“You do that. In the meantime, we should find a decent woman for Flynn to go out with before he chooses another disaster like Jameson.”

“Thanks, but I can find my own woman.”

“Oh, right,” Amelia said. “Because you’re doing such a winning job on that front so far.”

Flynn’s focus landed on Amelia. “Hey. Now you’re joining the fray?”

“Now that I know you’re not going to punch anyone at the table, I thought I might.”

“Yes, Amelia told me about some of your non-success stories earlier,” Tara said.

Flynn pinned Amelia with a look. “Traitor.”

Amelia’s lips lifted. “Sorry. I was using them in reference to Jameson, who I hoped at the time would be different.”

“Now that we know you can’t possibly select your own woman, Amelia and I should act as matchmakers for you.”

Mick looked at them in horror. “That’s got train wreck written all over it.”

“How so?” Amelia asked.

“I don’t know, but I’ve never been fond of the fix-up.”

“Let me give it a try,” Tara said. “I’m having a dinner party next Tuesday at our place for friends as well as a few of the guys on the team.”

“Offense,” Mick said to Flynn.

Flynn grimaced and Mick laughed.

“Why don’t you come, Flynn, and I’ll fix you up with someone?” Tara asked. “Amelia, you come, too.”

“Thank you, but I’ll be working,” Amelia said.

“If I have to go, so do you,” Flynn said. “So you get the night off.”

She was about to object, but it might be fun to see how Flynn managed being fixed up with one of Tara’s friends. So she nodded. “Thank you, Tara. I’d love to.”

“And this way it’ll give you a chance to meet some new people, too, Amelia.”

“Why don’t you fix her up with someone, too, Tara?” Flynn asked. “She doesn’t know that many people here.”

Amelia glared at Flynn before turning a gentle smile on Tara. “Oh, that’s not necessary.”

But Tara cast a bright smile in Amelia’s direction. “That’s actually a great idea. Dates for both of you at the party on Tuesday.”

She couldn’t very well say no since she’d just shoved Flynn into this. “Great. Thank you.”

But she did send a withering look at Flynn, who only smiled knowingly at her.

Bastard.

SIX

Amelia was in the midst of prepping boeuf bourguignon when the doorbell rang. She grabbed the towel to wipe her hands and went to the door. It was Laura.

“Hey, come on in. I thought you were working today.”

“I switched shifts with one of my coworkers who didn’t want to miss her daughter’s dance recital. So I’m on later, instead.”

“That means no wine for you. Too bad.” She took a sip from her glass and laid it on the island.

“What in the world are you making? Is that boeuf bourguignon?”

“It is. With a little twist here and there to make it my own.”

“Oh, my God. I’m so intrigued. And now I’m hungry.”

Amelia slid a cheese and cracker plate over toward Laura. “Have a snack. And there’s iced tea in the refrigerator.”

Laura grabbed a glass and poured herself some tea, then retrieved a small plate and piled it with cheese, crackers and the olives Amelia had prepared.

“So when you cook, you get hungry?”

Amelia grinned at her. “Absolutely. Which is why I have to have snacks nearby.”

She slid the casserole into the oven and set the timer, then pulled up a chair to the island and put some cheese and crackers onto her plate.

“How did the event go last night?”

“It went very well.” She filled Laura in on everything, including Flynn’s disastrous date, meeting Tara and Mick Riley and what happened after the party.

“So another woman decided camera time was more important than hanging out with that gorgeous hunk of man? What is wrong with women, anyway?”

“I have no idea. I’m truly flummoxed why so many women would risk a relationship with such a nice guy like Flynn to get some face time on camera. Do television cameras have some kind of bewitching quality we’re unaware of?”

“You’ve got me, honey. If someone stuck a camera in front of Jon, I’d run like hell to get away.”

“That’s because you’re special. And you love your husband.”

Laura popped an olive in her mouth. “I do love that man. So now you’ve got a date next week, too? Awesome.”

“Ugh. Not awesome. But there didn’t seem to be a polite way to get out of it.”

“Why would you even want to? This is your opportunity to meet new people. And a guy who might be perfect for you.”

“No guy is perfect.”

“Of course not. But some guy might be the right one for you.”

She sliced a piece of Gouda and laid it on a cracker. “That’s what I thought the first time. I was wrong. Clearly I have no intuition when it comes to men, and I’m not interested in trying again.”

“You’re burned, honey. I get it. But go anyway, have some fun. No one’s asking you to marry the guy on the first date. Even if you just find someone to have a hot fling with, it’s worth it. Don’t you miss sex?”




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