Page 36 of Make You Stay

My guess? She stopped by for a quickie, but I choose to keep that tidbit to myself.

“Ugh. Why did you go on a date with that woman?” Enid pipes up, shaking her head.

“I’m sure she’s not that bad, aside from being a lousy kisser,” I mutter, sending Aidan a conspiratorial wink.

Enid’s frown grows. “You kissed her? How is that even possible with those lips? I swear she has more Botox than a botulism lab. I do not approve, Aidan.”

“Noted, Enid.”

Enid stabs at her food, clearly agitated with his choice of dinner partner. “Are you going out with her again?”

The din quiets as Aidan glances at me. “I wasn’t planning on it.”

A surprising turn of events.

“How come?” I ask, trying to conceal the joy running rampant in my veins.

“She’s a nice woman, but I’m not interested in her. Not like that.”

“Which means,” Enid interjects, “you’re interested in someone else.”

There goes my damn heart again. Off to the races. “Are you?”

Aidan focuses his eyes on his plate, wiping his hands on his napkin before meeting my questioning gaze. “Yeah, I am, but it’s a complex situation. Still, she makes me feel…” he drifts off, averting his gaze.

I get it. This is one hell of a sticky subject.

“Can we talk about something other than my dating history?” Aidan inquires, earning a chuckle from Jeff.

“Fine,” Natalie shrugs, turning her attention to me. “We can discuss Chloe’s dating history. How was your date with Zeke?”

Oh, God. “Can we not talk about Zeke?”

“I second that motion,” Aidan mutters.

“Hmm. Is someone jealous?” Enid sends me a knowing look across the table, earning a guffaw from Aidan.

“Of Zeke? Please.”

“No, of Zeke dating Chloe.”

Aidan sets his fork down, sending a scowl toward Enid’s end of the table. “They’re not dating.”

“We aren’t dating.” Perhaps my admission might stop this runaway train of a conversation.

“The women in town love him,” Enid interjects. It’s obvious she’s trying to get a rise out of her ex, and judging by his flared nostrils, it’s working.

“The women in town have all had him.”

Enid’s blue eyes flash with mischief as she looks at me. “Is he a lousy kisser too, Chloe?”

“She wouldn’t know.” Thanks for that save, Aidan.

“Excuse me, Aidan, were you on the date with her?”

“We discussed our dates. It’s what neighbors do. Pass the biscuits.”

“I think you and Chloe should date.” Natalie’s statement is followed by a silence that is louder than a shotgun blast, broken only by Enid’s tittering.

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