I thought about the notebook I’d kept while I was trying to navigate the personal ads. A page for each of my dates, rated with hand-drawn stars and flags. So many red flags billowed across the tops of the pages that it looked like a sale at a car dealership.

Maxwell, the guy who said he looked a little bit like Hemingway. George from Hanover, who was looking for a relationship one day a month, no strings, no commitments. Ben, who grew his own alfalfa sprouts. The guy looking for a plus-sized Woman, that I’d briefly considered partly because I liked the way he capitalized Woman, but mostly because I could eat a lot. Ray Santia, the former almost hockey star I’d almost slept with.

Bob Connor, the parent of one of my students I shouldn’t have slept with. His tousled curls, his green green eyes and twisted front tooth, his bad little boy allure. The way he’d charmed the pants off of me, literally. And then, wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am, it was as if once he’d slept with me, I no longer existed. There was simply one fewer name on the list of women he hadn’t been with yet.

These guys were amateurs next to Polly’s ex. But I’d figured out the Galen lesson already: If it looks too good to be true, it is.

Galen nodded as if even my silence was captivating. “You and Polly work together?”

“Yeah.”

He smiled some more, the spider lounging back against his web like it was a hammock, knowing he could have me at any moment.

“I’d like to say thank you,” I said, “for reminding me how lucky I am to have found a nice, normal guy who isn’t flashy or smooth or perfect, but who really loves me and is almost always there for me.”

Boom. Just like that the light went out behind those eyes. No more frivolities. Galen was completely over me. Restless already.

I could actually see him scrambling for a new angle. What can I get here?

Galen crossed his legs, leaned back to control the entire armchair. “Why don’t we just do a non-invasive DNA prenatal paternity test since I’m here anyway. Not that I think there’s any doubt, but maybe you could grab some samples from those clowns rolling around on the floor while you’re at it.”

“Good idea. I think we probably have enough alleged fathers to get a group rate.” I smiled sweetly. “Don’t you just love a bargain?”

We stared at each other. It was a face-off, a dominance game, and there was no way in hell I was letting him be the Alpha. We held our gaze for a second, maybe two. And then Polly’s wasband blinked slowly, deliberately, and looked away, making it clear that it was his choice not to play anymore, and a disdainful one at that.