Six months had passed since Mabel had left and Jacob was attempting to get back in the saddle, dating wise. Which is why he was here in the wine bar down the street from the bookstore on another date with a woman he'd met through a dating app. He was pretty sure that this date was going about as well as the last date he'd had. Which was to say not well at all. Though at least he and Meredith were having a pleasant enough conversation. But there were no sparks at all.

Finally, she stopped talking and took the last sip of her wine. "This isn't working is it?" she asked with a little laugh.

He shook his head. "Nope. It's a shame too, we're having a decent time. It's just there's no . . . ." He gestured between them.

"Yeah," she said with a sigh. "Nothing at all. This kinda sucks, you're the kind of nice guy I'd really love to date. But there's no sparks at all. I think I'm gonna go. It was really nice meeting you, Jacob. Thanks for the drink. And good luck, you really deserve a nice girl."

"And you deserve that nice guy. It was nice meeting you, you gonna be okay getting home?"

"Gosh, you're sweet. Again this sucks. Have a nice night sweetie."

Then she got up and heading toward the exit. He watched her go, just because there wasn't a spark didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the show. Meredith was certainly a beautiful woman wearing a dress that showed off exactly what he was enjoying the view of. He was male after all and looking was all he was gonna get out of this night. He'd finally taken his eyes off of Meredith's backside as he caught a glimpse of slightly familiar floral print. His eyes clocked upwards and saw a redheaded woman entering the bar.

Cassandra? She had a date tonight, he remembered and she looked like her date hadn't gone that well. But different from his resignation about the state of affairs, Cassandra looked upset.

"Cassie!" he called over the din and the girl lit up momentarily, locating him in the crowd.

"Jacob," she said sliding into Meredith's vacated chair. "I thought you had a date?"

He shrugged. "Yet another Internet misfire. She at least was perfectly nice and we had a somewhat nice time, but there wasn't anything between us. So she left. I thought you had a date? Date number two with Lucy?"

"Ugh," Cassandra huffed. "She is so full of herself!"

"Ouch," he said, signaling for the waiter. "Isn't that what you said to me after date number three with that British guy?"

"Yeah," Cassandra sighed.

"He was too old for you, honestly. And Lucy seemed maybe too young?"

"Hey!" but her indignation was mostly mock and she ordered a glass of wine from the waiter.

"You're probably right. I mean she's a grad student and I'm technically a freshman, but I am older than she is for all of that. I don't know. Lance was so sophisticated and I thought he was so attractive, but underneath all that polish, he was pretty much a snob and it turned me off. Lucy, she gets something in her head, like tonight and there's no way of disagreeing with her. It's not like you or Cindy or Flynn or anyone at work. We don't always agree but we're civil about things."

"I'm sorry, kid. You want something to eat? Meredith and I never ordered anything."

"The cheese plate?"

Jacob nodded and ordered the cheese plate for two from the waiter who brought Cassandra's wine.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out for you either."

He shrugged. "That's how the game is played, they tell me. It's honestly a bit different here. Or I'm different. I mean, picking up girls in a bar back home was a whole . . . ." he cringed but Cassandra didn't look offended. "If I'm being honest, Mabel was probably the second lasting relationship I ever had. I was engaged once . . . ."

"Wow, really?" Cassandra leaned forward eyes wide.

"If you tell Cindy, I swear to god, Cassandra . . . ."

"I won't, I promise."

"Emma was a school teacher. Pretty, sweet, intelligent, really everything I've always wanted. I couldn't really believe my luck, because girls like that didn't want the guy I was pretendin' to be."

"Pretending?"

"Oh, yeah, that," he sighed. "No one knew about who I was. For years and years. It's a long complicated story, but I hid it all from them. I published under fake names and did all my studying and art consulting online. The only person who knew was Flynn. He kept encouraging me to come clean, but I just couldn't do it. Until my dad died and Flynn finally talked me into coming here."

"Wow, so your fiancée? Did she know?"

"She found out. She found my laptop, I'd forgotten to lock it. She didn't take my lying to her very well. That was five years ago. Then I met Mabel soon after I moved here. I should have . . .ah, well you probably have heard the rumors."

Cassandra cringed in spite of her best efforts and he nodded. The waiter came back with their food and some water. They both ate in silence for a while.

"For what it's worth, Jacob, I think Mabel doesn't know what she's missing."

He chuckled, a bit self mockingly. "Yeah, an old romantic fool who falls head over heels for girls who don't love him. That's me."

Cassandra shook her head. "I've never been in love. Not like that, not like the way you loved Mabel, the way you probably loved Emma. When I had my tumor . . . well I didn't want to form lasting attachments to anyone. And now, I'm looking for something deeper, more meaningful. But I seem to be choosing the wrong people. I'm still choosing the same people I had flings with. Lance and Lucy would have been great in the short term, but I can't have a conversation with either of them."

"That's a shame because you're really easy to talk to," Jacob said, putting some cheese on a cracker. He was intent on that and didn't notice Cassandra's wide eyed stare. He ate and then continued, "I find myself telling you all kinds of things. You deserve someone really great, Cassandra."

