Chapter 11: The first kiss

The tiny peck on the lips Janet just got from Wes was her first kiss. That was the very first time a boy kissed her, EVER! A boy other than her dad anyway, but surely, that didn’t count. A kiss from your father wasn’t a real kiss, was it? 

Much to her surprise, she liked it. 

She gazed up at Wes, slightly dazed. She could see he was talking nonchalantly to his aunt and uncle, but she couldn’t hear any of it. For whatever reason, her ears simply were not working. She watched how his black curly hair would bounce as he moved his head and how his eyes would crinkle slightly when he laughed and his wonderful lips when he smiled. He always seemed to be smiling, too. 

Every time he turned to her with that sexy grin and he would squeeze her hand again, her heart gave a little jump. What the heck was that about?

She stood mutely by his side noticing how easy her hand fit into his and also how nice it felt and oddly familiar.  Her mind buzzed with unanswerable questions. Why had he kissed her? Why did he want his aunt and uncle to think she was his girlfriend? And why-oh-why, did she suddenly want to have him all to herself when moments before she didn’t want to be here at all….or had she?

“….. can’t wait for Billy and Rebecca to meet her. They’ll love her,” Wes was saying, flashing another grin at Janet. “You’ll love them too, Janet.”

“Huh?” Janet said. She heard her name and that was it.

“Our son and daughter would love to meet you, Janet,” Beth said.

“Why?” Janet asked, stupidly.

They burst out laughing.

Wes again squeezed her hand. “Because you’re my first girlfriend and they won’t believe it until they see you are real and not some story Uncle Rob made up,” Wes said.

 “Oh… yes…yes sir, Wes is my boyfriend, best boyfriend I ever had. Actually, he’s the only boyfriend I ever had. Maybe I could do better. What do you think?” she asked smiling at them.

“You’re so cute,” Rob said with a chuckle.

“Adorable,” Beth agreed.

Janet gasped and turned to Wes. “Look at that, Wes. The second person to tell me that today. I’m gonna start believing it now,” she said.

“Well, you should,” Beth said. “Won’t you join us for dinner? We’d love to get to know you, Janet, and we haven’t seen much of Wes since… for such a long time.”

“I don’t think we should,” Janet said looking up at Wes. 

“Hmm, I think she wants Wes all to herself, Beth,” Rob said.

“That must be it,” Beth said, winking at Janet. 

“No, it’s…you’re celebrating something special, aren’t you?” Janet said.

“Oh, man. Is it your anniversary?” Wes asked.

They both nodded. 

“Congratulations!” Wes said excitedly. “How long is it now?”

Rob thought for a while. “Only way I can remember is Karen’s age plus one. So… how old is she now?” he asked his wife.

“She’s...um...twenty-three or twenty-four…something like that,” Beth replied carelessly. 

“Well, have a lovely time figuring out which it is and happy anniversary,” Janet said giggling.

“But you must come over some time soon, both of you. Wes, please. Kidnap Donny and bring him over. Hog-tie him if you must, but make him come! We don’t even see him at church anymore,” Beth said earnestly.

“Sorry, Aunt Beth, but we’ve started going to the early service since he always makes appointments in the afternoon. I’ve tried to get him to go to your house, but all he does is work,” Wes explained grimly.

“You said he goes to your games,” Janet piped in.

“Yeah, but he’s constantly on the phone then, too.” he told her.

She made her funny face. “I’ll have to fix that.”

“Oh, really? How?” Wes asked.

“I can be very charming, you know,” she stated seriously.

“We can tell,” Rob replied.

Wes and Janet walked away and were soon seated across the room, with menus in hand.

Now that she had her hand to herself again, Janet felt back to normal. She thought that rather odd and wondered if holding hands somehow diminished brain capacity. It would explain the lack of brilliance in half the kids at school. 

“Now, explain to me why you wanted them to think I was your girlfriend?” Janet asked ignoring her menu. 

She stared at Wes as he made a point of not looking at her and instead seemed to read every single word on the over-large and cumbersome menu. 

“Hello!” she said, tilting her head to the side and blinking at him.

“Please, don’t be mad, okay?” he said anxiously.

“I’m not mad. I’m curious,” she replied.

He looked at her and saw for himself. She didn’t look remotely angry. What a relief! “You were great, Janet. They loved you. They’re totally convinced you’re my girlfriend,” he said, smiling. He reached out and grabbed her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it.

She instantly felt her insides do a flip. “What…why are you doing that?” she asked, nervously.

“What? Kiss your hand?” Wes asked. “I’m sure they’re still watching us. It’s not a big deal, is it?”

“No, I guess not,” she said. “But why pretend at all?”

“They worry about me, almost as much as my dad. So I figured if they thought I was happily in love that they wouldn’t anymore.”

She stared at him for a full minute before she smiled. “Anything for my new best friend,” she said.

“You’re the best,” he said, flashing that sexy grin of his.

“Yeah, you said that already,” she said remembering the feel of his lips on hers and the achingly familiar touch of his hand over her own.

“Didn’t have to lie about that,” he said, shrugging. “Thanks for playing along, Janet. They really loved you.”

“Okay,” she said licking her lips. “So, can I ask you for a favor now?”

“Of course. What?” he said tightening his grip on her hand.

“Think I can have my hand back sometime today? I can’t eat left-handed.”

He burst out laughing, gave her hand one last squeeze and released her. “If I must, but I get it back later,” he said.

“Oh, really?” she said, opening up the menu. She tried to concentrate on the food but her hand felt strange, almost…lonely? Thoughts of her father crept into her mind, too. Did Wes somehow remind her of her dad? She gave herself a mental shake. That was absurd.

“Wanna share a pitcher of frozen strawberry Margaritas with me? They’re really good. I had them on a trip we took to Mexico last year,” she said, casually.

“Are you forgetting something? Like we’re underage and I’m driving?” he said, frowning.

She realized too late that drinking would be a point of contention for Wes being his mother was killed by a drunk driver. 

“Non-alcoholic, of course, Wes. In Mexico they wouldn’t care if you’re just ten years old. Can you imagine? My mother had to keep telling the waiters, ‘No tequila, no tequila’ which totally bewildered them. They never heard of such a thing, a Margarita without tequila.”

“That would be my mother, Margarita without tequila. She never drank but that’s her name . Go figure, huh?” he said sadly.

Janet didn’t like seeing him so miserable. “Really? What a pretty name.”

“Who is we?” he asked curiously.

“We?” she repeated, bewildered.

“You said we went to Mexico.”

“My family, of course. My mom and us kids. We had a blast. Went snorkeling and scuba diving, kayaking, horse-back riding, sight-seeing. We needed a vacation after the vacation,” she said happily. 

“Not your father?” he asked, only now realizing she never mentioned him.

She took a sip of water. “Good idea. You should get your dad to go on vacation. It was awesome. He’ll really like it. There’s lots of pretty senoritas there for the both of you. Just don’t get drunk or you’ll end up with a tattoo on your arm and not know how it got there. It happened to Jimmy Buffet so it could happen to you,” she said.

“You really are a nut,” he said.

