Charlie All Night. Jennifer Crusie

another major trauma to deal with. Then Charlie said, “I don’t get this. If Joe is the perfect man, why did you ever get mixed up with that clown, Mark?”

      Joe blinked at him. “I’m the perfect man?”

      “That’s what Allie says.”

      Joe raised his eyebrows at her. “I’m flattered.”

      Allied tensed. “Well, almost.” She shot a look at Charlie, prepared to jettison him permanently if he said the wrong thing.

      Joe looked at Charlie. “I’m gay.”

      Charlie relaxed and beamed at him in what looked like relief. He picked up a bread stick. “Good for you, but that doesn’t justify Mark. There must be other men in this town almost as perfect as you who like girls.”

      Allie blinked at him. She had obviously missed something there, but since it wasn’t homophobia, she didn’t care what was going on in Charlie’s brain. It was a male brain. It was probably incomprehensible, anyway. Look at Mark.

      Joe sat back. “I’ve got to admit, I wasn’t happy about Mark, either.” He turned to Allie. “Why did you pick him?”

      “I didn’t.” Allie tried to look unconcerned. “He picked me. I don’t know why.”

      “I don’t, either,” Joe said. “You’re not his type.”

      “What is his type?” Charlie asked.

      “Lisa.” Allie stuck out her chin in defiant unconcern, but unfortunately, she stuck her lower lip out farther.

      “Don’t pout.” Joe bit into a bread stick.

      “You owe Lisa, whoever she is,” Charlie told her. “She saved you from a man worse than death. You say thank you very much the next time you see her.”

      “Which should be any minute now.” Joe pointed his bread stick behind Charlie. “That’s them by the door.”

      Allie looked up in time to see Mark wave and take Lisa’s hand and tow her toward them through the crowd.

      The day from hell would never end. Well, she’d asked for it.

      Charlie evidently thought so, too. “It’s a shame Lisa’s not with you,” he mimicked. “We could all have dinner together.”

      “I know.” Allie pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose and steeled herself for the mess to come. “I know. If I’d behaved like an adult, I wouldn’t have picked up Charlie in a bar and lied to Mark. I deserve this.”

      “Nobody deserves this.” Joe handed her a bread stick. “Eat. I’m with you. We can take them.”

      “Hell, yes.” Charlie relented and patted her hand. “The odds are in our favor.”

      “You in this, too? Good.” Joe handed him a bread stick, too. “We can always use another foot soldier in the fight against yuppie scum dweebs.”

      “That bad?”

      “Lisa! Mark!” Joe stood up. “I was just telling Charlie all about you.”

      Someday, Allie told herself, I’ll look back on this and laugh.

      But not yet.