Romance Me (Boxed Set) Read Online Free PDF Page B

hadn’t had time to change outfits. My stomach sank, but I tried not to let it show. “Late night?”
    May as well ask and take the dagger to my heart now.
    He rubbed a hand over his face. “It shows, huh?”
    “Hmm.” Frustrated that his response didn’t give me a clue what he’d been doing, I tried again. “Was it at least fun?”
    He appeared deep in thought. “It was . . . intense.”
    What did that mean? “But in a good way I hope.”
    Kenzie peered between his legs and he patted her head. “Time will tell.”
    “Huh.” The guy had a knack for vague. I loosened my grip on Chester’s leash so he could bump noses with Kenzie who had her jaw to the ground. She stared at his invasive snout suspiciously.
    “Before I forget . . . ” Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out a bright red pen covered with bumpy hearts and handed it to me. “You left this here last night.”
    My cheeks heated at the Detailed Dating inscription. “How’d you know it was mine?”
    He opened the front door and gestured for us to go through first. “Abby gave it to me after class. Said you left it when you signed your credit card slip.”
    Stunned by the knowledge that he’d been with Abby after class, I swallowed my dry throat. Was she the reason he’d had so little sleep? If so, why hadn’t she returned the pen to me herself? “Oh, uh, thanks.”
    “No problem.” He followed us inside and took a seat in the chair next to me.
    Trying to delete the disturbing mental image of Henry and our beautiful blonde obedience instructor together, I studied the people around the room. The boy from yesterday had his eyes focused on an electronic device as his thumbs worked the buttons furiously. His mom sat next to him, flipping the pages of a magazine. Then I caught the elderly lady with the poodle eyeing Henry and me knowingly.
    Yeah. I wish, lady.
    “How’s that working out for you, Ellen?”
    Confused, I turned toward Henry’s inquisitive voice that Abby had probably gotten to hear intimately. “Huh?”
    He gestured toward my purse. “The online dating.”
    “Fine.” I cleared my throat, suddenly annoyed that he’d been so friendly to me in class yesterday when he’d really been interested in Abby Wilson. “Very well, actually. I have a date tonight that I’m really looking forward to.”
    Okay, did my voice sound as defensive to him?
    He opened his mouth to say something when Abby burst out of the back room clapping her hands. “Welcome to the second class of Simply Skilled, everyone!”
    His mouth closed and he turned toward the beautiful woman who was wearing baby blue velour sweats that showed off her curves. Quite the opposite of my flower-print button-up blouse and khaki pants, which were flattering and pretty in a more understated way.
    I wondered painfully what Henry’d been about to say. Did he care that I had a date with another man tonight? Had that made him as jealous as I felt over Abby Wilson?
    I hoped so. But, it was impossible to tell his thoughts from the blank look on his face.
    Chester’s tail thumped against my leg as everyone got up to follow Abby to the back room. I forced myself to stand and was surprised to find Henry waiting for me.
    “Is your friend Rachel on another date tonight?”
    I shrugged. “Not sure what her plans are.”
    “Ah.” He nodded. “You’re volunteering on your own tonight, huh? Still going for that Auntie of the Year award?”
    I took a step forward but my hand jerked backward when the leash resisted, so I checked behind me. Chester, it turned out, was smacking his mouth like he’d just licked something off the floor that had stuck to his tongue. Gross.
    “Something like that.” I shook my head at the canine garbage disposal. Was there anything this mutt wouldn’t put in his mouth?
    Henry waited for Chester and me to go through the doorway of the training arena. As he followed us inside, I purposefully picked the spot farthest from our bouncy instructor. To my