“Your father told us.”
“I thought you needed to see her.” Suzanne arched one eyebrow at the guy, but stayed quiet.
“Okay, Marie.”
“That’s a nasty, low blow,” Declan hissed, deferring to Gerald with a gesture that said he could take the first break shot.
“So’s interfering with my love life.”
“Blame Shannon.”
“Shannon?”
“Yes?” To Suzanne’s surprise, a young woman stepped from behind Declan, her hands on his shoulders as she planted a kiss on the back of his neck. She had to stand on tiptoes to do it.
Declan spun around and kissed her on the lips. “Shannon! What are you doing here? I thought you were still out of town.”
“I tried to make it in time to see you showing off your dangly bits—”
“My bits do not dangle. They hang gracefully. They’re so graceful because they are well hung.”
“Mmm hmm.” Shannon did not look convinced. The smile she shot Gerald was genuine. “Hey, you! I’ve missed you.”
As he gave her a big hug, she giggled, catching Suzanne’s eye.
“You get used to seeing someone most days, and then they’re gone. You must not miss some of the crazy errands we sent you on, though.”
“Errands?” Suzanne asked, putting a possessive arm around Gerald’s waist as she finished her first beer.
“Suzanne, this is Shannon McCormick. Shannon, meet Suzanne Dayton.” The two shook hands, though Suzanne kept her fingertips on Gerald’s back.
“I’ve heard your name before, but we’ve never met,” Shannon said to Suzanne. “Declan filled me in on your story. Small world,” she said, eyes twinkling.
“Very small,” Gerald said. “Matchmaker.”
“I just suggested.” She looked as disingenuous as she sounded.
As Suzanne watched her boyfriend chat with his old boss’s wife, a glow of contentment filled her. Or maybe it was the beer.
Didn’t matter.
“Hey,” Gerald whispered in Suzanne’s ear. “How about we go over to my place tonight and you pose for me?”
“Pose?” She played coy. “Whatever do you mean?”
“I need a nude model.”
She pointed to Declan. “You have one.”
He squeezed her ass. “I need you.”
“You’ve got me.”
“Can you sit very, very still for long periods of time while I memorize your naked body?”
“It’ll take a lot of training on my part,” she said in a sultry voice. “Might take many, many hours. With hands-on lessons.”
“Hands-on, huh?”
“The only way to learn.”