"What do you do?" I ask. "When you're not in the gym."
Jenn's smile settles into something genuine.
"I'm a pediatric nurse." She leans forward slightly. "But I'd like to go back to you. How many dates are we talking?"
"What do you mean?"
"To sufficiently prove to your sister that you're not gay. Are we talking two? Five? Do I need to clear my calendar?"
"I haven't thought that far ahead."
She looks at me like this is the least surprising thing I've said all evening, which is fair. "Okay. Different question." She picks up her wine. "Will there be kissing on this mission?"
"That's—" I pause. "Why?"
"Just trying to understand the scope of the project."
"Are you saying you want to kiss me, Jenn?"
She doesn't hesitate. "You have a kissable face. I wouldn't be opposed."
I find that I don't hate the thought.
"I should tell you something," I say.
"Another bombshell. Great."
"I'm going to be — not easy. To get to know." I turn the wine glass in my hand. "I have a PR consultant who is going to be managing my public image for the next two months, and part of that involves being seen. Publicly. Dating someone. Consistently."
Jenn is quiet for a moment. "Is that what this is?"
"No," I say it before I think about it. "This is the sister thing. Those are separate."
"So, I'm the sister thing."
"You were. I'm not sure what this is now."
She considers that. "Okay."
"Okay?"
"You're strange and you're honest about being strange, which is more than I can say for most men I've met in this city." She sets her glass down. "I'm not looking for anything serious either. I work seventy-hour weeks and I have a cat that hates everyone except me." She shrugs. "But I'd like to have dinner with you again. Without the underwear inventory."
"That's a reasonable condition."
"And maybe the kissing. Eventually."
"Also reasonable." I pick up my wine. "You have pouty lips and good breath. I'm sure that would be relatively enjoyable."
She stares at me.
"Good god," she says with a shake of her head.
"Tell me about the cat," I say, moving us as quickly as possible from my last statement.
She laughs. "His name is Gerald, and he's mean as hell."
"Tell me everything."
