to spend time with him—and to prove that his theories didn’t translate into practice. She might be wrong, in which case she’d acknowledge the validity of his Free Child approach, but she doubted it.
Wynn met her eyes. “I’m not going to break my commitment. I’ll explain to my father that I’ve got a previous engagement. He doesn’t have any choice but to accept it, especially since he didn’t give me any notice.”
“When does he arrive?” K.O. asked. She savored another piece of her muffin, trying to guess which spices Alix had used.
“At four-thirty,” Wynn said glumly.
“It’s going to work out fine.” That was almost identical to what she’d told LaVonne earlier that morning.
Then it hit her.
LaVonne needed a man in her life.
Wynn was looking for some way to occupy his father.
“Oh, my goodness.” K.O. stood and stared down at Wynn with both hands on the edge of the table.
“What?”
“Wynn, I have the perfect solution!”
He eyed her skeptically.
“LaVonne,” she said, sitting down again. She was so sure her plan would work, she felt a little shiver of delight. “You’re going to introduce your father to LaVonne!”
He frowned at her and shook his head. “If you’re thinking what I suspect you’re thinking, I can tell you right now it won’t work.”
“Yes, it will! LaVonne needs to find a man before her college reunion in June. She’d—”
“Katherine, I appreciate the thought, but can you honestly see LaVonne getting involved with an ex-hippie who isn’t all that ex—and is also the producer of Max’s Waxes?”
“Of course I can,” she said, refusing to allow him to thwart her plan. “Besides, it isn’t up to us. All we have to do is introduce the two of them, step back and let nature take its course.”
Wynn clearly still had doubts.
“It won’t hurt to try.”
“I guess not...”
“This is what I’ll do,” she said, feeling inspired. She couldn’t understand Wynn’s hesitation. “I’ll invite your father and LaVonne to my place for Christmas cocktails.”
Wynn crossed his arms. “This is beginning to sound familiar.”
“It should.” She stifled a giggle. Turnabout was fair play, after all.
“Maybe we should look at the olives in the martinis and tell them we got a psychic reading,” Wynn joked.
“Oh, that’s good,” K.O. said with a giggle. “A drink or two should relax them both,” she added.
“And then you and I can conveniently leave for dinner or a movie.”
“No...no,” K.O. said, excitedly. “Oh, Wynn this is ideal! We’ll arrange a dinner for them.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.” He was worrying about details too much. “We’ll think of someplace special.”
“I wonder if I can reach Chef Jerome and get a reservation there,” Wynn murmured.
K.O. gulped. “I can’t afford that.”
“Not to worry. My father can.”
“That’s even better.” K.O. felt inordinately pleased with herself. All the pieces were falling into place. Wynn would have someone to keep his father occupied until Christmas, and LaVonne might find a potential date for her class reunion.
“What are your plans for today?” Wynn asked, changing the subject.
“I’m meeting Vickie and a couple of other friends for shopping and lunch. What about you?”
“I’m headed to the gym and then the office. I don’t usually work on weekends, but I’m writing a follow-up book.” He spoke hesitantly as if he wasn’t sure he should mention it.
“Okay.” She smiled as enthusiastically as she could. “Would you like me to go to the airport with you when you pick up your father?”
“You’d do that?”
“Of course! In fact, I’d enjoy it.”
“Thank you, then. I’d appreciate it.”
They set up a time on Sunday afternoon and went their separate ways.
K.O. started walking down to Pacific Place, the mall where she’d agreed to meet Vickie and Diane, when her cell phone rang. It was Wynn.
“What day?” he asked. “I want to get this cocktail party idea of yours on my schedule.”
“When would you suggest?”
“I don’t think we should wait too long.”
“I agree.”
“Would Monday evening work for you?”
“Definitely. I’ll put together a few appetizers and make some spiked eggnog. I’ll pick up some wine—and gin for martinis, if you want.” She smiled, recalling his comment about receiving a “psychic” message from the olives.
“Let me bring the wine. Anything else?”
“Could you buy a cat treat or two? That’s in case LaVonne brings Tom or one of her other cats. I want her to concentrate on Moon Puppy, not kitty.”
Wynn laughed. “You got it. I’ll put in a call to Chef Jerome, although I don’t hold out much hope. Still, maybe he’ll say yes because it’s LaVonne.”
“All we can do is try. And there are certainly other