“Well, just as long as you don’t try to crack me open and feed me to a squirrel, we’ll be fine,” she said casually. “These look yummy. I’m getting the enchilladas, how about you?”

Janet entertained Wes as they ate by talking animatedly about her trip to Mexico. “Well, a huge wave came at us and we were swept under. Well, we were half drowned but at least my swimsuit stayed in place. Jasmine’s didn’t. There were these guys that saw the whole thing and we could barely get away from them. I think they were hoping mine would fly off too.”

Wes had never laughed so much. “I’ll bet! I wish I had gone with you,” he said.

 “I’m not about to let you see my goods either,” she said, pouring the last of the frozen drink into his glass.

“That’s not what I meant. It sounded like a lot of fun. I wish I could get my father to go to something like that.”

“I’ll fix that too,” she said, lifting her glass in a toast.

Chapter 10: That's some car

“I must say, my yenta’s looking rather pretty,” Wes said as he held the car door open for her.

“You should thank Jasmine for that. She’s my stylist,” Janet said, stepping into the car. She took one close look inside and her eyes widened dramatically. She let out a low whistle. “She wasn’t kidding. This is some car. I’m surprised your dad would let you drive it.”

“He has no choice since it’s my car,” he replied smirking. He then starting up the engine and smoothly took off.

“You must have been a very good boy to have daddy buy you this,” she said, loving the luxurious interior.

“I was indeed a very good boy, but Daddy didn’t buy it for me. I did. Got the payments to prove it,” he said.

She gaped. “Dear God, Wes! How much money do you make?” she asked. “This must be... I don’t even know how much, but it must cost tons! It’s a frickin’ Jag!”

He laughed at her. “Don’t you know that’s not a topic of proper conversation?” he chided her mildly.

She made a funny face. “Since when do I know anything about that? You have me confused with Jasmine. She’s Miss Proper Decorum.”

He laughed again. “I had no clue that Wendy was your mom, but now I see where you get your sense of humor. You’re just like her.”

 “I’m nothing like her,” she said, her expression suddenly stony.

“You’re wrong , Janet. You may not look like her, but…”

“So, you do work for her cheap boss?” she interrupted quickly. “You really get around, don’t you?” 

Stopping at a red light, Wes frowned, wondering about the abrupt change in her. “I suppose,” he said cautiously, glancing at her. “Did I say something to upset you?”

“Me? I’m fine,” she said, giving him an obviously forced smile. “How do you get so much work? Advertising?”

He waited for the light to turn green before answering. “When you’re good at what you do, people hear about it. Of course, when you’re bad they hear about that too,” he retorted bracingly. “Luckily, I learn from my mistakes and I’ve perfected my craft. I see you doing the same in English class every day.”

Janet frowned at him. “Have you been spying on me? Those are confidential files. My clients would be pissed off if they thought just anybody was looking at their information.”

“I was just curious about your set up, not your client list. They are irrelevant to me,” he said, slowing down to allow a minivan in front of him.

“Well, they’re not to me. You shouldn’t have been looking. I didn’t ask you to,” she said heatedly.

“I’m sorry, Janet. I know you didn’t, but I was very impressed with what little I saw. You seem ambitious and I thought I could show you some ways of improving your system. Just a couple of small changes that might help your business. No harm listening, is there? And I’m not charging you anything if that’s what’s upsetting you.”

“Then why bother? What’s in it for you?” she asked suspiciously.

“You’re helping my dad, aren’t you? That means a lot to me. You’ll never know how much. I want him to live again. He pretty much died with my mother,” he said, his tone serious.

Her frown faded quickly. He loved his dead mother and his live father. That was obvious. She simultaneously felt envious and sorry for him. 

Jasmine’s words whispered in her head just then, “Be a friend and get him laughing again.”  Well, she had done the laughing part already, without trying. Now it was time to be a friend.

 “I was thinking about that, Wes. You said your dad wants you to have a girlfriend, right?”

“Yes,” he replied cautiously, as he looked both ways before crossing an intersection.

“Then do you think he would encourage it by, say, going out to dinner to meet her and perhaps meeting someone for himself?” she asked.

“I don’t think I follow,” he said.

“Okay, you need to get a girlfriend who has a single mom and then you can suggest that you all go out to dinner together. Your dad doesn’t have to know it’s a set up. It’s just a meeting of the parents and if they continue to meet and become friendly then maybe...”

“They might start to really like each other and start dating,” he said, grinning at her, but his smile faded. “But I don’t have a girlfriend, especially one with a single mother. Do you?”

“No, I don’t have a girlfriend, but unlike you I don’t get all insulted when people suggest that I’m gay. I just think it’s really funny,” she told him with a giggle.

“Who’s the wise guy now?” he asked smirking. “I mean, it would be a stretch finding a girlfriend that has a mother who might become interested in my father.”

She frowned in concentration. “Okay, how about this? My mom has a friend that’s looking for a house for her and her kids. She’s been divorced for a while and I can ask your dad if he can show her some houses and maybe...”

“Won’t work. He never mixes business with pleasure. He won’t ever date a client or an employee,” he said.

She made her funny face. “Then how did he and your mom meet?”

He smiled suddenly. He had heard the story so often he knew it by heart. 

“They met shortly after high school when they were both in college, but they actually got to know each other when they worked together at a fast food restaurant. They used to say it was a marriage made over the deep fryer,” he said with a laugh. 

“That’s romantic,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“It was. They married a little over a year after they met which didn’t go over too well with my grandparents, supposedly. Especially after my Uncle Rob did the same thing. He ran off eloping with his college sweetheart, but they had a good reason for their quick marriage. They had to get married, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh, the scandal!” she said giggling.

“It was back then. I’m not supposed to know about it, but I heard them talking one day. My cousin Karen, Billy’s oldest sister is a love child.”  He looked sheepish all of a sudden and added, “I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.”

“Because you know I love drama! You are so good to me, Wes. It’s like you really are my best friend now. Go figure. I lasted this long without one. I thought I’d never get one,” Janet said happily.

 “I’d be honored to be your best friend, but, really? You don’t already have one? How about Jasmine?”

“We get along fine, but isn’t that rather pathetic? Saying your best friend is your sister?” she said shaking her head in disgust.

He laughed. “You are too funny.”  

They had just pulled into the parking lot. 

“I hope you like Mexican,” he said as he unbuckled his seat belt and turned to undo hers.

“I love Mexican! You’re the best best friend I ever had,” she said, excitedly. “I’ve never been here before. Don’t tell me. Another client of yours?” 

“Actually, yes,” he replied. He moved around to her side and held his hand out to her. 

Once she placed her hand in his he grinned. He really did have a sexy smile, she thought.

He continued to hold her hand as they went inside which she thought rather odd, but at the same time nice. It was relatively dark inside the restaurant. Each table was lit by a colorfully painted luminaria and very faint lighting came from up above. 

Janet grabbed his arm. “Did you bring any bread crumbs, Hansel? We might get lost in the dark.”

He laughed. “You nut. This is what is called setting a mood,” he informed.

“Yeah, I know and I’m in the mood to hide under a table until they turn on the lights,” she countered.

 He laughed so loud several patrons turned around and stared at them. 

“Goodness, I can’t take you anywhere. You are so uncouth,” she said haughtily. 

