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“Oh my God, is that Cole?” Jen practically cackled.

Jen Haversham married a guy twenty years her senior ten years ago, then divorced him as soon as her prenup gave her the max benefits. She now spent all her alimony on horses and apparently had a crush on Cole, because she ran up to give him an uncomfortably long hug.

“I’m not…” Cole panicked.

“His washer broke down,” I said. “I will have to get a guy out or replace the damn thing. I promise.”

“Of course,” Cole said.

“Come on! What are you drinking?” Jen asked, gripping his bicep.

I found myself rolling my eyes and wanting to smack her for being so thirsty. At the same time, it angered me he’d not even bothered to text that he wanted to come upstairs. In retrospect, it was good he didn’t. Piper came home too soon. Still, I wanted so badly to try him out—to unwind him and put him to good use.

“I really shouldn’t stay,” Cole said. “I’m dealing with⁠—”

“Oh, come on now! All work and no play makes Cole a dull boy,” Jen giggled.

He and I exchanged a glance. I gave a slight shrug, inviting him.

Cole replied, “Anything is good. A beer? Jack and Coke. Anything.”

“There’s beer in the fridge.” I swirled my drink.

Cole stepped away to grab a beer. Doing so, he probably assumed he could allay Jen’s advances.

By now, Vodka had deserted us, left out of our horsey conversation. From the pantry, he shouted, “Fuck! You’ve got snacks in here!”

I facepalmed. “Yep.”

“Oh, I could do snacks!” Jen entered the pantry with Vodka.

Cole relaxed at her exit. He whispered, “What is happening? Wait, am I cockblocking you?”

I crossed my arms playfully. “Would it matter if you were?”

He chuckled. I didn’t appreciate him having a go at me for trying to date when he wouldn’t even text me.

I protested. “Look, I get to have a life. I get to bring home men without judgement.”

“Sorry. Am I?”

I shook my head, then annoyed, asked, “No, but you might be inducing a clam-jam. You are the one cockblocking—like you did yourself the other day? Or like you’re doing now by avoiding Jen?”

“I don’t have any interest in Jen. She’s annoyingly needy and has three kids. Her ex is a fucking psycho, right? I don’t need that.”

“Who are you talking to?” I giggled. “That is a lot of dish for a total noob.”

“Fernando.”

“Ah. Makes sense.”

“Look, about the whole… incident.”

“Incident?” I scoffed. “It was a joke, okay. It was⁠—”

“Oh, fuck! Bugles!” Someone called out from the pantry.

Voice flat, I said, “They are for my niece and nephew!”