CHAPTER TWO
“Always telling the truth is really hard to do, especially for Chester the monkey.”
Liar, Liar, Chester’s Pants are on Fire
Shelby glanced up from her laptop and scowled at Nick as he sauntered toward her across the busy café. The man was over an hour late and hadn’t even had the decency to call.
He folded his long body onto the chair next to hers. Then he blessed her with one of his don’t-you-think-I’m-adorable smiles. “My meeting ran long and I’m starving. What’s good today?”
Really? Not an “I’m sorry” or a “Hi how are you?”
“Manners are selling well today. You should get a double helping. You could use them.”
He chuckled. “Sorry I kept you waiting—”
Shelby raised a finger and pointed to her Bluetooth earpiece before activating her mic. She was helping a client two tables away and the conversation had slowed.
“Ask what she loves most about her best friend.” That got Randy’s date, a cute redhead, smiling and gushing, so Shelby sipped her skinny latte and called up Nick’s Facebook page on her computer.
“I have something later this afternoon, so I’m going to try to help you and Randy at the same time. Let’s start with these bromance pictures of you and your buddies flinging yourselves off things attached to bungee cords and ropes. Oh, and let’s not forget the mandatory group photos afterward celebrating your braveness with red plastic cups filled with beer.”
Nick leaned closer and threw his arm around the back of her chair.
Man, he smelled good.
“But that’s what I do.” He brushed his mouth against her ear and sent a quiver up her spine. “I’ve gotten lots of e-mails—with naked pictures attached—from these photos. Women like sweaty guys in tight shirts with all our muscles showing.”
She leaned away, disgusted with herself for momentarily wanting to feel those big muscles too. “Unless you’ve got aspirations to be a Chippendale dancer—”
“Dancing’s not my thing.”
“Or a gigolo, we’re getting rid of some of these skin shots, pal.”
“The gigolo I could do.” Nick grinned. “But you already told me you won’t be my pimp, so I’d have to find someone else if I went that route.”
After Shelby sent him a long sideways look, he said, “Okay. Whatever you say, Dating Master.”
She deleted most of the pictures and then added some of the professional headshots he’d provided. “Do you have any group family shots? That’d send a nice vibe.” And it’d be interesting to see if the rest of his family was as pretty as him.
“I’m sure I could find some.” Nick checked his Rolex. “Really, what’s good to eat?”
Shelby shushed him again so she could talk to Randy. “Ask her—”
“If she prefers baths or showers,” Nick blurted out.
“No, don’t!” Shelby jumped up and moved to the other side of the table. “Ask what her all-time favorite movie is.”
Sitting safely across from Nick, Shelby sent Randy an apologetic smile. Satisfied the conversation was back on track, she said to Nick, “I’m guessing you’re a meat eater. The pulled pork’s amazing.”
“Pulled pork it is.” Nick stood and weaved his big body through the tables. His suit, cut a little tighter than yesterday’s, showed off his big shoulders—and his rear end? Nice. He’d be a pretty decent gigolo at that.
When Nick slapped Randy on the back, Shelby’s heart nearly stopped. Nick beamed a bright smile at her confused client. “Nice to see you, man.”
What was he up to? Would he blow Randy’s cover?
Shelby whispered, “Just go with it, Randy. His name’s Nick.” Then she hopped up to move Nick along before he could do any more damage.
She stopped in her tracks when Nick introduced himself to Randy’s date and then proceeded to sing Randy’s praises.
Shelby let out the breath she’d been holding in as Nick told Randy to call him, then excused himself and made his way toward the order counter.
Sitting down again, she listened as Randy’s date said, “I have to get back to work, but this was fun. I’d really like to see you again—if you would?”
The shy smile that lit Randy’s handsome face made Shelby’s day. And when he took the opportunity to nail down a time before she could prompt him to do so, it made her proud. He was finally getting the hang of it. Another check in the win box. Yes!
Randy sent her a thumbs up behind his back as he walked his date out to her car.
Leaning back in her chair, she yanked the Bluetooth from her ear as she contemplated Nick’s actions. Had he done that to be nice, or obnoxious? It might have been just the nudge Randy’s date needed. To think Randy was friends with a smooth talking, handsome guy like Nick.