Page 63 of Fierce-Gabe

He laughed. “I know what your kind of help is,” he said.

“Come on now, Gabe,” Diane said. “With your looks you’ve got to have women all over you. How come you’re still single?”

“Maybe because all they see is this face,” he said, bringing his hand up and framing his jaw like it was a dance move.

Both women laughed at him. He’d done it enough in his life to his mother and she thought it was hilarious too.

“I’ve seen pictures of you without your facial hair,” Carolyn said. “Your mother showed me. Oh my, those dimples. It would melt a woman’s heart.”

“And make me look like Jocelyn. She’s jealous. She says it’s not fair that I’m prettier than her.”

Both women laughed again. It was true, his sister had said those words to him before in jest.

It was a curse in his eyes.

“We are out delivering the sweets today,” Diane said. “We’ve been to Olson’s, got a few offices in the other building, some for Royce’s crew and our last two stops are your offices and Kennedy Construction.”

Which meant they’d see Elise. And they might try to work on her like they were him.

He had two choices here. He could ignore them and let them do what they set out to do. But that might mess up his plans if they said anything to Elise and she got wind of it.

Or he could fill them in and get them on his side. By staying out of it!

He’d chat a few more minutes before he made that decision.

“I’m sure you gave Trent and Roni cookies. You know, working it to get information even though everyone knows they are dating now. That was your last target, right?”

Both women laughed at him. “The guys aren’t very sneaky,” Carolyn said. “They try to think they are, but it never works.”

“Not like you two who are straightforward?”

“Exactly,” Diane said. “I think men appreciate that more.”

“I do,” he said. “So what are you doing now that Roni and Trent are set? There has to be someone else on your list?”

“You,” Carolyn said.

Yep, to the point. “I figured as much. Has to be someone else on your list?”

“Well now,” Diane said. “We did stop in to see Zander.”

“Royce’s buddy?” he asked. He should have figured that one.

“Yes,” Carolyn said. “There are plenty more too. Let’s see, Elise is on the list.”

Yeah, he had to say something. Maybe they didn’t have Elise set up for him even though his parents had mentioned it. They could have changed their minds. But if that was the case he had to put an end to them getting in the middle of things.

“So,” he said. “Follow me, ladies, to where there is some more privacy.” He took the cookies out of their hands and walked them over to a makeshift table. “Boys, take five for a sugar break.”

He moved out of the room they were in and then went to the stairs. They were on the third floor and he started to walk down to the first where there’d be no witnesses.

“Are you escorting us out?” Diane asked.

There was humor in her voice.

“Nope, just wanted to have a conversation with you where no one can hear us.”

“That sounds like it’s important,” Carolyn said.

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