Page 12 of Liar For Hire (For Hire 1)

“What was?” Lachelle looked from one to the other. “Tell me. I don’t remember hearing about how you guys met. No, wait a minute. It was at a supermarket, right? He tried to pick you up?”

“If only it was that.” Janessa shook her head in amusement. She grabbed a chip and slathered it with french onion dip. Holding the snack up, she explained, “See this? Declan didn’t even know about a simple recipe like dumping some onion soup powder in sour cream.”

“You’re kidding? That’s an ancient hack.”

“You’re exaggerating,” Declan grumbled.

“I am not. You were so hungry. Poor little Declan.”

He narrowed his eyes at her like would attack if she didn’t stop maligning his character. “It was a simple question.”

“What question?” Lachelle demanded. “Start from the beginning.”

Janessa continued to ignore Declan’s warning glances. She could hardly keep herself from busting up at the memory of their meeting. “Declan came over to me at the supermarket and asked if a package of chicken breasts should be cooked in the plastic or if it should be taken off first.”

Lachelle’s eyes bugged. “No he didn’t. Nessa, you’ve got to be lying.”

“I’m not. I thought no one could be that ignorant.”

Declan grumbled. “It was an honest question. Some microwave dinners say to keep the plastic on. Others tell you to poke a hole or uncover the veggies but not the meat. Back then, I had never made a home cooked meal for myself. Ever.”

“Uh huh.” Janessa patted his arm. His skin turned crimson. “I thought his question was a clumsy way of asking me out.”

Lachelle agreed. “Had to be. Next question was ‘let’s have dinner,’ right?”

“Nope. I told him how to cook the chicken, and then he walked away.”

“He was shy,” Lachelle claimed.

“Does any part of Declan’s personality strike you as being shy?”

“Wow…just wow.”

“After he walked off, I figured he lost his nerve. Then I saw him a few days later at the grocery store. I waited to see if he would approach me. Girl, do you know he acted like he didn’t even see me?”

“Ouch.” Lachelle wrinkled her nose. “Maybe he changed his mind and didn’t think you were cute.”

“Shush.”

Her sister laughed.

“I figured I would approach him and get a conversation going. Declan’s behind said hello and how’s the weather or something. Then nothing. He left the store. It took weeks for us to strike up a friendship just from running into each other in the area.”

“I bet it was a hit against your pride when you realized this dude didn’t see you as a woman.”

“Girl.” Janessa shook her head in disbelief.”

“Maybe he’s gay?” Lachelle’s eyes sparkled. She took a few swigs of her beer and slid over next to Declan to hang onto his arm. The woman had no shame about leaning in so close to him that her boob mashed against his arm. Lachelle raised her chin, lips parted as if in offering to him. “I can help you with that.”

“Lachelle!” Janessa snapped.

At the same time, Declan protested.

“I assure you I’m not gay.”

“Hey, dude, I’m not mad at you,” Lachelle told him. “I’m just saying I like challenges.”

Her sister was so aggressive she ticked Janessa off. She couldn’t tell Lachelle to leave Declan alone without revealing her own feelings, so she left them in the living room and found an excuse to putter alone in the kitchen.

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