Page 33 of The Quit List
Another easy smile lights up his face. “Should’ve guessed… you’ve got that sneaky Houdini look to you.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You should. Everyone knows that Houdini was the sexiest magician.”
“Well, we all know that there were so many sexy magicians to beat out for that title. GQ couldn’t keep up with the demand for magician cover models.”
“Okay, okay. Before you go making too much fun of magicians, there’s something you should know…” Jax wiggles his fingers at me in a disturbingly accurate magician impersonation. “I confess that I know how to make a mean balloon animal.”
“You do?” I say with glee.
“Shh.” Jax glances around the totally empty restaurant furtively. “Don’t tell anyone. I can’t have my sexy talents broadcast too loudly.”
“The ladies do tend to love balloon animals.” I smirk.
“Remind me to make you one, then.” Jax eyes me flirtily, and a flush rises on my chest. He’s way too charming for his own good, this one. And apparently, since I told him in no uncertain terms I don’t want to date him, this does not exempt me from being flirted with.
“All magic aside, I actually work at the Pinnacle,” I tell him.
“That cool old hotel over by North Ave?”
“That’s the one.”
“Is it really haunted?” Jax asks, pausing his stocking of some lemon wedges.
“Inconclusive.”
He snorts a laugh. “What do you do there? Aside from ghostbusting and magic, of course.”
“Guest services. You know—working the front desk, checking people in, making reservations… all that boring stuff.”
I’m surprised to see his expression of interest. “You know much about bookings?”
Weird question, but I nod. “Oh, yeah. Basically an expert.”
He nods slowly, seeming almost lost in thought. “Fancy.”
“You should come by sometime. I’ll book you in to make some balloon animals. Replace the piano player in the lounge with a mediocre magic show.”
“I don’t know.” He grins. “We can’t have all of your hotel guests falling in love with me.”
And even though he says this as a joke (I think), he’s actually right. A steady stream of elderly ladies frequent the Pinnacle for afternoon tea, and I have a feeling they’d go weak in the knees watching a handsome man entertain them.
“Doris has been single since her second husband died of old age. I’m sure she’d love to meet you.”
“I’m down with an older lady. Gotta love that life experience.” He twinkles at me cheekily.
I raise a brow at him. “You flirt in your sleep, don’t you?”
“It’s the only language I’m fluent in.”
That checks out. I find myself tilting my head at him, curious about the Sexy Bartender who makes balloon animals and wants to fight off bears or whatever in the wilderness. The one I’ve asked to essentially be my dating coach without really knowing anything about his dating life.
“When was your last relationship?” I ask. “Or are you more of a perma-bachelor who has weekend-only flings?”
“C.”
“Huh?”