He stared at her until she too started laughing.

“Wes!” someone called to him and he looked around.

“Oh, no, did I get you in trouble?” Janet asked nervously.

Wes looked up and waved at a very pretty woman with thick auburn hair. “Janet, you gotta do me a huge favor, okay? Whatever I say, just go along with it, please?” He grabbed her hand before she could answer and lead her to the table where the woman sat with a man.

“Uncle Rob, it’s great to see you. Aunt Beth, you look beautiful, as always. It’s so weird I was just telling Janet about you,” Wes exclaimed after hugging the both of them.

“It’s great to see you, Wes,” Rob said smiling broadly.

“Wes, is it possible you’ve grown again? You might reach Billy yet,” Beth stated patting him affectionately on the cheek.

“I don’t know about that. Billy’s huge. Um," he said, a bit nervously turning to Janet. "This is Janet Fummel. Janet, this is my dad’s brother Rob and my favorite Aunt Beth. She taught me how to dance,” he added conspiratorially.

“Janet? That’s funny, you look just like a girl I had in my ballet class a several years back. Gosh, what was her name?” Beth said frowning  in concentration.

Wes and Janet exchanged looks, grinned and simultaneously said, “Jasmine.”

“Yes, how did you know?” Beth asked amazed.

“She’s my twin. She loved your dance classes and bugged me for years to join her, but I’m too lazy and I’m clumsy as an elephant,” Janet said completely unabashed.

“Ah, but I could have helped with that,” Beth replied.

Janet shook her head tragically. “No, I would have just ruined your reputation as the fine dance instructor that you are.”  

They all laughed.

“Wes, you got yourself a very pretty and witty girlfriend,” Rob interjected.

“Uh…” Janet started but Wes squeezed her hand tightly and cut her off. She stared up at him questioningly.

“Yeah, Janet’s the best,” Wes said. 

Then he did something that shocked her to her toes. He kissed her. 

“The very best,” he whispered, staring into her large brown eyes.

Janet didn’t know what to say, but she knew one thing. She wanted Wes to do that again.

Chapter 9: I’m not going!

“I’m not going!” Janet shouted to her sister who had been cajoling her into dressing nicely for her date. “And stop calling it a date. We’re just supposed to be talking business… I mean… if I was going, but I’m not going!”

“Janet, you have to,” Jasmine whined.

“Give me one good reason why,” Janet said, her arms stubbornly crossed over her chest.

“Cuz Wes is a sweet guy and he works a lot,” she said.

“So what?”

“So much that he hardly allows himself time to breathe let alone to have fun. He’s becoming just like his father. Troy told me he started this computer business right after his mother died. To distract himself, you know?” Jasmine said, making a sad face. “But he takes it too seriously. Troy says he had a drag him kicking and screaming to play soccer with him. He agreed to stay on the team only when his dad threatened to confiscate his computers. Troy said it was the first time he heard Wes really laugh since his mother died when he was with you at dinner last night. You’re good for him. So, be a friend and get him away from work for a little while and get him laughing again.”

Chapter 8: Lunch with the genius

 “Anyway, my cousin Billy is Luke’s agent so maybe I could get us some tickets to his first show. I think Billy said he would be at Club Palisades. I’m not so sure I’ll like it but maybe you and Jasmine would. I don’t like concerts much. I like Broadway musicals…. but that doesn’t mean I’m gay!” he stated vehemently.

“You like musicals? No, you don’t,” she said making her funny face.

“I do. My mother always took me to see them. I grew to love them. Or maybe it was just because it was with her. Our special time,” he said, again shrugging. “Whatever. Haven’t been to one since she died.” 

“I’m sorry. Jasmine and I love them too. Maybe we can all go together sometime. Troy would hate it but who needs him?” she stated dismissively. She beamed at him. “Fiddler On The  Roof, that’s my favorite. That’s where I got yenta from, you know.”

“I figured that. Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match, find me a find, catch me a catch,” he sang.

“You sing so nice,” she said, her eyes wide in delight. She surprised him when she grabbed his arm, all excited. “Hey! You and I should go out for the class musical this year. Oh, it would be awesome if they did ‘Fiddler On The Roof’ but I think I heard it was going to be ‘The Wizard Of Oz’. You would make a perfect scarecrow. The one with the brains, you know.” 

Chapter 7: Lunch with the yenta

“How’s my yenta today?” Wes asked. He sat down behind Janet in English class like he always did and waited for her brilliant smile to jump start his day.

“Do I know you?” she asked, unconcerned. Visibly shocked he merely started at her. Then she giggled. “Guys are so easy.” 

Relief washed over him. “And you are adorable.” he couldn’t help saying.

Her eyes flew open in surprise. “Adorable? Me? Now, that’s a new one. No one’s ever said that, not even Mom.”  Of course, that was a lie and she knew it. She recalled a time her father had called her that every single day. Her smile faded.

“Laptop still running I see. No more problems?” he asked.

She forced her own father out of her mind. “Good as new. I wanted to ask you about your dad. Is there something he likes to do after work or on weekends like play basketball with his buddies or out to a bar, something like that? Any hobbies at all?”

“My dad? No, he barely leaves the house anymore except for work. My Aunt Beth has been trying to get him to go to their house for dinner but he won’t even do that. He’s been drowning himself in work. He’s truly lost without my mom,” he replied dejectedly.

Chapter 6: Destiny is calling

“Destiny is calling,” Janet said, grabbing Wes by the hand and dragging him to the car.

“Is Destiny a friend of yours? You setting me up with her?” Wes asked, grinning.

“Smart guy, aren’t you? No, but you should tell me what you are looking for in a girl and I will work my magic. Anyone specific in mind?” she asked brightly.

He started at her for a minute. “Yes, but I want to see who you come up with.  I must warn you, though.  I’m extremely hard to please. She needs to be as extraordinarily pretty as she is intelligent.”

“On the same girl?” she asked aghast. “That will be impossible.”

He smirked. “And she must possess unending wit and charm.”

“Oh, man. You’re really going to make me work for this, aren’t you?” she muttered, grimacing.

“Oh, and I almost forgot the most important thing,” he continued.

“She has to descend from Mount Olympus?” she asked ruefully. 

“No, she has to make me laugh,” he stated simply.

“I don’t think I know anybody like that,” she answered as she stared into space.“Well, at least you weren’t specific about looks. That would make it even more difficult.”

“You didn’t let me finish. I only like brunettes, with big, brown eyes and she can’t be a skinny little nothing. I like curves,” he said.

She sighed deeply. “Well, Jasmine would have been perfect but she’s off the market. This is not going to be easy.” she said sadly. She suddenly looked at him with narrowed eyes. “You better be worth it.”

“Excuse me?” he said.

“I mean you better fix that laptop perfectly if you’re going to make me work this hard for you.”

“Oh, I’m worth it. Believe me,” he replied smirking that sexy way of his. Just then Troy and Jasmine came to the car.

“About time. The Genius needs to get going on my laptop or he won’t get his dream girl. I may as well tell you now, Wes, this girl you’re looking for, or that I’m looking for, may not exist. You might want to harden yourself to that fact,” Janet stated grimly and she jumped into the back seat.

