one evening when I was helping Rene and her partner unload their new couch. I’m not sure if she planned her departure or if it was a knee-jerk thing. She refused my calls, wouldn’t see me when I went by her office. Eleven years just gone.”
“I’m so sorry,” Shawn said as she put her arm around Jill. “May I say something insulting about her?”
“Sure, but now that you know the story, we really don’t have to mention her again. I’d rather know more about you.”
“What would you like to know?”
“You find a genie who will grant you only one wish. You have ten seconds to answer, starting now.”
“Love, perfect love. How much time do I have left? Because I’d like to add a lifetime supply of chocolate.” Shawn inhaled sharply. “And potato chips.”
“You’re a romantic junk food junkie,” Jill said with a laugh.
Shawn held her head high. “And I’m proud of it. Now here’s one for you. Who would you rather have as your dog—Scooby-Doo or Snoopy?”
Jill stared at Shawn for a moment, then burst out laughing. “You’re nuts.” She sobered when Shawn stared at her, awaiting an answer. “Oh, dear God, you’re serious. What information can you possibly hope to glean from my answer?”
Shawn struggled not to give into her own laughter. “You have to answer first.”
“Okay.” Jill chuckled as she thought. “I’m gonna go with Scooby because he can kind of talk. Now why did you ask me that?”
“Because I couldn’t come up with anything as cool as the genie question.”
“Were you pulling my leg about being shy?”
“No,” Shawn said seriously. “It’s strange, but when I first met Vera, I felt comfortable around her in the first five minutes, which was great since I was stuck in a tiny dorm room with her and her multitude of shoes. You make me feel that way, too. I wish I’d had the courage to talk to you like this sooner.”
“Maybe it’s all about the timing. I’m starting to feel like I’m back on my feet now.”
Kay looked over her shoulder when she came to an intersection. “Did y’all notice any of the lights?”
“Oh, yeah, they were great,” Jill answered before she and Shawn sank down into the blanket and laughed.
Chapter 6
“I think this may be the last appetizer for me,” Jill said as she regarded the dish that their server had just set on the table.
Unable to make up their minds on one restaurant, they decided to have an appetizer at a few. They’d split a blackened chicken salad and a quesadilla, and now, they were trying to tackle a trio of shrimp kabobs.
“Did you leave room for beignets?”
Jill sank back in her chair and sighed. “I think that’s a second date thing. I’m gonna be miserable when we finish this.”
Shawn decided that she believed in Theo’s otherworldly abilities. She felt no timidity with Jill. Normally, it took a few dates for her to really relax and allow her personality to fully emerge. Jill sat close beside Shawn, and she fed her a piece of pineapple and shrimp.
“Good?” Shawn asked as Jill chewed slowly, then swallowed.
“Oh, man, you made a great choice, this is delicious. I’m going to be getting a lot of takeout from this place at lunchtime. And that brings me to my next question, who do you work for?”
“ Josten Food Corp., all organic. My current project is combating black mold growth on sugarcane. Growers are highly competitive, so according to my contract, I’m not allowed to discuss my findings.” Shawn lowered her voice. “But I can tell you this, the water in the greenhouse sprinklers is very cold, and I always forget when they’re supposed to come on.”
“Had a few cold showers, have you?”
“I’ve learned to carry spare clothes and leave my phone in the truck when I’m in there.”
Jill skewered a shrimp with her fork and held it close to Shawn’s lips. “Are there a lot of women in your office?”
“Are you the jealous type?” Shawn asked with a smile.
Jill stuffed the
“I’m so sorry,” Shawn said as she put her arm around Jill. “May I say something insulting about her?”
“Sure, but now that you know the story, we really don’t have to mention her again. I’d rather know more about you.”
“What would you like to know?”
“You find a genie who will grant you only one wish. You have ten seconds to answer, starting now.”
“Love, perfect love. How much time do I have left? Because I’d like to add a lifetime supply of chocolate.” Shawn inhaled sharply. “And potato chips.”
“You’re a romantic junk food junkie,” Jill said with a laugh.
Shawn held her head high. “And I’m proud of it. Now here’s one for you. Who would you rather have as your dog—Scooby-Doo or Snoopy?”
Jill stared at Shawn for a moment, then burst out laughing. “You’re nuts.” She sobered when Shawn stared at her, awaiting an answer. “Oh, dear God, you’re serious. What information can you possibly hope to glean from my answer?”
Shawn struggled not to give into her own laughter. “You have to answer first.”
“Okay.” Jill chuckled as she thought. “I’m gonna go with Scooby because he can kind of talk. Now why did you ask me that?”
“Because I couldn’t come up with anything as cool as the genie question.”
“Were you pulling my leg about being shy?”
“No,” Shawn said seriously. “It’s strange, but when I first met Vera, I felt comfortable around her in the first five minutes, which was great since I was stuck in a tiny dorm room with her and her multitude of shoes. You make me feel that way, too. I wish I’d had the courage to talk to you like this sooner.”
“Maybe it’s all about the timing. I’m starting to feel like I’m back on my feet now.”
Kay looked over her shoulder when she came to an intersection. “Did y’all notice any of the lights?”
“Oh, yeah, they were great,” Jill answered before she and Shawn sank down into the blanket and laughed.
Chapter 6
“I think this may be the last appetizer for me,” Jill said as she regarded the dish that their server had just set on the table.
Unable to make up their minds on one restaurant, they decided to have an appetizer at a few. They’d split a blackened chicken salad and a quesadilla, and now, they were trying to tackle a trio of shrimp kabobs.
“Did you leave room for beignets?”
Jill sank back in her chair and sighed. “I think that’s a second date thing. I’m gonna be miserable when we finish this.”
Shawn decided that she believed in Theo’s otherworldly abilities. She felt no timidity with Jill. Normally, it took a few dates for her to really relax and allow her personality to fully emerge. Jill sat close beside Shawn, and she fed her a piece of pineapple and shrimp.
“Good?” Shawn asked as Jill chewed slowly, then swallowed.
“Oh, man, you made a great choice, this is delicious. I’m going to be getting a lot of takeout from this place at lunchtime. And that brings me to my next question, who do you work for?”
“ Josten Food Corp., all organic. My current project is combating black mold growth on sugarcane. Growers are highly competitive, so according to my contract, I’m not allowed to discuss my findings.” Shawn lowered her voice. “But I can tell you this, the water in the greenhouse sprinklers is very cold, and I always forget when they’re supposed to come on.”
“Had a few cold showers, have you?”
“I’ve learned to carry spare clothes and leave my phone in the truck when I’m in there.”
Jill skewered a shrimp with her fork and held it close to Shawn’s lips. “Are there a lot of women in your office?”
“Are you the jealous type?” Shawn asked with a smile.
Jill stuffed the
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