They made it through dinner, serving dessert, and pouring coffeewithout incident. Jack filled them in on the most recent foster kid he andChris had been assigned. Julia asked about Cal’s graduation party and lamentedlosing him at the store when he started college in the fall. And Erin regaledthem with her latest exploits in the wilds of dating. Now that Julia had fallenhard for Taylor, Erin was the only one of them actively on the market.
Of course, that somehow managed to turn the conversation back toher.
“So, are you back on the market?” Jack asked.
“What? No.” The thought of subjecting herself to that made herskin crawl.
“Maybe you should be,” Erin said with a wink.
“Julia, a little help here?” Surely, her misadventures beforeTaylor would make her an ally.
“I don’t know. I learned a lot. And I think there’s something tobe said for getting back in the saddle. Keeps you on your toes and keeps allthe parts working.”
Amanda pressed her fingers to her temples. “It’s not like I’vebeen completely celibate.”
Jack folded his arms. Erin laced her hands together and set themon the table. Julia pressed her lips together and made a show of lookingaround.
“Oh, stop. It’s not that bad.”
No one moved. No one spoke.
“Okay, fine. I’ve maybe been neglecting it more than I haven’t.I’m busy. It’s simply not a priority.”
Still nothing.
She knew they were doing it on purpose but couldn’t seem to stopherself. “So, I should sleep with Mel again? Is that what you’re saying?”
“It doesn’t have to be Mel,” Erin said.
“It might be better if it isn’t,” Jack added.
Out of nowhere, Quinn’s face popped into her mind. Well, notexactly nowhere. She’d seen her the day before. And even if she knew she shouldn’tbe thinking of her in that way, Amanda couldn’t seem to help it. She wasn’tquite ready to give her friends that fodder, especially given Erin’s teasingbefore their first meeting. “I’ll take it under advisement.”
“I could show you the app.” Julia lifted a shoulder and offered aperky smile.
She’d tried online dating briefly a couple of years after herdivorce. It had been the single most demoralizing experience of her life. “No,thanks.”
“Come on.” Erin stuck her hands out. “Tanya met Kofi that way.”
She didn’t believe online dating never worked. She’d simply hadenough traumatic experiences that it didn’t seem worth the risk to life andlimb. Or ego. “I love you, but I’m a hard no.”
Julia smirked at the phrase, but then sighed. “I’d love to stay allnight, but I should probably head home.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “You’d think she was the one with the kid.”
Amanda shook her head. “Don’t begrudge her the honeymoon phase.”
“Yeah.” Julia lifted her chin. “Don’t begrudge me.”
Amanda stood. “Go on. Get laid. At least one of us is.”
Erin got up, too. “You don’t get to say that when you’re rockingthe ex with benefits.”
“What she said.” Jack stood and stretched.
“You three are a thorn in my side, but I love you.”
“Ditto.” Jack gave her a hug.
Erin and Julia echoed the sentiments and took turns giving her asqueeze. “I’ve got cream puffs for you to take home.”
“Of course you do.” Erin rubbed her hands together. “And I won’teven have to share mine.”
“There’s plenty for everyone,” she said.
She handed out the boxes she’d put together earlier and bid herfriends a good night. She put on music and tried not to think too much aboutbeing on the market—for Mel or Quinn or anyone else, really. It wasn’t that shewas too old. She simply wasn’t interested.
Even if her body had yet to stop humming. Even if she felt thatperfect combination of sore and limber that only came with good sex. Even if itfelt like she’d flipped a switch that had been in the off position for too longand she wasn’t sure she wanted to flip it back.
Between being kind of turned on and more than a little confused,her plan not to think failed miserably. But Cal and Daniella came home whileshe was still cleaning the kitchen, providing her favorite distraction of all.“What have you two been up to?”
Cal opened the fridge. “Dinner with M.”
She looked at him with amusement. “Did you not manage to eatdinner at dinner?”
Daniella rolled her eyes. “He ate plen—wait. Are those creampuffs?”
The next thing she knew, she and her kids were sitting around thetable with a plate of pastry, talking about everything and nothing. WithDaniella starting her summer job as a camp counselor in a couple of weeks,there wouldn’t be many more evenings like this, save holidays. Rather thandwelling, she reminded herself to enjoy it. The rest could be sorted out later.
Chapter Six
Quinn shook her head. The eccentricities of old buildingscame with the territory of her work. She accepted that. Most of the time, sheembraced it. She prided herself on finding creative ways to work with theexisting structure, not against it. It was the cornerstone of her brand when itcame to retrofitting spaces for new purposes.
Why, then, was she dreading having that very conversation withAmanda?
Because Amanda had a clear picture in her mind of what she wantedfor her bakery. Because Quinn had given her every indication it would be asimple and straightforward job. Oh, the hubris.
But it was more, if she was being honest. She was already moreinvested in Amanda than she would normally be in a client. Not the kind ofprofessional investment that came with big, influential clients, either. No,her interest in Amanda was personal. She wanted Amanda to be pleased with her.
Quinn sighed. She wanted Amanda to like her.
How was it possible for her to go on date after date and feelpretty much nothing—nothing good at least—and then find herself all stirred upby a client? Because she’d lost her mind, apparently. Or the universe hadsingled her out for bad luck. Maybe both.
She shook her head again. She needed to deliver bad news and alist of options and here she was lamenting finding Amanda attractive. Maybe shewas bringing the bad luck on herself.
Enough. She grabbed a pencil and sketch pad and got to work. Onceshe had a rough idea drawn out, she
