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‘Just a teeny one,’ she replied, finger and thumb showing just how small the favour was.
‘No.’
‘Oh come on, Jen! It’ll be fun. Me and you competing against one another.’
‘It would be wrong. What about when I win? Everyone will feel cheated.’ Jen masked a smile behind the water bottle’s lip.
‘I think you’ll find me and Ryan are going to win.’ Jen turned to Annie with a motion so quick it made Jen’s hungover tummy flip. ‘So, who you pairing her with?’
‘Natalie? She had good chat,’ Jen ventured.
‘See,’ Chloe said, flinging her arms out towards Jen like she was showing off a fancy car. ‘This will be fun.’
‘Natalie? Who was she?’ Annie asked.
‘The cute butch. Short black hair, black shirt?’ Jen replied.
Annie’s brow creased, deep in thought. ‘No, I don’t think so. But you never know. I had someone in mind, but I can ask her instead if you like. She booked online, so I can get contact info. Was Natalie your type?’
‘No, but I’d at least want someone I can get on with.’
‘So you’re going to do it?’ Chloe chimed in, eyes wide in excitement.
‘Whoa, whoa. No. Definitely not. Not my thing.’
‘Jen,’ Chloe said, grasping her best friend’s hand. ‘Think of the exposure. It would be great publicity for the shop. And if you win, you can use the money to fix the fridge.’
Very true and valid points. Not that they were big enough incentive to do it. Jen shook her head. ‘Too far out of my comfort zone. Sorry.’
‘Look, it’s okay. I understand. It was just an idea,’ Annie said, stuffing her hands in her pockets. ‘Dates start in a few days, so if you change your mind just message me, yeah?’
‘I won’t, but thank you.’
‘Right. I’d best be off. Isaac and I are off to take photos of the new installation at Langside Hall.’
‘What’s that?’ Jen asked, confused.
‘We’ve hired a bouncy castle for the kids. Put it up in the early hours of this morning. We’re going for a fairy tale love story theme. Grasping at straws for that one, but not everything can be a winner.’
Jesus, I must have been more hungover than I thought this morning.She’d walked past the square on the way to work and not even clocked it. ‘I’ll need to check it out on the way home.’
Annie was already halfway out the door when she spoke, forever on a mission. ‘Right, bye for now, ladies! Thanks again. And Jen? Just say the word and I’ll set it up.’
Chloe didn’t even wait for the door to close before starting. ‘Jen,’ she said, dropping her voice low and slow. ‘Come on, it’ll be fun.’
‘It’ll be embarrassing.’
‘Nah, listen. You need this. Take that text from Alison as a sign. You need to get back out there. Who knows, maybe your Mrs Right will see you and get in touch. Not to mention the money.’
‘The money would be handy. As if I’d actually win, though.’
‘Well, you definitely won’t if you aren’t even competing.’
Jen was silent, mulling it over. Chloe bit her bottom lip, desperate to plead the case but knowing better than to rush Jen into a decision.
An hour later and with a dozen or so customers served, Jen finally broke. ‘I guess it wouldn’t be so bad.’
The pigeons scattered in the square, along with probably the rest of Glasgow, at Chloe’s excited squeal.
