“That would be the one.” Eli was still flabbergasted by that interview. Lauren hung on every word and asked him far too many questions about himself. He had never had a weirder experience.
“So now she’s stalking you?”
Eli nodded and took a drink of his beer. “Yep. She comes in and literally runs into me at every chance she gets. Harasses me. It’s getting irritating.”
“We could file a restraining order.”
“Nah. She’s harmless. I doubt it would be approved.”
“But it’s making you restless?”
Eli sighed. This was where the truth would come out. “Not exactly. Katie and Michelle suggested I fake date someone to get Lauren to leave.”
Jameson tilted his head from side-to-side. “That could work. Are you going to do it?”
“I kind of already am. You’ve met Molly, right?”
“Yeah. She seems nice.”
“She has helped me out a few times. The problem is, I like it a little too much.”
Jameson smiled as understanding dawned on him. “Ah. So this is a girl problem.”
“This is a workplace romance problem.”
Jameson raised an eyebrow. “Dude. You’re speaking in tropes now.”
“And you know what a trope is.” Eli leaned back and matched Jameson’s look. “I own a bookstore. What’s your excuse?”
Jameson chuckled. “So you don’t want to date a co-worker?”
“No. I don’t want to date anemployee.”
“There’s not much going on in the dating pool around here. You either date someone you’ve known your whole life, one of the few transplants who move here, AKA Molly, or you date a tourist. Pick your poison.”
“Wouldn’t it get messy, though?”
“I don’t know, man. I always think people are mature enough to act their age and still work together even if things don’t work out. But that usually isn’t the case.”
Eli rested his elbows on the bar. “You’re so inspiring.”
Jameson laughed. “I try.”
“Well, hello, Eli. Fancy seeing you here.”
Eli nearly spat his drink out when he recognized the voice. Lauren stood behind him and rested a hand on his shoulder.He turned in his chair and brushed her hand off, but she immediately put it back.
“Hey, Lauren,” he said, enunciating her name so Jameson would realize who she was.
Jameson smiled with a Cheshire Cat grin on his face. “Hi. I’m Jameson. I don’t believe we’ve met.”
“Lauren. I’m one of Eli’s friends,” she said.
Eli refrained from rolling his eyes, but Jameson’s snort was loud enough for Lauren to hear. She narrowed her eyes at him.
“You are? I’m his best friend. I haven’t heard about you before,” Jameson said.
Now Eli had to refrain from snorting.
