After lunch, we walked Bailey back to work. She was clever and adorable. A sweet blue-eyed blonde with dimples in her cheeks. There wasn’t anything not to love about her. And I hated that.
“Well.” She stopped at the entrance to her store. “Thanks for lunch. You really didn’t have to pay.”
“He’s Southern, Bailey,” Beth said. “That’s what our men are known for.”
“Right,” she smiled. “Well, let me know how the dress works out.”
“I will! And I’m already sending more customers your way.”
“That’s great.” She held her purse. “I really appreciate it.”
“Well.” Beth gave her a hug. “I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah, you too.” She hugged her back. “Take care.”
Beth went a little ways down the sidewalk.
“Hey, Bailey?” I said.
She turned around. “Yeah?”
“Listen, I’m sorry about what I said at lunch. It’s not that I don’t find you attractive, it’s just—”
“You’re not looking for a relationship right now?”
“Yeah,” I said. “How did you know?”
“I’ve never been the best at timing.”
I touched her arm. “Any guy would be lucky to have you. He’d be a fool to let you get away.”
“Then I guess fools are the only ones I fall for.”
She looked so sad. I wanted to be the one to make her smile. But that was never going to happen.
“I hope everything works out.” I stuck my hand out. “With the online dating thing.”
“You mean the desperate loser thing?” she asked.
I dropped my hand and looked down. “I’m really sorry about that. I was wrong.”
“It’s okay.” She grinned. And I really loved those dimples. “I was just teasing you.”
I wanted to make some sarcastic remark. But all I could do was stand there and watch her.
“Thanks for lunch, Carter.” She shook my hand. “I’ll see you around.”
She went inside her store and didn’t look back. Beth tugged at my arm as we headed to my apartment. But the whole way there, I couldn’t stop thinking about Bailey.
Or the fact that I was the fool letting her get away.
Chapter 3
Bailey
Crushed. That’s how I’d felt after lunch with Carter. His sister was great. And if she lived here, I’m sure we would have been friends. But it was very clear now that he wanted nothing to do with me.
He didn’t like me. He didn’t want me.
But I was so into him.
And it wasn’t just the way he looked. Even though he was the most gorgeous guy I’d ever met.
Seeing him there with his sister, I’d watched how much he cared about the people he loved. But that someone would never be me. He probably had his eye on some other girl. There were beautiful women in New York City restaurants every night of the week. With a man as good looking as Carter, surely he had his pick of the litter. So the best thing for me to do was just forget about him and move on.
So that’s what I did. And so far, it wasn’t half bad.
I’d recently met Jared online. He was an athletic blonde with a love for animals. He was my age and studying to become a veterinarian. And his profile picture was clearly visible. So that was a good sign.
We chatted for two weeks before he asked to meet in person. I was excited to go on a date—my second since I’d set up my profile online. And I wasn’t as nervous as I’d been when I was getting ready to meet Barnum. Maybe because I’d already done this before. So it took the edge off.
When he told me where he’d made reservations, my spirits fell. It was the restaurant where Carter worked. Sure, it was the nicest place in town. That’s why Barnum had taken me there, too.
But I hated the thought of Carter seeing me there on another date. Even though it had been a couple weeks, I still really liked him. And deep down, I wished that he was the one I was on a date with.
I’d never met Jared before, and I didn’t want to start off on the wrong foot. So I agreed to meet him there. And who knew? Maybe Carter wouldn’t even be working that night.
I showed up ten minutes early in a red satin dress. It was a custom piece, one of my very own. And I felt more confident wearing something I’d made with my bare hands.
The date with Barnum felt like a practice round. So tonight, I was finally ready to put myself out there. That’s why I spent hours exfoliating my skin and styling my hair. It was summer, so I wore it half up and half down. My brothers always said it was the only way to see my face. I’d rather hide behind my blonde tresses, but maybe Josh and Parker were right. To receive love, you have to be willing to give it.
The hostess seated me at a table in the back. And I was thankful that it wasn’t the same one where I’d dined with Barnum. It felt like a good omen. And I didn’t see Carter around tonight either.
It should have made me happy. Now I could focus on someone else and get over him.
But if I’m being honest, I was pretty disappointed. I went to the bathroom to check my makeup. Even though I never went to these lengths to impress a man. And that’s when I realized why I’d worn the red dress. Not for my date. But for him.
I wandered back to the table and sat down. Then I looked at my phone. There was still no sign of Jared and no word from him either. So I took a sip of water and tried to make myself comfortable.
“My name is Max and I’ll be your server this evening. Can I get you started with any appetizers?”
I looked at the door. “I’m actually waiting for someone. So I’ll just stick with water for now.”
“Yes, ma’am. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Sure.” I faked a smile. “Thanks.”
It wasn’t unusual to be late on the first date. I’m sure it happened all the time.
Maybe Jared was stuck in traffic or carrying puppies out of a burning building.
But the clock kept ticking, and I kept wondering... would he ever show?
“Still waiting?” the waiter asked.
“Oh, yeah. I think I’ll just wait a little bit longer. I’m sorry.”
