* * *
Kenny's bright smile greeted her a few minutes later from behind the
pale pink metal door of the entryway. Her heart leapt at the sight of him,
looking like an ad for Coppertone in his navy and red swim trunks and
white tee shirt. In the light of early afternoon, his curly hair appeared even
blonder, while his broad shoulders and toned muscles exuded alpha-male
masculinity. His azure eyes twinkled as he gazed back at her, a beautiful
vision, still in her sexy, but tasteful sundress that set off her porcelain
shoulders and emphasized her deliciously curvy figure.
"Kenny! Come on in!" she said, as she planted a kiss on his cheek and
offered him a quick hug.
"Hi…I'm really embarrassed about this, being in my bathing suit and
all," he reminded her as he noticed the familiar scent of her perfume.
"Will you relax? My family's not like that!" she assured him, taking
him by the arm and leading him to the dining room, where everyone was
already assembled and pretending to be engrossed in conversation.
Maddy made the customary introductions, before ushering Ken to a
seat and helping her mother transport plates of scrambled eggs, bacon
and toast to the glass-top table.
"Maddy, he's adorable!" her mother whispered approvingly.
"Isn't he, though? I don't think I realized it until just now."
As Kenny joined in the reverie, he was amazed by all of the
accomplishments of Maddy's impressive family, from her dad being a
respected neurosurgeon to Lori and Greg's thriving legal careers. Even
the soon-to-be spouses came with remarkable résumés: Vanessa was a
marketing director for a publishing company, while Vince worked as a
CPA for a large firm in Philadelphia. And the two siblings not present?
One was an anesthesiologist with Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and
the other, a Down's boy who against all odds, held a good job with a local
hospital in Maddy's suburban hometown of Media.
"So that leaves me," Maddy told him. "While I work in sales, I am
trying to build a writing career."
"Along with your singing and dancing," her dad reminded her.
"Well, I knew about her dancing talents, but singing? You've been
holding out on me Madeline!" Ken teasingly poked her in the side.
"Madeline has a beautiful voice," her mother explained, "but she
lacks the confidence to really sing in front of an audience. I don't know
why, she's such a pretty girl!"
"Mom," Madeline pleaded as she felt her cheeks turn red.
"She sure is," Ken whispered, squeezing her hand underneath the
table.