Two Wrongs Make a Right by Ann Everett

corner. He widened a big toothy grin and sang, “Me-O, My-O, you’re more beautiful than your photo.”
    Apparently he wasn’t ready for his performance to end. “Thank you.” She slid onto the seat he’d pulled out. He grabbed the chair next to her and moved it closer, then sat too. “Want a drink?” he asked in his regular voice then sang, “The wine is fine, and the beer is cold.”
    He was taking his site name to heart. “A beer, please. What should I call you?”
    He removed his hat and set it on the table, then crooned, “You don’t have to call me darlin’, Darlin’. You can call me Jake.” Then he threw his hand in the air to signal a waitress, as if it was normal to put conversation into song.
    Quinn smiled. “You’re very good. I enjoyed your cover of Amarillo Sky .”
    “Thanks. But enough about me, let’s talk about you. What part of media do you work in?”
    The lightbulb came on. Crooner Jake wanted media coverage and didn’t disguise it. Gee, he could have at least laid on a few more compliments. “Staff writer for a newspaper. Women’s articles. Fashion, childcare, romance.” His eyes dimmed, and he started to say or sing something, but the waitress arrived to get their orders, then sashayed away with Jake watching her butt like it was providing the beat for his next outburst, which didn’t take long. He finished the first line of I Don’t Dance , then stood, extended his hand as invitation to do just that. Quinn slipped her palm in his and they headed to the floor. He twirled her, then pulled her in tight, and took off in a slow two-step.
    She’d not danced the entire time she’d dated Brad. He didn’t dance. Her new partner glided her around the room maneuvering between couples with ease. His arms felt good around her waist. She thought he’d bring up the media thing again, but the difference in their heights and the noise factor made conversation impossible. The song ended, and they returned to their table where two beers waited.
    An hour later, Quinn wanted to find out more. “Tell me, you seem to have a ton of adoring female fans, so why did you join a dating site?”
    “I thought it would be a good way to meet women. I tour over two-hundred days a year, which doesn’t allow me much time to go through the dating process.”
    He was charming in an aw-shucks sort of way, but she couldn’t build a relationship with some dude who stayed on the road. She mentally marked him off the love connection list, but the guy was a good singer. She took out a pen and paper and jotted something, then passed it to him.
    “I’m sorry I can’t help with your career, but here’s a man who might. I’ll tell him to expect your call. He critiques new talent. Local rising stars. If he gives you a favorable review, it may get your name on a list of area talent who opens for major celebrities when they do concerts here.”
    Jake jumped from his chair and pulled her into a bear hug. Then he dipped her and when she came up, he kissed her full on the mouth. She did not see that coming. Those damn war principles weren’t working, because after that lip lock, she was ready to surrender.
     
    ~~*~~
     
    The next day at lunch, Quinn nibbled a chip, and finished reporting her latest date to her best friends. They sat at the table in the back of Raynie’s shop where she did readings. The two women listened to every detail, and both sighed when Quinn described the big kiss. Maybe she gave it too much attention, but his delivery had more passion than she’d gotten in the last few months with Brad.
    “I’ve been thinking,” Quinn said. “I should have seen the end coming with Brad.”
    “How so?” Megan asked.
    “There was no fire between us. Not even a spark. We’d settled into being a comfortable couple.”
    “Yeah, well that may have had something to do with him messing around with Blair.”
    Quinn didn’t want to believe it. She kept telling herself it couldn’t be possible, but her