by B. E. Baker
ALRIGHT, FINE. RAINCHECK?
SURE, I text. But she knows it's my way of saying 'no way' politely. I'll have to meet this guy at the wedding, and I'll be very nice when I do, but I'm not going to get shoved into some kind of unbelievably awkward date before then. Besides, what if he is adorable and I fall for him, and he doesn't like me back. Or what if we get super lucky and he likes me and I like him? I've still got way too many things to accomplish before I'm ready for something like that. So, just, no.
I call Paisley through my Bluetooth in the car on my way to pick up Troy. Pick up, pick up. Luckily she does, right before it would have gone to voicemail. “Hello?”
“Oh thank gosh you answered,” I say. “I’m calling to ask you for a major favor.”
“Why Trudy, it's so nice to hear from you too,” Paisley says. “I've had a busy week, but I'd love to hear about your new job.”
“Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry I'm skipping over all the niceties. I should call Mary, but I'm sure she'll be stuck at work until like ten p.m. Plus, I'd be too embarrassed to tell her what I need and why.”
“Now you've piqued my curiosity,” Paisley says. “So I guess I’ll forgive your atrocious manners for now. What do you need so badly?”
“First, a confession. I might have a crush on my boss.”
Silence.
“I know, I know,” I say. “It's idiotic, and I’m aware of that. I'm not doing anything about it, but he needs my help tonight. It's a long story and something I can't really share details on, but let's just say, we knew they needed an IT person, and tonight I have a chance to audition. Sort of. But to do it, I need someone to watch Troy. Do you have plans?”
“Actually I do,” she says. “My brother's visiting.”
Paisley has a brother? I always assumed she was an only child. She mentions her parents sometimes, but she’s never mentioned anyone else. Actually, I don't even know where she's from. I'm a terrible friend. But now is not the time to rectify that. One thing at a time. “Oh. Crap. Don’t worry about it then. I’ll see if Pam can help me out.”
“My brother loves kids,” she says. “So he's sitting next to me saying it's fine.”
Inspiration clobbers me over the head. “Actually,” I say softly. “What does your brother look like?”
She giggles. “He's kind of a fox. I mean, he looks like a manly version of me. Why do you ask?”
A masculine version of Paisley? I try to imagine all that manic energy, bossy pushiness, and bubbly vivacity shoved into the body of a guy and my brain reboots.
“Why do you ask?” Paisley prompts.
“Uh, I sort of need a cover for my audition. My boss wants me to bring a date if I can. Dinner's included, if that helps, and at a nice place, too. If you wouldn't mind watching Troy, it shouldn't take too long, and your brother will get a free dinner out of the deal.”
“Let me ask him and I'll message you back,” she says.
“You would be saving me,” I say. “Seriously.”
“Uh huh,” Paisley says. “I'm already practically a saint, you know, with all the stuff I do for you and your sister. And if I agree to this, you better bring back some amazing take out.”
“Of course,” I promise.
I'm buckling Troy into his seat when Paisley texts me. WE'LL DO IT. HOW NICE SHOULD COLE DRESS?
WE'RE GOING TO DRIFT FISH HOUSE.
She sends back a heart eyes emoji. I've never been there, but I'm gathering it's nice, which stresses me out. Forget Cole. What am I supposed to wear?
I rush to feed Troy dinner once we're home. Then I race to my room and put on a grey skirt and pink button down shirt. After all, spring is theoretically around the corner.
I hear a knock at the door, but by the time I get outside, Troy's already opened it, and he's watering that stupid dead daisy.
“Troy,” I say, with as gentle a reprimand as I can manage. “Don't answer the door, baby. It could have been anyone.” Including your insane father.
“It's Aunt Paiswey,” he says. “She told me that through the door. And she has some guy with her.”
“It’s her brother,” I say absently.
I take the dripping watering can from Troy and glance up at Paisley's brother. And up and up. I freeze with my mouth hanging open stupidly. Cole is tall. Like, tall, tall. At least six four, maybe six five. And he's got coal black hair, and bright green eyes.
Not gold like Paisley's eyes or hazel like most people who call their eyes green. Not even the bluish green of Mary's, which is plenty uncommon already. Cole's eyes are the green of emeralds, or a super shiny holly leaf. Or a bough of evergreen, or bright green paint, maybe. Once I finally stop gaping at his eyes, I notice that his jaw is chiseled and his nose aquiline.