“I wouldn’t say that. I know for a fact she exists,” Wes said quietly. He winked at Troy and Jasmine before getting in after Janet. They exchanged significant looks and suppressed a laugh. 

“Finally!” Janet shouted irritably when Troy’s car stopped in front of her home. She practically shoved Wes out of the car and tugged him up the walkway with her lap top snugly under her arm. She led him to the family room where there was no one to bother them. She then shoved him unceremoniously onto the couch and tossed herself down next to him after kicking off her high heels and tucking her feet under her. She placed the laptop on his lap and watched him expectantly. 

He suppressed a laugh and opened it with her peering around his shoulder. “Well? What’s wrong with it?” she asked before he did anything.

“I don’t work well under such pressure,” he told her calmly.

“You better, ‘cause I’m nothing but pressure right now,” she said almost hysterically.

“Janet, take a breather and leave me alone with the patient for ...say ten minutes and then you can come back and ask me how it’s going. Okay?” he said reassuringly. “Go on, I’ll take good care of your baby and it probably won’t hurt a bit, I promise.”  He tried not to laugh at her apprehensive face. 

She ultimately acquiesced and with extreme reluctance left him with her precious laptop. She went to pace in the kitchen. She looked at her watch ten times and after seven excruciating minutes he came to find her and smiled. “It’s a girl. Congratulations, Mommy,” he said holding out the computer.

Her heart did a tumble. "You're not done so quick," she said, skeptical. She took it from him and placed it on the kitchen table.“You really did it. It’s fine, like nothing was wrong with it. How did you do that?” she asked sounding in awe. She looked up at him as he leaned down to look into the screen and her pretty face. 

“If I told you that, you wouldn't need me. Happy?” he asked needlessly.

She stared up at him for a minute before she giggled and before she knew what she was doing she grabbed his face and kissed him. “Thanks, Genius. You’re the best! I’ll get you your dream girl if it kills me. Can I get you a drink or something?” she said brightly as she went to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water.

Wes, a funny look on his face, listened as she chatted endlessly about the girl she would get for him. He wondered if he should just hold up a mirror to her and see if she would get the hint. 

“Come sit down so I can show you this,” she told him bossily. “This is Tiffany Burrows. She’s pretty, don’t you think? Only...I don’t think she knows up from down, right from left, that sort of thing. Are you sure that’s really important for you?”

“Immeasurably, and she’s blonde,” he said stoically.

“She is?" she said staring at the picture. "Oh, yeah, that won’t work but hey, that kind of blonde comes from a bottle, you know,” she told him conspiratorially.

“But there’s nothing you can pour into her head to make her less than a dimwit. No for Tiffany Burrows. Try again. I’m in no rush. Just as long as I have someone for Prom, I’ll be okay. Dad has threatened all sorts of punishment if I don’t take someone to the Prom,” he said through gritted teeth.

“It might take me that long,” she said as she searched her files.

“Then I may have to take it out on you if you fail in your search,” he said.

“You’re gonna beat me up? Don’t tell me. You do computer work for the mob, too,” she retorted. “I always thought Nuatano Con Pesce was a mob-run place. You know what it means, don’t you? Swimming with the fishes,” she told him with her eyes wide in mock fear.

He burst out laughing. “My Yenta is a funny girl. I mean if you fail what else can I do but take you to the Prom,” he said, his sexy smirk in place.

She made a weird face. “Couldn’t I just get you a call girl for the night?” she asked hopefully.

He laughed again. “You are such a nut.”

She leaned toward him and whispered dramatically, her eyes wild looking,  “You have no idea.”

He was just going in for a kiss when she swiftly returned to her laptop clicking around happily. Troy and Jasmine came in just then with their arms around each other and practically glued at the lips. 

“Oh, must you bring that in here?" Janet groaned. "How am I to work with all this...love in the air? I’ll never get a girl for the Genius this way.”

 “You might want to try looking in the mirror.” Troy snapped then grabbed a soda and took Jasmine back into the living room.

“Did he say something to me?” Janet asked distractedly.

“How will you find someone for my dad?” Wes asked. “I’d like it if you worked on him first, if that’s okay.”

“Well, guess what? I can do both at once. Tell me all I need to know about your papa.” she said, opening another file.

She listened attentively putting down all important facts and with a flick of a switch she found seven women who fit the bill for Donny Sebastian, Wes’ father.

“What’s he look like?” she asked as she flicked around.

“Nothing like me. Here’s a picture,” Wes said pulling out his wallet and showing her a picture of his parents.

Janet looked at the happy faces and suddenly felt like crying but she blinked quickly and cleared her throat. “Nothing? You have the same features. Only your hair and eyes are different. He can’t deny you. That’s for sure. Your mom was so beautiful.  This your sister?” she asked looking at the other pictures in his wallet, without permission.

“Yes, Cindy. She’s fourteen now but that’s her at five, my favorite picture of her. That was before she turned into an obnoxious teenager” he replied.

“Well, weren’t you an obnoxious teen when you were fourteen? She’s just getting back at you. Wonder if Stevie knows her? He’s our brother. He’s fourteen, too.”

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t set her up with anyone just yet. I worry about her as it is,” he said bracingly.

She laughed. “That wasn’t what I was thinking. I do only high school and above. The juniors will have to fend for themselves for now. So, tell me if you have any criteria for a step mom, no warts, rosy cheek, no strippers that sort of thing.”

 He smiled slightly. “I just want someone my dad can love who will love him back as he deserves. I just want him happy again,” he said unable to keep the sadness from his voice.

Janet’s eyes misted over. She stared at him and smiled. “That’s awfully nice. I’ll try my best, okay?” she assured him.

Her dewy doe-eyes were drawing him in. They were sitting so close. Couldn’t he just kiss her, he wondered, and leave behind all pretense?

“Wes, ready to go? I’ve got some work back home,” Troy said, breaking the spell completely.

“I think so. Is my yenta satisfied?” he asked needlessly. He could see quite clearly she had her good humor back now that she had a well-functioning computer.

“You are officially my new best friend. How’s that?” she told him excitedly.

 Her brilliant smile caused ripples of warmth to run through his veins.

“Good to know. Good night, Yenta. Thanks for a very entertaining night. Best I’ve had in a long time,” Wes said . He got up slowly and followed Troy to his car. He sat staring into the night not seeing anything but Janet and her beautiful eyes, Janet and her mesmerizing smile, Janet and that adorable giggle, Janet and her vivacious nature.

“Hello? Wes to Earth. Gees, you got it bad but who am I to talk? Jasmine has been doing that to me forever,” Troy said.  He laughed until a sobering thought occurred to him. “Hey, you’re not gonna try and steal Jasmine away from me, are you?”

“Excuse me? You do realize I want Janet not Jasmine. They may look identical but...”

“They’re not...I mean...yeah, they’re identical twins but they’re very different. Everyone thinks they’re exactly alike but it isn’t at all true. They’re total opposites. My Jasmine is sweet, funny and kind and...” He decided to shut up. He didn’t want to give Wes a reason to go for Jasmine.

