Page 37 of The Accidental Dating Experiment
He turns away and crosses the room toward an open toolbox on the poker table. “I want to fix these tables. They’re a little loose. The legs are a bit wobbly. But I can add some new screws and tighten them. I think we should leave the tables in though. The game room is sort of fun and could be a selling point, right?”
Is he rambling?
Holy shit. He is.
Monroe is worried. He’s uncomfortable. He’s wondering. That warms my heart, and I want to hug him. I also deeply understand discomfort, and I don’t want him to feel it.
“Yes.”
He turns around, arching a brow in question and maybe in hope too. “Yes, what?”
“Yes,” I say, and I’m hopeful as well—for better days, better outcomes. “You can be my dating coach.”
His smile spreads quickly and genuinely. Like he truly wants this. “Good.”
“But I have a few rules,” I say.
He looks ready for any and all.
14
STAND DOWN, DRAGON
Monroe
In hindsight, I should have realized why I rushed out for a run on Dogwood Lane, why I hit the weights with a guest pass at a gym, and why I kept busy with chores at the house.
It wasn’t to avoid my father’s Want to play golf Wednesday? text.
I was wound up waiting for Juliet’s answer. Hoping she’d say yes.
Now that she has, I’m not going to kick back. I’m going to make damn sure I can deliver for my friend and colleague.
Who’s pretty handy, it turns out. I’m learning all sorts of things about Juliet during our stay in this house.
How much she cares about her parents’ happiness.
How open-minded she is to new ideas.
And how well she knows her way around a toolbox. Right now, she’s kneeling on the hardwood floor in the poker room, plucking screws from a compartment while she uses a Phillips head to emphasize her points.
“I’ve got this whole dating coach thing mapped out,” she begins, and I’m damn eager to hear her plans. Hell, I’m thrilled she’s devised some already. “So, I’ll pick three men from Date Night. We’ll go on three dates.”
Rather than stand here like a sloth, I join her on the hunt for screws. “Sure, that makes sense. Have you used that app before?” I ask as I kneel next to her, looking for the right size in the toolbox to fix this table.
She rolls her eyes. “Yes, only a few thousand times, and I’ve picked badly. Though, in my defense, the single men of the world are pretty skilled at hiding their toxic traits long enough to lure you in.”
Shit. I don’t want her to think I was judging or blaming her for her dates not being worthy of her. “Completely understood,” I say. I look up from the toolbox, meet her gaze, and speak from the heart. “Honestly, I think what you’re doing is totally brave. It takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there.”
“You do?” It comes out gentle, curious. Like my opinion matters.
“I truly do.”
“Thanks,” she says, dipping her face for a few seconds. Then she looks up, her expression soft. “I appreciate you saying that and your encouragement. It is a little scary. But I think I’m excited.”
“Me too,” I say without any sarcasm either.
She holds my gaze for a beat longer than I’d expect, and the look in her green eyes makes my pulse spike. But that’s just how things go when I’m near her. I’m used to my body’s reaction when we get close.