college, but the required dedication to medical school dictated Kerri was too young to rush into an institution they had sworn they would never get divorced from.

“Of course, I am. I’m just stunned. You were going to wait until you were out of medical school,” she said trying to snap out of this daze that held her in its grip.

As children, they’d made a blood oath they would not live the life of their mother and have multiple marriages. Together, they had suffered the agonies of one step-father after another, step-brothers and sisters, people who were families one moment and enemies the next. They’d made a solemn oath to marry only once.

Kerri blushed, and her blue eyes danced with happiness. “We don’t want to wait. I’m still going to medical school, but I can’t imagine my life without Matt. He’s perfect for me and he makes me very happy.”

“How long have you guys dated? You just started mentioning him to me,” Lacey said. Worry settled in her stomach like a stone plunging to the bottom of the pond.

Kerri smiled and patted her sister on the hand. “Four months. Long enough for me to know we belong together.”

Her mother nodded, silently siding with Kerri. “Yes, I’ve always known with each of my husband’s that he was perfect for me.”

Lacey spewed the water she’d just sipped from her glass onto the table. Picking up her napkin she quickly wiped the water away. “If they were so perfect, why did three of your marriages end in divorce?”