Jimmy nodded.“That’s good.Hey, I didn’t get your name last time I was here.”
“Thomas.Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Well, maybe you could answer a few questions.See, I’m looking to get a house in the area.I want to build it, but to do that, I have to buy land.Do you happen to know of any place I could find that?Or where would you like to live if you could choose?”
“I already have a home.”
“Well, of course you do.I just meant, if you could live anywhere in town, where would you choose to live?What would be your favorite spot?”
Thomas was even more confused than he’d been initially.None of those questions made sense.“Well, wouldn’t it be better for you to consider the needs of your family to decide where you want to live?Like where schools are and things like that?”
Jimmy shook his head.“Oh, I don’t have a family, and I definitely don’t have kids.”
That sounded like a house might be too big for Jimmy, but who was Thomas to point that out?“Still, it’s a personal choice, isn’t it?”
“I guess it is.I thought that maybe you’d know where I can find nice land.”
“I’m sorry, but I really don’t.You should contact a few realtors in town.They’ll be able to help you more than I can.”
“That’s a little disappointing, but yeah, of course.Thanks for your help, Thomas.”He winked.
Thomas was relieved when Jimmy turned around to leave.He didn’t wait to watch him through the window this time.He turned, already seeking Rowan.“That was weird, right?”he asked when Rowan stepped into the room.
“A little bit.It felt like he was maybe flirting with you.”
Thomas blinked.“Flirting?”That wasn’t what that had felt like, but maybe he just wasn’t used enough to flirting to know when it happened.
“I won’t claim I’m an expert, but maybe?He asked you where you’d like to live if you could.He wanted to know your name.”
“I thought that maybe he wanted to know that because we talked about the pigeon a few times.”
“Or maybe he was trying to show you that he has enough money to buy land and build a house, maybe even your dream house.”
Thomas laughed.“That’s ridiculous.If he was flirting, I don’t see why he should hint at buying a house.Who does that?”
“Possibly someone who’s bad at flirting.If he was trying to show you that he has a lot of money, there are worse ways to do that than to hint at building a house.”
Thomas thought it was ridiculous, but maybe Rowan wasn’t wrong.Just like Thomas wasn’t good at flirting, other people weren’t.Maybe Jimmy hadn’t known what he was doing.It would be easier for him to ask for Thomas’s phone number, but instead, he’d asked a bunch of questions that didn’t make it sound like he was interested in Thomas.
Thomas shook his head.“Well, whatever he wants, I can’t give it to him, so there’s that.”
“What, you wouldn’t want him to build you a house?”Rowan teased.
“I already have a home.I don’t need that guy or anyone else to build anything for me.”
Rowan’s smile was sweet.“I know.You’re strong and independent, and that’s one of the reasons I like you.”
“Nowyou’reflirting,” Thomas accused.
“Maybe a little bit.Is that a problem?”
Thomas desperately wanted to kiss Rowan, but he couldn’t, not at work.Instead, he briefly leaned closer to him, pressing their shoulders together and quickly reaching out to squeeze Rowan’s wrist.“You can flirt all you want,” he murmured.
Rowan’s smile was wide and a little bit dirty.“Oh, maybe you shouldn’t have said that.”
* * * *
ROWAN WAS GLAD HE’Dbeen able to distract Thomas from thinking about Jimmy.He couldn’t deny that Jimmy’s behavior was odd, especially since the man had come to the sanctuary a few times already.There was nothing to stop him from coming again, and maybe next time, Thomas would be alone.
