Home > The Fix (The Carolina Connections #1)(15)

The Fix (The Carolina Connections #1)(15)
Author: Sylvie Stewart

“Yeah, unfortunately Rocco has a pretty un-athletic mother and a musician for a father so Gavin’s dreams of living through Rocco may be dashed early on,” I said.

Not to be deterred from the main topic of the evening, Fiona persisted, “So you’re really not going to go out with Nate?”

“Ugh. Believe me, I’m totally tempted, but what happens when we get in a fight and Gavin gets stuck in the middle? Or, more likely, what happens when Rocco and I both fall in love with him and he takes off for his next adventure? Because he will, you know. As soon as his dad is back on his feet, he’s gone. I can’t do that to any of us. And even if, by some miracle, he decided to stay, why would he want to saddle himself with a single mom and a kid? I’m sure he’s just looking for a fun distraction to pass the time and I’m not up for that.” The feeling of sadness that overtook me was disproportionate to the brief involvement I’d had with Nate to this point. I could already feel myself getting in over my head and we’d only shared one kiss. One earth-shattering kiss, but still.

“But you deserve an awesome guy and a hot sexy love life, Laney! Every guy I suggest is all wrong—he’s too short, he has a weird accent, he wears a fedora, he sweats too much—whatever! I can’t sit around here and watch you spend another Saturday night watching The Mentalist on Hulu and fantasizing about Simon Baker—he’s too old for you anyway. You need a real live date with a real live penis—your penis fly trap needs a snack! No offense.”

Oh my, it seemed Fiona brought the big guns out tonight. “Wow, don’t hold back on my account.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “First of all, did you stop by a bar for a shot or seven of vodka on your way here? Second, you seem to have forgotten that one of the guys you tried to set me up with was eighteen years old—his voice hadn’t even changed yet! Enough said.”

Ready for her rebuttal, I thrust a hand out and intercepted it. “But, as it so happens, dear Fiona, Annette is setting me up on a date with someone this week. He fits all your criteria and he even has a child of his own. I didn’t specifically ask if he has a real live penis but I’m assuming that’s a given. I’m expecting his call and, barring a disastrous initial conversation, I plan to accept. So there!”

She beamed back at me and I couldn’t help but be a little happy that I’d put a smile on her face. “Well, if it can’t be hot construction dude, I guess we can give this other guy a chance at snack time. Now, where’s the wine?”

My phone buzzed with a text.

Nate: I got an in at Hops and can skip the line. Just name the night. BTW, when did that place become such a madhouse? It’s still just a burger joint, right?

Laney: I know! Ever since it got listed as “Best Burger” on some list you can’t get in anymore.

Nate: I noticed that still wasn’t a yes on the date?

Laney: I’ve got Charlotte’s phone number for you.

Nate: I don’t want to go out with Charlotte. I want to go out with you. Besides, dating married women requires too much effort and I’m not big on subterfuge.

Laney: Smartass. I meant I had her number for the apology you owe her. I haven’t forgotten.

Nate: Neither have I. Now, about this date …

Laney: I’ve got Rocco so it’s not that easy.

Nate: You’ve also got Gavin and I am his boss after all. I can be lenient if he needs to come in late …

Laney: Exactly! None of that. I don’t think we should get involved.

Nate: You think too much.

That was Tuesday and I chose not to re-engage or I’d get myself in trouble. That same night I got the call I’d been expecting from Annette’s guy, Alex. He seemed nice enough on the phone, although we did have the expected awkward moments one gets when trying to organize a date with a complete stranger. We settled fairly quickly on Thursday evening and I have to say I was somewhat relieved to get off the phone. I forgot how stressful dating was—why do people do this to themselves?

Thursday arrived before I was ready, and it was officially date night. The only problem was that the date wasn’t with the guy I actually wanted, no matter what the logical part of my brain said. Nate had continued to text me since Tuesday and I couldn’t help but be charmed by him. Dammit!

Determined to get me fired up for the date, Fiona showed up early in the evening with a slew of dresses and heels. Since she and I are nowhere in the neighborhood of the same size, my look of confusion must have been evident.

“So I stopped at a couple boutiques. Suck it!”

I would try to argue with her but there was no stopping Fiona and her credit card. So I let her spend the next hour doing my hair and makeup and dressing me up like a Barbie, except one with actual human dimensions. She spent the majority of the time alternating between reveling in her own genius and filling me in on useless gossip that was both totally frivolous and completely entertaining. As only a best friend would do, she’d offered to babysit Rocco during my date. I would have asked Gavin, but I was starting to feel like I was taking advantage of him a bit and I knew he had his, well, drinking or whatever to do in the evenings. Truthfully, I had no idea what he was up to these days.

“This is definitely the one.” Fiona stood back and admired her work, finger to her lips.

