Janet the Yenta

Meet Janet Fummel, the Yenta. She’s the perfect match-maker, because even though she no longer believes in love--not since her parents split up--she can get paid for hooking up others. But when she meets Wes Sebastian she starts to rethink things. Can Wes make her believe in love again?


Don't get any funny ideas!

©2013 Glory Lennon All Rights Reserved

Friday, March 4, 2011

Chapter 16: The Picadillo Cafe

Janet should be used to it by now, but every time Wes kissed her...well, can you spell bedazzled? At that moment, she didn't think she could spell her own name.

She had to shake herself before going to sit by Alec. She pulled a chair from one of the small round tables scattered about the large dining area and sat down feeling a bit nervous.

“I think I might be able to help you, Mr. Frank,” she said, slightly breathless.

He turned away from the window and gazed at her for a minute. Then he took her hand in his surprisingly warm one and smiled sadly. “My sweet child. There is nothing to be done. Nothing will ever be the same,” he said.


“No, it won’t be the same. That’s true, but sometimes a jolt like this can fire up the soul and kick you into fast forward. That can be a blast, if you let it,” Janet told him brightly.

“I very much doubt that,” he said dejectedly.

“Well, I know someone who would love to be your new chef. She won’t, however, be your true love but we can work on that later. She’s an excellent cook and she’d love working in such a beautiful setting with the seaport right here and then there’s you. She’ll love you! She doesn’t like her current boss. He’s such a cretin. You wouldn't believe," she said.

"I bet I would," he muttered.

"Would you like me to give her a call for you or I could just give you her number?” she said coaxingly.

“I’m very particular. Not just anyone can work for me. Our personalities have to mesh,” he stated haughtily.

“Naturally. That’s very important. I’ll give her a call and you can talk with her without her knowing it’s for a job. How’s that sound?”she asked smiling sweetly.

“Oh, I suppose we can try, but I doubt anything will come of it.” He sighed dramatically and gazed out the window again.

Janet pulled her cell out of her  purse and dialed home. “Hey, this is Janet. Oh, I’m fine... yep, Wes, too...uh.. I have someone here who would love to talk to you. I told him about your desire to open up a restaurant and I thought he might give you some pointers to see if you really would like to do it sometime. He’s a wonderful man and you should see his CafĂ©. It’s gorgeous, right by the seaport. Uh- huh, he’s right here. Okay,” she said then handed the phone to Alec.


He took the phone grudgingly and unenthusiastically spoke into it. “Hello, to whom am I speaking? Wendy Meadows. Well, if we change the ‘E’ to an ‘I’ you’ll be a Windy Meadow. Now that might be interesting,” he said carelessly. “Yes, well, I often keep them rolling in the aisle, but at present I’m thoroughly depressed....Oh, you wouldn’t want to be bothered with my abysmal life story. It would only bring you down.... Yes, well, it sometimes does help, but...well, for one thing my love life....I mean what used to be a love life sucks....oh...really... do tell...uh-huh...oh, blimey!....Really? Well...if that doesn’t curl your wig...men are beasts!” 

Janet grinned gleefully, thanking God for a mother who could talk to anyone, even complete strangers, for hours on end. She slowly moved away to the back room where she saw Wes go. She found him busy at work hunched over the keyboard and glaring at the screen. She went up behind him and impulsively hugged him.

“Janet! You scared me. I thought for a minute you were Mr. Frank,” he said with a grimace. “How is he? Did he commit suicide yet? This is the worst I’ve ever seen him.”

“He’s fine. He’s currently conducting a job interview,” she replied, as she ran her hands over his shoulders. “You realize you’re ruining it for computer geeks everywhere.”

“Excuse me?” he mumbled, just barely listening. Her hands were doing wicked things to him.

“You’re not supposed to be full of muscles. You’re just too buff for the computer geek title,” she said, now passing a hand over his curling hair.

“That’s...um... why my title is genius not geek,” he said.

She giggled in his ear. "Oh, my bad!" To his surprise, she kissed his cheek.

He did so love this new affectionate Janet, but, unfortunately, she was distracting him from his work. He grabbed both of her hands and kissed the palms.“Um...let me fin...wait...did you say Mr. Frank is interviewing someone?”

“My mom," Janet said, looking down at her tingling hands. Why did he do things like that when no one was watching? She recognized it as a very romantic gesture. Her father used to do it all the time and her mom used to love it. Now she knew why. It made your insides melt.

"Your mom? What for?"

"Well, it could be for chef or for new BFF. Tough to say, but she’s getting him over his misery probably telling him juicy bits of her own. Other people’s troubles always put yours back into perspective, I guess,” she said with a shrug.
Wes stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. “You really are a perfect matchmaker. Can I keep you?” he said before he could stop himself.
Her eyes popped open. “Keep me? What am I, a stray puppy?” she asked with an infectious giggle.


“You’re good for me...and my business,” he added quickly.

He wanted to kick himself. Why had he chickened out? Why couldn't he just tell her he was madly in love with her? Because it was a bad idea, that's why. Hadn't she told him she didn't believe in love? Looking at her now, though, smiling down at him, her arms around him, it did look as if she was starting to like him. Was she getting over her love-phobia?
“Um," she said. "Can I help?”
“No, it’s nothing much. I’ll be done soon. You can stay if you like unless you think Mr. Frank needs you again.”
“He's still talking to my mom, but I do want to ask him if he knows the drama teacher at school. I’d really like to get those two together,”she said, an impish grin on her face.

 “Yenta, Yenta, Yenta! Do you really think it wise to get a drama teacher together with a drama queen?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

She giggled and playfully pushed him away. “We’ll see about that,” she stated coyly. “I’ll have to think how to do it though, so they don’t know it’s a set up. I’ll think it over while you work,” she said looking into space, her hand absently stroking his hair.

Man did he love that, but he'd never get any work done this way! He grabbed her by the waist and sat her down on an empty chair beside him.

"What? Am I bothering you?"she asked innocently.

He shook his head and watched her for a few seconds.

“What?” she asked again.
“Nothing,” he said, quickly looking away and getting to work.

She frowned slightly and stared at him. Jasmine was right. He was cute. Very cute. She suddenly felt like kissing him, but she didn't know why. As if he got the same idea in his head, Wes turned to look at her just then. Without either knowing how it happened they became one in a magical kiss.


“I suppose if I’m not getting any it may as well be you two,” Alec said plaintively.

They broke apart, embarrassed. "Sorry, Mr. Frank," Wes said, turning to the computer.

“Oh, don’t stop on my account. Here, sweetie," he said handing Janet her phone. “Wendy is coming over now and she’s to wow me in the kitchen. Even so, if that doesn’t work out we have a date at the spa for Monday. I need a beauty treatment to lift my spirits, she informs me and I quite agree. My pores are atrocious!” he said and he flittered away leaving Wes and Janet in silent giggles.