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“Nope. When Lucky started cuddling you, the look on his face was like you’d turned water into wine.”
“Okay, so he was amazed his scaredy-cat of a doggie curled up on my lap. Lucky liking me isn’t the same thing asAuggieliking me.”
The elevator doors open and we step out. “No, I think the two things are related. I think Auggie saw his terrified rescue pup trusting you and suddenly felt overcome with the primal urge to put his baby inside you.”
We both crack up. Leave it to Tessa to make me laugh, even through tears.
“Well, if that’s the case, then, no thanks.” I pause. “Although. . . the man’s got some damned good genes.”
“That’s an understatement. Think how pretty the babies would be!”
“And did you see how fit he is? I didn’t even notice that yesterday when he was sitting down. How’d I miss his hunky, hot bod?”
“It’s from all the break-dancing he did in the boy band.”
We both burst out laughing.
“Oh, no,” I say. “He was thebreak-dancingone? And here I was considering giving him a shot.”
We laugh again.
“You didn’t notice his hotness yesterday because you were too busy freaking out about Dumbass Brody to notice.”
I snort. “Brody. Such a dumbass. What was I thinking?”
“I have no idea, girl. No fucking idea.” It’s a funny statement, regardless. But even funnier because Brody is Tessa’s employee. She, better than anyone, knows the man is dumb as a box of rocks. A great bouncer, probably, but the man can’t carry on an interesting conversation to save his life. The fact that I bothered with him at all proves, emphatically, just how abysmal my dating life has become over the past few years.
We’re walking up the sidewalk now, heading to Tessa’s car. She says, “Were you really considering giving Auggie a shot?”
I shrug. “Not really, no. Although now that I think about it, I suppose it might be convenient to have a fuck buddy right next door.”
“Fuck buddy? Girl, aim higher. That boy’s going to be aveterinarian. They make bank. And did you notice how gentle and sweet he is with Lucky? That man’s going to make a great father one day. Auggie’s definitely husband material.”
“Jesus, Tessa. Slow down. You’re giving me whiplash. I can’t stand the guy, remember? And even if I could, he’s not my type, like I keep saying. I need a little edginess to get my juices flowing.”
“Oh, Charlotte. You’re so frustrating.” We reach Tessa’s SUV and head to our respective doors. Over the car’s roof, Tess says, “By the way, how’s your usual type been working out for you, Nut Job? Because Brody is yourexacttype, and that didn’t turn out so great.”
I glare comically at her and she chuckles.
“Just saying.”
“Well, don’t.”
Still laughing, Tessa unlocks the car and we pile inside. As we’re putting our purses in the back and securing our seatbelts,I say, “Okay,fine, just to humor you, I’m game to weigh the pros and cons of me taking a big ol’ bite of the boy bander’s ass. I mean, if he’d even let me. The man’s not my biggest fan.”
“Girl, trust me, he’d not only let you take a bite of his ass, he’d shove a bare ass cheek at you andbeg.”
We guffaw.
“Seriously, though,” Tessa says. “He gave himself away at Captain’s. And then again upstairs in that hallway. I don’t care what words he might say to you, he’sextremelyattracted to you.”
“Maybe he was when he first saw me, but I threw ice water onto his proverbial boner when I asked his daddy to help me make Brody jealous. It also didn’t help matters that I acted like a total lunatic in front of him this morning. I don’t know what got into me today, T. I acted like such a jerk. I wasn’t myself.”
Tessa pats my arm. “You’ve been under a lot of stress since the layoff. Also, I wouldn’t rule Auggie out just yet. Something tells me he likes himself a spitfire. When you two were sparring, his eyes were onfire,girl.” As Tessa pulls her car from the curb, she adds, “You’re not planning to live here for long, so why not have some fun with your next-door neighbor while you’re here?”
“Why are you so intent on pushing me toward this man?”
“I’m notpushing. I’m guiding, ever so gently.”