Cassandra set her glass carefully down as she considered his words. How blind was she? The person she'd been trying to find was right in front of her. She opened her mouth to speak when a hard to place accent floated across the room.

"Jacob Stone, darling, I thought that was you."

A beautiful dark skinned woman with impeccable fashion sense drifted across the room. Cassandra couldn't help but stare, she didn't think anyone could not just look at her. She was exquisite.

"Lamia!" he grinned. "I didn't know you were back in town. Come join us!"

Lamia tilted her head toward Cassandra. "And who is this lovely creature?"

Jacob shook his head like he was being an idiot. "Lamia, this is Cassandra Cillian, she works with me at the bookstore. And Cassie, this is Lamia, she's a well, she's many things."

Lamia laughed her melodic laugh and settled in at the table, setting her glass of champagne down. "He's right, I do many things. I've been a journalist, an embassy worker, an archeologist. Currently I'm back to guest lecturer at the university that Jacob attends."

"Oh!" Cassandra said. "I'm a new student there myself."

"Ah," Lamia purred. "You're one of Flynn's projects, like Jacob. You're in very good hands with Mr. Carsen." She shook her head. "Shame that man is taken. But I would never cross Eve Baird. What is your major dear?"

"I'm double majoring in mathematics and chemistry."

"Impressive. Then you may be interested in my lecture series. I'm currently exploring Mayan civilization and I have some exciting new findings on architecture as it relates to math and astronomy."

"Wow," Cassandra said. She could see the topic interested Jacob as much as it did her. She tabled her revelations about Jacob in favor of enjoying Lamia's company.

Lamia was a bit odd, but she wasn't pompous or arrogant. Cassandra had initially thought she was just a little but she quickly realized that Lamia was just very confident. Cassandra only wished she could be as confident as Lamia was. It was very attractive, honestly, Lamia was beautiful, yes, that was a given. But she was fascinating and confident and intelligent. It was an odd experience because she could tell Jacob was just as intrigued and attracted to the other woman as she was. Cassandra was now confused because now she was starting to feel jealous but she wasn't sure if she was jealous of Jacob's interest in someone else or of Lamia's clear interest in him. Maybe it was both. It was starting to give her a headache because she just didn't know what to think. Especially when Lamia slipped her a card when Jacob had gone to the restroom.

"Give me a call sometime, darling," Lamia said with a wink. "Maybe we can talk a bit more."

Now Cassandra really did need to go home. It had been a really weird night. When Jacob came back, she excused herself.

"Are you okay?" Jacob asked, even though she knew he'd had at least two more glasses than she had.

"Yeah, I have the morning shift and I'm beat. Been a long day. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Alright, be careful getting home."

Cassandra hugged him and said good night to Lamia, who winked at her when she left.

"Lovely girl, I gave her my card, I was getting the vibe off her."

Jacob took a gulp of his wine. "If you mean that she'll date women, yeah."

Lamia laughed. "She dates men too, I assume, given how she was looking at you when I interrupted."

"Well yeah, she does . . . .wait, what do you mean how she was looking at me?"

"Cowboy," Lamia shook her head. "You cannot possibly be that blind."

Stone groaned. "I like Cassie. I like her a lot. But she's . . . ."

"Special?" Lamia asked, her voice now gentle. "And you're afraid."

He nodded. "She's . . .it's a long story but she was once very sick, for a very long time. She's better now, but she's just now living the life she didn't have. She's never been in love, Lamia, never had a meaningful relationship. And she wants that so much. I can't . . . ."

Lamia made a noise like a scoff. "Of course, you can, cowboy. You're as special as she is. You could be amazing together."

"I can't live up to that! What if I hurt her? She's too important to be a rebound."

She clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. "So that's what the whole dating app thing is about? You're looking for a rebound?"

"Yeah," Jacob had the grace to blush.

"Well, well," Lamia leaned back and drained her glass. She studied him over the edge of the glass, a bit like a predator sizing up her prey. Stone felt like he should possibly be scared but instead, he was intrigued and possibly a bit turned on.

"If you're looking for a rebound, then I'm your girl," she said finally.

"Wait, what?"

"You'll be picking me up tomorrow at 7pm, make reservations at that sushi place I like," she leaned across the table and kissed him. It was a brief kiss, not sweet but fun, uncomplicated. "Good night, Jacob."

"Well, okay then. Night Lamia, see you tomorrow."

Jacob sat for a few minutes after Lamia left. He wasn't quite sure this was a good idea, he'd sensed that Cassandra was interested in Lamia too. But if he was ever going to move on, even if it wasn't to Cassandra, he had to get the last bits of Mabel out of his system. Lamia was the safest way to do that. She was amazing, Lamia, but he wasn't going to be in any danger of falling for her. He knew her well and knew she was all about complication free relationships. He'd had those kind of flings with girls back in Oklahoma and usually found them empty. But right now? A simple, uncomplicated arrangement with a woman who could converse with him about art? That sounded absolutely perfect. He grinned. This was gonna be a lot of fun.