“It’s great,” I say. “If I manage to keep the lease, that is.”

Garrett raises an eyebrow. “Didn’t you sign a one-year contract?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know if Leslie told you… I also made a bet.”

My friend smiles. “I might’ve heard something. Any luck with the agency so far?”

“My last date was with a Flat Earther,” I say.

“Oh.” Garrett laughs wholeheartedly. “You didn’t tell me about that one.”

“No, because you would’ve spilled everything to Leslie and, by transitive property, Vivian.”

“Man, I don’t have secrets with my fiancée. And it’s not my fault women talk.”

“To that effect, did you hear anything about Vivian’s date last night?”

Garrett studies me for a few long seconds, before saying, “Turned out he was a real creep. The dude brought his mother along to vet Vivian.”

Oh, I’d pay to see how that played out. Tension releases in my shoulders, and I let out a long breath. The world is a better place now.

“You seem relieved, man,” Garrett says.

“Yeah.” I shrug, trying to keep my attitude casual. “Because of the bet.”

“Of course,” Garrett says. “The bet.”

Is he being sarcastic?

“Yeah, I’d like to keep my office. Better even, I want the corner one.”

“So your curiosity has nothing to do with Vivian, the woman?”

“No, not at all.”

“And you still don’t like her?”

“Absolutely not.”

Garrett raises that mocking eyebrow again. “Is that why you kissed her?” he asks, then takes another sip of beer.

Oh, for crying out loud, can’t a man have any privacy?

He sees my expression and laughs. “Sorry, buddy. Like I said, women talk. Last night, Lee almost broke her neck running to tell me the news the moment she got off the phone with Vivian.” He stares me down. “Are you sure there’s nothing else going on?”

“Nothing,” I say, adamant. “I don’t know what possessed me last night, but I don’t like her. Besides, I’m going on a date tomorrow night with another woman, possibly my future wife.”

Jennifer called me earlier, announcing she’d managed to arrange a last-minute match for me.

“Okay, okay.” Garrett raises his hands defensively. “I’m just saying that if you did like her, there’d be nothing wrong with that. Vivian is a wonderful person. She’s beautiful, fun, kind…”

In my head, I continue the list of her qualities, and stubborn, and impossible to deal with, and the best kiss I’ve ever had, and—No wait, forget that last one!

“She’d be a real steal,” Garrett continues. “And Lee and I always thought you guys would make a perfect match.”

Yeah, I comment in my head, when hell freezes over.