Page 53 of Must Be Love - Irresistible Bachelors

My breathing starts to calm down.

“No, he hasn’t.”

“Exactly. I bet AJ is doing these private dates because he wants to get to know you better. He’s not hiding you; he’s just trying to learn about you. That’s hard to do with a ton of people around. I much prefer being with Jack at our house than going out.”

“I agree with Daisy. There’s no reason to believe AJ is anything like your ex. I’m sure he’ll take you on more public dates, too, but for now, don’t freak out about the private ones. I’d take it as a compliment. He’s not afraid to be alone with you.”

The fear isn’t gone, but it dissipates. I’m lucky to be surrounded by people who know exactly what to say to make me feel better.

I refuse to worry about this. AJ isn’t a bad guy. He likes me. I have a hundred reasons to believe that.

Just because we’ve never been in public together doesn’t mean he doesn’t have feelings for me.

“You okay?” Nicole asks.

I nod. “Thanks, guys. Sorry I freaked out.”

They pull me in for a group hug.

“It’s okay. That’s what we’re here for.”

“I love you both. Can we talk about something else now? We’ve still got fifteen minutes before we have to go back to work.”

Daisy groans. “Don’t remind me. I’m going to be on calls all day trying to push these new products.”

“It’s a good thing the marketing team did such a great job making them enticing to stores.”

“True. I know you’re joking, but the ads really do help. We incorporate some of your ad copy in our spiels when we’re struggling.”

“Wow, really?” I ask. “I didn’t know that.”

“Yeah. It helps trigger a memory for the buyer, and you guys are so good at being creative.”

I put my hand over my heart. “Aw, Daisy. Thank you.”

“Our teams work together for a reason. We’re the numbers people; you’re the creative ones. We couldn’t do what we do without you.”

“And vice versa,” I say. I hold up my soda in a toast. “To teamwork!”

The girls laugh, but they clink their cups against mine and sip from their own drinks.

“Oh!” Daisy says. “I saw the funniest video the other day. I have to show it to you.”

She busies herself on her phone while Nicole and I eat our sandwiches. Daisy finds the video and plays it for us. It shows some cute dogs riding skateboards. I wouldn’t call it the funniest video, but Daisy has a weird sense of humor, and I love her for it.

“That’s great,” Nicole says. Then she frowns. “I wish I could have a dog.”

“Me, too,” I sigh. “I’ve always wanted one.”

That’s one of the many problems with living in New York City apartments. Technically, Nicole and I are allowed to have dogs, but it wouldn’t be fair to have a pet in our small living spaces. We work too much to walk a dog as often as it deserves.

Once I become stay-at-home mom, I want at least two dogs.

AJ’s house would be perfect for pets. I wonder if he would get mad if we had dogs in the house. Would he be against pet hair?

That’s something we need to discuss. I can’t be with someone who doesn’t want multiple animals running around with our children.

My heart clenches. What will I do if he says he hates dogs? I could try to change his mind, but he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to be easily swayed. I hope AJ wants a house full of pets and kids, so I don’t have to lose him over it. Maybe I could just sneak some dogs into the house.

My face gets hot again. I’m really thinking about living with AJ when we’ve only been on one-and-a-half dates? I’m so far gone right now. This is dangerous.

“Amber, I’ve been meaning to tell you, your skin looks amazing.”

I stroke my cheek. “Wow, thank you! I can’t believe you noticed.”

Nicole swallows a bite of her sandwich. “I guess the serum is working?”

I nod enthusiastically. “It’s working better than I expected it to. My face has never felt this smooth.”

“Can I touch it?” Daisy asks. “Sorry if that sounds weird, but it looks so good. Mine is crap compared to yours.”

I lean forward so Daisy can stroke my face. Before using the serum, I never would have allowed this to happen. I didn’t even like my ex-boyfriends touching my skin because I was so embarrassed by it. Now, I feel like I can flaunt my skin. It’s like I’m a new person.

“Wow. I need to get some of this serum.”

“I’ll get AJ to give you samples when it’s approved.”

Daisy grins. “Perfect. I’m holding you to that, I hope you know. You don’t get to be the only one with great skin around here.”

“I want some, too!” Nicole says. “Share the wealth, Amber.”

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