I took my drink with me as he kept hold of my hand and walked me back to where he had been sitting.
As I walked, I glanced over my shoulder to see Josie beaming and Alyssa mouthing, “Go get him, tiger.”
I grinned at them and allowed myself to be led away.
His name was Bradley.
*
My phone was ringing as was my doorbell.
I grabbed the phone, seeing the number was not known but local, and since there were a lot of things happening and the call could have to do with any of these, I took the call as I rushed to the door.
“Hello?”
“Amy?”
Not Mickey.
Boston.
Shit.
It had been three days since our date.
Player move.
Boring.
“Boston,” I said, unlocking the door and opening it to a man standing there in paint spattered, white coveralls. I lifted a one minute finger to him then rolled my whole hand, stepping back and inviting him inside. He came in and I kept talking, “I’m so sorry, but I’m in the middle of something and have someone waiting.”
“That’s too bad, but do you have time to tell me you’re free tomorrow evening?” he asked.
I was.
“I’m sorry, I’m not,” I lied.
“I’m out of town on Friday and I’ll be gone a few weeks.”
Brilliant news.
My “Oh,” was noncommittal.
“I’ll call you while I’m away.”
Not brilliant news.
“I have some things happening, a number of them, I’m going to be very busy,” I shared, and that was the truth.
“We’ll find a time, Amy.”
God, I really, really wished I hadn’t told him to call me Amy.
I also wished he’d catch a hint.
“Right,” I said distractedly. “I really have to go.”
“We’ll speak later.”
“Okay.”
“Good-bye, Amy.”
“’Bye, Boston,” I mumbled then hung up and looked at the painter who I hoped would give me a decent quote for painting my massive, multi-million dollar house.
And I smiled.
*
After our date, I was on my front step making out with a handsome blond named Bradley.
He wasn’t boring. He was actually quite nice, very attentive, well-to-do enough to take me to a lovely place for dinner, including ordering a very nice bottle of wine, without hitting me over the head with all of this.
Thus I’d wanted him to kiss me.
He didn’t taste minty.
He tasted like chocolate (his dessert) and warmth and this coupled with his cologne that was not overwhelming but was woodsy, I liked.
He also didn’t go for a brief kiss.
He started it slow but when I liked it and showed that, he’d gone for more.
There were tongues and I was wrapped around him, enjoying myself thoroughly.
I was this until the dark against my closed eyelids was pierced with muted light and I lost some focus.
Bradley got it back.
But it disappeared completely when a faraway noise that could not be mistaken tore me right out of the moment in a way I tore my lips from Bradley’s.
I looked over his shoulder to see Mickey’s garage door going up, his black Ford Expedition gliding into the drive.
“Amelia?” Bradley called and I looked to him.
“Maybe we should call it a night here,” I whispered.
His arms still around me, arms that felt nice and strong, gave me a reflexive squeeze but he nodded.
“How are you set for tomorrow night?” he asked.
How I was set was that Junior and Alyssa wanted a date night and so did their eldest daughter, Sofie, who usually looked after he kids when they needed her to. But now she had a boyfriend who was about to go to Boston to start his freshman year of college so she wanted all the time with Conner she could get.
Therefore, I’d told Alyssa I’d come over and watch the kids and she’d fallen on that like a man dragging himself through the dessert had just hit the water hole at an oasis.
“I’m watching a friend’s kids tomorrow night. The next?” I asked.
“I have a work thing,” he muttered with disappointment. Then he gave me another squeeze. “I’ll call.”
I smiled at him, my arms still wound around his shoulders.
“That’d be good,” I said softly.
His eyes dropped to my mouth then his lips dropped there.
We didn’t make out again but our kiss was hot and heavy, just brief, before he gave me a quick peck, a sexy smile (that actually was sexy), said goodnight and walked toward his burgundy Infinity.
I watched him go for a moment before I let myself in, closed and locked the doors.
I went to the kitchen and flipped the lights before I took out my phone and did what I did more than occasionally since the last one she didn’t answer.
I texted Robin with, Hey, things are happening and there’s a lot to tell you. You’re not replying, which has me worried. Give me a time that’s good for me to call and I’ll call. Love you!
I got ready for bed, doing it a little dreamily because Bradley was a little dreamy and it was clear he liked me, but by the time I was ready for bed, I realized that Robin again hadn’t texted back.
So, finally being grown up, I phoned her.
I got voicemail and left a message.