Page 49 of The Matchmaker Club

9

Not Marriage Material

Lucas’s plan to sneak back into the house was pretty simple: Walk right through the kitchen door and start making coffee as if we had already dressed and started our day. Since Lainey was busy with a chainsaw in the garden and my grandmother was still in bed, probably with earplugs in, we got away with it. Lucas had even convinced Ben to drive us back in exchange for borrowing the fancy new ATV for the day. Ben didn’t hesitate to take him up on the offer.

We were both eating cereal and drinking our coffees by the time my grandmother shuffled in.

“Morning,” she said and reached for a mug.

Lucas swallowed down his bite. “Good morning.”

“Morning.”

My grandmother pulled something from my hair. “Pine needle?”

Lucas focused on the bowl and took another spoonful of Raisin Bran.

“Ah yeah, took a walk down the wood trail this morning.”

“Huh,” was all she said before heading to the parlor with coffee in hand.

Lucas and I grinned at each other. Operation Sneak-Out was officially a success.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” Lucas asked.

“We could do the estate tour if you’d like, but it would have to be before lunch. I have a non-date with Austin at two.”

“Anon-date?”

“Friendly, no touching.” I shrugged. “I felt I owed him at least that much after his sad display of a serenade.”

“You don’t owe anyone anything.”

My spoon stilled in my hand. “Thank you.”

“May I ask what happened between you two?”

I picked through the remaining flakes but didn’t take a bite. “We spent an amazing summer together, and I fell in love… but when school started, he decided he didn’t want to see me anymore.”

“Why?”

I dumped the rest of my cereal in the trash and rinsed out my bowl. “We don’t have many friends in this town.” I turned and leaned against the sink. Lucas looked at me as if he knew what was coming next. “My grandmother has a saying:The Reed women are not marriage material. I found out that in this town we’re not girlfriend material either.”

He cocked his head. “Do you believe that?”

“It doesn’t matter what I believe, it is what it is.”

“It doesn’t have to be.”

“No? What would your father say if you brought me home and told him you want to marry me?”

Lucas focused on the bowl, his jaw clenched.

“See?” I said. “Notmarriage material.”

He washed out both our bowls and spoons. “If you’re ready for that tour, I’m available now.”

My eyes trailed down his jeans to his black leather shoes. “Alright, but you probably want to change into something you don’t mind getting dirty.”