“Your shih tzu is taking a shit,” Liam says, glancing at me with a smug look.

“I’m sure that’s a joke that’s never ever been made before,” I say, trying not to crack a smile.

“Yeah? So what. It’s still hilarious.”

Sundays, I usually do something with my family. This morning, I meet up with my brother Liam and we walk a couple of dogs from the local dog shelter around town. Today we stroll around the campus quad of Blackwell University.

“And your lab is...labbing? Fuck. It doesn’t work the other way.” I shake my head as I stare down the dog Liam snagged.

“That’s right. My dog is fucking awesome. Yes you are Shiloh!” He pets the chocolate lab and the dog gets into it, wagging his tail out of control. “Just admit I’m the king of dirty dog puns. Bow at how good of a master I am.”

“You know, it’s good I have a brother like you,” I say as I tie off the doggie bag and toss it in a nearby trash can. “If not, I’d probably get a big head.”

“You do have a big head,” Liam winks. “I mean literally.”

I nod as we stroll down the quad. “You got me there. A big head for big brains. Thank God I have the money for these custom fitted hats,” I say, switching my baseball cap around to wear it backwards.

“I have some news,” Liam says. “I need to tell someone. I figure since you’re my brother you’re forced to listen.”

“Seriously?”

He nods, almost gravely. My brother’s not one to get serious--he almost never says a straight line. So I listen while he tells me about how he’s falling for a girl.

Well, fell is a better word. But their relationship, if you could call it that, leaves me flabbergasted.

“Let me get this straight,” I say, holding up a hand. Both dogs turn and look at me, as if they realize I’m about to make a very important proclamation. “You had a one night stand. With a client.”

He shrugs. “When you put it like that it seems wrong. I was helping her out. She was in a tough spot.”

“So you...gave her a hand?” I wink. “Did you get her engine up and running?”

“Hey,” Liam barks back. “This is my love you are talking about here. Be careful. And of course I did. She was up and purring in no time. The engine, I mean. The engine was purring.”

I toss my head back in laughter. My brother is an asshole and a lady killer. I’m honestly a little surprised to hear him talking about a girl like he’s talking about Haley. But I guess even the Liam’s of the world have to settle down sometime.

“What about you, big bro?” he asks. “You gonna settle down sometime soon?”

The question catches me a little off guard. I run my hand along my jawline and we start walking again.

“Me?” I scoff. “I don’t have time for a woman. You know that. It would end badly.”

“What, because you’re ‘building your empire?’”

“Yes,” I nod.

Liam shrugs as we turn down another part of the University quad. “Man, I got news for you: that empire you always dreamed about: it’s built now. Look around, man! Who donated the money for the new Art Center for Blackwell U?”

I shrug. “I did.”

“Right. Man, whose non profit did we pick up these dogs at? You own this town. What else do you want?”

“Maybe I’m just not the kind of guy who’s meant to have a long term relationship,” I say. “Flings are more my thing. Man, what the hell, just at the beginning of the summer you were talking about how great being single was, and how you’d never settle down. What changed?”

Liam swallows, looks me in the eye. “Haley.”

I nod, and I understand what he means by that. “Well, I guess I just haven’t found my Haley yet,” I say.

Liam shrugs. “Hey man, maybe you’re not. Maybe you’ll never find her. I get it, I’ve been there. But I can tell you from personal experience--that shit happens when you are least looking for it. You don’t even have any candidates?”

I chuckle. “No I don’t have any--”

I stop myself, because the word candidates makes me think of résumé. And résumé makes me think of my recent hires.

And that leads me to the girl who I’ve been doing my damnedest not to flirt with at work.

Brett Blue.

“Awww shit,” Liam drawls. “I know that face! Big brother’s got a crush. Yes he does, doesn’t he Shiloh?” He bends down and pets the dog furiously, and Shiloh leans in, clearly loving it. “Goddamn this dog is awesome! I just might have to bring him home with me. So who’s the lucky girl?”

“There is no girl.” I try to say the words in a serious voice, but they come out weird.

“Ha! Dude you act like I haven’t known you for since you were born.”

“I was born before you,” I smirk.

“Okay, twenty-eight years. You’re twenty-nine now, right?”

I chuckle. “Come on, you don’t know your own brother’s age.”

Liam looks a little flustered. He continues. “The point is I know when to call bullshit on my own brother. And I call bullshit. You sound like Keanu Reeves in the Matrix.” Liam whips off his sunglasses, feigns holding a utensil in front of his eyes, and says in his best Keanu Reeves voice. “There is no spoon.”

“Fuck you man. Fine. You want to know? We have this new girl...and I can’t get her off my mind. She’s a whip smart new hire, from outside the city limits. Something about her, man. She drives me nuts. Every interaction we have, I’m like ‘is she flirting with me? Or is this just coincidence.”

“Please, bro. Give me the down low.”

“Her name is Brett Blue.” I start to say something else, but Liam holds up a hand.

“Wait a second. Her name is Brett? That’s not even close to a girl’s name.”

“It’s her dad’s middle name, and she used to be quite a tomboy. Anyways, yesterday I stopped by her desk and she was acting weird. I couldn’t put my finger on how, exactly. Then she dropped a pen right at my feet, and when she picked it up, she stole a cock glance.”

Liam’s jaw drops. “She stole a look at the Blackwell family jewels?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re sure of it.”

“I think so man. Fuck, who knows. Maybe I imagined it.”

“If she did--bro--she likes you. No doubt about it. Damn, I’m gonna have to look this girl up. New hire eh? So...why don’t you just ask her out?”

I smile, because I envy Liam’s simple solution-making. “Dude, it’s not that simple. I run a billion dollar company. I can't just go around asking my employees out. I have a reputation to uphold. That might be okay in the auto shop, but we have an HR department. I don’t want to make her uncomfortable, you know?”

Liam runs a hand through his hair. “I see your point. Shit man, I don’t know. Just look for the signals. She’ll probably leave you an opening if she wants you.”

“That’s what she said,” I wink, and Liam tosses his head back in laughter.

“Ahh you motherfucker. See, what do you need my help for? You got this covered. Ain’t that right, Shiloh?”

The dog turns and looks back at us, and I swear he winks at me.

I can’t tell if that’s a good or a bad omen.