Page 22 of The Good Guy on My Porch

“I could definitely use it. But I can’t afford it.”

She sipped her fruity tea and considered me. “What if I did a consultation, made some suggestions, showed you what I could do for you? If you still think you can afford not to hire me after that, fine, as long as you talk me up to other local businesses.”

“I can do that,” I said. “Could you freelance? Offer marketing services for on-line ventures?”

She bit her bottom lip. “I’ve been looking into that and it’s definitely on my list of possibilities. I guess I’m just exploring all my options before I start putting a lot of time and energy into one avenue.”

“Makes sense. You sure you want to talk business on a date?”

She pursed her lips. “I do think we should give this set-up our full effort for Aubrey’s sake. I’m here until Tuesday. How about we focus on the date today and I’ll meet you at your spa to talk business tomorrow?”

“Are you from Richmond originally?” I asked.

She launched into a story about her childhood. She’d moved around a lot as a kid, and she had some hilarious stories. She kept me laughing until we were both hungry and decided dinner was a good idea. She asked me questions about my own childhood and we worked our way through all the typical first date questions. She was outdoorsy like me and we decided our next date, when she was back in town in a couple of weeks, should be a hike. Aubrey was right, on paper Lara was perfect for me.

Which was why, when we stepped onto the street outside the bistro, I pulled her close and kissed her. She responded immediately and wrapped her arms around my neck. For a moment, I forgot about Dilly and got lost in a truly excellent kiss.

Lara pulled away first, her smile wide. “I had a great time tonight, Oscar. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

I walked her to her car and watched her drive away. I did not think that Dilly’s petite figure was more alluring, even though Lara had all the curves and the long legs that society said made a woman more attractive. I did not think that Lara’s choice of a large salad for dinner was far less interesting than a monster cone. I didn’t think any of those things, because Aubrey had picked well. Lara really was a perfect match for me and I knew, if I hadn’t met Dilly first, I’d be chasing Lara down and inviting her back to my place or at least looking forward to our next date with something less like dread. I sighed and started the walk home.

I was halfway down the walk to the duplex before I noticed Dilly on the porch. She wasn’t alone, and she looked uncomfortable and worried.

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