Page 56 of The Wrong Date Deal

August winced. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“I’m glad you messaged. I’d rather you were safe and supported than…” Piper shook her head. “Well, you know.”

“Mm. Thank you. For showing up. I’m still sorry for getting you out on a cold night.”

“I can drink hot chocolate and read anywhere. This is as nice a place as any to do that. And, besides, this way I get to see you all dressed up.”

August blushed, looking towards the counter. “You met me when I was going on a date. You’ve seen me dressed like this before.”

Piper breathed a laugh. With the way Massima and Hermes had been messing with her head lately, she knew she absolutely shouldn’t have been doing anything approaching flirting, but August had clearly had a bad date and Piper didn’t want her whole evening to be a write-off.

Besides, complimenting your friends wasn’t that weird.

“I’m going to get a drink,” August said, nodding towards the counter. “Do you want anything else?”

Piper shook her head and picked up her mug. “I’m good.”

This close to closing, the café wasn’t busy and it only took a couple of minutes before August was back—carrying a drink and a packet of biscotti.

“One for you, one for me,” she said, handing the packet to Piper. “In gratitude for showing up.”

“That’s not necessary. But I’m not going to say no to biscotti.”

August laughed, took her coat off, and slid onto the stool beside Piper, eyeing the book Piper had placed face-down. “Good book?”

Piper hummed. “Rachel Lacey. I love the bisexual rep.”

August smiled and picked it up, reading the blurb.

“So… bad date?” Piper asked, dipping her biscotti into the remaining hot chocolate.

August groaned quietly. “Honestly, not that terrible. Well, compared to when I dropped you my location and wondered what the hell was going on as a random woman dragged me away from the location we’d agreed on without so much as giving me her name…”

“Jesus, August.”

“It’s okay. She was just… enthusiastic, I guess. But, yeah, the date was at least legitimate—a rumba class, which is actually pretty cool. It wasn’t a good match, though.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not. She was looking for fun and quick. I wasn’t.” She shot Piper a look. “I did get invited back for another lesson, though.”

“Oh, yeah? With the same woman?”

“Ha. No.” She set Piper’s book back down. “One of the teachers. Said I was okay at it—the dancing.”

“Damned by faint praise.”

August laughed. “Okay, she said I wasn’t bad at it, but, you know, in that way that isn’t insulting.”

Piper dropped her chin onto her hand, watching August with a warm smile. “So, you’re amazing at it and just trying to be humble?”

“I’m definitely not amazing at it!”

“Mm. I don’t believe you. Maybe you’ll have to show me to prove your point.”

August looked around wildly. “Here?”

“No,” Piper giggled. “I wouldn’t do that to you. But, you know, maybe at my place after?”

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