He smiled as I noticed the tattoo on his arm. “That’s okay. Take all the time you need.”
I drummed my fingers on the table and got tired of waiting. Jared was thirty minutes late. So I called him to see if everything was okay. He hadn’t replied to the text message I’d sent, and I was starting to worry. But he never answered, so I had to leave him a message.
I felt like crying as I looked around the restaurant. The place was packed, booming with loud voices caught up in conversation. I was at a table for two with candles and roses. There were other couples nearby, lost in each other’s eyes. I was the only one sitting here alone.
But then someone put a plate of bruschetta on the table.
“Oh, I haven’t ordered yet.” I looked up at the man who’d served it.
It was Carter. And he had a cocky grin on his face.
“Don’t worry about it, Miss Lewis,” he said. “It’s on the house.”
“Oh.” I looked at the toasted bread with tomato and basil. “You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s no problem.” He smiled. “Enjoy.”
I was about to say something else, but he disappeared. Looking around, I bit my lip and felt warmth burning against my cheeks. I loved bruschetta, and I’d even ordered some when we’d had lunch.
It made me smile to know that he’d remembered something I liked.
With no sign of Jared, I spread a napkin in my lap and helped myself to the appetizer. I’d been nervous before. But now that he still hadn’t showed, I was getting really hungry. So I took a bite of bruschetta, and it was out of this world. I thought about skipping the main course and just eating the whole plate. But I stopped myself after a couple pieces, because there was still hope that Jared might appear at the eleventh hour.
“How do you like it?” Carte
r asked. I hadn’t even seen him walk up.
“It’s great. Thank you.” I took a sip of water. “Did something happen to the other waiter?”
“Do you prefer his company to mine?” he asked.
“No.” I set my glass down. “It’s just that I wasn’t even sure if you’d be here tonight.”
“Well, I am.” His eyes were scorching blue. Like the Aegean Sea.
“How is Beth?” I wiped my mouth, hoping there weren’t any crumbs on my face.
“Good.” He relaxed at the thought of her. “She’s back home now. And she loves the dress.”
“I’m glad.” I saw a blonde gentleman at the entrance. “It’s one of my favorites.”
But it wasn’t Jared. So I glanced at my phone and then looked at Carter.
“Do you mind if I join you?” he asked.
“Are you allowed to? I mean, don’t you have to work?”
“I am working.” He grinned. “How about a bottle of wine?”
I held up my hand. “Carter, you really don’t have to.”
“It’s no trouble.” He grabbed a bottle and poured me a glass. “I really don’t mind.”
As he went to take the seat across from me, I said, “Carter, I’m meeting someone.”
He sat down anyway. “All right. I’ll leave as soon as they show up.”
I looked at my phone. Still no word from Jared.
“Okay,” I said. “I guess that’s all right.”
“So what?” He poured himself a glass of wine. “Do you have a date tonight?”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “At least I thought I did. He’s kind of late.”
“How late?”
I looked at my phone. “Forty-five minutes.”
He whistled. “If I had a date with someone like you, I wouldn’t make you wait.”
I blushed and averted my eyes, a little confused by the mixed signals he was sending.
“How old are you?” I asked.
“Twenty-eight.”
“You don’t look twenty-eight.”
“No?” He was surprised, yet excited to hear this.
“No.” I looked into his eyes. “You have a baby face.”
He gave me a lingering gaze that made my pulse race.
“So how come you’re not out with some beautiful woman tonight?” I asked.
He kept his eyes on me. “I am.”
I swallowed and crossed my legs under the table.
“I don’t understand. I thought you said—”
“I decided years ago that dating wasn’t for me.”
And that’s when my heart sank. “Why?”
“I don’t know.” He put his elbows on the table. “It’s just not.”
“Well, that’s a shame.”
“Nah, it’s not so bad. It gives me more time to work, focus on my career.”
I nodded. “Yeah, but that gets old. At the end of the day, you’re just alone.”
He furrowed his brow and looked away.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s none of my business.”
“No, you’re right. I probably deserved that.” He downed his glass of wine.
“So how long have you been working here?” I asked.
“A few years.”
“My uncle wanted to buy this place once. But someone outbid him.”
Carter stared at me, making my skin crawl with desire. His eyes dropped to my lips. And I really wanted him to kiss me. But something was holding him back. I couldn’t figure out what it was.
“Bailey.” He looked nervous. “I know that you’re doing this online dating thing. And I was a complete idiot the night we met.” He hesitated, raking his eyes over me. “But—”
“Bailey?”
I heard my voice and looked up.
“It’s Jared.” He shook my hand as I stood up. “I’m so sorry I’m late. I got a flat tire, and then my phone died.”
“Oh, it’s okay.” I smiled. He looked like a golden boy. All tan skin and blonde hair.
“I wasn’t even sure if you’d still be waiting here for me.” He saw Carter sitting in his seat.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “Accidents happen. I’m just glad you finally made it.”
“Me too.” He pointed at Carter. “I’m sorry. Who are you?”
“I’m nobody,” Carter said.
“We were just talking,” I explained. “He was keeping me company while I waited for you.”
