With Bael’s admonishments in mind, Zed cleared his throat and asked, “Dani, I like you, a lot. I think you’re beautiful and funny and you sort of scare me sometimes, which I think is awesome. I would like to date you. I would like to take you to dinner, or even cook you dinner, if that’s what you want. I would like to spend time with you and get to know you better. I would like it if some of that time was spent naked, but if that’s not okay with you, that’s fine, too. Anything you’re comfortable with, that’s what I want.”

Dani’s happy, relaxed expression sort of melted off her face and was replaced by discomfort.

Shit.

He had miscalculated.

Also, Bael was an idiot.

“I don’t really date. Anyone,” she said. “It’s not you, it’s me. If you want to get together for sex sometime, I’m okay with that. I mean, more than okay, I’d be thrilled. But I’ve got a job to do here and I don’t really have time for distractions like dating and dinners.”

“Wait, what?”

“Call me if you’re up for it. I need to get to work,” Dani said, hopping up from her seat. “You can eat the rest of the blueberry.”

“I do not understand what is happening here,” Zed replied.

Zed turned back to the booth where Bael and Jillian were sitting, both grimacing in the face of his rejection. Zed threw his arms up into the air.

Siobhan passed by on her way to refilling Earl Webster’s coffee and put a stick of butter on the counter next to Dani’s abandoned plate.

“I don’t put butter on my pie, Miss Siobhan, that is morally wrong,” said Zed.

Siobhan scoffed. “I know, it’s to go on that sick burn that girl just gave you.”

9

Dani

Gramma had always encouraged Dani to give people second chances, even if they made bad first impressions, to grow on her and possibly develop a friendship you might have otherwise missed out on.

But the more Dani got to know Maureen, the more she did not like Maureen. If anything, Dani’s first impression of her had been an understatement. Maureen inquired multiple times how Dani managed to find hiking pants “in your size,” with an insulting emphasis on “your.” Maureen constantly brought up techniques and theories Dani had never heard of in an attempt to intimidate her. She was condescending and insulting in that subtle, stinging way that was supposed to make Dani feel inept and unprofessional. Instead, it just pissed her off.