The Allure of Dean Harper

He had a point, but I was going for a very, very noble reason: I’d been too busy daydreaming about having sex with Dean and then actually having sex with Dean to remember to cancel on Carson. See? I’m sure this sort of thing happens to the Dalai Lama ALL the time.

Whatever. Jo said I couldn’t stand him up and I couldn’t cancel last minute because that was almost as bad as standing him up. Instead, we agreed that I’d go on one date, and give him a chance. She said I needed to test the water with other guys. Maybe I was into Dean because I was lonely in a new city and there weren’t any other guys in my life. I knew better, but she was annoying and I kind of owed her at least one date with a random guy after subjecting her to two weeks of Love Actually on repeat. (Yes, you actually CAN overdose on Hugh Grant.)



Dean: Y’know this guy could probably do better. Does he know how stubborn you are?

Lily: I’m sure he’ll fall in love at first sight and we’ll run away together.

Dean: Hunter will be so disappointed…



I typed back “More than you?” but my finger hovered over the send button. I knew I couldn’t actually send it. Dean and I were in a comfortable limbo; I had to tread lightly.

The subway car screeched to a stop at the next station and my destination was announced over the speakers. I erased the text and pocketed my phone as I stood to exit. The entire walk toward the park, I tried to conjure up excitement for my date with Carson. There was none. Absolutely none. Well, I did smell a pretzel stand, which caused me to salivate, but I couldn’t really attribute that to Carson.

I was almost to the park, when I saw a sign for a new restaurant opening up across the street. I had a few minutes to spare, so instead of taking a right and crossing over toward the park, I waited for the light to change and jogged across the street to investigate. With any luck, I’d have a new restaurant to review soon. Please be another crêperie, please be another crêperie.

The restaurant was still in the construction phase, but the bare bones already hinted at how amazing it would be once they were finished.

I moved around to the front of the building to try to find more details when the name caught my attention. Ivy & Wine was painted in white across the brick, with the words “Coming Soon” beneath it. I squinted and read the name again, trying to draw out why the name seemed so familiar.

I stepped closer, inspecting the printed poster they’d taped to the front door. The owners of the restaurant had printed out a detailed menu so that pedestrians could start to get a feel for the place.

They boasted fresh flavors and seasonal dishes, but when I started to actually read the menu, I could feel the color drain my face. It was one hundred percent identical to the menu Antonio Acosta had emailed us only a few days earlier. Every single detail, ingredient, and flavor paralleled ours, and when I scanned to the bottom where it listed the general manager’s name, I knew who I had to blame.

Hunter was a little rat.





Chapter Thirty-Eight


Dean





I pushed my bike in through the back door and unclipped my helmet just as my front doorbell rang.

“I’m coming!” I yelled, annoyed at whoever kept ringing the bell. It was 8:00 PM on a Friday night; chances were I was about to be confronted by a Mormon missionary.

I propped my bike in the hallway and brushed the sweat from my brow just as Lily yelled through the door.

“Dean, hurry up! I know you’re home!”

Lily?

I unlocked the door and pulled it open to find Lily standing on the other side with her hand poised, ready to keep knocking.

“Cool it, will you.”

She groaned and pushed past me, nearly knocking me over. “Why don’t you answer your phone?! I’ve called you ten times in the last twenty minutes!”

She was sweaty and breathing hard. Her cardigan was tied around her waist and her cotton dress was wrinkled. She bent over and rested her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

“Did you run here?” I asked, furrowing my brows.

Her bright eyes landed on me with fury. “Of course I ran here! Hunter needs to be fired immediately!”

I held up my hands. “Slow down. Slow down. What’s going on? Did he do something to you? Why aren’t you on your date?”

She rolled her eyes and turned to the entryway table. She dumped her cardigan and her purse there and then reached in for her phone.

“I had to stand him up! I was on my way to my date when I noticed a restaurant under construction.” She unlocked her phone and scrolled through pictures until she landed on one she was satisfied with. “This is the menu that was posted on the side of the building,” she said, shoving the phone into my hand.

I zoomed in and squinted, trying to make out the small letters.

“Recognize anything? Oh, I don't know, maybe the entire thing?!”

I shook my head. “Are you certain? Maybe it just looks similar.”

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