Authors: Catherine Mulvany
She squirmed around in her chair, feeling like a slide under a microscope.
Brody swallowed, then shook his head slowly from side to side.
“
Maybe I
’
m being dense, but I don
’
t get it. Why would a woman like you need to be fixed up?
”
Mallory felt her cheeks grow warm.
“
I
—”
Words failed her. Insults she was prepared for. Teasing she could deal with. But compliments threw her every time.
“
What
’
s the matter with the men in this town?
”
Brody demanded.
“
Are they blind?
”
He finished off the peanuts and started on the pretzels.
Mallory and Kyle exchanged a look. It
’
s all yours, kiddo, he seemed to say.
She took a deep breath.
“
You just moved here, right?
”
Brody nodded.
“
Couple months ago.
”
“
Well, when you
’
ve been here a little longer you
’
ll realize that although our corner of eastern Oregon has its pluses
—
lots of sunshine, wide-open spaces, and recreational opportunities up the wazoo
—
eligible males are thin on the ground. I
’
ve been on the prowl for months now, ever since Lindsey and Evan announced their engagement
—”
“
Evan used to be Mallory
’
s significant other,
”
Kyle interrupted.
“
They dated for almost ten years.
”
“
Eleven, but who
’
s counting?
”
Stupid question. She was. Mallory drained her glass.
“
Ever since we were juniors in high school.
”
“
What happened?
”
Brody sounded as if he were sincerely interested, not just being polite. Or maybe it was the cop in him, automatically switching to interrogation mode.
“
Like Kyle, Evan
’
s in broadcasting. When he was offered the newsteam anchor position at a Portland station, he jumped at the opportunity. Bigger market, more money. I planned to move to the Portland area to be near him as soon as my current contract was up.
”
“
Mallory
’
s a teacher. Fifth grade.
”
Kyle rolled his eyes.
“
Talk about a glutton for punishment.
”
“
So where does the sister come into it?
”
Brody asked.
Mallory narrowed her gaze.
“
Lindsey lives in Beaverton, a Portland suburb. She
’
s a buyer for Nordstrom
’
s and a real snake in employee-discounted designer clothing.
”
“
I think you mean wolf, not snake. You
’
re mixing metaphors. No more screwdrivers for you, my girl.
”
“
Don
’
t lecture, Kyle. I can tell when I
’
ve had enough. My ears tingle.
”
“
Really?
”
Brody tugged gently at her left earlobe.
Mallory jumped like she
’
d been hit by an electric cattle prod. The sensation went way past tingle. More like tingle to the tenth power.
The curl of Kyle
’
s lip said, I told you so.
Obviously, vodka packed more punch than the wine coolers she was used to. Lots more. She shuddered involuntarily. Why else would callused fingers lightly pinching her earlobe trigger shock waves that rocked her from head to toe?
Kyle shot her an enigmatic look. Still gloating, no doubt.
She stuck her tongue out.
He grinned.
“
Go on, Mallory,
”
Brody urged.
“
You were telling me about your sister.
”
“
Right. Lindsey.
”
Mallory frowned.
“
The conniving brat.
”
“
Don
’
t listen to her. That
’
s just her injured pride speaking. Lindsey
’
s all right. Boring, but basically decent.
”
“
And gorgeous. Don
’
t forget gorgeous.
”
She sighed.
“
Kyle
’
s right. I shouldn
’
t blame Lindsey. It was mostly my fault. After all, I was the one who insisted that Evan look her up once he got settled. How was I to know he
’
d fall madly in love at first sight? I mean, he
’
s known her since she was a scabby-kneed twelve-year-old. Who
’
d have thought makeup and an upscale wardrobe would turn a man
’
s brain to Jell-O?
”
“
Your little sister stole your boyfriend,
”
Brody translated.
“
Bingo.
”
Kyle gave him two thumbs up.
“
And to add insult to injury, she asked me to be her maid of honor.
”
Mallory took a deep breath.
“
Consequently, I need an escort for the festivities. Got plans for next Saturday?
”
Brody blinked.
“
The day after tomorrow?
”
“
No, a week from this Saturday.
