“All right. The boy got her number. They’re going to dinner.” Collette unfolds her tired body from the chair. “Can we leave now? Mr. Bennet is probably wondering where I am by now.”

Jasper furrows his brows together and aims confused eyes at me.

“Her cat.” I mouth my answer to his unasked question.

“Fine.” Ethel rolls her eyes before grabbing her purse off the table and pulling the long strap over her shoulder. “Such a party pooper. You know Mr. Bennet only cares about you in the morning when he wants to be fed. Now, a dog, there’s real loyalty and love.”

“I’m not having this conversation with you again, Ethel Morris. You like needy, you get a dog. I don’t like that crap, I got a cat.” She starts to the front of the store, their familiar argument following them out. “We’re old, for Christ’s sake. What would I look like getting yanked around the neighborhood walking that big mutt of yours?”

Thankfully, before we can hear any more, the door slams shut behind them and they’re out of the store.

“Are you good closing on your own?” Vivian asks. “I can stay and help clean up if you need.”

I look behind me, pretending to put thought into her question to avoid getting scolded again for brushing her off.

“Thank you for offering, but it looks like Dani got most of it taken care of.” It’s not a lie. Dani is my number one for a reason: she’s a lifesaver. “I’m just going to finish up a few things in my office.”

“Okay then.” She turns her smile to Jasper. “Then will you be the gentleman we know you are and walk some old ladies to their cars?”

“There’s nothing I’d enjoy more,” Jasper says. And with a move I’ll probably dream about later, he lifts his elbows, making room for two Dirty Birds to latch on, which they do without any further encouragement.

Mona leads the way as I follow them to the door, trying not to laugh at the lovestruck expressions Vivian and Beth are both wearing, and quickly lock the door behind them.

“Soooo . . .” Dani crosses the room to stand next to me. “Wanna tell me what happened back there?”

“Absolutely not.” Even if I did want to, I’m not sure I could articulate what happened. “But I’m pretty sure I got swindled by the Dirty Birds.”

“Oh, so nothing new?”

And that about sums it up.

I knew tonight was not going to go according to plan, but I don’t think even Jasper Williams, Author, could have seen that plot twist coming.

CHAPTER 6

Yoga was perfect.