Page 40 of Joker in the Pack

“The pleasure was all mine.”

Okay, so that line was a little cheesy, but the smile that accompanied it was genuine. I left The Cock and Bull with a matching grin of my own, frantically cataloguing what was left of my wardrobe as I hurried home. I couldn’t go out with Tate dressed in jeans and a faded jumper. Oh, if only I’d kept hold of a few of my nice dresses.

“Need a lift?”

I’d been so preoccupied I barely heard Warren approach in his taxi. Spots of rain dotting my decidedly non-waterproof jacket made the decision easy.

“Thanks so much. It’s so dark without any street lights here.”

“You should get a torch to carry in your handbag.”

“I’m sure Aunt Ellie’s left one in the cottage somewhere.”

“Or just call me. If I’m not working, I’ll give you a ride.”

He’d already said that, but I’d feel guilty calling him out when I couldn’t afford to pay. “It’s kind of you to offer.”

Lilac Cottage was dark when we pulled into the driveway, and I wished I’d been able to leave a light on, but the electricity bill would be painful enough already.

Warren drew to a smooth halt outside the front door. “Let me give you my number, just in case.”

Just in case. That couldn’t hurt, right? I handed my mobile over for the second time that evening and waited while Warren did his thing.

“You’ve met Tate, then?”

Oops. Warren must have seen the number in my messages. Was it me, or did his voice hold a hint of jealousy?

“Just now, in the pub. He helped me out when Henry was bothering me.”

“Henry’s an idiot. And Tate…”

“What about Tate?”

“Never mind.” A long pause followed, but Warren still had my phone. “Look, I don’t suppose you’d be interested in going out for dinner with me one evening?”

Now that… That definitely sounded more like a date-type question, and damned if I didn’t consider it. Warren was the boy next door versus Tate’s distinguished gentleman, and after Edward, a down-to-earth man did present an attractive option. But I still wasn’t ready for that.

“Uh… The thing is, I just got out of a long-term relationship, and when I moved here, I decided I’d try the single life for a while.”

“Can’t blame a guy for trying, right?”

“No, I guess not.”

“How about lunch someday? Just as friends. You can never have too many friends.”

Another man, another lunch, and Warren had been so kind to me. Besides, the way he spoke, it didn’t sound as if he meant tomorrow or even this week. “Lunch would be lovely, someday.”

After I closed the door behind me that night, I leaned back against it and closed my eyes. So much for staying single—I’d gone from no men to two I quite liked, and that made me more nervous than anything else.

Boy, did I need to talk to Maddie.

CHAPTER 13

THE NEXT MORNING brought an unexpected bonus. After a frenzied bidding war, a set of Aunt Ellie’s sad-faced china dogs sold for four figures and the buyer paid right away. I stared at the balance for ages and even refreshed the page in case I was dreaming.

“Maddie, you’ll never guess what just happened.”

“What?”

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