The Relationship Coach (3 page)

Her mother’s face glowered with disapproval. “They were perfect at the time. I can’t help it if two cheated and one loved the bottle more than me. My poor Billy and Sam died. When you find true love, it’s obvious. You might look a little harder for the emotion.”

Lacey’s whole body tensed, and she reminded her mother of an important fact. “I have a boyfriend.”

“Yes, I know. You’ve had him now for a year, and that’s the problem. I see a boy friend, not a lover. There are no sparks flying between you, and I don’t see a ring on your left hand.”

“That’s not fair!” Lacey said, her voice rising above the clink of dishes.

Kerri drew the conversation back to her. “Excuse me. This is my engagement announcement.”

“I’m sorry, Kerri,” Lacey said. “I just wasn’t expecting you to reveal you were engaged today.”

Her sister pleaded, “Try to act a little more excited.”

“Do you remember that blood oath we promised as kids?” Lacey gazed at her sister, willing her to remember the challenges of their youth. The reasons why they’d sworn to marry only once.

“Yes,” her sister said, not looking at their mother.

“What oath?” Brenda demanded.

They ignored her.

“Do you love him enough to spend the rest of your life with just him?” Lacey asked, needing to hear her sister say the words.

“Yes, I believe I do. Lacey, he takes care of me. He’s thoughtful and kind. He’s everything I’ve wanted in a man and because of him, I strive to be a better person.”

A heartfelt sigh escaped Lacey and she realized at this time, it would be futile to try to talk sense into her sister.

“Will someone please tell me what oath you two are talking about?” her mother repeated, her voice rising in agitation.

Her sister shook her head to warn Lacey to refrain.

But oh no, Lacey couldn’t hold back. She persevered to be honest and upfront with her mother. Forging ahead toward the edge of the maternal cliff, she took the plunge.

“When you were on husband number three, Billy, I believe, Kerri and I made a pact that we would only marry once, so our kids would never experience step-families.” Lacey figured in less than thirty seconds a volcanic eruption would explode from her mother’s mouth.

“You just couldn’t keep quiet, could you,” her sister said softly to Lacey.

Their mother’s face flamed a scarlet color, and Lacey knew she’d just ruined her sister’s engagement lunch. When would she learn to keep her mouth shut?

“Tell me how you kids had it so bad?” her mother demanded, her voice shrill over the clank of dishes.

Kerri shook her head. “We made the pact the night that Billy’s kids smeared dog poop all over the clean clothes in our drawers. Remember that little incident?”

A frown flitted across her mother’s tense face, and she sighed with an air of acceptance. “His kids were little monsters,” she said. She straightened her shoulders into a rigid motherly stance. “That was years ago, Lacey, and if Kerri is happy and thinks that Matt is the one for her, she should embrace this moment. You’re the one who is almost thirty and hasn’t even had a great love affair that I know of.”

“Dean and I are perfectly happy,” Lacey said softly, trying to downplay her mother’s response. Who needed great love affairs? She preferred honesty and stability, neither of which she’d witnessed in her mother’s relationships.

Her mother rolled her eyes in that insolent way of hers that made Lacey crazy.

“Except Dean’s about as interesting as cardboard, and if he’s anything like that in bed, then no wonder you’re still single.”

“Mother!” Lacey said her voice indignant. “Just because I don’t jump into relationships like I change my underwear does not make me a bad person.”

Her mother’s chest swelled like a Thanksgiving turkey. “I want you to know that I do not choose the men I fall in love with. There is a burst of instantaneous attraction that leads me to marriage. It’s called passion. You should try it sometime.”

“I’m a relationship coach. I help people like you make conscious decisions about dating the right person and finding the right mate, instead of being led by their emotions or impulse.”

Who needed great love affairs? You needed honesty and stability, none of which she’d witnessed as a child in her mother’s relationships.

“You can’t pick and choose who you’re going to fall in love with,” her mother replied hastily.

“Then you have no need for my matchmaking services.”

Her mother opened her mouth to respond, when Kerri snapped her fingers.

“Excuse me!” her sister said, her voice rising. “Would anyone care to know how he proposed to me or about our future plans?”

Lacey and her mother sent each other one last glare before they pivoted to Kerri.

“Sorry, honey. How did he propose?” her mother asked calmly.

