by KL Hughes
“Viv, no—”
“No excuses. You agreed, so you’re going. That’s final.”
“Fine, Mother. He or she better be incredibly attractive.”
With that, Elena hung up, buried her face into her pillow again, and sighed as she pulled the blankets over her head and shut out the world.
* * *
Heels clicked loudly against the floor as Elena hurried to the door and pulled it open to see Allison standing there with her blonde hair cascading around her shoulders in loose curls and a backpack hanging off her back. Elena smiled as Allison’s eyes trailed down her body.
Perfectly coiffed hair fell in shining waves ending just above exposed collarbones, and Elena’s tight black dress hugged her body and accentuated her curves. Toned calves were on full display, drifting down to slender feet adorned in black heels.
Allison let out a quiet whistle. “Daaaamn.”
Cheeks flushing a faint pink, Elena nodded in appreciation.
“I’m gonna take a wild guess and say that you’re going to some big company party tonight, because you are definitely dressed to impress.” Stepping inside, Allison set her backpack on the floor beneath the table by the door.
“I’m afraid not. My friend, Vivian, the woman you spoke to about the babysitting job, has been incredibly determined to set me up with someone.”
“Whoa, hold up. Are you telling me that you hired a babysitter so you could go on dates?”
Elena rolled her eyes as she walked through the house with Allison trailing behind her. “Unfortunately, yes.”
“Oh wow. That’s rich. I hope she’s at least screening the dudes.”
Elena’s lip curled as she thought on that. “Do you think I should be worried?”
Allison followed Elena into a bedroom at the end of a long hallway and collapsed on a large bed. “I would be,” she sighed as she stretched and pressed her body more fully into the mattress. She cracked up when Elena playfully smacked her knee.
“Oh do make yourself at home in my bedroom, Ms. Sawyer.”
Grinning, Allison rolled around on the bed a bit. “Allison,” she sing-songed in response, “and it’s your fault. You walked. I followed. If you didn’t want me in here, you should’ve said.”
The daring, confident nature of this young woman was ever surprising, and Elena could only shake her head and laugh. “I suppose it is fine.”
“Good.”
Elena walked over to a large vanity and pulled a pair of earrings from a small jewelry box that rested atop it.
“Where’s my little guy? Or did you call me here to babysit your house?”
Pressing the earrings into her lobes, Elena took the opportunity to double check her makeup in the mirror. “He’s in his room watching a movie,” she said. “He likes to lie in bed while he watches.”
Allison’s brows rose in appreciation. “Smart kid.”
Elena blotted her lips, and Allison popped her own, as if to fill the silence. “So,” she said after a moment, “you’re not even a little bit worried?”
“About?”
“Well, I’m assuming these are blind dates, right?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, so they’re called blind dates for a reason. You don’t know the guys ahead of time. So, I’m just saying….”
“You are just saying what?” Elena huffed, arching a brow at Allison’s reflection in the vanity mirror.
“I’m saying I hope Vivian at least knows the guys, because you don’t want to like end up, you know.”
“No, I’m afraid I don’t know. Perhaps you should elaborate.”
“I’m just saying, you don’t want to end up playing out weird ‘mommy’ fantasies with some deranged Momma’s boy or you know, like, trapped in some dude’s basement being told to put the lotion on your skin or else you get the hose again.”
Elena’s lip curled in disgust even as her brows furrowed. She turned toward Allison looking utterly confused. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Allison gaped. “Oh no, seriously?”
“Seriously what?”
“You haven’t seen The Silence of the Lambs? That is a must-see!”
“I’m afraid not, and if what you just said is from that film, then I am afraid I would rather not.” A shiver ran down her spine. “I’m going to have that unfortunate image stuck in my head for the rest of the night.”
“Well, you’re welcome.” Allison stuck her tongue out. “It’ll remind you to be cautious.”
The doorbell rang, echoing to them from down the hall, and Elena cursed as she glanced at the clock. “He’s early.”
“Overeager,” Allison said, playfully shaking her head in disapproval.
“Oh hush.”
Allison followed Elena back down the hall and to the door. When Elena opened the door to reveal a tall, dark-headed man in a light gray suit, she smiled, seeing how Allison narrowed her eyes, sizing him up. He had to be in his mid-thirties, probably pretty wealthy, considering his attire and the Rolex on his wrist.
Instead of introducing himself, the man offered up a cheesy smile and said, “You look lovely.”
Elena smiled tightly and noticed Allison rolling her eyes at the compliment. An urge rose in Elena to do the same, but she knew her manners. Thus, she nodded her head in appreciation and returned the compliment. Asking him to wait in the foyer, she walked down the hall to Lucas’s room with Allison following.