“Strange, I thought the same thing about Janet. We just must see things differently. I’m sure Jasmine is wonderful for you, but she doesn’t do it for me so don’t worry. You can have her,” He suddenly laughed. “Really, Troy, do you actually think anyone has a chance with her when anyone can tell she’s crazy for you?” he replied with a smirk. He paused for a minute then continued,  “Have any advice?” he asked cautiously.

Troy was slightly taken aback. He was not the one to be asked this, he thought. He had no trouble asking girls out before getting together with Jasmine. But that had been because he didn’t care if they said yes or no.  He had been so stuck wanting Jasmine that everyone else was just a poor substitute.
 When it came to Jasmine he had been tongue tied, nervous and utterly graceless. If it hadn’t been for Janet he would never have had the nerve to ask her out.

 “Wes, I don’t know what to tell ya. Janet is tough. I don’t think she’s ever had a boyfriend. I thought for a while she was gay but Jasmine says she’s not. But she’s really tough,” he said apologetically.

“Tough, huh?” Wes mumbled to himself as he lay in bed later that night staring up at the ceiling. Even in the dark he could still only see Janet. “I can handle tough. Love a challenge. We’ll see how tough my little yenta is,” he said to himself and he promptly fell asleep to dream of Janet, the yenta.

Chapter 5: Romance is a drug

“This place is beautiful. The sunset must be nice here in summer. I wish it was summer,” Jasmine said, pouting.

“I’ll bring you back in summer too,” Troy told her, kissing her softly.

“Oh, brother. I’m gonna have to put up with that all night?” Janet muttered under her breath. 

Wes leaned down to speak quietly in her ear. “Not the right attitude for a purveyor of romance, I think,” he said.

“The best drug dealers don’t sample their own product,” she countered icily.

“Oh, I see. Romance is a drug and you want to keep a clear head for business.”

“Precisely,” she replied.

“That could happen, I suppose, but it’s different for romance.”

“How’s that?” she asked glowering.

“Well, the best writers of romance are usually in very loving relationships. Did you know that?” he asked as they entered the restaurant and waited to be seated.

“I doubt that,” she scoffed. “I’ll bet they’re all delusional, depressed and lonely because they haven’t a clue what reality is. Their heads are probably stuffed with all these silly romantic notions. Well, there is no happily-ever-after.”

Wes stared at her, an unreadable expression on his face. “No, my mother wasn’t like that at all. She was very happy with my dad. He was the love of her life and she his,” he answered slowly, again noticing horror cross her face.

“Your mom wrote romance novels?” Janet asked, incredulous. When he nodded she gulped.   “I’m sorry...I...I ...”

“Obviously don’t know what you’re talking about?” he suggested.

“That wasn’t what I was going to say!” she snapped. 

He chuckled just as the hostess called them forward. “I think we should have separate tables,” Wes suggested much to the obvious delight of both Jasmine and Troy.

 Janet groaned. This was consternation indeed. She couldn’t help feeling she was being dragged into something she didn’t want. She just couldn’t quite figure out what it was.

 “We wouldn’t want to bore you with dull business talk. And you surely don’t want us intruding on your date,” he continued serenely.

They were shown to different parts of the room though both with an equally pretty view of the harbor.

“So, tell me your life story,” Wes asked after they were seated and the waiter handed them menus.

“Excuse me? How is that business talk?” Janet asked frowning. “Hey! You didn’t bring the lap top in. How are you supposed to fix it?” 

“I didn’t say I would do it during dinner,” he calmly replied. “Would you care for a glass of wine, Janet?”

She imagined, just for a second, drop kicking his head and watching it roll down the aisle between the many tables. “I’m sixteen, you idiot, but sure, if you can get me a glass I’ll drink it. I’d like a little buzz right about now,” she said, waspishly.

He laughed. “You’re funny.  I mean you’re very different than what you appear to be in school when you have the world at your feet. You don’t seem to take well to the situation when you no longer control it.”

She bristled. “And who says I’m not in control?” she said.

“Forgive me. I must be mistaken,” he said hiding his smirk behind the menu.

“You said you knew the owner here,” she said frowning again.

“Yes, Mr. Sabatelli. Great guy, dreadful computer skills. Have had to bail him out of many messes, mostly self-inflicted. Have you decided what you want? I think I’ll go for the lobster bisque. Hopefully it’s half as good as Mommy used to make. She was a wonderful cook,” he said, slightly wistful.

Janet imagined for a moment losing her mother to a drunk driver. She knew she wouldn’t be happy for many years after that. A dreadful ache started in her chest until she admonished herself. She still had her mother and shouldn’t be thinking of such awful things anyway. 

“You must miss her,” she heard herself say.

“Terribly, but not nearly as much as my dad does. You don’t lose the love of your life and get over it too quickly,” he suddenly put down his menu and stared at Janet as if seeing her for the first time. “Perhaps I can use your services...for my dad, I mean. You can help him find another love of his life.” 

“Isn’t that an oxymoron? You can’t have two loves of your life,” she said.

“Is that a steadfast rule?” he asked curiously.

She made a funny face. “I don’t think I’m the one to ask,” she admitted and took a sip of water just as the waiter came to get their order. Once the order was placed and the waiter was gone Janet looked at her sister and Troy who were so lost in each other, it was sickening.  She grimaced, shaking her head. She stopped suddenly once she realized Wes was watching her. 

“What?” she said.

“I didn’t say anything,” he replied.

“But you were thinking something,” she accused.

He grinned. “Sorry, I am not one of those fortunate people that can easily shut off the brain. Yes, I was thinking, always am. And I suspect you are to. Penny for your thoughts.”

“My thoughts are worth way more than that,” she assured.

“Shouldn’t I be the judge of that?” he asked, smirking.

She glared at him. “Wait a minute. You did say that you would fix it during dinner, I know you did or I wouldn’t have bothered coming. You are a liar,” she told him triumphantly.

“I think you misunderstood. How could I, in good conscience, bring a lap top to a fine restaurant such as this and spend time fiddling with it? It surely would disturb other patrons not ingratiating myself to Mr. Sabatelli who is one of my favorite costumers,” he said. “There’s time enough for that later.” 

She narrowed her eyes.  “How come I get the feeling I’ve been had? You’ve lured me here under false pretenses when all I wanted was a working laptop.”

“You’re a lot better tempered at school,” he observed. “Is it that you love school or that you despise me or perhaps seafood?” he asked curiously.

“I don’t despise you and seafood…well, I can take it or leave it but school...well, I love school!” she said jubilantly.

“Do you? Why?”

 “All those kids with so many hang ups, so many trivial problems.  ‘Oh, I’ve got a pimple.’, ‘I don’t have the coolest jeans in the school.’, ‘I can’t understand geometry.’, ‘I can’t get lover boy to notice me.’, I love the drama!” she said with an infectious giggle.

He laughed.  “And here I thought it was the love of Shakespear,” he said.

She proceeded to tell him all that endeared her to school and its inhabitants. Strangely enough all thought of her precious laptop flew out of her mind until after their meal was finished and they joined Troy and Jasmine outside to watch the passing ships sail in the dark.

The moon threw shimmering lights onto the surface of the water making the evening just right for lovers. Lovers like Troy and Jasmine, that is. They clung to each other completely oblivious to anything around them. 

