CHAPTER ONE

Fighting Forty

"Lordy, lordy Jessica Robinson is forty!" Madison announced in a sing–song voice. "So, mom, how does it feel to be turning the big four–o?"

"It's just a number, Madison," Jessica answered evenly and gave her daughter a little flip of her hand for good measure. Of course it was a big fat lie.

"Well, you certainly don't look it, that's for sure." Madison plopped down on the sofa and patted her mother's leg.

"Thank you sweetie." Jessica smiled but didn't look up and continued to flip through the Modern Bride magazine knowing that her eyes would give her away. Madison had an uncanny way of reading people, which was one of the reasons her daughter was an amazing writer. Her sweet and poignant play Just One Thing was a smash hit at the Cricket Creek local community theater last summer and had landed her a job teaching creative writing at Cooper College, a small but prestigious liberal arts school just outside of town.

"I just hope you've passed those good genes along to me," Madison added making no mention of the father she never knew or the grandparents who were mortified when Jessica ended up pregnant at sixteen. But when she had shown up on Aunt Myra's doorstep in Cricket Creek, Kentucky her feisty, free–spirited aunt had welcomed her with open arms. "I want to be a cougar just like you."

"You can't be a cougar if you're married." Jessica flicked her daughter an amused glance. "Or at least you shouldn't be."

"A MYLF, then."

"Madison!" Jessica shook her head so hard that her golden blonde ponytail shook from side to side. "Wait, what is that?"

"A mother you'd like to f–"

"Okay, I get it. I swear you've got more of your outrageous Aunt Myra's genes than mine!"

"That's because her outrageous genes overpowered your calm ones. Like little gene sword fights." She made little swishing motions with her hand.

"You are truly crazy."

Madison lifted one shoulder and grinned. "I'm just sayin'. But really, mom, I would never peg you as forty. You truly don't look it but..." Madison swallowed and then nibbled on the inside of her lip.

Jessica inhaled a deep breath and then had to prompt, "But what?"

"You need to get out more often."

Jessica drew her eyebrows together. "I am out." She sliced her hand through the air.

Madison tilted her head downward and rolled her eyes up. "Mom, coming over to my condo isn't going out. I mean going out... out."

Jessica tried not to squirm in her seat. "Madison, Monday is the only day Wine and Diner is closed. You know how demanding the restaurant business is. I like to kick back and relax during my time off. Oh... did you see this dress?" Jessica tapped the glossy page with her fingertip in an attempt to change the subject. "I Love the simple yet elegant design, don't you?" she continued. "You should really say yes to a dress soon."

"Mom, Jason and I haven't even set a date yet."

"And you've been engaged for nearly nine months!"

Madison tilted her head and sighed. "With all of the riverfront construction going on Jason barely has time to breathe much less worry about a wedding. When things settle down with the baseball stadium we'll set a date. We're thinking next spring. But anyway, about going out..."

"Madison," Jessica warned in a low tone.

"Mom, it's your birthday!"

"Just another day as far as I'm concerned and I am so grateful that you didn't throw me one of those cheesy parties with droopy boob gag gifts."

"You made your thoughts on the subject crystal clear." Madison leaned over and looked at the wedding dress. "But what do you say we head over to Sully's and grab a bite to eat and a martini? Celebrate just a little?" Madison held her thumb and index finger an inch apart.

Jessica scrunched up her nose. "I don't think so." She nonchalantly turned another page of the magazine but had to swallow a stupid lump forming in her throat. Flipping through the bride's magazine reminded her of the fact that at forty her chances of a fairytale wedding were getting slimmer and slimmer. She put out the vibe that she was happy as pie with her single status and treasured her independence but seeing her feisty Aunt Myra blissfully in love and Madison happily engaged had Jessica suddenly getting hit with bouts of loneness. It sure didn't help that sexy as sin Ty McKenna, manager of the Cricket Creek Cougars, ate at Wine and Diner several times a week. And he didn't simply eat the food, but savored and appreciated her culinary efforts, carefully choosing the perfect wine to go with his meal. For Jessica there wasn't a better turn on. Ty McKenna had awakened a yearning she had thought was long gone but she knew him from his pro baseball days when he'd frequent Chicago Blue Bistro where she had been head chef. She had never seen the hot shot athlete with the same woman twice so he could flirt until he turned blue in the face but she wasn't about to let him break her heart.

"Earth to mom? Are you getting hard of hearing in your old age?" Madison teased and gave her arm a playful shove.

"What?" Jessica cupped her hand over her ear but then mustered up a chuckle. "Sorry, I was thinking about the summer menu," she fibbed.

"Well, give yourself a break! It's your birthday!"

"So you keep reminding me."

"Because you seem to keep forgetting, old lady.

Oh, she had not forgotten. "Madison, thanks so much for the lovely necklace. Nicolina Diamante makes such beautiful handmade jewelry. It was so sweet that you remembered how much I adore her creations." Jessica put the Modern Bride magazine on the glass coffee table and dusted her hands together. "Now, I really should get home and start working on the menu. Summer will be here before you know it. I'm thinking about adding a mango salsa, cold corn and black bean dip–"

"Come on, Mom! We should celebrate!" Madison pleaded firmly.

"Sweetie, I love my gift but it's no big deal."

Madison pressed her lips together which was a sure sign she wasn't giving up. "Well then, let's go out and celebrate my teaching position at Cooper. You promised to go out and clink glasses together but we never did." Her chin came up in challenge.

Damn... Madison had her there.

"Besides, I'm hungry and I don't have anything in the fridge to fix."

"Imagine that." Jessica cocked one eyebrow. "You really need to learn your way around the kitchen, Madison. Jason is a small town boy used to home cooked meals."

"I can't believe my ultra independent modern mother just said that to me," Madison muttered.

"The boy's gotta eat... and so do you."

Madison bounced around on the sofa cushion to face her mother. "Okay, I'll make you a deal. Come with me to Sully's and I'll find some time this week to come over to the diner for some cooking lessons."

"Oh..." Madison really wasn't playing fair and she pounced on her slight wavering.

"Come on, Mom. Jason is working at the baseball stadium. I'm bored. Hungry!"

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Girl, you want some cheese with that whine?" She kept her voice light but she truly didn't want to celebrate. What she really wanted was to go home, get into her pajamas and wallow with a bottle of merlot. The fact that this milestone was hitting her hard took her by surprise! But deep down she knew the reason why.

Tyler McKenna.