would mean trouble for him. Going on a blind date would be hell, but after he’d finally, finally agreed to go on one and Tim had gone to the trouble of finding someone who’d go out with him, the least he could do was meet the guy.

Tim wouldn’t have chosen someone horrible. Shawn wouldn’t be a hilarious genius supermodel, but Ryan wasn’t that well-suited to hilarious genius supermodels, anyway. Tim had his best interests at heart. Shawn was probably a nice guy, and his feelings would be hurt if he got stood up.

Ryan debated whether the world would end if Shawn’s feelings got hurt.

He debated whether his world would end if Tim found out he’d bailed.

He got out of the car and closed the door and looked at the restaurant’s front door.

He could still go home. Have a sandwich. With chips. TV. Relaxation.

Ryan was going over his options for the eighteenth time when he heard someone muttering. He looked around to make sure that no one weird was coming up behind him, and saw a guy, talking to himself, heading for the restaurant. The guy’s gaze was fixed on his apparent goal, the front doors, and he had his hands in his pockets. He was dressed in jeans and long sleeves, and maybe it was a trick of the parking lot lighting, but he looked pretty hot. The fact that he was muttering to himself indicated that something was probably wrong with him, but Ryan wished that, just once (or twice), he could date someone who looked like that.

Then, as the guy walked past Ryan without noticing him, Ryan caught what he was saying to himself.

“Hi, I’m Shawn. Hi, are you Ryan? Hi, I’m Shawn Abbott. Hi, my name’s Shawn, are you Ryan? Hi, I’m Shawn Abbott. Hello, I’m Shawn.”

Ryan stared after him as he disappeared inside The Cab Cafe. Shawn? That was Shawn? Tim had set him up with someone gorgeous and crazy? Someone tall and blond and hot who was even more unbalanced than he was?

Ryan grinned and headed for the restaurant.

…

Inside, since the hostess wasn’t in sight but the restaurant wasn’t that big, Ryan spotted Shawn for himself. Just outside, he’d paused to pat his hair and check his fly, so he approached Shawn with an even stride, feigning confidence. Shawn was studying the menu with unwarranted concentration.

Ryan stopped by the table. If he were cool, he’d slide into the booth, confidently, with a charming smile. But he wasn’t that cool. “Hi,” he said. “Shawn?”

Shawn looked up, and Ryan blinked. Oh, yeah. Those parking lot lights hadn’t done him justice. Those cheekbones, that soft blond hair, those bright blue eyes. This guy needed a blind date? Maybe Tim was paying him.

“Hi,” Shawn said abruptly, sliding out of the booth and shaking his hand. “Shawn Abbott. Are you Ryan?”

Startled, Ryan shook back. “Ryan Gillian.” Shawn was only a few inches taller, and slender, and nervous as hell. Ryan had expected to be the awkward one; he’d almost been counting on being a burden to his date.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Shawn said. He took his hand back, gaze flickering nervously towards the table and all over Ryan.

“You, too,” Ryan said, wondering what kind of evening he was in for. He sat down, and Shawn