Bachelor at Her Bidding (Bachelor Auction Book 2)(21)

“But how,” Susie asked, “did Ryan Henderson know that you were going to be here with us tonight?”

“I might have, um, mentioned it in passing.” Rachel wriggled in her seat. “And I thought you’d all agreed to stop questioning me?”

“That was before you started texting him under the table, Rach. That’s extremely suspicious,” Lizzy teased. “Anyone would think you were secretly dating him and trying to put your best friends and your sister off the scent.”

“We’re not dating. We’re just friends,” Rachel repeated.

“But friends don’t blush when each other’s name is mentioned,” Dayna pointed out.

“I’m not blushing. It’s very warm in here,” Rachel said, fanning herself rapidly with her hand.

Hannah gave her a hug. “You’re over-thinking it, you know. Ryan Henderson’s a nice guy. And you could both do with some fun in your life. This is the twenty-first century, so you don’t have to wait for him to ask you out. Why don’t you ask him?”

“Because I’m not ready to date and he’s not interested.”

“So not interested that he made you a cake like this?” Lexy asked. “And this tower of deliciousness doesn’t look as if it could be put together and baked in half an hour, like your average Victoria sponge. This, my honey, is a cake with intent.” She paused for effect. “With wedding sparklers, no less.”

“It’s no such thing. This is a birthday cake and he made it for all of us,” Rachel protested. “You heard what Ella said. The sparklers are used on birthday cakes in Europe, not just for weddings. Now, please can we change the subject and finish eating this fantastic cake?”

There was a lot of hmming from the others, teamed with narrow-eyed looks, but to Rachel’s relief they all let the subject go back to the normal things they chatted about when they went out as a group: family, work, the new song they’d heard on the radio and the new movie they couldn’t wait to see.

She and Ryan weren’t an item. It wasn’t going to happen.

Friendship was enough. And it would be very stupid of her to wish for any more – even if he had made her feel utterly amazing last night. Friendship was enough.

*

“So I hear you’ve been moonlighting for Rocco’s,” Reese drawled, leaning against the counter in the kitchen at Grey’s. “Supplying them with gourmet French cake.”

“Hardly.” Ryan rolled his eyes. “It was all part of the fundraiser thing. Anyway, how do you know about that?”

“Spy network,” Reese said.

“Oh, please.” Ryan shook his head and went back to making the marinade for the chicken wings.

“And there were wedding sparklers stuck all over it. Where the hell did you get an idea like that?” Reese asked.

Oh. So that was what was bugging the saloon manager. Ryan had made something flashy that Reese thought his own customers might be interested in for special occasions. “A cook never shares his secrets,” Ryan said with a grin.

Reese’s expression said, Oh, really? They do when they’re being paid to work in my saloon kitchen.

Ryan said nothing.

“She’s nice, Dr. Cassidy,” Reese said conversationally. Except Reese didn’t really have conversations. Especially on a topic like this.

“Your point being?” Ryan asked.

“Just sayin’. You could do worse.”

That was the last thing Ryan had expected to hear. He stared at Reese. Since when did his boss interfere in anyone’s love life? “I don’t have time to date.”

Reese shrugged. “Who does? But maybe you should try making the time.”

“Has my grandmother asked you to nag me or something?”

“No.” There was a ghost of a smile in Reese’s eyes.

Ryan thought of the other most likely candidates who’d sicced Reese onto him. “Lily Taylor?”

“I couldn’t possibly say. A saloon manager never shares his secrets.”

“Throwing my words back at me? That’s low, Reese.”

Reese raised an eyebrow. “But whoever suggested I have a word with you might just have a point, don’t you think?”

Lily Taylor and just about half of Marietta, Ryan thought ruefully at the end of his shift. His colleagues, any of the customers who managed to catch his eye – they all had something to say about how nice Rachel Cassidy was and how much they liked her and how it was time Ryan had a bit of fun in his life.

And he’d made all the dishes at Grey’s so many times before that he barely had to think while he was cooking them. Which meant there was way too much time for his brain to absorb what everyone was saying.

They had a point.

Rachel Cassidy was nice.

Would it really be so bad to have some fun for once?

And if everyone was making the same kind of comments to her about him… then maybe they could both give in. Give it a try. See where it took them.

He’d pick up Phyllis’s prescription from the pharmacy after his shift, and then he’d call in to see Dr. Cassidy on the way to the daycare center. See how the land lay. Maybe ask her to dinner.

*

When he went into the pharmacy at the other end of the block from Grey’s, he noticed that Rachel was browsing the shelves – presumably waiting to pick up a prescription for someone. She was just the type who’d help a neighbor out and save them a trip into town.