“You’d think they would eventually get sick of each other,” Janet grumbled. “It’s been almost a year since I got those two together. At this rate I won’t get any return business from either of them.”

Wes, who had been staring at Janet and not the two lovers, came out of his daze with a shake of his head. “Uh, do you get a lot of…um… return business?” he asked as he watched the moonlight sparkles in her wide brown eyes.

“Well, it is high school, isn’t it? If a romance lasts more than a month they consider it successful. Who am I to tell them otherwise?” she stated loftily.

“Right. So, it’s not as I thought, a one shot deal and people stop needing you. That’s good. But I wonder, does no one ask for a refund from a bad romance?”

“No one has yet. Are you trying to jinx me?” she asked suspiciously.

He laughed. “Not in a million years. So, how does this work if I were to ask you to find a match for my dad or do you only do high school?”

“I’ve already set up Vice-Principle McIntyre with Mrs. Palmer and they are very happy,” she replied smiling gleefully.

“Isn’t she already married?” he asked, aghast.

“No, she’s been divorced for a long time but she was keeping it quiet. She’s a bit shy,” Janet explained.

“And why would she tell you if she was keeping it secret?” he asked curiously. “Unless… she hired you?”

“No, she didn’t. My mother goes to the same exercise classes with her. They got to be friends and I overheard one day,” she said. Seeing the disapproving look on his face, she quickly changed the subject.

“So, you’ll need to email me some information about your dad so I can see what I can do for him. Do you want him involved or is this to be clandestine?” she asked.

“You can do that? How?” he asked.

“Well, if I told you that, you wouldn't need me,” she replied smiling sweetly up at him.

 Something in his gaze unsettled her a bit. She quickly stepped back and shouted,   “Hey, guys, how about you leave something for Prom night. Let’s go. I need my computer running. Come on, Genius. Destiny is calling.”

Chapter 4: Wes, Computer genius

The one good thing about Jasmine having Troy for a boyfriend, who was a senior this year, was that Janet got to ride to school with them in the morning. In the afternoon, however, she was back on the bus with the rug rats. Of course, she could have stayed after school and waited for Troy to be done with soccer to get a ride home, but she realized the school bus was where she would get most of her costumers. Truly she shouldn’t complain even though she did. 

On this day she got three giggling freshmen girls to hand over their fees with the name of their intended on a slip of paper. Unfortunately, they all picked the same unattainable senior who was already going with the head cheerleader. She had to take each one aside to figure out a compromise or at least something more tangible and not requiring the dismantling of an already established couple. This was a most important proviso. She would never be party to breaking up loving couples no matter the price.

Janet was at her wit’s end by the time she managed to get anything remotely plausible out of these silly girls.  She was certain that she would have smacked one--or more likely all of them-- if they had giggled one more time. 

"Harry Potter was right. Giggling should be outlawed," she muttered to herself after bidding the stupid girls good-bye. 

She got home and grabbed an apple before setting to work but her computer was as slow as molasses. After an hour of playing with it, trying to get it back to normal, it froze entirely. What scared her silly was a pop up that said:

GO GET THE BUG SPRAY, GO GET THE DOCTOR,

YOU HAVE A BUG, YOU HAVE A VIRUS

“No, No, No! This can’t be happening!” she screamed at the top of her lungs as she saw her files scramble into darkness.

“Janet, what’s wrong?” Jasmine asked in alarm. She had only just gotten home.

“Everything, everything is in here and now it’s gone. I can’t get it to do anything. It’s dead, I’m dead.” she moaned.

“Hmm, this is why I prefer good old-fashioned paper. We have the same classes. You can look at my notes...on paper.” Jasmine said.

“You don’t get it. I’m not talking about school stuff. This is my Yenta business, all my files everything, everybody, it’s gone! I’ll have to start all over. What in the world am I gonna do?” Janet was almost to the point of crying.

“Maybe Troy can help. He’s good with computers, at least with computer games. Want me to call him when he’s done with soccer?”

Janet's sat up straight as she remembered the smirking boy with dark eyes thickly fringed with dark curling lashes.“Oh! That computer guy. What was his name? Will...Woodruff...Warren? He’s in my English class.  Why can’t I remember his name?” she muttered to herself.

“Do you mean Wes Sebastian? He’s the best. Computer genius, he is. Everyone says so. He did the school’s website and the principle always goes to him when they have a glitch but they also always suspect him of being a hacker and breaking their codes, too. Double-edged sword when you’re that good. Total genius. It even says so on his card but what it doesn’t say on his card is how very cute he is. That curly black hair, the way his eye-lashes curl, his sexy little smirk and that killer body--”

“Hello! What about Troy?” Janet asked disgustedly as she watched her sister fantasize about this self-proclaimed computer geek.

“Oh, yeah, he’s on the soccer team with Troy and they’re really good friends. He can get Wes' number for you," Jasmine said as she rummaged in her book bag for her cell. "I never thought you’d ever need help with your computer. You’re such a wiz at it too. Weird. It’s a brand-new laptop and everything."

“Hi, Troy. Done with practice?  Uh, huh...uh, huh...yeah...uh huh...”

“Hello! I’m in trouble here!” Janet shrieked impatiently.

“Okay, okay...” Jasmine said, waving her sister back. “Troy, Janet  needs Wes Sebastian’s number. Uh, huh...uh, huh....okay....uh, huh....” 

At this point, Janet was ready to ring her sister’s neck. She glared at her telling her with violent hand gestures to finish up. 

“Okay, here he is,” she said turning to Janet and giving her the phone.

“What do I want to talk to Troy for?” Janet demanded harshly.

“Not Troy, Wes,” Jasmine replied laughing at her sister.

“Hello?” Janet said warily into the phone.

“Hello, Yenta. And how are we today? Make any fine matches lately?” Wes asked brightly.

“No, my computer crashed. How much do you charge?” she asked grudgingly.

“Sixty an hour but I can give you a discount since you’re an okay kinda girl,” he said.

“Sixty? And how long does it usually take?” she asked, trepidation running along her spine.

“Depends on the problem. It may take five minutes, it may take two hours. One can never tell,” he said. 

The enjoyment in his voice made her rankle. “So, if it only takes five minutes I should only pay you five dollars, right?” she said, hoping against hope.

 He laughed uproariously. “Good one, Yenta. Tell you what, if you can find a plumber that works that way then so will I,” he said. 

She growled nasty little words under her breath and ground her teeth together. “Sorry, didn’t quite catch that,” he replied sounding ever so amused.

“Do I have to come to you?” she asked resigned to this humiliation.

“Well, Troy said he was going to your house anyway to pick up Jasmine. They're going to dinner, so I could just follow him... unless..."

"What?" she snapped.

"We can go out with them and then I can work on your notebook ,” he suggested. 

“You can do that? You don’t think you’ll be very long with it?” Janet asked hope bubbling up inside. She might still be able to make a few matches by tonight if all went well, she thought happily.

“Don’t know for sure but it can’t be any worse than what I’ve been dealing with all week. There’s a nasty bug going around but I’ve got the antidote. So, what do you say? Should I come over?” he asked calmly.

