by J. S. Cooper
“Well, I am trying to help you get a life,” Grandma Louise said and then she gasped. “Darn it, I needed one more cherry.” Yup, Grandma Louise was playing the slots. Penny slots if I wasn’t mistaken.
“Well, I’m calling to say that I’ll accept that date with Dante on Saturday night.”
“I thought you would. He’s a very good-looking young man,” she said approvingly.
“Well, I’ve never seen him, so hopefully he really is good-looking.”
“Trust me, Sadie, and if Addie is being honest, then he’s quite well-off as well.”
“What do you mean if she’s being honest? I thought she was your best friend?”
“Now, now, Sadie. Don’t start going all Columbo on me.” She paused. “Though that Peter Falk was quite a looker. You’d be so lucky to get a man like him with your attitude. You girls these days . . .”
“I’m going to go now, Grandma Louise,” I said trying to keep my patience. “Just let me know the plan for Saturday and I’ll be there.” Normally I would have just told her to give him my number so that he and I could set it up, but with all the stress I was feeling related to my lack of funds, sucky new job, and love life, I just didn’t want to deal with it. Let them sort it out and I would show up. Maybe it wouldn’t be absolutely horrible. Just maybe.
Dante Chapter 2
“Five pounds, really?” I exclaimed to myself as I got off the scale and tried to erase the flashing numbers from my mind. “How the heck did I gain five pounds in one week?” I looked at my reflection in the mirror to see how evident it was that I was now gaining weight instead of losing it. My 5”8 height made it so that I could carry a few extra pounds without looking like I’d swallowed an elephant, but I could still tell that my stomach and thighs looked a little too juicy for my liking. I stared at my face and ran my hands down my long brown hair and wondered if I should cut it to a short bob. No, I thought to myself, not with my chubby cheeks. My brown eyes stared back at me, looking slightly tired and I remembered that I had a new cucumber facemark that I was going to try to see if they removed the dark circles. All in all, I didn’t look horrible; in fact, I was quite pretty. I just wasn’t as skinny as I wanted to be. “Ugh, I just can’t believe it.” I said as I got on the scale again to double check the scale had given me the correct weight. “Five more pounds. How? How?” I cried out dramatically, feeling sorry for myself.
“Cupcakes.” I heard a giggle from outside the bathroom door and I frowned. I quickly walked to the door and flung it open. There sitting outside my bathroom door, playing with a toy truck was Dylan.
“What are you doing, Dylan?” I frowned as I stared at his chocolate stained face. Though I knew he had a point. I had been eating far too many delicious cupcakes as of late. I put it down to stress; even though I knew stress eating was the worst for my body.
“Playing.” He held up his small red truck as if to say duh.
“Why are you playing up here?” I questioned him, not that I really minded. Dylan was like family to me. It was just sometimes I liked my privacy. Especially at times when I was in the bathroom weighing myself.
“’Cause.” He shrugged his little shoulders and jumped up. “So you got any more cupcakes?”
“No, I don’t.” I shook my head at him and tried to give him my sternest face. He really was the most incorrigible little boy.
“’Cause if you give them to me that will help you with the extra pounds.” He grinned at me and I glared at him; even though I knew it was not really the right thing to glare at little boys, but I knew that Cara wouldn’t judge me for it. She glared at him like no one’s business.
“Dylan, it is very rude to go around talking about a woman’s weight,” I chided him. “This is a lesson you should learn from a young age.” I felt proud of myself for introducing him to a life lesson instead of getting mad at him like I wanted to. “You don’t talk to women about their weight. You don’t ask them how much they weigh or try and guess how much they weigh and you sure don’t tell them why you think they gained weight.” I paused then and considered something. “Unless, of course, you are a personal trainer or a doctor. Then you can because it will be a part of your job,” I concluded, feeling even more proud of myself. Perhaps, I should become a teacher. I seemed to have a knack for talking to kids. Maybe I was the kid whisperer or something?
“But you asked how you gained five pounds,” he protested and he just looked at me like I was an idiot. Maybe I wasn’t the kid whisperer after all. I stared back and him and he started giggling and I could have sworn that he was staring directly at my stomach. Little bugger.
