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Shelly wasn’t ready to let it go. “Come on, you know you want a taste of that.”

She wasn’t wrong. But I didn’t need to egg her on. Shutting down any matchmaking seemed like the safer bet.

“Ty and I are friends,” I said instead. “Just friends from high school.”

Sam slid into the seat next to me, tipping his head to acknowledge Shelly as she coughed “bullshit” gently into her fist.

His brows rose and Sam side-eyed me before smiling conspiratorially at Shelly. “Is Goldilocks here pretending not to notice Tall, Dark, and Grumpy at the other end of the table?”

Shelly’s girlish giggle made me smile, even as I wanted to scowl at the nickname.

“Who are you calling Goldilocks?” I groused as soon as I got my face under control. “This dark hair is all-natural,” I drawled, gesturing to my curls.

I often thought my hair would rather take over the world than submit to the sleek styles popular in the office. It was yet another way I didn’t fit in. Too much hair. Overly loud and enthusiastic. An overabundance of personality.

Sam’s confident smirk only served to highlight his urbane good looks in contrast. Dressed in slacks and a preppy green sweater, today he was clearly selling the wine connoisseur persona.

“Calm your tits, honey. It’s a metaphor. I’m too gay, and Ted was too old, but yourfriendTy there? Just right.”

I sputtered on a sip of coffee. I could have done without the knowing glance he cast at Ty’s crotch.

“What are you talking about?” I wheezed out.

A distraction would have been better than letting Sam trap me further. But I was too startled to prevaricate.

“You look at him like he’s dessert.”

“I do not.”

“You can lie to yourself all you want, but not to Uncle Sam. I’ve been watching you seduce each other with your longing glances.”

His pronouncement jarred me, like we were an exhibit at the zoo. “Both of us?”

Sam’s lip twitched beneath his well-trimmed beard. “Imay have been checking out yourfriend. But, Goldilocks, he only has eyes for you. Watching him watching you when you’re not watching him is—phew!”

He fanned himself, and I glanced Ty’s way. He remained intent on his knitting. Other conversations buzzed around us, and I had a moment of terror. Could he hear us? Did he know Sam and Shelly were talking about him?

I flushed when I realized Shelly and Sam had caught my furtive maneuver.

Did I feel bad objectifying Ty, given I knew he was more than a pretty face? Maybe. Probably. Okay, no. I couldn’t help my feelings. Something about him stroked every hormone. And no matter how much I wanted to say I was in control of my life, focused on work and myself, Ty made me want to break my own rule about pursuing someone who didn’t want me.

Because according to Sam? I wasn’t the only one stuck wonderingwhat if.

***

A quick call to help Mark at work and the long line for the bathroom kept me from sliding into my usual seat next to Shelly at lunch. She winked as I grabbed my bagged lunch from the table and tilted her head toward Ty. Had she invited juror number seventy-seven, also known as Angie, to sit next to her to push me toward Ty?

I debated taking the seat next to Pradeep instead, but if I wanted to forge an adult friendship with Ty, avoiding him wouldn’t get me there.

Ty’s open smile when I pulled out the seat next to him reassured me that I’d made the right choice.

“I hoped you’d join me.” He leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, “Mary keeps trying to set me up with her granddaughter. I’m sure she’s lovely, but she barely looks eighteen in the photo she showed me from her purse.”

His shiver made me smile. Maybe I wasn’t the only one seeing matchmakers everywhere. I swallowed a bite of my salad. “Are you sure she’s not just telling you about her family? Surely, not everyone thinks you’re hot stuff?”

He shrugged his big shoulders, playing off my teasing. “Okay, maybe noteveryone. But Mary? She’s definitely been undressing me with her eyes. Tomorrow I’m wearing a baggy sweater.”

I burst out laughing, enjoying his flush as I inspected the tight fit of his shirt. Ty couldn’t help being pretty to look at, but his embarrassment reminded me that he had so much more to offer.