Lucas barely acknowledged her goodbye kiss, too wrapped up in his movie, and Elena was able to slip in and out without a fuss. She turned to Allison once they were out of the room.
“You have my cell number?”
Allison nodded.
“Okay, and I left emergency numbers on a pad for you in the kitchen. There is plenty to choose from for dinner or you can order something; I left some money on the counter. Also, I prefer Lucas be in bed by no later than eight, though he can be difficult to put down at times.”
“I got it covered. Go on. You don’t want to keep your fancy date waiting.”
“I shouldn’t be home too late.”
Allison followed her to the door once more. Just before Elena stepped out, Allison leaned in with a whisper. “Watch out for the lotion.”
Elena’s cheeks flushed with pink as she tried not to laugh. She subtly kicked Allison’s shin before following her date out the door.
Chapter Four
“So, Elena, Vivian tells me you have a son. Larry, is it?”
“Lucas, and yes, he is three.”
“Oh, and the father?”
Brows shooting toward her hairline, Elena leveled the man with her piercing gaze. “My, Brice, you cut directly to the personal questions, don’t you?”
Brice grinned far too widely to be natural. “Forgive me. Was that out of bounds?”
“Considering we have only just met, I would certainly say so.” She pulled her napkin into her lap and took a careful sip of her water.
“Well, perhaps we will know one another much better by the end of the night,” Brice replied softly and with a subtle wink that Elena assumed the man thought was either charming or seductive.
Brice had selected a high-end restaurant that Elena frequented with her parents, and she found it much too predictable, given his obvious wealth. Why so many men assumed all women wanted an expensive meal, an expensive wine, and a ride in an expensive car was completely beyond her. Would it kill them to try for a little originality?
Elena, as was her nature, kept a mental list of strikes against her date, and, thanks to the man’s overly personal question and suggestive behavior, he gained his first before they ever even placed their orders. He earned his second strike only seconds later when the waiter arrived to take their orders.
Before she could even open her mouth to speak, Brice flashed a smug grin and addressed the waiter. “Yes, thank you,” he said. “We will take a bottle of your finest Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with two house sirloins, both medium rare, and the lady will enjoy
a side salad while I will take a—”
That was about as much as Elena could stomach. How dare he speak for her? Fifteen minutes into this date, and Brice was already stripping her of choice.
She far from approved.
“Actually,” Elena interjected, “I will have a glass of chardonnay to pair with the roasted salmon in lemon butter. I would like that with a side of seasoned vegetables, and please, ask the chef to apply any salt lightly. Thank you.”
The waiter smiled at her and nodded before smirking at Brice, who was staring at Elena with his lips slightly parted and his brows furrowed. “Sir?” the waiter asked.
“Oh right, yes,” Brice said quickly, snapping back to attention. He placed his order and offered Elena a tight smile. “I was unaware you didn’t eat red meat. I apologize.”
“Oh I do eat red meat, Brice.” Her revelation came with an equally forced smile. “I simply am not in the mood tonight. You would have known as much if you had simply bothered to ask.”
Brice cleared his throat and glanced around the restaurant. He took a sip of water and smacked his lips. It was clear to Elena that the man had only just figured out that she was nowhere near the type of woman he was looking for. He undoubtedly wanted a piece of arm candy that would worship his every decision.
Elena was hardly a trophy. She was the entire goddamned competition—a complex yet worthwhile challenge, not a mindless reward.
Sighing, she crossed and uncrossed her legs underneath the table, avoiding eye contact with Brice. Great, she thought. She was going to have to sit through an entire undoubtedly awkward dinner with this man now, and it was likely that little conversation would take place. Then again, perhaps that would be a blessing.
She could only hope the waiter returned soon with their meals and then soon after again with the check.
* * *
“Hold on, kid.” Allison grunted. “Let me just get my feet right.”
Lucas giggled as Allison finally got her feet positioned gently against his belly. She then took his hands and squeezed them. “Hold on tight, okay? Tight tight!”
“Okay!” He squealed and squeezed her hands as tightly as he could when Allison then easily lifted his body into the air. She held his arms out with her hands and kept his body up with her feet so that he looked like he was flying just a few feet above her. She couldn’t help her laughter when Lucas screamed at the top of his lungs, “I’m an airplane!”
“You are!” She separated her feet so that Lucas fell quickly from his position in the air and she caught him in a fast embrace, tickling him as he squealed and wriggled around, rolling off her chest to the floor.
Lucas laughed so hard that little sound escaped, but then his eyes went wide and he clapped a hand over his mouth.
“Whoa,” Allison said, her smile fading. “You okay, buddy? Are you gonna be sick?”
Perhaps it was a little too soon after dinner to be flying the kid around on her feet. She didn’t want to end up covered in stomach-pureed sweet peas.