“I didn’t ask you.” I made a face. “I was in the bathroom and . . .”
“I’m thirsty.” He interrupted me. “I want milk.”
“That’s not how you politely ask for milk.” I shook my head at him. I was going to have to talk to Cara about making sure her kids had manners and respected my privacy. This was getting ridiculous. “Maybe go back downstairs and ask your mom?”
“Mom sent me up. She asked if you could babysit us tonight because she has to go into work.” He ran his truck across the floor. “Vrooom . . . vroooom.”
“Tonight?” I groaned. “I can’t tonight. I have a date. She knows that.” I had finally told Grandma Louise that I would meet her best friend’s grandson and now I needed to look after the brats? What was Cara thinking? Had she forgotten?
“That’s okay,” Dylan said as he held up his truck. “I’ll tell Mom that her boss will have to fire her after all because you can’t take care of us ’cause of your date.”
“Dylan . . .” I stared at the little boy shrewdly. Was he really trying to pull a guilt trip on me? Was it even possible for someone that young to be so manipulative? He was only six after all. I thought back to an old movie I’d watched on TV called The Good Son and wondered if perhaps, Dylan could be a little psychopath, but then I just shook my head and rolled my eyes. Even I knew I was being overly dramatic at that thought.
“Yes, Auntie Sadie?” he said in his most innocent voice, his big blue eyes shining at me as if he were a precious angel. I wasn’t deceived though. I’d known Dylan since before he was born and he was no angel. He was no psychopath, but he was no angel either.
“Nothing.” I shook my head and sighed. “Let’s go downstairs and let me speak to your mom and see what I can do about tonight.”
“Okay.” He jumped up and grinned. “Can we get pizza, please? Ham, pineapple, mushrooms, pepperoni, and extra cheese.”
“Pizza?” I looked at his little face and shook my head at him. “There are no words, Dylan, absolutely no words.”
“No words for what?” he asked innocently and then put his small hand in mine. “Do you know what I love most about you, Auntie . . .”
“Nope.” I put my hand up. “You’re not going to guilt trip me into getting you pizza.” And then, because I couldn’t help myself, I gave him a quick hug. “You’re going to break a lot of hearts when you’re older, Dylan,” I said with a quick laugh as he grinned at me and then he pulled away from me and went running down the stairs.
“Mom, Mom, Auntie Sadie said she can look after us and we can get pizza tonight.” He went screaming in excitement and all I could do was roll my eyes as I followed him down to the lower level of the house trying to figure out exactly what was going on.
“Sadie, I know you have your date tonight.” Cara’s face looked despondent as we sat in her living room and chatted. The boys were playing in their bedrooms for once and I watched as she played with her fingers nervously. “And I wouldn’t ask, but Dad is out of town and I can’t find a babysitter that’s available.”
“I know you didn’t plan this.” I sighed. “I’m just supposed to meet Dante in a couple of hours.” I ran my hands through my long, dark brown hair. “I don’t even have his number to call and cancel on him.” I bit down on my lower lip. “And Grandma Louise would kill me if I stood him up.”
“You’re meeting him at
the coffee shop, right?” Cara asked me thoughtfully.
“Uh huh.” I nodded. “Grandma Louise wanted us to meet at some steak house, but I told her no way. I’ll meet him for a coffee and if I like him, I’ll casually suggest we can continue on for dinner.” I made a face. “No way, I’m getting stuck on a three-hour dud date with some loser just for a free steak.”
“You’re going to the Peets? Next to Ice Cone King?” she asked me and I could see something was ticking in her brain.
“Yeah?” I nodded.
“So what if . . .” She made a face. “And I know this is not the ideal situation. But what if you took the boys. They could sit in Ice Cone King, they have seats at the front and you could sit outside the Peets. They have those nice Adirondack chairs now.”
“Oh, they do?” I asked slowly, processing what she had just said. Could I really go on a date with three kids? Granted the kids wouldn’t be on the date with me, but they would be right there watching.
“I know it wouldn’t be ideal.” Cara bit down on her lower lip and I could tell she looked stressed. “I hate to ask this of you, Sadie, and I wouldn’t go in if I thought I could get away with it.” Her voice sounded upset and I reached out to squeeze her hands.
