His voice was smooth as silk with a beautiful rich tone. How could he have baby teeth with a body and voice like that? Ashley stood looking at Edward’s teeth as he smiled at her.
“Ashley,” Grant nudged her. “Girl, say something. I told you my cousin was the man, huh?”
“Um…ok,” Ashley managed to say.
Edward walked up to Ashley and took her hand. He bent down and kissed it. Ashley swore she could feel one of his little teeth touching her skin, but then again it could all be in her mind.
“Well, I finally get the chance to meet the infamous Ashley Hernandez. Grant has told me a lot about you,” Edward said.
“Yes, I’ve heard a lot about you as well. It’s good to teeth you, I-I mean meet you,” Ashley heard herself say.
“Ash, I know it is loud in here and you guys need some time to talk. Come with me, you two. I have a surprise,” Grant said before walking away from them.
They followed Grant through the crowded living room, past the kitchen and into the large backyard. He continued down three flights of stone stair steps. When they reached the last flight of stairs, Ashley saw a round table draped with a white linen cloth and two chairs. Two candles were lit, wine glasses were set, and a bottle of wine sat in a silver bucket, chilling. It was a very nice set up, but Ashley cringed at the thought of having to go through with this date. She was too nice to run back into the mansion, get her keys from VIP and speed away from the scene, but she wanted to. Yvette was good at this kind of thing. She would not have cared about anybody else’s feelings but her own.
Edward pulled out a seat for her. “Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you,” Ashley said sitting down. Edward joined her, and Grant poured them each a glass of wine before he left to go back to his party. Shortly after Grant left, a server came with a tray carrying two silver platters.
“Good evening, dinner is compliments of Lobster House. Enjoy.”
The server pulled the silver lids off of the food. It smelled amazing and looked even better. The night was starting to look up; Ashley loved a good lobster.
“So, Ashley Hernandez, are you half Hispanic?” Edward asked.
Ashley shook her head, “No, it’s my ex-husband’s last name. Pass the butter please.”
Edward passed her the melted butter. “I didn’t know you had been married before.”
“Yes, just a few years. What about you?”
“No, I haven’t found the right person yet. I guess you can say I’m kind of picky. I want an average woman. Someone that is not too fine and not full of herself. I don’t want my woman out in the streets fooling around. That is what too pretty and too fine women do. She doesn’t have to be a professional woman but able to hold down a job and keep me, her man, satisfied in bed.”
Ashley stopped eating and raised an eyebrow. “Some list you got there.”
“Do you want to know what I think of you, Ashley?”
“This should be good,” Ashley covered her finished meal with her napkin. “Edward, what do you think of me?”
“Well, from what my cousin has told me and based off of what I see. I think you are smart, a little bit prettier than what I normally go for.” He studied her intently. “That dress is nice, but you may need a little work, you know step it up just a little to keep up with a man like me.”
Ashley was shocked. She could feel her thick left eyebrow arching and the wrinkles in her forehead forming on her face. No, he didn’t! She hadn’t been out on a date in years, but she knew how to dress.
He was not all of that. Full of himself and arrogant, this man needed to bring it all the way down a few notches. A little work to keep up with him. The nerve of this man with the teeth of an adolescent.
“Dinner was great, Edward. Thank you,” Ashley stood and gathered her things. “I have to go pick up my mother from bingo. You have a nice night.”
“Ashley,” Edward stood. “Was it something I said?”
Ashley continued walking away.
“I will call you,” he shouted.
Ashley quickly walked back into the mansion. Don’t bother, little teeth man.You have some nerve. Ashley thought to herself. If this was what dating had become, she would rather sit on the sidelines.
This could be a little harder than I thought. No Prince Charming here.
Chapter 3
Against Ashley’s better judgment, she delved into her hard-earned savings to join her cousin Yvette in the Bahamas for the divorce retreat. After that terrible date and Grant hardly speaking to her at work, a vacation was exactly what she needed.
Ashley and Yvette arrived at the airport in the Bahamas and went to retrieve their bags from baggage claim. Caribbean music filled the airport speakers and Yvette started dancing playfully. When she saw she had drawn an audience of handsome men, her dancing became a little more seductive.
Ashley shook her head. “Yvette, our bags are coming around. Help me grab them.”
“Why don’t I assist you, ladies?” An older man from the crowd said to Ashley.
“Thank you…” Yvette smiled.
“Michael, my name is Michael,” he said in a strong island accent.
“Thanks, Michael,” Ashley said.
Handsome and well-built, Michael retrieved their bags. From his expensive Gucci apparel and Rolodex watch, he looked like he could be a wealthy man. Ashley was surprised to see that he was alone, but maybe he wanted it that way. Maybe he wanted to come out to the Bahamas and hook up with a young tender thing. Her cousin wasn’t young or tender, but Yvette had captured the man’s attention. She’d wasted no time catching her a suitor. Ashley shook her head and thought, my cousin never has a problem with men.
Engaged in conversation, Michael and Yvette walked a few feet ahead
