Page 18 of No More Bad Boys
We all sit down to dinner, and I tell the whole story, much to Larson’s amusement. “I did some pretty out-there live shots during my time in local news… but I was never shark-bait.”
“I wish I could’ve seen it.” Kenley pouts. “I hate that my show is on at the same time as yours. I’ve never even seen the early evening news there. I’m going to start DVR’ing it now that you’re going out on live shots.”
I shrug, pausing in the act of lifting a forkful of salad to my mouth. “It’s not like you can seemeanyway—I’m just there behind the scenes.”
“So am I these days. I’ll still be able to recognize good work when I see it.”
“You must have done a great job—it looked flawless,” my father says.
I give him a rueful smile. “Thanks Daddy. Now, if I can just find someone who agrees with youandpays before this co-op ends—I’ll be in good shape.”
“Any leads on a summer position yet?” Kenley asks.
She knows my need for a paycheck as well as I do. She covers the lion’s share of our rent, but it really helps when I can contribute.
Momma and Daddy have their own financial issues to overcome, so counting on them for support isn’t an option.
“Not yet. But I will soon. Don’t worry.”
“I’m not worried.” She smiles.
Larson takes her hand. “Youknowyou could both move in with me. I have plenty of room.”
“I don’t think so,” I say immediately.
Kenley mimics a black-and-white-movie Southern belle. “Why sir—we arenotthat kind of ladies, and you arenogentleman to suggest such a scandalous thing.”
He grins and draws her closer, obviously delighted by her exaggerated chewy drawl. The desire in his eyes when he looks at her causes a twisting in my gut.
No one has ever looked at me that way.
“I’m just ready to have you within arm’s reach,” he says. “Why do we have to wait until next spring to get married?”
“You know why—because your parents are planning the Wedding to End All Weddings, and their international guests need advance warning of this sort of thing.”
In a sweetly facetious tone she adds, “It would besucha shame if all those royals and celebrities weren’t able to make it.”
Kenley confessed to me she’d rather have a small ceremony with just family and close friends or even elope. All she cares about is spending her life with Larson. But she understands his parents’ position on the matter, too.
He’s their oldest child, their only son, and they have alotof friends who want to share the occasion. And from what I’ve heard about his younger sister Rory, his might be theonlywedding the Overstreets ever get to plan.
She’s apparently doing her best to live up to the wild-child heiress stereotype and has given no indication of ever intending to settle down.
“Besides, I can’t leave my roomie,” Kenley adds, bumping my shoulder with hers.
“Thank you.”
Next spring I’ll graduate, hopefully find a job right away, and be able to support myself and pay my own rent. Until then, I can’t thank Kenley enough for getting me out of my parents’ house.
“Honey, you know you always have a place here—we have an extra bedroom and bath,” Daddy says, after chewing the last bites of his meal.
Momma obviously loves that suggestion, and she rolls with it.
“That’s right, Larson. Cadence can come back and live with me and Kevin anytime, so if you and Kenley want to move in together—go right ahead.”
I doubt that was the point Daddy was making, and looking at his face, I see I’m right. He’s red all the way up to his receding hairline.Howdoes he put up with her?
Kenley just rolls her eyes at Momma’s blatant pimping. Most proper Southern moms wouldn’t push their daughters to cohabitate before marriage, but I guess Momma is going to stay terrified of losing her dream-come-true future son-in-law until the vows are said and the ink is dry.
