Photos of Kyle and Niki from iStockPhoto.  

All other photos copyright (C) 2011 by Karen Baney.

In Nickels, the book starts with a phone conversation between Niki Turner and her roommate, Marcy, about a blind date.  For fun, here’s how I imagine Niki would answer some of those get-to-know you questions a potential date might ask.

Niki Turner

1.  How much coffee do you drink in a day?

Let’s just say, I drink just shy of the amount that an I.V. would pump into my veins.  I love coffee.  But never without at least half a dozen creamers.  My favorite is an iced mocha from Starbucks.  The bigger the better.

2.  What do you do for a living?

I’m a software engineer.  [At date’s confused look she adds:]  Computer programmer.  Coder.  Developer.  Whatever you want to call me.  I write software.

3.  Describe your ideal weekend.

[Smirks].  Either baking in the sun while floating in my pool or crashed out on my couch watching Office Space or Princess Bride.

4.  If you weren’t a software engineer, what would you be?

A software engineer.  [Date sighs.]  Really, it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.  Besides, I’ve only been doing it for four years.  I’ve got a long career ahead of me.  I’m just getting started.

5.  Describe your ideal man.

None.  [Date frowns.]  You know Marcy set me up with you.  What kind of question is that for a first date anyway?  How would you answer that question?

[Date sighs and answers:]  None.  I’m looking for a woman.

[Niki sighs.]  Might want to keep looking.

6.  If you could visit any country in the world, where would you go?

Nowhere.  I don’t really like to travel.  [Date drums fingers on table.]  Okay.  Maybe back to Germany.  I didn’t get to see much of it while I live there with my brother.  He was stationed there.

[Date asks:] Why were you living with your brother?

[Niki cringes.]  It’s a long story.  Forget I said anything.

7.  Do you believe in love at first sight?

I suppose not, since I’m not even sure how I feel about the idea of love.

8.  Then you aren’t looking to get married?

We just met.  But no.  Probably not ever.  I mean, that’s a pretty serious commitment.  See, this is why I hate blind dates.  The guys Marcy picks are always looking for something long-term.  I can see it written all over your face.  [Rolls her eyes.]  This is why I don’t date.  I’m not thinking about marriage.  My career is going good.  I just don’t have time for something serious…

9.  Okay.  Um…  If your friends were coming over, what would you cook?

We’d probably grill out chicken or steak if it’s not too hot or cold outside.  I’d make some side dish, like pasta salad, to go with it.  None of that store bought stuff.  Or, if I felt energetic, I might make my mom’s homemade lasagna.  It’s a favorite.

10.  Where do you see yourself in five years?

[Swallows hard.  Picks up her phone to see if she has any messages.]  I haven’t thought about it.  [Nervously flicks her hair over her shoulder then asks server for the check.]

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I thought you might enjoy getting to know Kyle Jacobs, the starring male role in Nickels.  Matt Dixon is the leader for Kyle’s sister’s small group.  Although this scene does not appear in the book, it’s how I imagine Kyle and Matt’s friendship started.

Kyle Jacobs

“Hey, Matt.”

“Hi, Kyle.  Nice to meet you.”

“You too.”  Kyle sat down at the small table at Starbucks with his grande black coffee.  “I hope you don’t think it’s weird that my sister suggested we meet.”

“Marcy?  Naw.  It’s sweet that she wants you to make friends.”

Kyle smiled.  “I think it’s more that she likes to meddle in everyone else’s lives.”

Matt laughed.  “So…  Marcy tells me you recently left the Air Force.  What did you do while you were in?”

Kyle shifted in his chair, the smile fading from his lips.  Looking off towards the entrance of the coffee shop, he said, “I was a helicopter pilot.  Part of a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) unit.  Spent a lot of time the last few years flying into dangerous situations in Iraq, mostly.  Rescuing downed pilots.  Emergency extractions of officials when things got bad.  That sort of thing.”

“Do you miss it?”

Kyle hesitated.  “Yes and no.  It’s not nearly as glamorous as it sounds.  But, I do miss flying.”

“Yeah.  Marcy said you might not be able to fly again.”

“There’s not a chance of that happening.  Not with a medical discharge.”

Matt nodded.  “Found a job yet?”

“Yeah.  My dad put in a good word for me with a DOD contractor.  They make aviation controls for helicopters.  I’m not exactly sure if they had an opening or if Dad convinced them they should hire me anyway.  Either way, my military experience seemed pretty important to them.  I start on Monday.”

“Cool.  Do you think it’s going to be tough switching from a military career to a civilian one?”

Kyle rubbed his chin with one hand.  “Maybe.  I’m just glad to be going back to work.  It’s been months since the accident.  Haven’t contributed much to society for awhile.”

Matt nodded and took a sip of his iced mocha.  “So, why Arizona?  Ever lived here before?”

“Marcy’s here.  Mom and Dad live out near Luke Air Force Base.  Dad’s a flight instructor there.  Probably won’t see too much of them, though, since it’s all the way across town.”

“You and Marcy pretty close?”

Kyle laughed.  “We were quite a team growing up.  Caused all sorts of trouble for Mom when we put our minds together.  I kinda lost touch with her for a few years while I was in the Air Force, but I’m glad that I live right up the street now.  Besides, she’s rooming with Niki Turner.”

Matt quirked an eyebrow.  “Oh?”

Heat rushed to Kyle’s cheeks.  He hadn’t meant to mention Niki, though he thought of her constantly since moving to town.  “No reason.”

Join Karen and 9 other Christian authors as they celebrate the release of her fourth novel, Nickels.