Page 62 of Partner Pursuit
“He popped by once in the morning to borrow somemilk.”
“Late at night, and I would say there’s where you missed the pass…” Max said. “Well, start wearing lingerie in case he comes by again. Or at leastdress up.”
Eve stirred her coffee thoughtfully. “Or you could try to make him jealous with PreppyBoy.”
“Do we like him more than Preppy Boy?”Max asked.
“Definitely. Preppy Boy is a bit boring—and I don’t trust him because they’re both up for partner,”Evesaid.
“And you, Audrey, who do you like more?”Max asked.
“Jake,” Audrey said without hesitation. “But I’ve had a crush on Tim for so long. And maybe Jake’s not even interested. Maybe I’m just not in his league.”
“Please, just stop that,” Eve said. “If he doesn’t make a move soon, he’s not in your league. Because he’s an idiot not to realize how goodyouare.”
“Maybe he thinks I’m a workaholic and he doesn’t want to date someone like that, so that’s why he hesitates,” Audreysaid.
Max and Eve looked at each other. “You are a workaholic.”
“It’ll get better once you’re a partner. You’ll have more control over your schedule…”Maxsaid.
“Unless I’m even more at the beck and call of clients,” Audreysaid.
“Or on trial. You always disappear completely when you’re involved in a trial.” Eve frowned.
“I’m about to go on trial,” Audreysaid.
Eve rubbed her back. “Maybe he’ll have to travel again, and he won’t notice.”
“Before you disappear, let’s plan your party.” Max rubbed his hands together. “I can check out if either is interested.” As the waiter cleared their brunch plates, they asked forthe check.
“I want to see you with them too, but I’ll probably be too busy with the food. Maybe at the end, I can get a sense,”Evesaid.
“Well, don’t make it obvious,youtwo.”
Both of them protested that they were very subtle. Audrey raised her eyebrows indisbelief.
“I’m excited to see your subtlety at work—especially you, Max.” Audrey turned to Eve. “And you still want to cook for it, right?”
“Yes, definitely.”
“And you said that you have off the second Saturday in October?” Audrey asked.
“Yes, that’d be perfect timing for me,” Eve said, adding that she was excited to planthemenu.
“Two weeks works for me,” Max pulled onhiscoat.
“All right, let’s do it. Let’s invite everybody.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
As Audrey tried to squeeze by two guys to check on Eve in the kitchen andre-stockthe ice, the talldark-hairedone, a little plump, clearly tipsy, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and told her to pass his compliments to the chef. She inhaled the smell of beer mixed with cologne.
“Is that big fellow in the kitchen the chef’s boyfriend? I don’t want to propose if he is, but otherwise I’m really thinking about it,” he said, his speech just slightly slurred.
“He is indeed.” As she conveyed that sad news, he sagged against her, and she staggeredslightly.
“Roland, you’re going to squash her,” the friend said, who was quite cute, winking at her. “Buck up. You can always ask the chef if she has any friendswhocook.”