“Hey, it’s not a problem.” I gave her a wide smile and pretended that it sounded like a great idea. “It’s only a first date as well, so we won’t even be out long. I’ll be able to keep an eye on them. Don’t worry about it.” I didn’t want her to feel stressed. Cara was an amazingly positive and upbeat person, but I knew that it wasn’t easy being a single mother of three at twenty-eight. And her kid’s dad wasn’t in the picture at all. He was such a deadbeat. It made me mad just to think about how he’d just left and didn’t even see his kids. “It’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?” Cara’s face still looked concerned. “I really don’t want to ruin your first date in ages.”
“It’ll be fine,” I said to her. “Trust me. I’m sure it will be fine.”
“What are you going to do with the drunken sailor? What are you going to do with the drunken sailor? What are you going to do with the drunken sailor? Early in the morning.” Dylan was singing loudly in the backseat, accompanied by Brody and Brandon.
“Pull down his pants and suffocate the ants now. Pull down his pants and suffocate the ants now. Pull down his pants and suffocate the ants now. Early in the morning.” Brody was really getting into it as he wiggled around in the back seat. I peered in the rearview mirror of the car and sighed to myself. The kids were already super hyped-up and I didn’t think that they needed a sugar rush from the ice cream to come. It was going to be a long night.
“Come on, Auntie Sadie.” Dylan tapped on my shoulder as he began another round of singing and I couldn’t stop myself from joining them.
“Pull down his pants and suffocate the ants now, pull down his pants and suffocate the ants now. Pull down his pants and suffocate the ants now early in the morning,” I sang and then stopped as I noticed Dylan pretending to be drinking from a beer bottle and I started to feel guilty. “Hey kids, let’s sing something else. I don’t know if this is an appropriate song for you guys to be singing.”
“Why not, Auntie Sadie? You’re the one that taught us the song,” Dylan said, ever the voice of reason. I swear he should join the FBI when he’s older with all his questions.
“Well, I know I taught you the song.” I paused for a few seconds, but I don’t know that it’s appropriate for you guys to be singing it. And pretending to be drinking beer.” I looked at them and then just shook my head. “But I guess your mom already knows that I’ve taught it to you. So it’s fine.” They just grinned at me and I sighed wondering what sort of example I was to them. “Oh, shit,” I said, as I realized that I’d passed my stop on the highway. “Hold on, guys,” I said as I sped up to take the next exit and turn around. “Man. I’m going to be late,” I muttered as I looked at the time on my dashboard. I pulled up to the next exit. And then turned around so that I could pull off at the right exit. I made it to the parking lot within five minutes and breathed a sigh of release as I realized we were still early. I parked and jumped out of the car and then opened the backdoors to let the boys out. As we walked to the ice cream shop, I was happy to see that it was a nice day outside, and even though it was a Saturday evening it wasn’t that busy. If it had been raining or too crowded, it would have been a hot mess.
“Okay, guys, so we’ve discussed the plan, right?” I stopped outside of the ice cream shop and looked at the three boys sternly. They all had looks of extreme excitement on their face. It wasn’t too often that they gotten taken out for ice cream treats where they got to pick whatever they wanted.
“Yes, Auntie Sadie,” they chorused, looking cherubic, their chubby little faces beaming up at me. The three of them almost looking like triplets as they were so close in age.
“So remember we’re going to go into the ice cream shop now. I’m going to be in the coffee shop right next door meeting a friend. I will also be sitting outside, watching you.”
“You mean a date.” Dylan grinned.
“Yes, Dylan.”
“I want a chocolate fudge brownie,” Brody said, not caring to listen to me talk anymore. He just wanted to eat.
“I want pizza,” Brandon said.
“We’re going to get pizza when we get home, Brandon. First ice cream and then pizza. And you guys have to be good. Remember you told your mom, you would be good.”
“We’re always good, Auntie Sadie,” Dylan said with a sweet smile and I just nodded at him, knowing that now was not the time to remind him of all the times that they hadn’t been good.
