“He won’t take no for an answer, though, and it’s getting on my nerves.”

“I know the feeling,” Bennett said, huffing out a breath.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes. There’s a woman in my building who won’t take no for an answer either.”

“How so?”

“She keeps asking me out for a drink, and no matter how many times I say no, and no matter how many times I’m obnoxiously rude to her, she keeps on asking.”

Lisa was somewhere between being grateful the conversation had steered away from Jimmy and disheartened to hear Bennett’s lack of love life may be taking a turn. “Okay, so if she’s asking you out, I suppose that means she’s gay—huh?”

“Yes, she’s made that crystal clear. I’m surprised she doesn’t carry a placard.”

“So…um…is she ugly?”

“No, quite the opposite, actually. She is, however, a mortal, and becoming involved with a mortal always leads to problems. They’re curious, and if we did begin a relationship of sorts, hiding what I am could prove difficult, if not impossible, which opens yet another can of worms.”

“What do you mean?”

Bennett’s mind filled with memories of other mortal women, some full-bosomed and some not, some with flowing hair and others with dimples or freckles, and still others who were plain and earthy but marvelous, nonetheless.

Bennett scraped her hand through her hair. “If it’s all the same to you, I prefer not to go into the details,” she said quietly. “It doesn’t matter anyway because, after tonight, I doubt very seriously she’ll ever talk to me again.”

“Why? What did you do?”

“I told her she was hideous.”

“Wow, that’s rough,” Lisa said, glimpsing at Bennett.

“Well, nothing else was working, so I thought I’d try vile.”

“And did it work?”

“Too soon to tell, but by the look on her face, she was not happy.” Bennett frowned and became lost in her thoughts until she realized Lisa was talking. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“I said, she must be a new tenant because you’ve never mentioned her before.”

“Actually, she moved in a few days shy of fourteen months ago.”

Lisa gripped the wheel tighter. “Oh, I see.”

“Something wrong?”

“Nothing at all,” Lisa said, glancing in the rearview mirror. “But a ‘few days short of fourteen months ago’ means you noticed her on the day she moved in. I know you pay attention to everyone, Bennett, but not down to the flipping day.”

“And your point would be?”

“My point is this woman must have really turned your head if you remember the exact instant you saw her.”

“I already said she was attractive, and I also said she was a mortal, and the latter cancels out the former.”