Read Online Talk Nerdy to Me by Vicki Lewis Thompson - Free Book Online Page A

is good because we have a time crunch."
    Charlie
decided that in this case, ignorance was not bliss. "You say that like
you're talking about a specific couple."
    "Oh,
we are!" Aunt Myrtle said in her deep smoker's voice. "These will be for
Jill's bachelorette party Friday night. That's why we sent Manny and Kyle into
Hartford. We didn't have time for the cutter to be shipped."
    Charlie
vaguely remembered that there was a wedding coming up in Middlesex, which meant
almost everybody in town would be going to either the bachelor or the bachelorette
party. "You're actually going to make these cookies." He battled a
sinking sensation. "Did someone ask for them?"
    "In
a way." Charlie's mother gave him a coy glance. "I haven't had a
chance to tell you, Charlie, but the bakery seems to be going in a different
direction. A very profitable direction, I might add."
    "I
told him something about it on Monday night." Rick winked at Charlie.
"Right, cuz?"
    "Yeah,
but I thought. . . well, Middlesex doesn't seem like the place for ... I'm just
surprised that people .. ." He balanced precariously between happiness and
embarrassment. On the one hand, he was thrilled to see his mother so excited
about something, but on the other, why did it have to be X-rated baked goods?
    "Puritan
blood, Charlie." His mother looked smug. "Myrtle and I were
surprised, too, but then we figured it out. Nobody's more interested in the
topic of sex than folks who have Puritan blood in their veins."
    "Makes
sense to me." Rick studied the cookie picture. "And these cookies
should scratch that itch for the Friday night deal. There's a lot of detail in
here."
    Too
much detail, as far as Charlie was concerned. Besides, he didn't want to have
his mind on sex when he was about to go over to Eve's. He'd thought this
through and had decided that because of the timing, he couldn't get involved
with Eve. He could only help her with the hovercraft.
    "It's
the detail in the frosting that will take us so many hours," Aunt Myrtle
said. "We could really use some help."
    Charlie
backed away, hands out. "I'm not helping frost. My evenings are
booked."
    His
mother laughed. "I wasn't going to ask, but now that you mention it, we
might get Manny and Kyle to do it. They're nice boys, and I'll bet they'd help.
We need to get most of them done tonight, because we have to start on the
wedding cake tomorrow night. Some extra hands would be a lifesaver."
    For
some reason Rick got a huge charge out of that. "Yeah, ask Manny and Kyle.
I'll bet they'd love to."
    "We
will, then." Charlie's mother looked ten years younger tonight.
"We'll have a frosting party."
    Charlie
decided to comfort himself with his mother's cheerful mood. "And now we
really have to go," he said.
    "Right."
Rick drained his glass and stood. "See you two entrepreneurs later."
    "Have
a good time!" Charlie's mother called after them as they headed for the
front door. "That Eve's a very nice girl!"
    Rick
lowered his voice as he pulled on his coat. "You do realize she wants to
match you up with Eve, right?"
    Charlie
snorted. "No. Where'd she get a wild idea like that?"
    "The
word's out that you had a pool date on Monday, and you're going over to her
house tonight, so gossip has you engaged by next week."
    "I
hope this isn't some plan to keep me in Middlesex." Charlie followed Rick
out the door and down the steps to the motorcycle parked in the drive.
    "Nah.
Your mom understands that you're hoping to get that job in Nevada. She just
wants grandkids."
    "I
barely know Eve." Except that didn't seem true. Although they hadn't met
until Monday afternoon, he'd felt an instant sexual attraction. On top of that,
he'd recognized a kindred spirit. He knew Eve because he knew himself.
    "Whatever
you say. I'm only reporting the word around the breakfast table is that you're
stuck on her." He handed Rick his spare helmet. "Well, I'm not." Yet.
    Denise
was coming. Eve had been trying not to panic for two days, but her self-talk
wasn't working.