Oh. My. Word.
If Jack likes me even a little bit, this guy will be perfect.
“I hear I'm your fake date tonight.” Cole's voice is deep, like Mufasa in the Lion King. Troy loves that movie, so I’ve seen it way too many times. “And I'm supposed to make your boss jealous?” Cole grins and my ovaries faint.
“Something like that,” I say. “But it's less about making him jealous, and more about acting as my cover so I can get the information he needs. He'll be on a date a few tables over, and I need to see whether the woman he's with stole some valuable information from him.”
Cole's eyebrows rise approvingly. “This gets more and more interesting. Plus, I love lobster and it’s hard to come by at home.”
“At home?” I smile. Maybe he’ll tell me where home is, and then I don’t have to admit I have no idea where Paisley’s really from.
He doesn’t take the bait.
“Then you really will love tonight,” I finally say, “because we're both getting the lobster. And one to go for your amazing sister.”
Paisley picks up Troy and carries him behind me into the kitchen where I’m emptying the watering can into the sink.
“That all sounds great,” she says. “But.”
I turn around to face her. “But what?”
She points at me.
“What?”
“You aren't wearing that,” she says. “How well do I know you?” She raises her eyebrows knowingly at Cole. “What did I say?”
Cole’s mouth turns up naturally into a smolder. “She said you'd be wearing a ‘kindergarten teacher ensemble.’ ”
“And I was right, she is!” Paisley purses her lips. “Well, grab it then.”
“Wait, grab what?” I ask, but Cole’s already ducking out the door.
Paisley just shakes her head when I look at her, and before I can complain, Cole’s back with a black garment bag over his arm.
“What exactly is that?” I ask.
“It's the right dress for the job.”
I groan and take it from him. When I unzip the bag in my room, I discover a short, low cut black dress with crisscrossing straps all over the back. I’ll have no room for breathing, much less eating lobster. “I can't wear this,” I yell.
“She said you’d say that, too,” Cole says.
“Just try it on,” Paisley says. “I’m here doing you this last minute favor. The least you can do is humor me.”
I grumble, but I put it on, and then I walk out to show them how awful it looks. I could barely get the zipper to go all the way up. Clearly I’m too fat for this dress.
“See?” I spin in a circle, wishing heartily that Cole wasn’t also in the room.
Paisley shakes her head and turns to Cole. “She's wearing that.”
His eyes are wide. “Definitely. I’ve never seen a kindergarten teacher that hot.”
This two Paisleys thing is bad for my blood pressure. I hope this gorgeous man hunk will be headed home soon, wherever that is. He may be beautiful, but he's pushier than his sister. “Fine. I'll go to this stupid thing half naked, but we need to leave soon, or we'll be late.”
“Mom you're leaving? To go where?”
Troy's tiny voice stops me in my tracks. I crouch down so we'
re eye level. “I'm sorry baby. Mom has to help her boss out, but it's almost your bedtime. So I'll only miss out on a few minutes with you.”
His frown breaks my heart. “Can you read me I'll Love You Forever first?”
Jack can wait. My baby can't. I pull Troy close and rub his curls between my fingers. “Yes, baby, I can.”
Troy's tiny legs pump as he runs into his bedroom and finds his favorite book. It always makes me cry, no matter how many times I've read it, so by the time I'm done, my mascara is smudged. Paisley wipes her fingers under my eyes and cups my face in her hands. “You've got this. And I’ll take great care of your angel.”
My heart swells a little bit and I wonder sometimes if that's how life works. Someone awful comes along and torches your heart just to watch it burn. All that's left is a hard black lump, but over time, kind acts of friends and family restore the blood flow. Bit by bit, my heart's starting to pump again. Mary. Troy. Paisley.
“Thank you Pais. It means a lot.”
She grins. “Anything for one of my Wiggin girls.”
I grab my purse and my black wool peacoat. “Ready to go, Cole?”
“Absolutely.” He opens the door for me and takes my arm in his. “Did your son plant seeds in that pot? It seems a little early in the season for that.”