Carter stood up and let Jared have the chair. “Can I get you anything this evening?”
“Oh,” Jared lit up. “You work here. Thanks for getting her to stay.”
Carter faked a smile, but it wasn’t a very good one. There was aggression in his eyes.
“I think I need a minute to look over the menu,” Jared said.
“That’s fine.” Carter waited until Jared wasn’t looking. And then he put his hand over mine and gazed into my eyes. “Enjoy your dinner.”
I felt his caress even after he walked away. It was a lingering touch. One that made me blush.
As Jared studied the menu, I awaited Carter’s return. I’d felt so close to him before Jared got here. And now I didn’t know how he felt about me. But I hoped I got the chance to see him again tonight.
“Ready to order?”
I looked up at Max, my original waiter. I told him what I wanted and then gave him my menu. While Jared ordered, I turned around and searched the restaurant. I couldn’t find Carter.
For the next hour, I had a nice time with Jared. He’d been raised in a Christian family, where they took annual mission trips to third world countries. I’d had a fair amount of religion in my upbringing, so it was all very honorable.
By the end of the date, I had a good feeling that he was husband material. Not that I was ready to dash down the altar with him. But he was incredibly mature, focused. I was sure he’d make a great father one day.
It gave me hope that there were good men out there who believed in marriage and monogamy. Jared had come from a big family, so he wanted a lot of kids. I thought that was sweet. He was more interested in having babies than upgrading to the latest iPhone. It was refreshing.
“I actually need to tell you something,” he said as the night was winding down.
“Okay.” I smiled, because he was so easy to talk to.
“I’ve been accepted into a residency program in California. I just found out yesterday.”
“Oh.” He was moving across the country, but I acted happy for him. “That’s great! Congratulations.”
“I didn’t even think I’d get in. The program starts next week.”
I nodded. “When are you moving?”
“In a couple days,” he frowned. “I know this is terrible timing. We just met. But I didn’t want to cancel on you at the last minute. Maybe I should have told you when I found out.”
“No. I’ve had a really nice time tonight. And I’m glad I got to meet you.”
“I’m glad I got to meet you, too.”
It felt a little bittersweet. We hardly knew each other, and my strongest feelings were already with another man. But I was sad to see him go. I might have fallen in love with him if he’d stayed. Then again, I might not have. Because I was having a hard time getting Carter off my mind.
Jared looked at his watch. “I need to head home and pack. Can I get you a cab?”
“Actually, I think I’m going to hang out here for a while, have some dessert.”
He opened his wallet and put some money on the table.
“Jared, you already paid for everything. You really don’t have to—”
“No, I want to. Maybe it can make up for me being an hour late and then moving three thousand miles away.”
I laughed. “Thanks, Jared.” I stood up and we hugged. “Good luck with everything.”
“You too, Bailey.” He touched my shoulder. “Call me if you’re ever in California. Okay?”
“Okay,” I nodded. “Goodbye.”
“See
ya around.” He walked away and turned back to wave.
I watched him leave and then sat down at the table. Why did the good guys always run away?
I lost track of time as the place started to empty out. By the time I thought to order dessert, Max said they were closing in twenty minutes. I picked over what was left of my food and then asked for a to-go box.
Maybe Jared wasn’t the right guy for me anyway. Maybe there was a reason it wasn’t supposed to work out. Maybe I was just being impatient. I’d only been on two dates. It wasn’t normal to find your soulmate that fast. As anything worth having in life, finding the man of my dreams would take time.
“How did it go?” Carter cleared away the dishes and silverware.
“Oh, hey.” I hung my head. “It was all right.”
He collected the glasses and put them in a bin. “Where is he?”
“He’s moving to California. So that’s that.”
“I’m sorry. He seemed like a decent guy.”
I looked at Carter. “He was.”
“Can I get you anything else?” he asked.
“Well, I was going to order dessert, but you’re about to close so...”
“No, I can get you something. What would you like?”
“Just ice cream,” I said.
“Okay.” He picked up his bin. “Comin’ right up.”
“And maybe a brownie.”
He gave me a sweet grin. “Okay. I’ll be right back.”
When he left, I buried my face in my hands. I felt lousy. It wasn’t the end of the world. But it never felt good to be told that a suitor didn’t want to see you anymore—even if he couldn’t help it.
Carter returned with an ice cream sundae and handed me a spoon.
“Thanks.” I took a small bite and then stared into oblivion.
“Mind if I sit down?” he asked.
“No,” I sighed. “Go ahead.”
I felt his eyes on me, but I couldn’t look at him. I hadn’t figured out why I was so disappointed.
“What else happened?” He took a seat. “With your date?”
“Nothing. He was really nice. He said all the right things.”
“Well, you couldn’t have possibly fallen in love with him on the first date,” he muttered.
“It’s not that.” I finally glanced his way. “It was just nice going on a date with someone that I could see myself possibly having a relationship with. I mean, it was just the first date. I hardly know him. But he seemed really mature. And he was sweet. I like that. That’s the kind of guy I want to find.”
An Agreement (Summer in New York Book 3) Page 3
