Page 11 of Here & Now

“His name is Zane, and the first time we met, he saved my suitcase from rolling into the street.”

Ivy laughed.

“Since then, he caught me spying on him in the lanai, which wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t tripped over a chair.”

Ivy laughed even louder.

“That’s not all.”

“There’s more?”

“Tonight I went to The Mucky Duck for dinner, and he was there with a date. Somebody bought my meal, and I assumed it was him.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“He was on a date!”

“Oh, right.”

“The embarrassing part was, when I confronted him, he insisted he didn’t buy my meal.”

“Who did?”

“I have no idea!”

Ivy chuckled again. “Sorry, sis, but it is pretty funny.”

“Maybe to you, but I’m the one who has to face him.”

“What does he look like?”

“You would probably think he was hot.”

“What do you think?”

Bree shifted uncomfortably. “He’s okay, I guess.”

“Just okay?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not here to make friends.”

“It might be a nice distraction.”

“I don’t need that kind of distraction.”

At that moment, a light flicked on in Zane’s lanai, and the patio door slid open.

“Ivy, I’ll call you back,” Bree said in a rush.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, but I have to go.”

“Okay…”

Bree disconnected and sank further into the chair as Zane and his guest stepped onto his lanai.

A woman’s voice carried across the yard. “Wow! This is gorgeous.”