Free This Matter Of Marriage by Debbie Macomber Page B

lap, aware that it was taking her an inordinately long time to do so.
    â€œIt was kind of you to invite me,” she finally said, slightly uneasy at being left alone with Steve. To her surprise she found herself revising her earlier estimation of him. He was really quite good-looking. Funny she hadn’t realized that earlier. The fact that he’d been willing to help her out only added to the attraction.
    â€œHey, I appreciate the company. Mary Lynn and I used to bring the kids here once a month. Meagan and Kenny would like to come more often, but I feel stupid sitting by myself.”
    â€œWhat about trying your hand at the videos?”
    â€œAre you kidding? It’s an invasion of territory. None of the kids want me there. The one time I tried it I was banished and sentenced to sit out here with the rest of the parents.”
    Hallie smiled. She’d half expected him to ask her more about her awful date and was grateful he didn’t.
    They each talked about their jobs, which took all of five minutes. Their discussion of the weather took less than one. A not-uncomfortable silence followed before Steve spoke again.
    â€œListen, you can tell me to mind my own business, but why was a gal like you going out with a creep like that?”
    She sighed. She might as well level with him, seeing that he’d already had her groveling at his front door in the middle of the night, needing a loan. “I guess you’ve gathered I’m trying to meet a man. I, uh, decided this was the year I’d get married.”
    His head came up and his eyes narrowed. “Women decide this sort of thing?”
    â€œNot all women,” she told him. “It’s just that I’m turning thirty in April, and—”
    â€œHey, thirty isn’t old.”
    â€œI know, but I’m not really sure where my twenties went, if you know what I mean. I was busy, happy, working hard, and then one day I woke up and realized most of my friends were married, some for the second time. My dad recently died, and my younger sister just became a mother.” She struggled to explain. “Somehow, things changed for me. My goals. My feelings about what’s important in life. For years, I threw all my energy into my work—and now I want…more. I want someone to share it with.”
    â€œSo you figure marriage is the answer.”
    â€œSomething like that.” Hallie shrugged comically. “I’ve been dating since I was sixteen, and not once in all that time did I ever meet anyone like Marv. It’s appalling how slim the pickings are. You see, Donnalee made it look easy.” Maybe Donnalee was right; maybe she should reconsider Dateline.
    â€œIs she the friend who stopped by your place a couple of Saturdays ago? The one with the long…the tall one?”
    Men rarely had a problem remembering Donnalee. “That’s her. She found Prince Charming after one date.”
    â€œYou mean to say she isn’t married?”
    â€œNot yet. She’s the person who suggested I sign up with Dateline. She plunked down her money, and first time out she met this fabulous guy. From everything she said, he’s wonderful.” Hallie couldn’t hide the wistful longing in her voice. “It wouldn’t surprise me if she was married by summer.”
    â€œSlim pickings,” Steve repeated, and Hallie wondered if he’d heard anything else she’d said. He became aware of the lull in conversation and cast her an apologetic look. “I was just thinking over what you said about available men. My ex-wife is starting to date and frankly—” he paused, grinning broadly “—it wouldn’t hurt my feelings any if she was to meet up with the joker you went out with last night. Maybe she’d be more willing to talk about the two of us getting back together.”
    â€œYou want to patch things up with your ex?”
    Steve nodded, and his eyes held hers