Page 5 of Clueless Romeo

"Whatever," Caleb huffed. "So, what, you like…find people dates?"

I shoved my hand back into my pocket. "It's a little more than that. People usually come to me for assistance when they're ready to settle down." They both appeared a little skeptical, so I elaborated. "Sometimes people are too busy to date around. Some have tried online dating and just keep ending up with incompatible partners, or they just don't like the impersonal feel of an app. They need a little more personal help and a narrowed field, so that's where I come in." I shrugged.

"So, you're like a real live Cupid." Caleb yawned.

He honestly looked bored, but CJ was studying me with a contemplative glint in his eyes, making me wonder what was going on in his head. People were often curious about my job, but CJ seemed to take a special interest.

"Something like that," I agreed. "You two renting this place?" I asked as I glanced through the wide window into the bare shop.

When I looked back at them, it was CJ who answered. "Yeah. Not my first choice because of the location…" He pulled a face and winced. "No offense."

The location on the relatively quiet side street wasn't exactly ideal for business owners who relied on visibility to draw customers, so I understood why he didn't appear pleased.

I chuckled. "None taken. But why not find something in a busier part of the city?"

CJ shrugged. "We would love a high traffic area, but we don't have the funds right now. We can't be too picky since we're a new franchise. And the upstairs apartment sort of sealed the deal."

I was curious about what they had planned for the space. "So, what kind of franchise are you putting in there?"

CJ frowned at his newly rented suite. "Sports merchandise. Clothes, gear, accessories, customized keepsakes—you name it. We're trying to serve a more specific niche in the market."

"Yeah?" I eyed the two of them, looking them over from head to toe. From their height to the broad set of their shoulders to the lean muscles stretched across their frame, they were definitely athletes of some kind. "Did you both play…?"

"Basketball. We played in college, at Hawthorne," CJ filled in.

My interest was piqued. I'd played a little ball in high school, and I wondered how good they were. If they'd made the Hawthorne team, they must have serious skills.

The conversation paused as a silver sedan pulled along the curb. Sliding out of the car was a blonde in an expensive white dress, appearing frazzled, and I inwardly groaned. Sherry cast a look in our direction, and I tilted my head toward the office. "Go on inside, Sherry. Jazmine will get you set up, and I'll join you shortly."

"Thank you." She shot a quick glance at the duo standing in front of me before she scurried up to the porch.

Her arrival reminded me of what was waiting for me, and I had to get going. I hadn't meant to stop and talk to my new neighbors for so long, but I'd wanted to meet them. But, if Sherry didn't follow through with the wedding, my reputation would be at stake, and I wouldn't let that happen.

I turned back toward the twins and released a weighted breath. "That's my cue to get moving. It was great to meet you both. But hey, if you've got time later this evening, you two maybe want to grab a drink?"

"Now you are speaking my language." It didn't surprise me that the comment had come from Caleb. I was mentally compiling profiles of the two as we spoke.

CJ rubbed his shaved chin. "I don't know about tonight. There's so much to do in there."

Caleb huffed in exasperation. "And we have the rest of the afternoon to work on it. Whatever we don't get done today, we'll pick up tomorrow."

"You say 'we' likeyouplan on helping out." CJ shook his head and sighed. "Fine. Yeah, a drink sounds good." When our eyes met, there was something there I still couldn't put my finger on. I was good at figuring out people, but CJ seemed to be the exception.

"Great. Seven work?" I asked as I walked around them, stepping backward down the sidewalk.

"Seven is good," CJ agreed.

"Later, man," Caleb said. CJ tipped his chin, but his odd expression was still in place. I didn't have time to consider it further as I left the two behind. Striding down the sidewalk for half a block, I hooked around the corner of the street and headed to the quaint coffee shop and cafe smack in the center of the small shopping area.

The door chimed as I stepped inside, and I was greeted with the strong aroma of coffee mingling with the scent of old books that filled the shelves lining the walls. Other than the woman seated in the corner, reading as she sipped from a mug, the place was empty. As I made my way to the counter, the heat pumping through the vents was a welcoming sensation after the walk in the cold.

A plump woman in her fifties with heavy gray strands streaking her dark brown locks pulled into a tight bun entered the room from a rear door. Wiping her hands on a red checkered cloth, she grinned broadly, revealing slightly crooked white teeth.

"Roman," she drawled out, "I was beginning to think I wouldn't see Jazmine today. Turns out I might have been right." Her thick Southern accent spoke of her Georgia roots.

"Hey, Mrs. Walden." I only smiled in response because I couldn't tell her the only reason I was the one picking up the coffee was because I'd lost a bet with my sister. I was sure she wouldn't approve. "How are you? How's business?"

She swiped a loose strand of hair from her face. "We've been busy most of the morning, so I can't complain. The usual order?"

---