“Hey, Hank. No worries. This is Gordon. I don’t know if you two have met.”
“Nope.” I kept my arm around Jamie’s shoulders.
Gordon’s flirty smile faltered. “Ah, well, nice to meet you. I was just telling Jamie how dang talented he is. If you need a business loan to get started, you just let me know. I’ll make sure it goes through.”
“Yeah? Thanks.”
I squeezed Jamie a little against my side. “Jamie doesn’t need to start out in debt.” I glanced at him. “Your website business is going to be great. Plus, I bet Sammi would welcome carrying your biscuits at BowWow.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Iola was just asking about them again today.”
“Oh, yeah, she called me.” Jamie chuckled. “That woman is a force of nature.”
“I heard she found a match for you…”
“Are you two not already dating?” Gordon asked, eyes clocking where my arm was still draped over Jamie’s shoulders.
I drew away a little. “Just good friends.”
“Ah, well, too bad she didn’t match you up with me then, eh, Jamie? We could have saved a lot of time.”
Jamie laughed. “Uh, yeah, you work fast. Everyone knows that.”
“Aw, you’ve got me all wrong. I’m just looking for love in all the wrong places.”
“Corny much?” I muttered under my breath.
Jamie cast me a chastising look, but he was smiling.
“Thanks again for the sample, Jamie. If your match doesn’t work out, you know who to call.”
He swaggered off, something a littletoocharming about him.
“Promise me you won’t call that douche,” I said.
Jamie laughed. “You don’t even know him.”
“I don’t need to know him. I’ve met guys like that before.”
He eyed me. “Well, don’t worry. Iola suggested Gordon as a match weeks ago. I passed.”
“Good.”
“Marcus sounds really great, though,” Jamie said tentatively. “I mean, we haven’t met. But I checked this time, and he’s definitely into guys. So that’s progress, right?”
I winced at the reminder of how I’d disappointed him. “Sorry.”
“Not your fault, but I don’t exactly trust Iola. Wish me luck on Friday night that it turns out better for me, okay?”
“Friday, huh? That’s fast.”
He shrugged. “No point in delaying the first meeting. We’ll either hit it off or we won’t.”
“Yeah.” I glanced over at the dogs, but they were entertaining themselves well enough. I nodded to the bench. “Want to sit?”
“Sure.”
