Page 60 of The Deal Breaker
“He’s an excellent chef.”
“Still, no Iris.”
“Did you taste the BBQ?” Dash asked. “It’s some of the best I’ve had.”
“It’s not bad,” Blaise admitted. “But where are the pulled pork sliders?”
Someone laughed—Wes. The women must be keeping him entertained.
“Tony came up with the menu.” Truthfully, Dash missed the sliders, too. But he’d wanted to see what Tony came up with on his own. “You won’t go hungry.”
“That’s true.” Blaise leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Just make sure Iris gives Tony the slider recipe.”
Dash laughed. “Will do.”
Blaise’s face brightened. “And there’s my lovely wife and Iris.”
As Iris came toward Dash, his breath caught in his throat. She wore a pair of jeans with a long-sleeved shirt. Her hair was in a ponytail, which was typical when she cooked, only she wasn’t wearing the apron she’d had on earlier.
His heart went pitter-patter in a way it hadn’t before.
Not the reaction he was expecting.
He rocked back on his heels, trying to look cool, when his temperature had shot up ten degrees in the last two seconds.
He gulped from his soda can.
Hadley slid next to Blaise. “Iris gave me the recipe for her famous sliders, so you can stop grumbling.”
Blaise made a face. “I wasn’t—”
“Yes, you were,” Dash joked, trying to downplay his sweaty palms. He wiped one on his jeans, transferred his drink into that hand, and then brushed his other hand on his thigh.
Hadley kissed Blaise’s cheek. “It doesn’t matter now because now you can have sliders whenever you want.”
“Thanks, Iris.” Blaise put his arm around Hadley. “We owe you.”
Iris smiled. “I’m always happy to help.”
Was she? Because her smile looked forced. She also kept toying with the edge of her shirt. Dash didn’t like how uncomfortable she appeared when today was supposed to be fun.
“Glad to hear that.” Hadley beamed. “And I hope you’ll help me out.”
“Uh-oh.” Blaise laughed. “What are you planning now?”
“Matchmaking world domination.” Hadley did a dab, mimicking a play they’d shown on the pregame show. “What can I say except Iris is the perfect match for a new client.”
Wait a minute. Dash focused on Hadley. “Match?”
Hadley’s grin suggested she knew a secret. “As soon as I met this guy, I thought of Iris.”
No way.Dash had just gotten his friend back. He didn’t want to share her with some guy she was dating.
Uh-oh.Hadley was known as the wife finder. Her client was probably looking for more than a girlfriend. And if he hit it off with Iris…
A pressure built in Dash’s chest.
“That’s why you’re the best at what you do despite Henry’s claims.” Blaise beamed with pride at his wife before looking at Iris. “Being talked into doing that questionnaire on Christmas could turn into something, after all.”
