Page 31 of The Match

“You should. I bet she’d love it. Ladies love a sexy nickname.” Oh my gosh. Why did I call her again?

I sigh loudly into the phone so she knows I’m done with her game. “Anyways, I just found her in my room.”

“NAKED?!” I cringe hearing that word come off of my sister’s tongue.

“No, you perv. Fully clothed. I just mean that she was in my room, looking around, because . . . I think she likes me. Likes me likes me.” Wow, yeah. I hear how immature that makes me sound, but whatever.

June chuckles. “Okay, what’s the problem? That seems like good news to me. Worthy of celebrating.”

“It’s not.”

This time she sighs. “You’re going to self-sabotage this, aren’t you?”

“Most likely. Which is why I’m calling. I need you to tell me what to do so I don’t jump out my bedroom window just to keep from having to face her again.”

“Do you like her?”

I pause for a moment. “Yeah. A lot.”

“Okay, good! Then just freakin’ chill. No one is asking you to propose. Do you know how many guys’ rooms I’ve snooped through when they weren’t looking? It’s how we make sure you’re not a creeper with lots of—”

“Don’t finish that sentence.”

“Stuffed animals,” she says, and I can hear her smile.

“That’s not what you were going to say.”

“Nope. It wasn’t. But seriously, just chill about it all, okay? Don’t push her away, but you don’t have to decide anything yet either. I assume you guys are already something of friends if she felt intrigued enough to play spy in your room. So, maybe just keep being her friend until you’re sure you want to take that next step into Relationship Land. And if the situation arises for you to play tonsil hockey—”

“And that’s my cue. Goodbye, June.”

“Byyyeee.”

I end the call and plant my hands on my bathroom counter to stare at myself in the mirror for a minute. It’s literally been more than eleven years since I’ve kissed anyone other than Natalie. These past two years have been so confusing with the divorce and Sam’s diagnosis that I haven’t even had a minute to think about being a normal male.

I’m thinking about it now, though.

June’s right. There’s no need to rush it. It’s better for everyone if Evie and I just stay friends for a while. I can’t do the dating thing the way a normal man my age would anyway. I have to be cautious because of Sam. Evie would be dating both of us, and since she’s not even thirty yet, I don’t know if that’s something she would want. I need to inch toward the line. Feel her out.

I can hear June’s voice in my head, saying, I think you mean UP. No, June, I don’t mean up.

I’m going to take things slow with Evie. Christmas slow. Painfully slow. No-one-can-even-see-me-moving slow. And if she sticks around—if she can handle the lack of speed—I’ll consider Relationship Land.

I walk into the living room just in time to see Evie physically pushing her boss toward the door. “Thanks for stopping by! You can be on your way now.”

“But I only just got here!” She’s digging in her heels and smiling ear to ear. I don’t even know this woman, and I can tell she’s messing with Evie.

“And you didn’t need to come in the first place, so go before he comes back!”

“Too late,” I say with a smile. “He’s back.”

Evie turns around with wide eyes—she might as well have a canary sticking out of her mouth. Sam snickers from her perch on the couch’s armrest, and Evie narrows her eyes at her, which makes Sam burst into laughter and fall back onto the couch. What am I missing here? Why does Evie not want me around her boss?

Joanna gives Evie a smug look before crossing in front of her to get to me. She holds out her hand and smiles wide. “I know we met briefly a few minutes ago, but let me formally introduce myself. Joanna Halstead. I’m the founder of Southern Service Paws, and I’m pleased as punch that you chose us to provide a dog for your precious daughter.”

Joanna is polite and engaging, and I still can’t figure out why Evie looks like she’s standing on pins and needles over by the door. Her hand is on the knob as if she’s ready to thrust it open and shove her boss out at any moment.

“I’m the one who’s grateful. Evie had every right to ignore my call and refuse my application after the way I treated her that first day.”

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