Page 18 of The Rules of Dating

“Make me more brownies.” I winked, then bent down and pinched Saylor’s cheek. “See ya around, cutie. Enjoy your afternoon with Daddy.” Your hot freaking daddy I currently want to ride the shit out of.

I smiled at her, trying to rid my mind of those dirty thoughts. I nodded toward the nanny and booked it out of there, feeling flushed and second-guessing my vow of resilience because I hadn’t had the hots for someone like this in as long as I could remember.

I might have been saved by the bell when it came to that almost-kiss, but thoughts of the hot single dad upstairs continued to consume my mind for the rest of the afternoon.

CHAPTER 5

Colby

I hadn’t seen Billie in seven days.

Though not for lack of wanting to. Every night when I got off the subway down the block from my apartment, I gave myself a pep talk:

Keep walking. One foot in front of the other.

Don’t even look in her window as you pass.

You can do it.

She doesn’t want to see you anyway.

You asked her out. She said no.

Take a goddamn hint, dumbass.

Four buildings down from her shop, I got ready to start my nightly mantra, but I only made it as far as Keep walking. One foot in front of the—when I stopped abruptly.

What the fuck?

The front glass window of Billie’s tattoo shop was gone, replaced by a sheet of plywood. Now I had no choice but to stop in.

Justine was at the front desk. I pointed over my shoulder to the window. “What happened to the glass?”

She frowned. “It was like that when Billie got here this morning.” Before she could say any more, the shop’s phone rang. Justine thumbed toward the studio as she reached for the receiver. “Why don’t you go on back and talk to Billie? She’s between customers and can fill you in.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

I knocked, and when I opened the door to the studio, Billie’s back was to me. Apparently she hadn’t heard me, because when she turned around she jumped and clutched her chest.

“Shit.” She plucked an AirPod from one ear. “I didn’t see you come in.”

“Sorry. Justine said it was okay, and I knocked before opening the door.”

Billie shook her head. “It’s fine. I’m just jumpy today, that’s all.”

“What happened to the window?”

“I don’t know. When I got here this morning it was smashed, and there was a brick inside on the floor.”

“A brick? Were you robbed?”

She shook her head again. “No, that’s the strange thing. Nothing seems to be missing. There was even some cash left in the front register from the night before. The police said it could have been kids randomly vandalizing, but they also asked if I’d had any unhappy customers lately—or any relationships that had recently ended badly.” She grimaced.

“Gee, Billie, I don’t know why an ex would want to get even. It couldn’t be the giant pink Tinder logo you inked onto his arm...”

She tried not to smile as she picked up a roll of paper towels and chucked them at my head.

I caught them. “I’m just teasing.”