“You and Maddie—my best friend. You’ll be working a lot with her the next couple of weeks, so I hope you hit it off.”

“Oh, yes, of course. Me, too.”

She saw Stuart beaming next to him and narrowed her eyes.

“Excuse me a sec, guys,” Jai said, standing up. “I’m going to go in back and call her to see if she’s on her way. It might make more sense to have her meet us at the restaurant.”

He stood and fought his way through the crowded room toward the back hall. Once out of sight, Ryann leaned forward, motioning Stuart to do the same.

“You two better not be doing what I think you’re doing,” she said.

“And what would that be?” he replied, one eyebrow raised.

“Setting me up with Maddie.”

“Who said anything about setting you up?”

“I see some wild scheme in your eyes, Stuart. I swear to God, if you planned this whole thing—”

He laughed. “Sure, Ryann. We planned an entire wedding so we could set you up with our friend.”

Her blood pressure lowered, and she leaned back, drinking her beer. Of course Stuart would never do something like that to her. He couldn’t possibly think she’d sunk so far or become so desperate. She smiled weakly at him, trying to apologize with her gaze, and he lifted his glass in a mock salute, draining it before setting it down.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m being stupid.”

“Still…” Stuart said.

“What?”

“She is your type.”

She launched to her feet and slammed her hands on the table. “Goddamn it, Stuart—”

“Whoa! I’m sorry,” a woman’s voice said next to them. “Am I interrupting something?”

She glared over at the woman, ready to snap at the interruption, but her voice caught in her throat. It was the same handsome butch she’d seen this morning at the bus station, collecting letters. The one who winked at her twice.

“Hi,” the woman said, holding out her hand. “I’m Maddie.”

Chapter Four

Ryann’s mouth snapped shut, and she stared at Maddie for an awkward length of time, long enough for Maddie’s happy expression to falter with uncertainty. Finally, Ryann’s brain kicked in, and she held her hand out to the other woman, adding her usual boardroom smile.

“I’m Ryann. Nice to meet you.”

Maddie’s grin broadened, and the grip with her gloved hand was solid, almost hard. “You, too. If I’d known who you were, I would have given you a ride this morning. I almost offered anyway. You seemed a little…lost.”

Ryann sat back down. Maddie, strangely, sat next to her rather than on Stuart’s side. Stuart was peering back and forth at them, obviously confused.

“We saw each other in passing this morning,” Ryann explained. “At the bus station.”

“I was doing a letter pickup,” Maddie added.