”
“
What
’
s wrong with Kyle?
”
“
I
’
ve already got a date,
”
Kyle said.
“
Besides, everyone knows Mallory and I are just friends. We wouldn
’
t fool anyone.
”
“
Fool anyone?
”
Mallory shifted in her chair, suddenly uncomfortable.
“
Well, you see, when my sister called to say she
’
d just become engaged to my boyfriend, all hell broke loose. Overnight I became an object of pity. Poor Mallory. Poor rejected, over-the-hill Mallory.
”
She made a face.
“
I didn
’
t mean to tell any lies. It just sort of happened.
”
“
Lies?
”
“
Whoppers,
”
Kyle said.
“
Like?
”
“
Like Evan
’
s defection wasn
’
t the blow everyone assumed since I
’
d been secretly seeing someone else
—
a real drop-dead-gorgeous hunk of a male.
”
“
And that
’
s my role? I
’
m the drop-dead-gorgeous hunk?
”
Brody laughed in genuine amusement.
“
I take it Mel Gibson and Kevin Costner were all booked up.
”
“
Actually,
”
said Kyle,
“
you
’
re more the Antonio Banderas type.
”
Mallory ignored his interruption.
“
Anyway, that
’
s why I need you, Brody
c
to prove I
’
m not the pathetic loser everyone believes I am.
”
Though come to think of it, propositioning a stranger in a gay bar was pretty damned pathetic.
Brody shook his head.
“
I don
’
t know
c
.
”
“
What
’
s to know? All you have to do is stand around looking sexy and mysterious. You don
’
t even have to talk if you don
’
t want to. I can tell everyone you
’
re foreign, that you only speak Norwegian. Nobody around here speaks Norwegian.
”
“
He doesn
’
t look Norwegian,
”
Kyle objected.
“
Too dark.
”
Mallory suppressed an impatient sigh.
“
Okay, so he can be Romanian. Nobody speaks Romanian, either.
”
Brody frowned.
“
Including me. Look, language aside, I
’
m still not sure I could pull it off.
”
Mallory studied his face. What was he trying to say?
“
Oh,
”
she said.
“
Because of your orientation, you mean?
”
“
My orientation?
”
Brody arched an eyebrow.
She flushed.
“
Look, it doesn
’
t matter to me. Live and let live, I always say. Heck, Kyle
’
s one of my best friends, and any friend of Kyle
’
s is a friend of mine.
”
Kyle smirked.
“
She means she doesn
’
t mind that you
’
re gay.
”
Brody
’
s pale eyes bored into hers.
“
That
’
s very broad-minded of you,
”
Mallory bit her lip.
“
I
’
m sorry if I said anything to give offense. The thing is, I
’
m desperate. Heck, I
’
ve tried everything from escort services to personal ads. All the applicants were a wash. Either they were weenie little weasels who wouldn
’
t fool Lindsey for a second or they were way too eager to
’
ring my chimes.
’
That
’
s a direct quote, by the way, from Mr. Dial-A-Date. His name was Ramon and he looked like a gigolo. I swear to God the man had glue-on chest hair.
”
“
So,
”
said Kyle,
“
are you game?
”
“
Glue-on chest hair?
”
Brody
’
s expression defied description, falling somewhere between incredulity and revulsion.
“
And gold chains like somebody caught in a seventies time warp. I
’
m pretty sure he used mascara on his mustache too.
”
Brody blinked.
“
Mascara?
”
“
And nail polish.
”
“
On his mustache?
”
“
No, of course not. His fingernails.
”
“
What color?
”
“
Clear,
”
she admitted,
“
but even so
c”
Brody nodded in sympathy.
“
Even so.
”
Kyle smacked the table with his palm.
“
These digressions are all very fascinating, people, but to get back to the point, what do you say, Brody? Will you do it?
”
“
Do what, exactly? You
’
re just talking about a date, right? A onetime shot? No strings?
”
“
More like a two-time shot, actually, counting the rehearsal dinner. But absolutely no strings,
”
Mallory promised. She waited nervously for his answer. He was going to say no. She could feel it in her bones.