Page 43 of Love in Fine Print

“This isn’t working,” I blurted out.

“What isn’t working?”

“Dating.”

“I thought you liked Levi. When I texted you earlier, you said he had a Tom Hardy vibe.” Trevor leaned his head back and closed his eyes as if he was imagining the movie star.

“He did. I was attracted to him, but did I want to marry him? No.”

“It was the first date,” Trevor reasoned as he lifted his head and opened his eyes.

“I understand that. And maybe, if I had more time, there could be something there, but I don’t. Time is a luxury Ido nothave. You and I both know that I need to be wifed up in time for the holiday parties. If not, my name is not even going to be in consideration for the partnership when Katz retires in March. Which means I need to say I do in the next two months. I don’t have time to date.”

“Okay, so if you’re not going to date, how are you going to get a husband?” Trevor looked confused.

Now it was my turn to wear the I-know-something-you-don’t-know, self-satisfied smile. “I have a plan.”

18

BEN

The waves splashedonto the rocks beside me as I ran along the water at Crissy Field. The sun was shining brightly on this crisp fall morning as my feet pounded on the pavement. Dolly kept in stride beside me as she barked at the seagulls that were waddling next to the surf. A breeze of salty seawater wafted through the air as the early morning rays warmed my face.

Today was shaping up to be one of the perfect eighty-degree, sunny, fall days in San Francisco. The season would soon turn cold and rainy, but there were always a few weeks of perfection that I cherished.

I did my best to zone out as I listened to Kendrick Lamar blasting in my AirPods, but all I could think about was how Olivia’s date had gone last night. I couldn’t stop playing out scenarios in my head.

Had she and Levi hit it off?

Had they kissed?

I should want the answer to both of those questions to be yes. That would mean I’d done a good job. So why did thinking they were both affirmative, make me feel agitated? Why did the prospect of him walking her to her door, or worse, her invitinghim into her condo and offering him a drink make me feel anxious? Unsettled? Angry even.

It made no sense. Yes, I found her attractive. But, hell, I’d met a lot of attractive women in my life. I’d cared for a handful of women in my life. What was so different about her?

Was it because, thanks to Dolly injuring her on our first interaction, I felt responsible for her? Was that why I felt so protective of her? Was that why I wanted to throw her over my shoulder Tarzan-style and swing through the trees with her in my arms? Or was it because of all the qualities that I’d mentioned to Nadia about who she was that I wanted to crawl out of my skin at the thought of another man kissing her?

I didn’t have the answers to my questions, but I did know it was fucking with my head.

As I turned onto Gran’s street, I saw Miss B was out on her porch.

“Mornin’ Miss B. Morning PB, morning J.” I waved as Dolly trotted up to her to say hello. I followed behind and when I reached the top of the steps, PB stretched out on the porch before rolling over on his back so I could scratch his belly. I bent down and gave him some lovin’.

“How are you doin’ this morning, Miss B?”

“Well, the light went out in my hall, and when I got up this morning, I couldn’t see a foot in front of my face. But other than that, just fine.”

Miss B rose well before the sun did. She was dressed and ready for the day by five every morning which meant that when she got up it would have still been pitch black outside.

“No worries. I’ll come back over and fix it.”

“Oh, no! I don’t want to be a bother.”

“No bother. I’ll just grab a shower and be back in ten.”

“Oh, okay.” I could see the disappointment on her face that I wasn’t going to do it before my shower. “Well, I was gonna go laydown and watch the wheel. I might drift off so if I don’t hear the door, then don’t worry about coming back?—"

“I’ll do it now.”

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