Lacey went through her mental process of deep, slow breaths, exhaling her anger. Good breaths in, ugliness out. It would do no good to fight with her mother. This argument was an ongoing one, and no matter what, this issue never got resolved.

Kerri’s eyes misted, and she glanced at her ring. “Yesterday, after my final exam, he picked me up from school. We went out to the lake and sat enjoying the spring sunshine. Suddenly, a jet boat came by bearing a banner that said, ‘Marry me, Kerri, Matt.’” She wiped her eyes. “I sat there stunned, until they came around a second time honking their horn. Then I lunged for Matt and said ‘yes. Oh God, yes.’”

“Oh, honey, how romantic,” her mother said, her voice once again that soothing, sweet, give you diabetes, make you want to grit your teeth tone.

“He’s a great guy, Lacey. I love him.”

Lacey smiled and wondered when she could get Kerri alone to try to talk her out of this insanity.

Lacey glanced at her mother and her sister. Yes, she wanted a great love, but she never wanted to inflict her children with multiple marriages. And her family seemed to be cursed with this affliction.

***

Lacey dropped by the office to find her hardworking friend toiling away on a Saturday. She slumped in a chair across from Amanda, defeated.

“My baby sister is engaged,” Lacey announced, shaking her head. Anxiety squeezed her heart, and wrung it out like the spin cycle on the washer.

Amanda looked up from her computer monitor. “Do you like the guy?”

“He’s okay. I’ve met him a couple of times and he seems nice enough. It’s just they have so much to do before they’re ready for marriage. Graduation, medical school, her internship, not to mention all the hours she’ll be studying or working.” She paused, the situation so unexpected, she still found it hard to believe. “Kerri says Matt will support them while she goes to school, but just graduating, he’ll be lucky to make forty thousand a year.”

Kerri had a promising future as a doctor. She didn’t need marriage at this important juncture in her life.

“What does Matt do?”

“Accountant. He’s studying for his CPA license and hopes to do corporate tax accounting.” Lacey couldn’t stop thinking this was a mistake. A mistake they’d both lived through before.

“There has to be some money in that.”

“But not right away,” Lacey said. She wanted to somehow stop or at least postpone this wedding. “Kerri should stay focused and finish medical school. And I had to listen to all this crap from my mother that Matt and Kerri are destined to be together.”

Memories of her childhood flooded her, a new step-father, moving, changing schools, the fights, the drama. “She had the nerve to tell me that Morgan women need men who bring out passion in them. I have never heard so much nonsense in my life.” Tears stung behind her lids and she refused to let them fall. “And she wonders why I became a relationship coach. So, other small children will not have to watch their parents marry time and again and have enough step-brothers and sisters to form a baseball team.”

Amanda laughed a nervous kind of twitter. “It’s also what makes you good at your job. I’m sure you learned about human behavior from all those siblings.” She shrugged. “Besides, passion is not a bad thing.”

“At the right time, with the right man-when you’re ready. Your life should not be ruled by men, emotions, passion, sex, or hormones. I’ve preached to my sister, telling her to set her goals in life and go for them.” She sighed, the sound weighted with sadness, loud in the small office. “You’re more qualified than my sister to get married right now. Your life is settled, but she’s still on the journey to becoming a doctor.”

“It will work out Lacey. You know how engagements often end before the wedding.”

“Yeah I know.” Amanda was right. She knew that, but she loved Kerri, and didn’t want to see her sister hurt.

“Yet, I envy your sister. She’s found a man she is willing to marry. I just can’t seem to find the right man,” Amanda confessed.

“You said things were going well with Jason.” Lacey was surprised that her friend seemed to have doubts. Had she been so wrapped up in her own drama not to notice her friend’s relationship had hit the skids?

“The guy meets all my criteria. We’ve been dating for three months. We’ve had sex. Everything seems perfect,” Amanda said, yet there was something in her voice that wasn’t quite convincing.

“Then why did you say that?”

Her shoulders moved up in a quick shrug. “I don’t know. I guess I’m afraid,” Amanda admitted. “Sometimes I don’t think he’s as into me as I would like.”

“Keep your focus on the goals you’ve set, and if Jason’s the right one, you’ll soon know. When it’s time, he’ll propose,” Lacey advised, worried about her friend’s doubts.