I glance down at the mushy black and brown mess of dead daisies and laugh. “Not seeds, no. He thinks if he waters it, that plant might come back. Obviously that’s not going to help, because that thing is dead.”
“Kids are funny,” Cole says. “But it's good he's so hopeful, especially since you're pretty recently divorced, right?” I realize he has a faint accent, but I can't place it. It's not like Luke's, so Australia’s probably out.
Cole insists on opening my car door, too. Once we're in the car, I answer his question.
“Troy's dad left us back in September. I hid for a while, like an ostrich with my head in the sand. I knew he was gone, but I guess I was paralyzed by what that might do to Troy. I finally filed for divorce in December. Of course, it wasn't final until the first of February, and it only went so quick because he literally could not wait to ditch us. I didn't have anything he wanted, and I didn't ask for anything from him. I only recently filed the forms for child support garnishment.”
“That sounds rough, but Troy seems okay with all of it, and you do, too. Good for you, getting out and finding a job. And apparently finding an attractive boss as well.”
I laugh. “It's not really like that. Actually, I'm doing my boss a big favor. I think he was worried if I showed up alone, his ex-girlfriend would immediately spot me. She met me at the office today and wasn’t my biggest fan.”
“So I'm here less to make some guy jealous and more to pull off an operation?” He raises one eyebrow.
“Which is exactly what I told Paisley.”
“I'll admit, I'm a little disappointed, but you're beautiful enough I don't mind much.”
My cheeks heat up, but it's dark enough I'm sure he can't see. “Where are you from, anyway? I’ve known Paisley forever, but for some reason I thought she was from somewhere around here. You sound exotic though. I’m realizing I’m not a very good friend.”
Cole lifts his eyebrow. “Paisley said you and Mary and some woman named Geo are her best friends in the world.”
I nod. “I don't disagree. I see her several times a week, and Mary sees her every day, obviously.”
“And she hasn't told you where she's from?”
I glance his way. “I didn’t know she had a brother until today. I expected you to be really weird, or ugly, or embarrassing. Now that we've met, I have no idea why she never mentioned you.”
Cole frowns. “I don't think it's my place to say, not if Paisley hasn't been forthcoming. But I'll warn you about one thing. I'm here because my parents have requested that she return home.”
My tiny charred heart stutters. “I need her.”
“Our family needs her too. More than you do.”
I don't press Cole for any more information, afraid to poke the bear. I can't survive Paisley leaving. I just can't, and it feels like asking him about where he and Paisley are from led to this anvil dropping. Her family wants to summon her home? I don't know where it is, but I don't even want to contemplate her leaving Atlanta. Leaving me.
When we arrive, ten minutes late, our table is waiting just like Jack said it would be. Cole and I follow the hostess toward the corner of the restaurant, and I don't see Jack or Cynthia anywhere. At least, not until we're two steps away from our table. That's when Jack comes into view. His eyes light up when he sees me and I smile. Then his gaze shifts sideways toward Cole and he glowers.
I toss my hands up in the air. He told me to bring a date. I whip out my phone. WHAT'S YOUR DEAL?
YOUR BOYFRIEND'S TALL. FREAKISHLY TALL. I BET HE HAS MARFAN SYNDROME.
I roll my eyes. HE HAS NO SUCH THING. BUT IF HE DID, YOU’D BE PRETTY INSENSITIVE TO SAY THAT.
OKAY FINE, I’M SORRY. Tiny dots appear, and then the words, YOU’RE LATE.
BUT I’M HERE AS PROMISED. NOW GET YOUR GIRLFRIEND’S PHONE ALREADY.
I SHOULD STEAL IT AND THEN JUST LOB IT AT YOU?
That earns him an eye roll emoji. IS HER PHONE LOCKED?
IT NEEDS A PASSWORD, YES.
THEN I NEED HER TO ENTER HER ITUNES PASSWORD IN THE TEN MINUTES BEFORE I ACCESS IT OR I WON'T BE ABLE TO GET IN.
“You text really fast,” Cole says. “What did you say your job was? Professional texter?”
I smile. “Not yet. But I'm hoping to go pro by September if everything falls into place.”
He grins back at me and now that my hormones are done going haywire, I can totally see Paisley in his features. “You're funny.” He glances down at his menu. “Have you been here before?”
