Page 69 of No Match Found
Of course not.
I opened the door.
“If I told you our maple bar secrets,” said Jill, “I’d have to kill you. And that would be a shame.”
“Not for my wallet, it wouldn’t be,” Grant replied, handing her his credit card.
“How about this?” She swiped it and handed it right back. “I’ll bring you a free bar tonight. That sound okay?”
My gaze sharpened. Tonight?
“More than okay,” he replied. “Does seven-thirty work?”
Jill looked at him in a way that made my stomach turn. “Perfect. See you then.”
Feeling like I might throw up even without a donut taste test, I turned to head out of the shop before either of them noticed me. Whether Grant planned to go out with his highest Matchify matches or not, he was clearly going out with women.
“Vivian!” Jill said in a bright, welcoming voice. “I’ve been hoping to see you.”
Grant’s head whipped around.
I didn’t meet his eye but forced a smile at her. “Good to see you, Jill.”
“You here for maple bars too?” she asked knowingly. “This man just took the last one.”
“I’m not here for maple bars,” I said, remembering the point of coming here. “I was hoping for an assorted dozen, actually.”
Her brows went up. “Branching out, are we? I sold the last of the apple fritters and blueberry glazed a few minutes ago, but I can grab fresh ones in the back. Just a second.” She waved at Grant, then slipped through the door and out of sight.
I fought the nausea in my stomach and turned to Grant. “Testing your maple bar dating theory?”
His expression was unreadable as he met my gaze. “Just had a craving.” He lifted the single maple bar he held.
“Interesting euphemism,” I teased. I would get through this interaction with my pride intact if I had to stuff two dozen stale apple fritters down my gullet. “Does this mean I get to come observe your date with Jill?”
“Do youwantto?”
In a way, I’d never wanted anything more, but I also wasn’t a glutton for punishment or a masochist. It was totally understandable that Grant was asking Jill out. He and I were incompatible. He claimed not to put much stock in the data, but inside, he felt it.
“It only seems fair, right?” I said. “Fortunately for you, I’ve got too much work on my plate to take the evening off, so I’ll just have to wait for the second date.”
Jill reappeared with one tray of apple fritters and one of glazed blueberry donuts. When she noticed Grant still there, a look of slight surprise crossed her face. “Did I forget to give you back your card?”
He looked at me for a second before turning to her. “Nope.”
“Good. See you later?”
Grant nodded. “See you later. Bye, Vivian.”
An overbright smile on my face, I waved and turned to Jill, who was putting together my assorted dozen, though her eyes were on the door as it shut.
“You two know each other?” she asked.
“We’ve been working together. Temporarily.”
“Oh! Small world.”
She didn’t realize that the only reason she knew Grant was because I’d brought him here.