“Yeah, I know. He’s supposed to pick me up here in about five minutes. You don’t mind if I go off and leave you?”

“Hey, it’s Saturday. You’re not supposed to be working. I just needed someone to commiserate with, and I came looking for you,” Lacey said, reality once again returning with the weirdness that was her family.

Amanda smiled. “I wanted to make sure everything was ready for this week.”

Lacey shook her head, knowing Amanda took her position in the company seriously, and trusted her to handle all the publicity. “No, you would have been here, even if we didn’t have such a busy week.”

“I get a lot done over the weekend. And this week is important to Mate Incorporated.”

“Yes, it could be interesting.” So much was at stake this week and in the midst of a busy work week, Dean was coming home, and now she had to deal with Kerri’s engagement.

Jason stuck his head around the corner of Amanda’s office. “Hey, you ready to go?”

“Yeah, just a second. Let me shut down my computer.”

“Hi, Lacey. How are you?”

Lacey gazed at Jason, his auburn hair reflecting tints of gold and red, a quiet, geeky kind of guy, who appeared to have a silly side to him, and she worried he would break Amanda’s heart. “I’m working too hard and now I get to help plan a wedding.”

“You’re getting married?” he asked, his eyes widening in a surprised stunned look.

“Oh, no. It’s my sister, Kerri. She graduates college in two weeks, and she’s getting married in June. A rushed wedding.” One she hoped to postpone for at least four years.

His lips turned up in a cocky boy grin that most women would have loved, but had no affect on her. “Aren’t women good at organizing those kinds of things?”

“You sound sexist, but yes, I know I could get this wedding together. The problem is, I hope I can help her realize the value of waiting.”

“Lacey, you know family members are the hardest to convince,” Amanda warned and walked to Jason’s side.

“Yes, but this is my baby sister.”

Jason wrapped his arm around Amanda. They were a striking couple with his six foot frame and red hair and her short, five foot frame and shoulder length mahogany hair with blonde streaks. Amanda had met him at one of their seminars and so far the relationship rocked along right on track. If only he could outgrow his silliness just a bit and Amanda could loosen up, there was a chance the couple would make it. Lacey hoped for the best for her friend.

“We’re leaving,” he said. “I’ve got a night of surprises planned.”

Amanda glanced at him and smiled in appreciation.

Oh yeah, they were doing great. Amanda’s worries were concerning, but they were only three months into the relationship. “You guys have fun tonight.”

“How much longer are you going to stay?” Amanda asked.

“I’m leaving now. I have two hours to get ready before I pick up Dean at the airport. You two aren’t the only ones who are planning a night of surprises.” Anticipation, excitement and desire raced through Lacey like the Indie 500, speeding her pulse rate, leaving her breathless with excitement.

Amanda and Jason gazed at each other and grinned. “See you Monday.”

“You too. Bye, Jason.”

“Bye, Lacey. Send me an invitation to the wedding.”

“There’s not going to be a wedding,” she yelled after him as they walked out the door.

Lacey refused to let Kerri make the biggest mistake of her life. And she refused to let her ruin her welcome home night with Dean.

***

A buzz of warmth and excitement zipped along Lacey’s spine sending shivers of anticipation through her, as she watched Dean stroll toward her at the luggage carousel. A grin the size of Texas graced her face and consumed her heart. No, he wasn’t dashingly handsome, sophisticated or grizzly-bear manly. Most people considered him a nerd, yet he was a gentle man with a nice smile and a beautiful heart. At six two, he stood above the other passengers with his short dark hair and deep chocolate eyes that gleamed when he saw her. A small smile flitted across his chiseled face.

Rockets didn’t go off when she saw him, but he made her happy. They both knew what they wanted in life and were on the journey together to achieve their dreams.

“Hi,” he said. His voice deep and strong. “I missed you.”

Dean drew her into his arms and hugged her close. He gave her a brief kiss on the lips. Tremors didn’t overcome her and the earth didn’t move, but the touch of his lips felt nice. A sweet kiss that she hoped promised more for later tonight.

“How was your flight?” she asked.

A girl beside him jumped into the arms of a man standing at the baggage carousel. She squealed with excitement, and then they engaged in a kiss that must have included tonsil swabbing.