Magic of Three by Jenna Castille Page B

know Lisa?”
     
    “Julian Stern,” he nodded, straining to hear her over the sound to the machines and music. “I ran into her yesterday at her restaurant. She was having trouble with a customer. A friend and I stepped in to help.”
     
    He watched Janice’s expression morph until her smile threatened to overwhelm her face. “Oh, so you and another friend helped her out yesterday.” She gave a pointed look to Lisa, who kept walking and ignored them both.
     
    She ’ d been talking about them , girl talk . Another good sign .
     
    “Did she offer you and your friend anything as a thank you?” Janice asked, smirking, still staring at a rose-red Lisa.
     
    “A dessert, but not the one we would’ve preferred,” he teased in reply, watching the total concentration Lisa gave to the digital counter on her treadmill. “A decadent, fluffy chocolate mousse, rich and sweet, but not as tempting as what I really wanted.”
     
    Janice laughed, a joyful if piercing sound. “I’m sure it wasn’t,” she added with a toss of her head, curls bouncing. “Bet she even turned you down for drinks or anything else you offered.”
     
    Julian smiled in return, enjoying Lisa’s expression, eyes glued straight ahead and lush lips pursed. Every word increased her concentration. With Janice on his side he had a chance. A teasing conspirator. He developed an instant liking for Lisa’s friend. “Yeah, she shot down both Tim and me. But she did it in such a nice way. Almost encourages a guy to try again.”
     
    “I think you should. Every girl deserves a second chance.” She gave Lisa a pointed stare, was met by a soft, almost inaudible growl. “Who knows? Maybe she’ll be a good girl and take you up on your offer this time.”
     
    Ah, a definite ally. Lisa glared at her friend, ice practically forming in the sweaty, humid air. Janice mouthed the word “promise”, smirked and kept on walking.
     
    Julian forged ahead, not above using whatever pull Lisa’s friend had with her. He appreciated any help, whatever the motivation. “Well, I was planning on asking her out for dinner sometime,” he said, jerking his head in her direction with pleading puppy eyes, hoping Janice would get the hint. “Maybe even bring Tim along if it made her feel better. He’s more comforting than me.”
     
    Janice’s eyes sparkled, her lips twitching. “I’m sure she’d love to go out with the two of you. It sounds like a blast, don’t you think, Lisa?”
     
    “I can arrange my own social life, thank you very much,” she grumbled between gritted teeth. But she didn’t say no.
     
    Curiouser and curiouser. What had these two women been talking about?
     
    “Yes, you can and you will, remember?” Janice needled.
     
    Lisa grabbed the side bars of her treadmill and sent her friend another smoldering glower. Her hands clenched and unclenched against the black foam padding. Julian chuckled as Janice gave her a wide-eyed, innocent look. A less innocent woman he’d never met.
     
    Responding to his snicker, Lisa turned her glare on him. “You know, it’s not nice to set up a date through a friend when the woman’s standing right next to you.”
     
    Julian gave a wide-eyed who-me stare while internally he gloated. Almost there . “You mean you would’ve said yes without being egged on?”
     
    “Maybe,” she answered, blowing a loose piece of hair out of her face. “Probably. Who knows?”
     
    Time for the final push. If he didn’t say it now he’d lose his nerve. Gods help him if he had to tell Tim he’d chickened out at the last moment. Julian braced himself, sending up a brief prayer to the Powers-That-Be. “So you will go out with me?”
     
    “You know, you haven’t even asked me my name yet,” she replied, an obvious stalling tactic. “Are you sure you don’t want to go out with Janice instead?”
     
    I don ’ t need to ask your name , but you don ’ t need to know that . “I’m sure I want to go out with you.