Page 33 of The Wrong Date Deal

“Arcade Diner.”

“That’s only like fifteen minutes from my place,” he said quietly. “We’d have to meet first and work out all the details and stuff, but, if he needs a new place, I do have a spare room.”

Piper smiled softly at him. That was Hermes all over—snarky on the outside, but sweet and giving on the inside. “You sure you wouldn’t mind someone else in your space?”

“Hm. How hot is he?”

Piper laughed. “I have no idea.”

“I’m just kidding, to be clear.” He shot her a look. “But, yeah, depending on us getting along and it seeming like a good match, he might as well use the room. It’s not like I’m getting much from the space at present.”

She wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “You’re a good one, Hermes.”

“Ugh. Yeah, yeah, don’t go telling everyone. You’ll ruin my reputation.”

“What reputation?”

“My cool reputation,” he said, laughing. “You know, British accent, mysterious, brooding eyes… The whole thing.”

She walked backwards, looking at him as she headed into the next gallery space. “I hate to break it to you, but I think everyone knows you’re a sweetheart inside that tea-drinking exterior.”

“I drink other things,” he protested with a scowl.

“Sure you do. But don’t they, like, revoke your passport if you don’t get your daily recommended allowance of tea?”

“That’s not a thing.”

“I’m pretty sure it is. I think I read it somewhere.”

“Did nobody ever teach you not to believe everything you read on the internet?”

“Oh, my god. What? No. They absolutely did not.”

“Ah, well. Perhaps we should have words with the powers that be.”

“Indeed. I’m woefully unprepared for the modern world.”

“Clearly. Couldn’t even end up on a date with the right woman.”

Piper stopped walking, staring at him, aghast. “Whoa. Big talk, mister.”

He grinned, his eyes crinkling and his whole face brightening. “Is that not what happened?”

“I made it to the right woman in the end.”

“Who turned out to be the wrong woman.”

“Well, yeah, but that’s dating.”

He bobbed his head up and down. “Indeed it is.”

She took his arm again as they were approaching Massima. “And, don’t worry, if I ever do manage to find the right one in this whole dating debacle, you’ll still be stuck with me.”

Something vulnerable flashed across his face. “Yeah?”

“Of course. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Her mom and dad wouldn’t stand for it either. They’d adopted Hermes just as hard as she had. Unfortunately, though, he’d experienced too much shit to fully comprehend that they weren’t going to leave him.

“You know what I bet wasn’t easy?” Massima said, catching the very end of Piper’s sentence. “Painting with all this texture.”

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