Page 18 of Designs on You

“She can be somewhat unrelenting, you know.”

Natalie chewed thoughtfully, swallowed, and said, “Then I’ll tell her I’m already dating someone.”

“Are you?”

“Dating? Of course not.”

“Why not? It’s been a while since the divorce, Nat. You should get out there and have some fun.”

“Surely you’re not going to try and set me up with someone.”

Hazel laughed. “I know better than that. You can choose your own guys.”

“Thanks. Actually…” She pushed the salad around with her fork.

Sitting straight in her chair, Hazel asked, “Actually, what? Have you been seeing someone?”

“Not really. But I do have a date scheduled.” She shouldn’t tell Hazel about this, but now she’d blurted it, so it was too late. And, now that she thought about it, of all the people in her life, she knew she could trust her sister to be discreet.

“Ooh. Tell me all about it.”

They cleared the dishes and put them in the dishwasher, then refilled their glasses and went outside so the dogs could run around. It was a nice day with a breeze, and Hazel turned the fan on under the shade of the porch, so they grabbed a seat at the table.

“Okay, so promise not to laugh when I tell you,” Natalie said.

Hazel frowned. “Why would I laugh?”

“It’s Eugene.”

Hazel’s brows shot up. “Linc’s brother? Interesting. How did that come about?”

“We’ve been working on the design aspects of his new house, as you know. Plus he came over to the house the other night and brought some video games to play with the kids.”

“Aww. Did the kids like him?”

“Of course they did, since he’s like a kid himself. I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but he’s way younger than me.”

Hazel cocked her head to the side. “He is not ‘way younger,’ Nat. He’s a few years younger. And after being married to stodgy Sean, you need someone fun in your life. Plus, he’s smart and charming and incredibly good-looking.”

Natalie couldn’t deny everything Hazel said about Eugene. She also couldn’t hide her grin when Hazel referred to her ex as “stodgy Sean.” That certainly described him to a tee.

“I don’t know, Hazel. I’m dreading this date.”

“Dreading it? Why?”

She didn’t say anything. Just shrugged.

“Look,” Hazel said. “If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. And if you’re not feeling it with Eugene, then cancel the date.”

“It’s not that. The chemistry between us is crazy. Like, white-hot crazy. From the moment we met—oh God, he drove me batty with his jokes. I thought he was a jackass. But still, that attraction simmering under the surface is just wild and constant.”

Hazel leaned back in her chair. “And all this hot chemistry is a bad thing.”

“No, of course it isn’t. But I can’t let foolish lust get in theway of the plans for my future. The plans I’ve made for the kids and me.”

“Okay. Tell me what you’re feeling,” Hazel said.

“It’s just…I focused all my attention on Sean and the kids—to the point that I gave up everything me. I don’t want to do that anymore.”

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