“Good luck with everything,” she said to Mei, although she mostlymeant it for Amanda.
On the drive back to town, she considered calling Joss toreschedule their meeting. They did have another project in the works, though,and it was always nice to connect face-to-face. And since she had no doubtshe’d eat all the cookies if she brought them home, stopping by would give herthe opportunity to share.
She pulled into the Bauer and Sons parking lot and cut theengine. Maybe she’d luck out and the baby would be in. Babies always lifted herspirits.
She’d no sooner opened the door to the office then Daphne calledout a greeting. Not a neighborhood bar, but she appreciated being known byname. “Hey, Daph.”
“Joss called to say she’s running late, but she’ll only be a fewminutes.”
Maybe it was something in the water. “No worries. How’re youdoing?”
“You know, living the dream.”
“How are the kids?”
“Tyrants. Absolute tyrants.”
“That bad, huh?”
She laughed. “Not really. But they’re enough of a handful thatI’m reminded daily two is enough. Which is good because every time Joss bringsCharlotte to the office, my hormones try to convince me otherwise.”
Quinn was past any such hormonal flutters, not that she ever hada burning desire for kids of her own. Still, she could appreciate the power ofan adorable kid. “Is she walking yet?”
“Not quite, but any day I think.”
Before she could ask more questions, Joss walked in, Charlotte inher arms. “Speak of the devil. Or maybe I should say angel.”
“Hey, Quinn. Sorry to keep you waiting.” Joss shifted the babyand extended her hand.
Quinn shook it. “I literally just got here. And getting to seeCharlotte earns you all sorts of concessions.”
Joss grinned. “I’ll remember that next time we go over budget.”
“Now, now. Let’s not get carried away.”
Joss handed the baby over to her sister, who seemed more thanhappy to set aside the stack of receipts she was entering. Quinn and Jossheaded into Joss’s office. She filled Joss in on the canceled appointment andthey spent a few minutes commiserating the vagaries of working with clients.They debriefed the upcoming library project and spent a few minutes catching upon life.
“Any more setups?” Joss asked.
Quinn closed her eyes and shook her head. “Two last week. Whywon’t people give it a rest?”
“You know you can decline, right?”
She did. And she was going to have to start doing just that ifshe hoped to preserve her sanity, not to mention her faith in love. “Peoplemean well, though. And they get so excited about it. I feel bad and I don’twant to hurt anyone’s feelings.”
Joss leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. “Here’s thething.”
Joss wasn’t big on doling out advice, so Quinn was intrigued.“Yeah?”
“If you’re not feeling it, you’re wasting their time.”
“Huh.” She’d not thought of it that way.
“Assuming the women you’re set up with are looking for arelationship, going out with you is keeping them from meeting the person whomight be that relationship.”
“Good point.” And, in a weird way, took a whole lot of pressureoff of her.
“Don’t tell my wife I said so, but I’m pretty smart when it comesto women.”
For the first time that day, Quinn laughed. Truly laughed. “I’mso going to hold that over your head the next time you won’t do something Iwant.”
Joss gave her a look of mild exasperation. “How often do I not dosomething you want?”
Quinn shrugged. “Rarely.”
“Thank you.”
“Speaking of Olivia, how is she?”
At the mention of her wife’s name, Joss’s features softened. “She’sgood.”
“Tenured life treating her well?”
“It’s not technically official until the board votes on it nextmonth, but she says it’s pretty much official at this point.”
Quinn knew firsthand how life changing tenure could be. WhenLesedi got it, the pressure of her work got cut in half. At least it had feltthat way to Quinn. Those first few years after she got associate professor weresome of the best years of their marriage. She sighed at the memory. “It’s goingto be fantastic.”
Joss chuckled. “So I’m told. We can’t decide whether to enjoy itfor a year or start trying for baby number two.”
She and Joss weren’t super close, but they were definitely morethan colleagues. She’d gone to her and Olivia’s wedding and had been to theirhouse for dinner before she and Lesedi broke up. Quinn sighed at that memory,too.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” She missed being married more than she missed Lesedi atthis point, which felt like at least a minor improvement. “I think eithersounds wonderful.”
Joss got a dreamy look on her face. “Yeah.”
Even with her own angst, she couldn’t be anything but happy forher. Both of them, really. “And it’s not like they’re mutually exclusive.”
“You’ve got a point.” Joss grinned. “So, the bakery woman. Is shea flake?”
She’d managed to go ten whole minutes without thinking aboutAmanda, but the image of her all disheveled and apologetic popped right backinto her mind. “I don’t think so. Or at least I didn’t. I’m hoping this was afluke.”
“Here’s hoping.”
Working with a scatterbrained and indecisive client could be asbad as working with an overly demanding one. Even with the events of themorning still fresh, she had a good feeling about Amanda. “I think it’s goingto work out fine.”
Chapter Eight
Amanda sat at the bar of Fig, a glass of pinot noir in frontof her. The giddiness in her stomach left her feeling like a teenager going ona first date. Only this was all the good parts. No worries about whether or notshe’d be cool enough or if the kissing would be any good. Going out with Melhad her remembering why dates were worth the bother in the first place.
She sipped her wine and angled in her seat to watch the goings-onaround her. One couple sat at the bar, looking cozy, while a man on his ownseemed as interested in his phone as he did his drink. Because the bar area wassmall, she also had