I shake my head. “Nope, but seeing as neither of us are paying, I vote for lobster rolls, lobster bisque and lobster tails. How does that sound?”
Cole grins at me. “You had me at lobster.”
“Clearly we see eye to eye, or we would if I was about a foot and a half taller.”
“You are pretty short.”
I gasp. “I'm normal. You're just ridiculously tall.”
“Maybe in America.”
I really, really want to pry after that bizarre comment. Does that mean Paisley's not American? And if she's not from some small town in the Midwest like I assumed, where is she from?
My phone buzzes. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET HER TO LEAVE WITHOUT HER PHONE?
ASK HER TO SET A NEW PHOTO OF YOU AS HER LOCK SCREEN, THEN SET YOUR HAND ON HER WRIST AND COMPLIMENT HER. SHE'LL DROP IT. MENTION SHE'S GOT LIPSTICK ON HER TEETH AND SHE'LL RUSH OFF TO THE BATHROOM WITHOUT IT.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, Jack texts back. WHAT ABOUT THE ITUNES PASSWORD?
CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING YOURSELF?
He shrugs at me sheepishly and everyone in between us disappears.
TELL HER YOU WANT HER TO DOWNLOAD A NEW RING TONE FOR YOU. ENDLESS LOVE.
NOT FUNNY.
I glance his way and he's still staring at me. If he's not careful, Cynthia’s going to look this way and recognize me. FOCUS ON YOUR DATE, IDIOT.
“I assume all that texting is with the guy over there who's been looking at you like you're air and he's asphyxiating?” Cole asks.
I set my phone down. “Yeah, that's my boss.”
“Good news. If any part of you wanted to make him jealous, it's working.”
“What?” I ask. “Why do you say that?”
“That guy hates me more than the French hate American tourists,” Cole says.
The waiter arrives with our lobster rolls and bisque, but as soon as he leaves, Cole grabs my spoon.
“Hey, I'm hungry,” I say.
He nods his head. “Of course you are. Now follow my lead.” He scoops up a spoonful of my soup and holds it out to me.
“Oh, gross. There's no way I'd be one of those people.”
He grins at me. “Come on. You adore me
. I fill your heart with sparkling stars and rainbow-pooping unicorns. You'd share spaghetti with me just to kiss me over a noodle.”
I snort. “Oh please.”
He shakes the spoon at me. “Trust me.”
I lean forward and take a bite, grinning like an idiot the whole time.
My phone buzzes. I DID THE RING TONE THING. I COULDN'T THINK OF ANYTHING BETTER. I'LL BRING HER PHONE TO THE COAT CHECK CLOSET IN TWO MINUTES.
I look up at Cole. “It's almost go time.”
He nods. “What do you want me to do?”
“Other than bail me out if this bombs and I'm hauled off to jail?”
He laughs. “Yes, other than that.”
I shake my head. “Hopefully nothing but eat lots of food and act casual. But if I'm gone more than five minutes, maybe come find me. I’m aiming to get this done quickly in the coat check closet.”
“Got it.”
I bolt my soup to calm my growling stomach, and also to give my shaking hands something to do.
“You look nervous,” Cole says.
“The thing is, I know how to do this in theory,” I say. “And I've got my old phone handy to use, so I won't have to involve my actual phone. But I'm still a little nervous. I mean, did you drive a car flawlessly the first time you tried?”
His smile's cocky, so cocky. “I could yeah, but I understand your point. Not everyone can be as amazing as me.”
I want to roll my eyes, but judging from his appearance, he may be one of those disgustingly perfect people. Too bad I'm not. “Some of us botch things up on the regular.”
“Oh I've made my share of terrible mistakes.”
“Let's put a pin in that one for later,” I say, “because now I'm intrigued. But—”
Cynthia stands up and rushes toward the restroom. Jack picks up her phone and slides it into his pocket. I meet Cole's eye and leave for the coat check, my purse over my shoulder.
His whisper follows me. “Good luck.”
I hope that wish works, because cloning a phone is a crime. I really don't need to add a rap sheet to my existing court records. One divorce is more than enough drama for my lifetime.
Jack must have tipped the coat check attendant big time, because the second I arrive he motions me past him. I duck below the rack of outerwear and slide past scads of coats hanging in rows. Jack's standing in a small alcove in the back.
