Thom rose to bring the new pot of coffee to the table.He took his time pouring fresh cups for everyone then placed the hot carafe of coffee upon a trivet.He yawned a little, tired of it all and wanting them all, with the exception of Mae Weston, out of his house.
“My brother is Mateo Zingales,” he said, waiting for the registration on either woman's face.Megan had no idea, and Mae's eyebrows went up in acknowledgment.“He and Chambers Claypool have a jazz school in Arkansas, and he asked me to go to New York to pick up some horns and his extra touring camper.As my payment for doing this huge favor, he paid the fee for the matchmaking service.”
“Hey, I didn't know that!”Jiminy said.
“There are seven of us in total, kids that is; five used the service and are happily married with families or a dog,” Thom explained.“So, it wasn't happening for me esoterically, therefore I figured I'd give it a go.”
“I am one of his choices,” Megan said with pride.
“I narrowed the choices down to three and corresponded with each over the past six months,” he said.“This weekend, I was scheduled to meet them all in person.”
Jiminy sipped at his coffee.“Hey, George Carter said that the first one had a butt so wide you could sit a cup of coffee on it.”
Thom didn't respond.
Mae asked, “Is that why she's not your choice?”
“No, she's not my choice because she drove over for the free meal, which, in retrospect, outside of her teapot collection was all she spoke of, and dining out,” Thom said.“She was a cold woman, and a life with her would have meant a fight for her affection.”
Mae asked, “And the second choice?”
“She had a great number of hobbies,” Thom said, “which meant a life with her would mean a fight for her time.I, nor my children, should be an afterthought to the woman who brings them into this world.”
Mae's eyes went to Megan.He responded softly, “It would mean a fight for my sanity.”
Fully interested in the unassuming figure at the table, Mae wanted to know.“And you asked if I was single.How does that factor into this world of yours, Mr.Brown?”
“I was raised by a woman we call Aunt Sue,” he said.“She is a woman of profound faith, and she taught me that in your darkest moments, you pray.Torn between figuring out how to do right by this lovely woman and doing right for myself, I prayed last night.I asked if it was for me, then I accepted the gift.If it wasn't for me, send me a sign.”
His eyes met Mae's and he smiled.Thom Brown, never one to sexualize any moment with a woman unless he had consent and the party was about to go down, felt bold.So bold, he sucked a little in his front tooth, lick a little on his bottom lip, and stared that woman so deeply in her eyes, Mae Weston shifted in her seat.
“Well, okay then,” she said, not knowing what to make of any of it.
Jiminy knew what to make of it.“It seems Thom has made a choice,” he said, looking at Megan who had come to the same heart-breaking conclusion.
“How am I supposed to compete with her?She arrived driving her own damned train.A man who collects trains and has a train museum started his day with a rudely attractive black woman arriving at his personal station driving her owned damned train!What am I supposed to do now?”
Mae blinked and said, “Rudely attractive?”
“Yes, you're so pretty that you being at this table is rude.You're drawing all the attention away from me!Your skin is flawless, by the way.”
Thom held up his hand.“Megan, we need calmer heads to prevail here, so we can find a workable solution.I had no idea Ms.Weston was arriving, and I've never met her before.However, Ms.Weston, as you're planning to be here for two days, I shall offer you my guest room.”
Megan didn't like it.“Oh, she gets the guest room!I had to stay in my camper last night and she gets the guest room?”
“Ms.Weston was sent here by the corporate offices to assess my vision for this place.I plan to be very generous and gracious seeing to her needs while she is here,” he said, not making eye contact with Mae.
“And what am I supposed to do, hang around like a fifth wheel while you make eyes with this woman?”
Thom was over it.“Listen, I'm done with this behavior and you acting out like a child.I have no room for that in my life and no time for histrionics.We can make a plan, or I can provide you with funds to drive back to South Dakota,” Thom told her.
“Hey,” Jiminy said, “You know you and me was talking the other day about my wife's She-shed.It has a kitchen and a bathroom and a little living room and a bedroom.I was planning to rent it out, but Miss Ma'am, if you truly ain't got no place to go, you can use it until you get on your feet.”
Megan's face began to turn red.“Oh, and have me at your beck and call in the backyard?I think not!”
“Hey, I just got divorced,” Jiminy explained.“When I need a little tightening up, I call Jolene and go over to her place.I'm not trying to start nothing new.I'm offering you a choice, that's all.”
“I guess I don't have a choice,” Megan said.
