Page 32 of Enchant Me

I’m about to offer more sympathy, but Ronnie races up to our blanket, her dark curls bouncing. “Aunt Cassidy,” she says, her voice stern and her hands on her hips. “You promised to hang out with us!”

“And duty calls,” Cass says, rising.

As she goes off to hang with the kids, Jamie catches my eye. “Too bad Cass isn’t bi. We could set her up with Eli Jones,” she says, referring to the movie star who lives next door. Or so I’ve been told. In all this time, I’ve only seen him a dozen or so times, and spoken to him fewer than three. The man is a mystery, but he’s also a great neighbor just by virtue of being so absent.

“If we’re hooking Cass up, it should be with Ollie,” I say.

“Good point,” Jamie concedes. “Besides, from what I hear around town, Eli is doing fine on his own.”

“I can’t believe Ollie’s still single,” Sylvia says.

Jamie and I exchange glances. “We’re beginning to think he will be forever.”

“No one can top Nikki,” Jamie adds.

I roll my eyes as Sylvia adds, “No woman, anyway.”

I frown, looking at her over the top of my sunglasses. “What?”

She shrugs. “Nothing. I just thought Ollie was gay the first time I met him. The picture’s stuck.”

That one knocks me back. I’d never gotten that vibe from Ollie, and I’ve known him almost my entire life.

“Or bi,” Sylvia continues. “I mean, there’s no denying he was gone on you. It irritated the crap out of Damien,” she adds with a small shake of her head.

Sylvia used to work Damien’s desk. Back then she was as discreet as could be, and I never realized just how much she knew from that vantage point. Now I know differently. Which, considering some remarkably delicious moments between Damien and me in his office, would embarrass the shit out of me if we weren’t such good friends.

“Like I said, it’s just a vibe.”

Jamie and I meet each other’s eyes. “It’s an interesting theory,” I admit. “But why wouldn’t he tell us?”

“Just because Syl knows doesn’t mean Ollie does,” Jamie says, and I have to concede the point. “I’m pretty sure his roommate at Quantico was gay,” she adds. “Maybe they had a wild affair.”

“Jamie…”

“Just speculating. I mean, they seemed to get along great.”

“You met him?” I ask.

“Remember? Ryan had lunch with one of his FBI buddies on our last trip to New York. Ollie was in town, too, so he joined us, and the ex-roomie came, too. He works in Jersey and they’re still friends. Damn, I can’t remember his name.”

“Just friends?” Sylvia asks.

“Well, they didn’t go at it on the lunch table if that’s what you mean.”

“I’m very glad to hear it,” I say. “Restaurants frown on that kind of thing. And as much as I want Ollie hooked up and happy, his love life is the last thing I want to talk about on a Sunday at the beach. We can analyze the shit out of him the next time we go out for dinner. Or, better yet, for drinks.”

“Speaking of, are we doing a bachelorette party?” Sylvia asks.

“Hell to the yes!”

“James, I’m already married.”

She shrugs. “So? We go to a strip club, Damien gets all hot and bothered knowing some guy is grinding in your face, and you get fucked like never before that night.”

Because she’s Jamie, I know she’s trying to make me blush, but I just smile sweetly. “Except I can get that without some random guy grinding in my face. Believe me when I say that Damien —”

“Lalalalala.” Sylvia sticks her fingers in her ears. “Hello, people. Brother-in-law and boss. I do not need to hear that.”