She looked around. “Do you plan to live here?”
“No, no, no,” Von said. “I’m single. This is way too much house for me.”
Thad frowned at him. Was this motherfucker flirting?
“We’re opening a sports bar,” Thad interjected.
“A sports bar!”
Based on her tone one would think he’d said they were starting up an operation to torture newborn puppies.
“Sports bar, cigar bar, and a barbershop on the top floor, to be more specific,” Thad said, resting his chin on the broom handle. “A one-stop shop for all your entertainment and grooming needs.”
“One thing this city doesnotneed is another bar,” she said. “There’s already one on every corner.”
“Not like the one we’re opening,” Thad said.
“Everyone thinks their idea is different and special. This house deserves more than to become a random bar.”
The light suddenly went on in Thad’s head as he remembered what she’d said on Saturday about wishing she had more space at the daycare.
“You wanted this building for your dog sitter business, didn’t you?”
“I am not a dog sitter!”
“Sorry, I thought that’s what they called people who looked after dogs.” He tipped his head to the side. “Are there really enough folks in this city willing to pay sixty bucks a night for your fancy dog hotel to warrant an expansion?”
“Damn. Sixty a night?” Von said. “That sounds like a good side hustle. I did canine training for a few years, back when I was enlisted. You offer training there?”
Thad sent him the kind of look that did not need further explanation. Of course, the asshole ignored it.
“Where is—what’s it called?” Von asked. “Barkingham Palace? I really love that name, by the way. Where’s it located? Maybe I can come check it out.”
That was enough of this shit.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Thad said. “I’m sorry if you wanted this place, but it became ours as of nine this morning. Cash sale. The paperwork will probably be filed with the clerk of court’s office by the end of the week.”
“I can’t believe this,” Ashanti said. Her shoulders dropped in the most melodramatic display Thad had seen since he was forced to be in a production ofMacbethin high school. “This is a tragedy. That’s the only way I can describe it.”
She knelt again to love on Puddin’. Thad could do nothing but watch as the lucky bastard ate it up, that stupid pom-pom wagging back and forth like a metronome. When Ashanti rose to face him her expression was lethal, yet when she spoke, both her words and tone were the exact opposite of what he’d expected.
“Tell your grandmother that I was able to save the entire recording of our Instagram Live from Saturday. I’ll be sure to get her a copy of it.” She looked to Von. “It was nice meeting you.”
Her lack of a smile proved that all Von’s flirting had gone to waste. Good.
But it also confirmed that the flicker of interest Thad thought he’d sensed coming from her on Saturday had been doused. Thoroughly.
He wouldn’t deny that he was disappointed. Was he surprised? Not really. He was lucky she’d given him the time of day after their encounter last Monday.
Grams would be disappointed that her matchmaking plans had no chance of working, but Thad wasn’t sure that was a bad thing. He was living in his grandmother’s house and taking care of his grandmother’s dog. He didn’t need his grandmother choosing the women he dated too.
He wasn’t up for dating anyway. He and Von had just a few months to get The PX off the ground; that’s where his focus should be.
If he tried hard enough, he could convince himself that he’d done himself a favor by turning Ashanti against him.
Without another word, she turned and marched out the way she’d come. Thad had to step on Puddin’s leash to stop him from running after her. He couldn’t blame the dog. Those head rubs looked pretty addicting.
He turned to Von and said, “What the fuck was that?”
