“Oh well, can’t be helped,” I say and carry Cam back to his room so I can get him dressed. He’s not wearing a diaper and even though there is a towel between us, I don’t want to be the recipient of anything that comes out of him. “At least we’re still having dinner tomorrow.”
Larry follows me back. “So you still need me to babysit?”
I glance up and she’s biting the corner of her bottom lip and there’s concern in her eyes. Larry’s not going to cancel is she? I could cook tomorrow, like I planned tonight, but I really want to take Deirdre somewhere, without a child along. “If you still can.”
“Sure,” Larry assures me. “But, let me know if she cancels again.”
I narrow my eyes on Larry. “What makes you think she’ll cancel?” Does she know something I don’t, like she’s picking up on a girl vibe that only females get?
“Well, she did tonight. Though you did go to a movie last night, but she kind of bolted the first chance she got yesterday afternoon.”
I get where she’s going with this, and Larry is trying to be gentle in telling me not to get my hopes up, but I can’t help it. Should I listen to her and realize that Deirdre may not want to go out with me as much as I want to go out with her? Was last night a pity date because she couldn’t come up with an excuse not to go? Alexia did kind of force her to ride home with me and she had seemed surprised to see me at the gallery. Shit!
“Well, we’ll see what happens. Plan on her going. If not, you’ll get to go home early.”
“I’m sure it will work out. But, a lot of girls do avoid guys with kids.” She bites her bottom lip again and then looks up at me. “Sorry. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up and then be hurt.”
At least I have Larry’s sympathy. Cam’s, not so much, since he’s grinning up at me and kicking his legs.
“Thanks, I’ll keep that I mind.” I grab clothes for Cam and carry him out to the living room. “Go ahead and go. I’m not going to open the shop tonight. I’ll just kick back and watch some television.”
Larry pauses by the front door. “You gonna be okay? I hate to leave you if you’re going to be all depressed and stuff.”
Like a sixteen-year-old kid could make things any better. At least she has a good heart. “I’ll be fine. Go hang out with your friends.”
After she leaves, I pick Cam up and wander into the kitchen. “Well, Little Dude, looks like it’s just me and you tonight.”
He kicks his legs with excitement.
“Love ya, guy, but I was really hoping for a little more grown up company than you or the kid.” I sigh and open the fridge. Half of my burger is still in there from yesterday. Looks like that is dinner tonight.
It was a prank is the text I get from Deirdre three hours later. I’d just put Cam to bed, grab my phone, walk out to the living room, and text back. Call me if you can.
The phone rings a moment later and I answer.
“What was a prank?”
“The whole text!” I can hear the anger in her voice. “Kian and I drove up here thinking we’d need to deal with all kinds of damage, but nothing happened.”
“Nothing?” Was she making excuses or was she really pranked? Ever since talking to Larry, I’m wondering if Deirdre really wants to go out with me and has been making excuses. Is she now going to just stay at Vassar and I won’t see her again?
“My apartment is fine. I talked to the supervisor, who has no clue who sent the text and why.”
I scratch my head. “Who would do something like that?”
“I have no idea, but I am pissed.”
“Don’t blame you,” I answer.
“My brother’s not to happy either, but we’re headed back now.”
At least she is coming back to town.
“I am so sorry about dinner tonight. Had I know this was a bad joke, I would have never come back to school.”
“Don’t worry about it. You had to check it out.” Was she really sorry about dinner?
I need to quit doubting her. She didn’t need to call and tell me it was a prank or a bad joke.
“Let me take you to dinner tomorrow to make up for it.”
My heart lifts. So, she isn’t just trying to blow me off. “No. I’m taking you. That’s already decided.”
“But I feel so bad.”
“This isn’t your fault,” I assure her. “Someone with a bad sense of humor, not you.”
“Still…”
“Don’t feel bad. We’ll just have fun tomorrow.”
“Okay,” she says, kind of sad. “I’ll see you then.”
I may not have liked that our plans were canceled tonight, but I feel tons better knowing she still wants to go out. At least Larry got that wrong. But, why would anyone play such a prank or joke on her? It’s probably one of the shittiest things I’ve heard of anyone doing before. Hopefully Deirdre can figure it out, if she even tries. I’d sure want to know what asshole sent the text it if happened to me.
Eight
Why am I so nervous?
Because it’s dinner with Jesse. Damn, I can’t help grinning and I’m all giddy inside. This is so not like me, but I love how it feels.
It still shocks me that he has a kid and honestly, I’m not quite sure how I feel about that. Still, it isn’t like Jesse and I can actually have a relationship anyway. He’s
