“No,” Cate said. “What do you mean?”

Danny was seated next to Cate. You’re baiting him,” Danny said. “This is going to get ugly.”

“Pugg’s wounded,” Pugg said. “Cate doubts Pugg’s romantic virtuosity.”

Danny stared openmouthed at Pugg for a beat. “Wounded? Romantic virtuosity? Who the heck are you? What are you?”

“I’m Pugg.”

“Oh boy,” Danny said. He slid an arm across the back of Cate’s chair and leaned toward her. “Don’t worry. I have a banker I want you to meet. I have it all set.”

Patrick Pugg did a little finger wag at Danny. “Pugg wouldn’t like that. Pugg is committed to making this relationship work.”

Danny narrowed his eyes. “Did I miss something? I thought you just met Cate tonight.”

“Yes, but Cate likes Pugg, right? And Cate wants to see more of Pugg.”

Everyone stopped eating and looked at Cate.

For the past six years Cate had been tending bar and working her way through college, inching closer to her goal of teaching grade school. Cate had always thought teaching second graders would be easy after living with three volatile brothers and tending bar. It was her observation that her older brothers, men in bars, and very young children had many things in common… for instance, they all from time to time exhibited inappropriate behavior, and they were all easily distracted.

If Cate told Pugg she wanted nothing more to do with him, he’d sulk through the rest of the dinner. If she told Pugg she liked him, Danny would sulk through dinner. So Cate did the only sensible thing… she accidentally on purpose tipped her water glass and jumped out of her seat when the water splashed everywhere.

“Shoot,” Cate said. “Just look at this mess. I’m so sorry.”

And she ran to get a kitchen towel.

“Good move with the water,” Danny whispered when she returned. “It’s a classic.”

“It’s all your fault. You caused that confrontation.”