“You can’t be doing that yet,” he protested and let his tone turn teasing. It was better than having his mom guess the truth. “You just want to know.”
“Of course, I want to know,” Colleen McKay huffed. “You’re not getting any younger, Tyler, and I want to see some grandchildren one of these days.”
“You have one.”
“I want more.”
“Ask the girls.” To Ty’s thinking, the question of grandchildren was resolved with his sisters’ marriages.
His mom apparently believed otherwise. “A son of a son, Ty. You know it would make your father happy. And Giselle is just lovely. So glamorous and charming...”
“But French, Mom. You said that before. And living in Paris.” Ty interrupted the list of Giselle’s attributes. He’d made a serious mistake letting Giselle survive in his mother’s imagination after their single date, although it had seemed like a good idea at the time.
That’s what he got for taking advice from his friend and partner, Kyle.
“But now that I’ve had time to think about it, and you’ve been seeing her so regularly, I want to support your choice. Will she be coming to the shower?”
“No,” Ty said flatly.
“Oh, it didn’t coordinate with her flights? That’s too bad, dear. Are you sure she couldn’t change them around?”
It seemed that Giselle was in league with his mom, because she also refused to take no for an answer. As he walked, he got a text from Giselle that she was in town, asking what he was doing for dinner. Ty was feeling a little harassed by women and their expectations.
He tried to change the subject. “Are you seeing Aunt Maureen any time soon?”
“She’s coming to the shower next Sunday, of course, but I would love to be able to tell her about your plans before then.” Ty was well aware that his mom and her sisters were competitive about their kids’ marriages and birth rate. “You know that poor Maxine probably won’t have a date at all, and inevitably, someone will suggest that you two are paired off for the seating at the wedding, but you’re cousins and Giselle would be a far more appropriate choice...”
Ty reached the club and held the door open for a woman who got to the entrance of the club at the same time as him. Probably a member coming to work out, judging by the size of her messenger bag. He smiled politely but she didn’t look up. She was a lot shorter than him and her big hood hid her face. He barely heard her murmured thanks before he shook out his umbrella and continued, striding through the lobby. “Gotta go, Mom. Work calls.”
“And that’s another thing, Tyler. You work too much...”
“I’ll talk to you later, Mom.”
“You certainly will, young man. You might have grown up but that doesn’t mean you can evade a question...”
“Bye, Mom.” Ty ended the call, telling himself he’d given his mother fair warning. This had been her third call of the day. Sadly, he couldn’t predict whether there would be rain on the day of Katelyn’s wedding—a matter of huge concern for his mom—much less guarantee that the entire day would go perfectly. In his experience, if something went wrong at a wedding, it would be an unanticipated surprise and they’d have to improvise. If nothing went wrong, then it was all good.
His mom preferred to fret.
One thing was for sure—Ty needed an answer to the endless questions about his date to Katelyn’s wedding. Tick tock. He wasn’t seeing anyone. He didn’t want to see anyone. He certainly didn’t want to be fixed up. He didn’t have time to invest in a relationship right now. And it seemed that every casual encounter left him with another woman in his life who wanted more than he was prepared to give.
Giselle texted him again.
She must be hungry.
Ty turned off his cell phone and dropped it into his pocket. He might not turn it on anytime soon, at least not until he got through the previous month’s financial reports for the club.
If he went alone to any of the events leading up to Katelyn’s wedding—never mind the wedding itself—an entire army of well-intentioned female relations would be determined to play matchmaker.
His mom would be first in line.
The prospect made him shudder.
He needed a plan. Fast.
Ty’s friend and partner, the one who could be relied upon for advice about women that was inevitably disastrous for Ty, was lounging at the front desk to the club. Kyle was wearing his yoga gear, and looked as much like a toned and tanned beach bum as ever. He worked a lot of hours, but his lighthearted manner meant that many underestimated his total commitment to the club.
He was teasing the receptionist, which was perfectly predictable. Sonia was tall, blond, serene and efficient—but she also didn’t take any crap from anyone. Ty thought that was her best trick, especially since Kyle was a merciless tease.
“It’s all your fault,” Ty said, pointing at Kyle.
“Me?” Kyle straightened and grinned with his usual confidence. “What did I do this time? Was it worth it?”
Sonia shook her head then answered the phone.
“I’m not taking advice from you ever again,” Ty continued as he headed into the offices behind the reception desk. He hung up his coat and left his umbrella to drip, waved to Jax who was working on a spreadsheet for the next month’s classes, then continued into the conference room. He didn’t have an assigned office at the club, and the big table meant he could spread out his files.
Kyle laughed, unrepentant, and followed. “I’m the only reason that you ever have any fun. Without me, your life would be as dry as dust.” He pretended to blow dust from his open palm.
Ty hardly thought it would be that bad. “But I’d never end up in these tight corners. I can do without that.”
“This sounds juicy. Which particular tight corner are we talking about?”
Ty slung his suit jacket over a chair and gave Kyle a look. “I have to tell my mom about Giselle.”
“Oh, the non-existent-relationship corner.” Kyle nodded wisely but his eyes twinkled. He was enjoying this too much.
He always did.
Maybe he gave Ty bad advice on purpose.
“As if you know anything about navigating that one.”
“I like to keep things simple.” Kyle flung himself into a chair and spun, his manner expectant. “No relationships at all, and no information sharing with my family about my personal life.” He dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “It works much better if your mom lives thousands of miles away.”
“No such luck there. I should never have suggested that Giselle was still around. It should have been enough that they met her once.”
“Don’t be so negative,” Kyle chided. “My brilliant idea kept your family from fixing you up for almost eight months. Don’t tell me you didn’t love that.”
“I did, but the reprieve is at an end.”
“I thought technically she was still around.”
Ty nodded. “Every time she lands at JFK, I get a message.”
“Haven’t you broken off with her?”
“Repeatedly with no effect.” Ty braced his hands on his hips. “I need a date for my sister’s wedding, and I need it as soon as possible, or the matchmaking will go into overdrive.”