I looked down at the form-fitting pink dress. It was sleeveless with wide straps—because, come on, there was no way on earth I could forego a bra—and a pencil skirt that ended just above the knee. Running down the center of the dress was a pretty little vertical ruffle of sorts. I tugged lightly at the ruffle. “You don’t think this is too much?”

“It adds interest and draws the eye vertically—very slimming,” she said.

I was all for slimming, but still. “You don’t think I look a bit like … a vagina?”

She gasped just as the doorbell rang. “Shoes!” she shouted.

Oh well, too late. I shoved on the torture devices she threw at me and headed out to the living room. I paused as I noted for the umpteenth time this week that the cockeyed board on the hallway floor lay flat where it had once caused countless stubbed toes as if that had been its sole purpose on this earth. Nate had fixed it on Saturday and dammit if I didn’t think of him every time I walked down the hall. Sigh. I forced thoughts of Nate aside and entered the living room where Gavin sat on the couch.

“Doorbell,” he said oh-so-helpfully. Then he looked me up and down. “That's a lot of pink. No offense, but you kind of look like a—”

“You must be Alex!” Fiona opened the front door with a flourish.

I knew it! Crap! Too late now.

Alex stepped inside. Annette hadn’t lied—he was super cute. Short-ish blond hair spiked up in artful disarray, and a thin nose held a pair of cool hipster glasses with black frames. He was taller than me in my heels so that was good, and he had great cheekbones, but no scruff, I noticed. Oh well. He wore a gray short-sleeved button down and black pants. Skinny pants. Huh. How did I feel about that?

Fiona swept to the side like the little hostess she is. She motioned to herself. “I’m Fiona, the best friend. That’s Gavin, the brother.” She spared Gavin the slightest gesture and then motioned to me as if presenting Alex to the queen. “And this … is Laney.” Jesus, was she going to curtsey next?

Alex’s face broke into a smile. “Wow, Laney, you look beautiful. I love pink.”

Cough. Shut up, Gavin!

“Thanks. You look nice too.” Didn't they have those pants in your size? I guess I’d figured out my feelings about the pants after all.

God, stop being a bitch, Laney!

He really did have a great smile—nice, even white teeth. But no dimple. Well that’s okay, not everyone can have an awesome dimple.

Come on, give him a chance!

Fiona looked at me and seemed to be attempting to communicate the same command. Let’s do this! “Well, have fun, kids!” she chirped and ushered us out the door.

The drive to the restaurant went as expected for a first date—some overly long silences and some talking over each other in an attempt to ease the awkwardness. Just normal first date stuff.

“I thought we'd try out this new sushi place,” Alex said.

“Oh, okay.” A bit of a risk for a first date, wasn’t it? Not everybody likes sushi. Shut up! You like sushi just fine. “Sounds great!”

We arrived at the restaurant and he opened my door for me. Gotta love a guy with manners. He kept his hand on the small of my back all the way to our table which, while not prompting the flight of any butterflies, was nice.

After we were comfortably seated and had a chance to look over the menu, we placed our orders with the waitress. I stuck to the basics with California rolls, tuna and the like, but Alex went full out experimental. I couldn’t pronounce most of what he ordered, and I was a bit scared to witness him eating it. Eek.

“So, Annette says you and Rocco just bought your house? That's great. Isn't house hunting fun?” he asked with a smirk. Sarcasm, I like it.

“Yeah, it comes in only a close second to a root canal on my list of favorite activities. But now that it’s done I love it.” I relaxed and sipped my water.

“I had to get a new place last year too. I thought my daughter, Allison, would have a hard time adjusting. Her mom stayed in our old place, you know, and we share custody.”

I nodded understandingly.

“But Allison's been an angel—handling the divorce like a champ. Couldn't ask for a better kid.”

That’s sweet, I thought. I needed to give this guy a chance. “Wow, that's great for you. I've heard that can be really hard so it sounds like you lucked out.” I smiled at him. “There’s not even a divorce involved in my move and I think Rocco is going to need therapy to get over it,” I joked.

“No luck about it. Allison's just the perfect kid.” Deadpan.

Whoa, back it up there, mister. Isn't there some unwritten rule that you can't call your own kid perfect out loud unless you’re using deep sarcasm? Before I had to think of a response our waitress came with our food and the hot sake we’d ordered. I think some of Alex’s meal was still alive.

   
Most Popular
» Nothing But Trouble (Malibu University #1)
» Kill Switch (Devil's Night #3)
» Hold Me Today (Put A Ring On It #1)
» Spinning Silver
» Birthday Girl
» A Nordic King (Royal Romance #3)
» The Wild Heir (Royal Romance #2)
» The Swedish Prince (Royal Romance #1)
» Nothing Personal (Karina Halle)
» My Life in Shambles
» The Warrior Queen (The Hundredth Queen #4)
» The Rogue Queen (The Hundredth Queen #3)
romance.readsbookonline.com Copyright 2016 - 2024