“Yeah, sounds good,” she said and handed the phone back to Jasmine who watched her sister with interest.

“Hello? Oh, hi, Wes...uh, huh...yes...uh, huh...okay. We’ll be ready. Bye,” she said sweetly and dropped the cell back into her bag. She then grabbed her sister by the arm.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Janet protested.

“They’ll be here soon and I’m already hungry so...let’s get dressed,” Jasmine insisted still dragging her sister up the stairs.

“And what do you call this? Sheep skin? I’m dressed.”

“Jeans and a sweater just won’t do. Troy’s taking me to a great place by the pier and we have to dress nicely or they won’t treat us well because we’re kids. Appearance is everything,” Jasmine said, much to her sister’s annoyance.

“Then maybe I should just stay home. You can go with Troy-boy and Wes can fix my lap top. Everyone’s happy,” Janet said. 

Jasmine totally ignored her and shoved her twin into the room. After forcing her down onto the bed, Jasmine went to the closet and pulled out four dresses.

“Chose one,” she commanded as she showed each one in turn.

“Oh, I don’t care. Whichever one says ‘fix my computer’ the quickest. This is gonna cost me sixty an hour,” Janet whined. In truth, the money was nothing to her. She usually had that as pocket change by the end of a good matchmaker day. She just wanted the laptop fixed, the faster the better.

 They were dressed and ready by the time the guys came around. They were dressed rather well, much to Janet’s surprise.

 “Where’s the funeral?” she said by way of greeting when they both walked to the door grinning broadly.

“Why do you say funeral? It could just as easily be a wedding,” Wes commented as he offered his arm to her. Instead of her taking his arm she handed him the lap top. “All business, I see,” he said with a wry twist of the mouth.

“What else is there?” she asked rolling her eyes to the heavens as she walked to the car.  Wes opened the door for her further surprising her. 

“Uh, thanks,” she said frowning slightly.

“You’ll have to excuse my sister. She’s not used to people being nice to her. She can be rather ...difficult,” Jasmine stated bracingly. She gave Troy a little kiss and then got into the front seat.

“Actually, the word is abrasive, but you didn’t hear that from me,” Troy said in a hushed voice. 

Wes laughed and jumped into the back with Janet.

she looked at him hopefully. “Well? Aren’t you gonna start now? Time’s a-wasting,” she almost shouted.

“Janet, you can’t expect a man to work on an empty stomach. Let him have some food first,” Troy chided. “All those soccer drills make you hungry.”

“Yeah, but I’m the one paying good money for his expertise. How the heck do you justify sixty dollars an hour?” Janet asked.

“I told you, whatever the market will bear. Words to live by, in the business world, anyway.” Wes countered with his typical smirk.

Janet noticed that it did look sexy. She wondered why that was. It must be because Jasmine described it that way.

“I refuse to listen to business talk all night long so talk about something else or I’ll kick you out of the car,” Jasmine grumbled. 

This, however, wasn’t a threat to Janet. She would like it very much if she got to go home. She turned to Wes to see if she could actually get her sister to do as she threatened.

“So, tell me, Wes, this computer wiz title, did you come up with that all by yourself or did mommy help?” she asked snidely.

“That’s computer genius and though Mommy has been dead for three years, yes, in fact she was the first to call me that. She thought I was special but then don’t all mothers?” he answered, his tone even and his eyes direct. with some satisfaction he saw horror creep into Janet’s face.

“Oh...I’m so sorry...I didn’t know...I’m...really sorry,” she stammered stupidly. She felt like kicking herself.

“No worries. You weren’t the drunk driver that killed her,” he said calmly.

“When is your next soccer game, Troy?” Jasmine asked loudly in an obvious effort to change the subject. it wasn't, however, obvious enough for Troy.

“How many times do I have to tell you? Monday at Orianco. Are you this forgetful about everything or just my games?” Troy asked sounding decidedly hurt.

“I’m sure Jasmine has better things to occupy her brain then when and where our games are,” Wes said casually.

“No, really she doesn’t. She lives for this guy,” Janet told him in a conspiratorial whisper.

He smiled at her saying,   “Well, isn’t he lucky?”

“Luck had nothing to do with it. This pairing is courtesy of Janet, the Yenta,” she declared. Suddenly she narrowed her eyes at him. “You know, instead of paying you I can offer my matchmaking services in exchange for you fixing my lap top. The barter system. I can find you the girl of your dreams,” she said in a sing-song sort of voice.

“That would mean you would need to find me six girls,” he retorted.

“Excuse me? How do you figure that?” she asked bewildered.

“You only charge ten and I charge sixty. You do the math,” he countered.

She smiled sweetly at him. “That was before you gave me the idea to charge on a sliding scale. You, my friend, are at the top. You have to pay the big bucks.”

“Well, she can be taught! Good for me,” he said, just as they arrived at the restaurant.

 Janet didn’t quite know what that meant.

Chapter 3: Free no more

 Janet had just entered the school when Vice-principle McIntyre asked her into his office. He merely stared at her as she seated herself. There was an odd expression on his face. Janet suddenly wondered if she was going to get in trouble about her Yenta business.

 The word had spread like wildfire once she started hooking kids up right and left. Her best advertising was all the happy couples roaming the halls holding hands and stealing kisses. But she had checked with the supreme authority on all things school related, Tara Reynolds, and she had told her that there was nothing the school could do, just as long as she didn’t disrupt classes or do any soliciting on school grounds. Only problem was, kids didn’t wait until they were off school grounds most times to hand over their money and make their requests. Janet braced herself. She may very well be doing time in detention for a good long time or perhaps even suspension.

“Janet, I don’t know what to say?” he finally said after a few tense minutes while she thought of how to get out of this.

She abruptly stood up and started back-peddling. “I’m not disrupting any classes, Mr. McIntyre. I swear. You can ask all my teachers. I never talk business while lessons are going on and---”   She stopped mid-sentence when he enfolded her in his arms and gave her a warm hug. She knew that was definitely against school rules.

As if reading her mind he mumbled in an emotion filled voice, “School rules be damned.”

Stunned, Janet stood stiffly. What in the world was going on? “Uh, does this mean I’m kicked out of school and you feel bad about doing it?” she asked, utterly confused.

He chuckled and shook his head as he pulled away from her still misty eyed. “You made a miracle come true for me, Janet. I never thought I could find someone as good as my wife, Whitney. I never would have thought about Kimberly if it hadn’t been for you opening my eyes. My kids love her, Janet. I love her and best of all she loves us. We haven’t been so happy in so long but now, because of you, we are. I have something for you,” he said excitedly.

He then went to his desk and opened the top drawer pulling out an ivory colored envelope addressed to her in golden ink. She took it from him, her large eyes wide in astonishment as she guessed what it must contain.

“You and Mrs. Palmer? You’re getting married?” she exclaimed happily. “Omigosh, that’s great!”

“It is,” he replied a bit sheepishly. “What can I do to repay you?”

“Just to see you and Mrs. Palmer happy is payment enough but do remember this if I ever get in trouble,” she said brightly.

“Oh, I do have something else for you,” he said pulling out his wallet. He handed her a fifty dollar bill.

