Deal Takers (Dealing with Love 2)

“Riley. We were both friends with him in college. He’s a great guy, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, super great,” she mutters.

Okay, you’re probably wondering what’s going on, right? Well, it turns out Drew’s little sister went to the University of Oregon with my buddy, Riley. Better yet, I have a sneaking suspicion that she’s the goddamn magic pussy. I was there when they ran into each other for the first time after he moved to Seattle, and let me tell you, it was about as awkward as it could possibly be. Riley claims he never slept with her, but I’m not a fucking idiot. You could cut the sexual tension between those two with a silicone dildo. Since Riley’s not giving up the information, I’m working this angle.

I smirk. “You don’t think so? It seemed to me that you two know each other really well. I don’t know anyone that doesn’t love that fucker to death.”

She takes a bite of her salad and chews it completely before replying. “Yeah, he’s probably a little too charming.”

Ah, there it is. The scowl on her face when she said that was barely noticeable, but it was there. If I hadn’t known her for so long, I wouldn’t have seen it. They definitely have a history.

“Why do you say that?”

Her fork drops onto her plate with a clang. “Brody, why did you invite me to lunch? If you’re looking for something to gossip about with my brother, it’s not going to happen.”

“I told you why I invited you. I was right by your office and I was hungry. Excuse me for being considerate.”

Total bullshit right there. I had absolutely no reason to be downtown at noon on a weekday. But if I’m right about this, I’m going to be fucking stoked. If Rainey’s best friend hooks up with one of my best friends, I get even more time with her. And more time with Rainey is always a good thing. She’s getting so close to giving in to me; I can feel it.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude,” she says. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind.”

“No biggie,” I say through a mouthful of cheeseburger.

She scrunches her nose when a piece of cheesy meat flies across the table, barely missing her arm. “Gross, Brody.”

I shrug. “Oops. Anyway...back to Riley. He—”

“Brody, I don’t want to talk about Riley. Please respect that.”

Well, shit. So much for that plan.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

RAINEY

“So, Bryce, you said you were an architect?”

“Well, not exactly,” he hedges.

I narrow my eyes. “What does that mean?”

Bryce takes a drink from his coffee before answering. “It’s just a technicality, really. I work in an architect firm. I just don’t exactly...have a degree in architecture. Or any skills related to it.”

I take a moment to chew on that and choose my next words carefully. “So, what is it, exactly, that you do at your firm? And to avoid any confusion, what is your actual job title?”

He clears his throat. “I’m a receptionist.”

My mouth falls open, stunned. How could I possibly be this unlucky in love? This is my third online date this month and my third strike. Why can’t people tell the truth on those match sites? I mean, seriously. The whole point is to meet up in person, right? Why would you lie when they’re bound to uncover the truth? I wouldn’t care if this guy was a receptionist, or that he’s easily three inches shorter than what’s listed on his profile. Just tell the truth, people!

The guy before Bryce failed to mention that he was married. He claimed he had an open marriage, but I think we all know by now how I feel about dating a married man. The idiot before him was the biggest jerk of them all. He didn’t think it was necessary to put his real photo on his profile. Not even a ridiculously filtered one. I walked into the restaurant expecting a six-foot-tall, bearded man that defined lumbersexual. Imagine my surprise when a five-foot-six, balding man with a protruding stomach introduced himself as my date. When I told him that I felt we should end the date before it began, the asshole started screaming at me in the middle of a restaurant. I tuned out his tirade after he called me, “just another shallow bitch” and walked away. Um, hello, Liar McFibberpants! Maybe it’s too much to ask, but I’d expect the common courtesy of his being the person in the picture! How is it fair for him to judge me, when he’s the one who pulled a bait and switch?!

“Are you okay?” Bryce asks.

Damn, I must’ve been lost in my internal rant for too long. “Uh, yeah, just fine.” I look at my watch. “Oh, look at that, I really need to get going. Stuff to do and all.”

He eyes me skeptically. “I thought you said you had the day off.”

“Oh yeah, I do. But I’m really not feeling a spark so why draw it out?”