Baldwin: Casablanca tonight? I’ll bring Moroccan meatballs from Marrak on Fifty-Third.
I sighed. This was our thing. We both loved renting movies and turning them into a theme for dinner. Back in college, we’d take turns picking out the movie, and the other would have to bring food to pair with it. I’d pick Sweet Home Alabama, and he’d bring southern fried chicken. He’d pick Shawshank Redemption, and I’d bring bologna sandwiches.
Two weeks ago I would have jumped at a movie night with Baldwin, but now I felt conflicted for some reason. It wasn’t like Drew and I were really dating, or even if we were, that Baldwin had any interest in me other than friendship anyway. So why did it feel wrong to say yes? Maybe because I was lying naked in bed with one man, thinking about making plans with another. That was probably what wasn’t sitting right. I pushed the button on the side of my phone and decided later I’d give Baldwin’s invitation more thought before I responded.
Since my bladder was calling, I decided to go to the bathroom and then make coffee before slipping out. I needed to get to my apartment for clean clothes and a quick shower before my nine o’clock appointment downstairs.
When I was done, I left a note under an empty coffee mug on the kitchen counter and headed to the subway.
Around the second stop, I realized I’d left my phone on Drew’s nightstand. At least I wouldn’t have far to go to get it when I got to work in a little while.
The office phone was ringing when I walked in with a few minutes to spare before my appointment arrived. I reached over the reception desk and grabbed it.
“Drew Jagger’s office. How may I help you?”
“I need to speak to Drew.” I’d only heard Alexa’s voice once, but I knew it was her. Not too many of his clients had a southern accent and an attitude.
Over-the-top sweetness oozed from my voice. “May I say who’s calling?”
“No, you may not.”
Bitch.
I glanced over the reception desk at the phone and saw that Drew’s office line was red. He was already on the phone.
I smiled as I got back on the line. “Mr. Jagger isn’t available right now. Would you like to leave a message?”
She huffed. “Tell him to call Alexa.” Then she hung up in my ear.
I heard Drew talking as I passed his office, so I wrote the message on my message pad and ripped off the little slip to leave on his desk before my appointment arrived. But when I went back to his office, he was hanging up the phone.
“Good morning.” I smiled as I walked to him. “I just took a message while you were on the other line.”
Drew leaned back in his chair with an impassive look. “I took a message for you, too.”
“Oh?”
He slid my cell phone to the edge of his desk. “I thought it might be you, calling to see if you left your phone at my place, so I answered it.”
There were only two people who would call me early in the morning. Since Drew was acting strangely, I figured it wasn’t my mother.
“Who was it?”
The muscle in Drew’s jaw flexed. “Baldwin. He wanted to know if he should order the Moroccan meatballs for tonight.”
Shit. This feels even weirder than it did this morning. I sensed the need to explain.
“He texted this morning and asked if I wanted to rent a movie and have some dinner. I like to match food to the theme of the movie. I hadn’t responded yet.”
Drew’s face was unreadable. “Well, he’s waiting for your answer.”
We stared at each other, my mind jumping all over the place, trying to figure out what Drew expected me to say or do. Luckily, the front door buzzed. I looked down at my watch, relieved that my morning appointment was a few minutes early.
Drew stood. “Is that for you?”
“I think so. I have a nine o’clock session. I’ll go let them in.”
“I’ll get it. I have a conference call, so my door will be shut, but I don’t like people to think you’re alone in here.”
He handed me my cell phone as he walked past. “You don’t want to keep Professor Peckerhead waiting.”
Ironically, the problem with the couple that had just left my office was they didn’t say what was really on their minds. They weren’t open with each other. Lauren wanted more oral sex and was embarrassed to ask for it. Her fiancé, Tim, wanted her to initiate sex more often. While Drew and I had yet to encounter any problems in the bedroom, I had no idea what he wanted from me. Here I was, counseling people that the key to any type of successful relationship is communication, yet I was hiding from Drew in my office to avoid finishing the conversation I knew wasn’t done.