“What’s this for?” she asked confusedly.

“Isn’t that the going rate for your Yenta services?” he said grinning broadly.

“No, it’s just ten but you and Miss Kim are free of charge,” she said giggling delightedly. “So, you know about my Yenta stuff?”

 “It’s all over the school. You know you can’t keep anything a secret in this place,” he retorted with a shrug. “But take it. I owe it to you, much more if truth be told. How much is eternal bliss worth?”

She giggled but shook her head adamantly. “I didn’t have my Yenta business up and running then. You were just practice. I am so happy for you, Mr. McIntyre. I’ll see you at the wedding.”

“I think Kimberly’s invited half the school. I don’t know where we’ll hold the reception with all these people but there you go. That’s the price for eternal bliss, I guess.”

“I’ll see if I can come up with something,” Janet said thoughtfully.

He raised his eyebrows. “Is that part of the Yenta service?” he asked jokingly.

“I may branch out,” she retorted with a defiant flip of her hand and left.

“Ms. Fummel, could you put that lap top away, please? Class has begun.” Mr. Thorton, the English teacher, said loudly. She swiftly came back to the present.

“But I take notes for the class on this. It’s my notebook...get it? Note book. I think that’s why they call it that,” she answered brightly. She had not really been taking down notes.  Instead she had been matching up her clientele but now she quickly switched this off to get to English and the Shakespear sonnet they were cruelly dissecting. It was bad enough to hear the whining of an ancient poet about his lost love but to have to tear the poem apart word for word only made her wish she had been around to make a match for the old bard. It might have saved herself from listening to this drivel. 

“I see, well then you won’t mind reading and explaining the next line for us,” Mr. Thorton said sternly.

She was stuck. She had not a clue where they were in the poem until a voice behind her whispered   “Oh, no, it is an ever fixed mark....”  She quickly found it and read without missing a beat. 

At the end of the class she turned around to thank her savior and found a rather smug-looking guy gazing at her from dark, dancing eyes. She somehow simultaneously found them familiar and foreign. She stared back at him fascinated. He was very cute with black curly hair both neat and in charming disarray at the same time. His eyelashes too were curly and thick and framed his eyes perfectly making him look ready for both a joke and serious talk. He had a sensuous mouth but she could imagine any minute a smirk emerging.  He was a total contradiction, this guy.

 “Thanks for the life-preserver. I owe you one. Here,” she said handing him her card. “Half off just cuz you’re an okay guy,” she said sweetly.

He smirked and she could have sworn she had seen that smile before. “And what makes you think I need this?” he asked sounding amused.

“I don’t, but one can never tell. You can give it to a friend. Whatever,” she said dismissively. She  got up and left the classroom with the boy following close behind.

“You know, I could help you with this entrepreneurial endeavor of yours. I feel compelled to help a fellow small business owner,” he said matching her quick steps easily with his long strides.

“Uh, I don’t mean to be rude, but do I know you?” she said caustically.

“You should, I’ve been sitting behind you in English all year but besides that you just gave me your card, remember?” he replied readily.

“Doesn’t mean I know you,” she countered belligerently as she stopped at her locker and much to her consternation this person did too. He leaned on them as he stared at her looking thoroughly amused. 

“May I help you?” she asked frowning at him.

“Actually, it is I that could help you,” he told her calmly. “You may think you are doing well but you could be doing so much better. I could set up a website for you and with just a few minor adjustments to your almost flawless system you could be--”

She bristled. “Almost flawless? I only just started and I’ve already amassed several hundred dollars and have numerous happy clients with incredible word-of-mouth advertising,” she informed this pompous ass.

He merely smirked. “And you could have double that if you raised your initial fee to twenty dollars instead of cheapening your service by making it only ten. It’s what the market will bare. You obviously are good at what you do so people will pay twenty and I dare say even upwards of fifty for those that are truly desperate.”

“I don’t want to take advantage of them. They’re pathetic enough as it is. Besides, some of these kids don’t have money to buy a stick of gum so at least I should offer this at a price accessible to all, not just the rich kids. But they usually can get their own dates what with all their fancy clothes and cars and stuff. I offer my services to the masses and I earn my dollar through quantity of clients. I hope that doesn’t offend you nor Donald Trump,” she added sarcastically.

He laughed which only annoyed her more. “I say you and I get together and discuss this further over dinner, Friday night about six. You might be surprised with all the helpful suggestions I can make. I want to go to that seafood restaurant down by the pier. It looks good and I know the owner. He’s a client of mine.”

“And what exactly do you do?” she asked curiously, completely ignoring he had just asked her out on a date.

“Can’t you tell? I’m a computer nerd,” he retorted.

Janet raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down. He most certainly didn’t look the part. She could almost hear Jasmine’s description of this guy. “A yummy Stud-muffin supreme.”

She scoffed and said, “I very much doubt that. Try again.”

He laughed. “It’s true. I save people from themselves mostly. It’s quite amazing how easily you can ruin your computer with a mere click of a button. A deadly virus and your whole system goes down. I’d hate for that to happen to you. You have everything on your laptop, don’t you? Should have back up, just in case. I can help you with that, too,” he said arrogantly. He then pulled out a card from his back jeans pocket and handed it to her. 

She stared up at him with a menacing expression on her face. “I very much doubt you can help me with anything. I have fire-walls, top notch security systems and there’s no way anything can happen to my laptop. I ain’t no idiot. I can work a computer,” she stated adamantly.

“Excellent. Then we’ll merely focus on your enterprise on Friday, at six. See you then,” he said giving her a devastating smile before turning and leaving.

“So, you want my services?” she called after him.

He turned around and continued walking backwards up the hallway and grinning. “We’ll see about that, Friday, at six.”

“What the heck does that mean?” she shouted to him but he had disappeared around a corner. She looked at the card she still held in her hand. It read:

                                                               Wes Sebastian, Esquire

                                                                Computer Genius and

                                                           Website designer supreme

                                           Exterminator of bugs, viruses and human error

                                           Don’t wait until you can’t reach me by email.

                                                           It may be too late by then.

Janet rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right, genius my foot. He doesn’t look anything like a nerd. He looks like a soccer player just like Troy. And we all know how bright Troy is. Probably doesn’t know a mouse from a mole,” she muttered to herself. She tossed the card to the bottom of her locker and slammed it shut. She didn’t take three steps before she was accosted.

“Janet, you are amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Becky Kilmer shouted gleefully.  “Hank and I are going out on Friday and it’s all because of you. I am so excited! I wish there was something I could do for you.”   She was almost jumping on the balls of her feet.

“You paid the fee and that’s all the thanks I need,” Janet said casually. The computer guy’s words came back to her unbidden. “It’s what the market will bear.”

“That’s just not enough. I could bake you some cookies or knit you a sweater or take you shopping, or I could take you out to a fancy dinner, something, anything! You got me Hank! I’ve loved him since forever and he always liked me, too, but we just never knew. That’s more than anyone’s ever done for me,” Becky said before hugging the stuffing out of Janet and quickly rushing off with a look of pure elation on her face.

“The things that thrill some people,” she mumbled as she pulled out her jacket, put it on and heading for the bus.