Page 8 of Suits and Spark Plugs

“Pretty much, except for the dressed to kill part.”

“You said you got cleaned up.”

“Right. As in I changed into clothes that didn’t smell like fries and ran my fingers through my hair.”

I shook my head, still baffled by both her bravery and his rejection. “And he told you he wasn’t interested?”

“Yep. But he was really nice about it.”

“So you aren’t going out with him?”

“Nope.” She sighed and went back to her work.

I picked my silverware back up too, although I wasn’t really focused on it. “I’m not sure what I’m more surprised about. The way you just marched right in there, or the fact he didn’t take you up on your offer.”

“He’s not the first guy I’ve chased down. I hardly even get nervous anymore. Although, you’re starting to make me wonder ifI’mthe first woman he’s ever turned down.” Kelly’s lips pinched.

I wasn’t about to hurt her by telling her that to my knowledge, shewasthe first woman playboy Connor Hunt had ever turned down. “He must have a girlfriend we don’t know about.”

“He doesn’t. I asked.”

You could have shoved my entire fist in my mouth, it opened so widely. “You asked?”

“Well, sure. I mean if a guy’s going to turn me down when I went to the effort of combing my hair, then I want a reason.”

She had a point. Kelly’s naturally bright red hair was just as curly as mine. While I chose to leave mine short, she let hers grow long. It practically had a life it its own, but it so perfectly suited her that I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

“Did he give you one?”

“Yep. He said he had a feeling we’d make great friends, but not a great couple. He asked me if I wanted to get lunch sometime. I said yes.”

“Lunch?” I was struggling to keep up. “After he turned you down for a date, he asked you to lunch?”

“Yes, lunch. Lunch is for friends. Dinner is for couples. Everyone knows this. So, we’re going out to lunch together tomorrow.”

My mouth opened and closed twice before I could come up with a response. “You’re going to have lunch with Connor tomorrow, because friends have lunch together and he thinks you two would be good friends?”

“Yep.”

“I...wow.”

“Think of it this way—lunch or dinner, I still get to look at him across the table, and even friends can look if they don’t touch.”

I laughed out loud at that, shoulders shaking. “Oh my gosh, Kelly. I can’t believe you.”

“Hey, I’m just trying to live my best, most authentic life.”

She joined me in laughing until our sides were sore and Jake had to come tell us to get back to work. When Jake went back to the kitchen I made her reenact the scene for me, which involved her hamming it up by walking down the aisle between booths shaking her hips and puffing up her lips as she begged an imaginary Connor to take her out. This, of course, resulted in more laughter and another rebuke from our boss. It was worth it.

CHAPTER THREE

Igroaned as the sound of my cell phone ringing pulled me out of my head the next morning. It sat chirping away on my bed, and for a moment I debated just not answering. I was standing in front of a paint canvas that I’d finished the background on only moments before. Swirls of blue, purple, and black created the backdrop of the theatre stage that I was recreating. I was getting ready to mix in some white and yellow streams of light to filter in from the top. My mind was filled with the colors I remembered from that magical performance.

The phone chirped again, and I let out a deep breath. I didn’t get phone calls often, so it usually meant it was something important. I set down the palette, keeping it carefully balanced so the brush wouldn’t roll off, and padded across the room to my bed while I wiped paint off my fingertips onto the stained apron I was wearing.

“Hi,” I answered.

“Hello,” Blaine’s voice greeted. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”

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