Page 54 of Bronco

“Don’t tell me you’re gonna give this douchebag another shot once he’s over his fake flu?”

She balks, the hotdog halfway to her mouth. “He isn’t faking it. Katie said he’d been really sick, and why wouldn’t I give him another shot? He seems like a good guy.”

Uh, because I don’t like the idea? And the other day when you came and saved me from Cupcake, I really liked it…

“I’m just sayin’, you’re better off holdin’ out for someone who isn’t such a flake.”

“By the way, you still owe me one.”

I glance at her sideways. “What for?”

“Cupcake.”

I roll my eyes. “Are you still milkin’ that?”

“Thanks to me, everyone thinks we’re dating. The girls blew the chat up this morning. I had to let them down gently.”

“We should fake date,” I mutter. “It’ll keep all the creeps away.”

She whacks me in the arm. “I’ll be single forever if I bring you along to all my dates.”

“Maybe that’s a wise idea, then I can check out this Ben character and give you my unsolicited opinion of him. I’m pretty good with vibes.” I try not to grit my teeth when I say it.

“I’m a big girl, Bronc, I think I’ve got this.” She continues to eat while I think about her thinking about Ben. I wonder if she really wanted him to be here tonight instead of me. Is she disappointed? Which is a given because she seems pretty hell-bent on setting up another date with him.

“Still, you gotta ask yourself why the universe is keepin’ him at arm’s length,” I go on. “If it’s not workin’ out easily, then that could be a sign to stay away.”

She sighs. “If I listened to you, I’d be a freaking nun for the rest of my life.”

If it means not going on dates with other guys, then maybe that’s not a bad idea?

“That’s takin’ it a bit far. I know what guys are like, how they think.”

“Uh, huh, and how is that exactly?”

I give her a pointed look. “You know what I mean.”

She stares right back at me. “I’m pretty dumb, you might have to spell it out for me.”

“They think through their dicks.”

“And chicks can’t think through their anatomy as well?”

I frown. I hadn’t considered it before. “I guess they can…”

“So, in your argument, only guys are horny, and all they want is to get a chick into bed?”

“That’s pretty accurate for most single guys, and if you think some Prince Charming is out there, pretendin’ to be somethin’ else, then I’m sorry to burst the bubble, he isn’t. Or at least he could be, but he definitely has sex on the brain ninety percent of the time.”

She’s still staring at me when she says, “But you’re not like that.”

My eyes slide to hers. “How do you know? Maybe I am.”

“You have sex on your brain ninety percent of the time?” Her words go straight to my dick.

“Didn’t say that, but men are men.”

She giggles. My eyes grow wide. “I guess you have a point.” She waves a hand.

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