Page 50 of Dr. Sexypants

Dora bound through without hesitation, and Kristy remarked with a laugh, “Gee, make yourself at home!”

I looked over at her with a smile. “I hope she does. I hope you both do.”

She studied me for a second before blurting out, “I don’t want a boyfriend, you know.”

Ouch.

Not exactly the first thing I wanted to hear when she walked in my house.

But I countered with, “We don’t have to label things.”

“I mean it, Justin.”

“I hear you, beautiful. Loud and clear. Let’s have lunch.”

****

Kristy

I don’t think he was really listening, though.

And after spending the afternoon hiking and laughing with him, I wasn’t sure how adamant about it I was anymore.

Chapter Fifteen

Kristy

“Start talking,” Lainey demanded when I walked into the bakery’s kitchen.

I stalled by putting the apron over my head and a net around my hair. Then I went to the sink to wash my hands. “How did your new hire work out today?”

“She’s a sweetheart and really wants to do a good job, so she’s trainable. Her baby girl is precious, and I think Adam’s brother, Alan, is in love with both of them. You’re all caught up, now spill.”

I carefully measured the flour for the croissant dough, ignoring her demand.

“Wait, what? Does Alan know her?”

“No, he met her today when she dumped a batch of cinnamon rolls down his shirt, and he was instantly gaga.” As if on autopilot, Lainey handed me sugar and salt to add to the mixture before continuing, “It was kind of adorable how gobsmacked he was; I almost felt bad putting the kibosh on him asking her out.”

“Well, what does she think?”

“It’s hard to tell. She blushed a lot around him.”

“So why do you have to ‘kibosh’ anything?” I paused to use my fingers to put air quotes around the word kibosh then added the remaining ingredients.

“She’s as naïve as can be. He would eat her up and spit her out.”

“She can’t be that naïve if she has a child.”

“Meet her. You’ll know immediately what I mean. And don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to do, missy. Start. Talking.”

I flipped the switch for the stand mixer and brought my hand to my ear while mouthing, “I can’t hear you.”

Lainey narrowed her eyes at me, and I half-expected laser beams to come shooting out of them. Then she reached over and unplugged the dang thing.

“Okay, fine! We spent the night together and took Dora hiking this afternoon.”

Lain squealed and clapped her hands together before chanting, “Kristy and Justin sitting in a tree…”