My car didn’t stink like little boy.
Well, not as much as before.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever get that smell out…
“Hey,” I said, collaring Oliver after he was done speaking to one of the other moms. “Do you have a sec?”
“Sure. What’s up?” He walked off to the side with me.
“I was wondering if I could interview you.”
“I knew you were going to say that,” he groaned.
I gave him my best smile. “Please. You’re such a big part of the center and do such a great job with all these kids. It won’t be anything insanely long, and I’m going to ask all the main coaches and trainers.”
“What kind of questions?”
“A little background, how you ended up working here, and why you do it. Stuff like that. Strictly professional with a sprinkling of personal.”
He looked at me, meeting my gaze with eyes that weren’t quite blue but weren’t quite green. They hovered somewhere in the middle, like a hazel with a variation of flecks in it. “Do I get a lunch meeting for this interview?”
Whoa.
“Do you want a lunch meeting for the interview?” I raised my eyebrows. “Or are you taking a cheap shot at asking me out?”
Oliver’s tongue ran over his lower lip, and he grinned. “What if I am?”
“Then it means you’re paying instead of me.”
He laughed, and it was deep and guttural and did things to me that were not appropriate to feel right now. “Bloody hell, talk about backing a guy into a corner.”
Dipping my head, I laughed, pushing my wayward bit of hair from my eyes once more. “I’m messing with you. If a lunch meeting is easier for you, we can schedule something soon.” I opened my purse and pulled out my card. “Let me know when you’re free and we’ll work it out.”
Oliver took the card and looked at it, then tucked it into his pocket. “I’ll do just that.”
“C’mon, Mom, let’s go!” Leo burst back into the hall and tugged at my sleeve. “Mommm! I’m hungry!”
“Guess that’s my cue.” I smiled at Oliver. “We’ll see you Wednesday.”
He returned my smile before turning to Leo. “Good job. Keep practicing in your garden and you’ll be David de Gea two-point-oh in no time.”
“It’s a garden, not a yard!” Leo laughed. “Mommmm. Hungry.”
“All right, monster, let’s go.” I pulled him into my side and guided him toward the door. “What do you want to eat? Burgers? Shall we go and see Uncle Tony at Bronco’s? It’s still early. I bet he’ll let you sit at the bar.”
Leo gasped. “You think? Aunt Jasmine never lets me sit at the bar!”
“I think if you ask nicely enough.” I grinned as we headed out to the parking lot. “If not, you can tell him that Aunt Jasmine lets you and he’ll do it to be the best.”
He nodded and climbed into the car.
It probably wasn’t the best idea to teach my kid how to blackmail people, but it was too late now.
“Hey, Momma?”
“Yeah, buddy?”
“Did you give Ollie your phone number?”
I laughed. “I gave him my card. It’s all for work, okay? I’m doing articles on the sports center and I want to interview him.”
“Oh, okay. I thought you were going to kiss him and that’s gross.”
“Uh, no. I can confirm I have no plans to kiss Ollie, okay?”
“Okay. Can we get food now? My tummy is bumbling.”
“Rumbling.”
“See? I’m so hungry my words are wrong.”
I backed up out of the parking space with a quiet laugh. “All right, all right. Let’s get you some food.”
CHAPTER THREE – LONDON
RULE THREE: NOBODY CARES YOUR SON IS PRACTICALLY A SOCCER PRODIGY.
IRONICALLY, THAT’S HOW YOU KNOW WHO NOT TO DATE.
“Ugh, he’s hot.” Piper set a coffee down in front of me. “Did you really tease him about a date?”
I almost rolled my eyes. “He asked if he got a lunch meeting, too. What else was I supposed to say?”
“Tell him yes it was a date. I’d smack a man with my left boob to have a date with him.”
“I’m sure if you asked Dylan or Sebastian nicely they’d let you smack them.”
“Eh, too much effort to undo the bra, isn’t it? Hold on.” She turned back to the counter, exchanged a few words with Felicity, then made a coffee and joined me. “Okay, that’s better.”
“Did you just palm your job off on your employee?”
“That’s why you have employees, London. To make them work when you don’t want to.” She grinned. “Would going on a date with Oliver be the worst thing?”
“How did we get here? I’m barely tolerating speed dating right now, let alone actually getting involved with someone. Besides, it’s not that simple.”
“I know. Leo’s a real wrench in your plans for sexual gratification, isn’t he?”
I shook my head, laughing. “Something like that. I’m happy to dip my toes in the dating pool, but I’m not going to burst into something, especially with someone I barely know.”
“It’s hard, I know. Has Holley roped you into another round of speed dating?”
“More Aunt Jasmine. She bribed me with Uncle Tony looking after Leo, but since it’s Friday night I don’t know if he’ll be able to.”
“Why not?”
“Chris is coming to town.”
“Ouch.”
“Yep.” I gave her a quick rundown of the conversation we’d had two days ago. “So I don’t know exactly what’s happening, but we’ll figure it out.”
“Perfect time for a date.”
“Don’t you start. Why don’t you go on a date if you’re so obsessed with the idea of it?”
“Because she’s being awkward.” Felicity grinned, coming over. “Can I get you anything else?”
“I’m waiting for Sebastian,” I replied. “We have a working lunch.”
“Fun. Piper, I need to put some more pastries in the oven.”
Piper nodded and finished her coffee. “I’ve got the counter. Did you make them already?”
“I did. They’re ready to go in, just need a minute to do it.”
“Perfect. Okay, I’ll be right there.” She smiled and got up. “I think you should totally think about making that lunch meet a date.”
“I think you should go and do your job,” I said dryly.
Felicity’s laughter echoed from the kitchen, and Piper rolled her eyes as she headed back toward the counter.
I pulled my phone out of my purse to check it. There was a link from Chris that showed me the place he was renting. It was nicer than my actual house, which really just showed how different our lives were. I texted him to say that was a good spot and that I’d make sure Leo was around tonight so they could video chat.
“How’s my favorite person?” Seb slipped into the seat opposite me that Piper had recently vacated.