“Yes, yes.” I nodded and my heart started racing as I looked at the time on my watch. I had fifteen minutes before Dante was meant to show up. “Let’s go in and get your ice cream guys and then we can get you seated,” I said as I opened the door to the store, wondering if this was a really bad idea. “Also guys, just remember that my friend.” I paused and looked at Dylan. “Well, my date . . . well, this is the first time I’m meeting him and he doesn’t know that you guys are going to be there.”
“Why not?” Brandon asked with a frown.
“Doesn’t he like us?” Dylan asked and I shook my head quickly.
“He doesn’t know you guys and I don’t want you all to meet him until I know if he’s a nice guy. Now, come on, choose what you want quickly. It’s the first date and I do not want to scare this guy off by introducing him to three kids.”
“Why would you be scaring him off, Auntie Sadie?”
“No reason,” I said and gave Dylan a smile and hug. I didn’t want them to feel like they were unlovable. I was already worried that they were getting to the age where they were starting to ask more and more questions about their dad. Sometimes I spoke to them, well especially, Dylan, as if they were adults, but I knew that they weren’t and I wanted to be careful of their feelings.
“Hey guys, you’re going to have your ice cream and I’m going to grab a coffee and meet with him. I’m going to be really quick and then we’re going to go.”
“I thought you said that you wanted to get a free steak out of it,” Dylan said innocently, and I frowned. Had he been eavesdropping when I’d been talking to his mom?
“No Dylan.” I shook my head. “I’m just getting a quick coffee.”
“Okay,” they all chorused politely. That really should have been my first sign that the night was not going to go as planned. I could even tell from the look on Dylan’s face that he wasn’t just going to sit patiently outside, but I was too preoccupied with other things to allow my instincts to set in and warn me of the impending drama.
Dante Chapter Three
“Oh, my word,” I mumbled to myself as I watched the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen in my life walk toward me with a sexy saunter. He was six foot four and extremely muscular. He had dark brown silky hair that had that sexy tousled look that said he’d just stumbled out of bed. His hazel-green e
yes were stunning and I as I stared at him, I watched as they turned from looking green to brown and back to green again. A light sexy stubble adorned his chiseled face and he wore a smile that was made to bedazzle as he stared at me. His stride was confident and I watched as his arms swung back and forth; strong arms and hands that looked like they knew exactly what they were doing at all moments. I could feel my body growing hot and nervous as he approached. Shit, this man was gorgeous and I already hated him. Anyone that good-looking and confident had to be an asshole. Or a psychopath. I mean, why was he going on a blind date with me if he was so well put together? I knew I was being unfair to him, but there was something about the cocky smile on his face that both turned me on and infuriated me.
“Sadie?” he asked with a smirk as he finally reached up to me outside of the coffee shop, his lips turning up slightly as he studied my frazzled appearance.
“Yes, David?” I lied. I knew his name was Dante. Obviously, I knew his name was Dante, but David slipped out so easily. I just wanted to put him in his place. It wouldn’t hurt him to be brought down a peg or two. But damn, his lips were so pink and luscious as they curled up in an amused fashion. Why did he have to be so sexy? He was pretty much sex on legs. I could feel my stomach fluttering just thinking about how hot he was. “It is David, right?” I said again, pretending to look unsure and slightly confused. It didn’t work though; I’m no actress. If anything his smile grew wider and his gaze more intense.
“Dante actually, but you can call me David if you prefer.” He tilted his head down briefly as if to say I could do whatever I wanted.
“Why would I prefer that?” I asked in my most saccharine voice as I studied his attire. He was wearing a dark navy blue suit and a forest green tie that brought out the green in his irises. The color combination shouldn’t have worked, but it did and he looked suave and handsome and completely out of my league. I brushed back my messy dark locks from instinct, not because I cared and tried not to look down at my faded blue jeans and white T-shirt that had a chocolate syrup stain on it from the ice cream shop. Obviously, I had not gotten the memo that we needed to dress up. But who dressed up for a coffee date? I mean, a suit? A sudden loud giggling caught my attention and I quickly looked to the right toward the ice cream shop and gazed over at the table where the boys sat. My eyes narrowed as I saw them sitting there eating their ice cream greedily and staring at me with delight in their beady little eyes. I couldn’t believe what a hot mess of a day this was already turning out to be and I certainly didn’t need them giggling and watching me make a fool of myself.
