Tags:
Contemporary Romance,
Romantic Comedy,
reunited lovers,
matchmaker,
Entangled,
samanthe beck,
Lovestruck,
bartender,
Megan Erickson,
Breaking the Bachelor,
Maggie Kelley,
Smart Cupid
little sister, I’d be obliged to take you to a stag party or plan a guy’s weekend of poker and highlight reels.”
“Now there is some real emotional honesty.”
Nick clapped him on the shoulder a second time. “I love you, bro.”
He shrugged him off with a laugh. “Get out of here.”
“You want my honest advice?”
Most of his life, Nick’s honest advice had gotten him into a whole lot of trouble. He took a pull from his beer, and said, “No.”
Nick made a mocking sound in the back of his throat. “Save it for someone who doesn’t know you so well. Get it together and go for it. Before one of you totally fucks it up.”
Because six full months of no contact wasn’t fucked up enough? Okay, sure Nick had kept him up to date, and he’d followed Jane on Twitter and Facebook—not stalker style, just browsing enough to keep current. He liked to think there was a reason neither of them had unfriended the other, or completely severed all connection. “Sounds like you’re spouting advice on romance.”
“Hey, don’t give me any shit,” Nick said. “It’s totally magnanimous of me to offer my blessing. Even Jake is okay with it, despite being like a romance terrorist since his divorce.”
“What happened to me being a good guy and a good catch?”
Nick only arched a brow. Right. It was his sister.
Charlie nodded dutifully, despite the guilt taking residence in his gut. “Not fucking it up.”
“Yeah, well, here’s your chance to prove it.” Nick jerked his head toward the front of the bar, but Charlie didn’t need the warning. His Janey-sense tingled loud and clear.
“Don’t worry. I can handle your sister.”
At least, he sure as hell hoped so.
“If you say so.” Nick picked up his suede jacket, dragged it across his shoulders and headed toward the door. “By the way, you owe me another round.”
“Double or nothing,” he called to his friend’s retreating back.
Nick offered a short wave over his shoulder, stopped to kiss his sister on the cheek, and took off through the front door. Coward .
Charlie stood at the back of the bar and took in the sight of her standing in the threshold of the front door, looking sexier in a white button-down than any woman had a right to look. He gave her a short smile and a nod.
“Couldn’t stay away, could you, angel?” he murmured to himself. Exactly what he’d been counting on. This was going to be all too easy. Like taking candy from a Janey.
She swiped off her black beret, shoved it in her coat pocket, and swayed in the general direction of the bar, casually checking out the clientele, her eyes shining with curiosity and interest. Snooping.
He watched her take a seat at the other end of the bar, and order her usual, a Vintage Rye 21 Manhattan in a short glass, on the rocks, two cherries. Another covert glance over her shoulder confirmed what he already suspected. She was definitely snooping.
A grin slid across his face like a sloe gin fizz. Time to find out if her little green-eyed monster wanted to come out and play. He turned to take aim at the center circle and sent the next three darts flying into the middle.
One. Two. Three.
Bull’s-eye.
Chapter Seven
@Goodman Dating is a minefield of crazy.
@SmartCupid Matchmaking is a science, but not every match that looks perfect on paper is perfect in love. Do. Not. Panic. Refine your criteria and recalculate.
“For an experienced matchmaker, you’re awfully confused about your role here, Jane. You’re supposed to set up the dates, not go on them.” Charlie reached behind the bar for the remote, flipped over to the Rangers game, and tossed her a wink. “In case you want to watch the game while you’re on your little stakeout.”
Taking a sip of her drink, Jane eyed him sweetly over the rim of the glass. “Don’t worry, big guy. I only came by to see if you were actually wearing the Rangers T-shirt and…incredibly, you are,” she said, taking in his shirt with a look that was
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