Cheeks flushing a bright red, Lucas popped up on his feet and whispered, “I peed.”
Allison had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing, because it was obvious that the little guy was fairly embarrassed about his accident, but his pink cheeks and quiet admission were incredibly cute. She tucked a finger under his chin and pushed it up so he would look at her. “Hey, that’s okay, Lucas. Everybody has accidents.”
“Even you?” he whispered.
“Even me.” She was certain she hadn’t peed her pants since she was in diapers, but he didn’t need to know that. “It was my fault anyway, okay? I shouldn’t have tickled you so much.”
Lucas nodded, but he still didn’t raise his voice above a whisper as he held his hands over the wet spot on the front of his pants and said, “Okay.”
“Okay, let’s go get cleaned up then. It’s bath time before bed anyway, right?”
“Uh-huh.” Lucas nodded and then shyly took one of Allison’s hands. He walked with her down the hallway and toward the large bathroom across from his bedroom.
Once Allison got the water to a decent temperature and the tub filled about halfway, she shut the water off and turned to Lucas. He had already stripped down to nothing and stood shyly in front of her with his hands over his privates and his lip tucked between his teeth. His round belly poked out over his hands and Allison saw that he was an outie. She’d had a foster brother with an outie belly button too. As weird as other people sometimes found it, Allison thought it was very cute.
She poked it with her index finger as she asked, “Okay bud, you ready?” He nodded and held up his arms so that she could pick him up. She lifted him over the high edge of the tub and settled him slowly down into the warm water.
He was a shorty, even for his age, Allison noted as the water rose to his chest and she looked him over. His hair was a dark brown, just like his mother’s, and his eyes were brown too, though they were lighter than Elena’s. Elena’s eyes were a deep espresso, while Lucas’s were a brighter, more golden brown, like a sun-soaked field of wheat. He had puffy cheeks slightly fairer in color than the rich olive tone of his mother’s skin, and they had the same slender nose and full, pouty lips. His chin, however, was entirely his own, and that made Allison wonder if he had gotten it from his father or perhaps a grandparent.
Lucas quickly regained his confidence as they played with his floating rubber boats, and by the time Allison carefully tilted his head back to rinse away his shampoo, he was jabbering up a storm about all of his favorite things.
“No way,” Allison said, splashing a little water at the boy. “Green is my favorite color too!”
“Dinosaurs are green!” Lucas shouted.
“Yeah!” Allison gave him a wet high five before pulling the plug out of the drain. Lucas stood up and shivered as Allison grabbed a small towel to pick him up with. Once she got him out of the tub, she dried him off and helped him into his pajamas, which of course were covered in dinosaurs. Sitting on the closed lid of the toilet seat, she watched as the boy stood in front of a small mirror his mother had obviously installed just for him and carefully combed his damp hair. Afterward, he brushed his teeth with expert precision, rinsing his mouth with a Dixie cup and then smiling so wide at Allison that she could see his gums.
“Whoa!” she gasped. “Great job! They’re super white and clean.”
Turning, Lucas ran out of the room and into his bedroom. He cannonballed into his bed, pulled his blanket up onto his head like a hood, and laughed hysterically when Allison came in after him.
Seriously, she thought as she sat down to read him a story. Could this kid get any freakin’ cuter?
* * *
Leaving the restaurant with Brice was even more uncomfortable than being at the restaurant with Brice. Elena walked silently beside him until they reached his sports car where he opened the door for her to slip inside.
“Thank you,” she said before gracefully sliding into the low-set seat.
When Brice dropped into the driver’s seat and the engine roared to life, Elena’s thoughts were dominated by a single mantra. Please let traffic be minimal. Please let traffic be minimal. Of course, Elena knew that the hope was not even a long shot. It was a complete impossibility.
A Saturday night in New York City? Not a chance.
As the car crept through the busy city streets, Brice cleared his throat and asked, “So, have you been on many blind dates?”
Elena stared out her window as she quietly responded, “I have not.”
“I would have guessed that,” he chuckled. “You seem a little on edge, perhaps a little uncomfortable. It takes a while to get used to. I would guess from your reaction at the restaurant that you don’t date much at all. Not quite used to being pampered? That’s a shame for a woman as beautiful as you.”
“Pampered?” Elena could hardly mask the disbelief in her voice.
“Mm,” Brice hummed and turned to flash a smile that reminded her of the shark in F
inding Nemo, a movie she’d watched countless times with Lucas. That smile was predatory and smug. She wasn’t facing him, but she saw the bright white reflection of it in the glass pane of her window.
Elena wasn’t even going to touch this conversation with a ten-foot pole. If this man actually thought that making blatant assumptions and speaking for her rather than to her or with her were the equivalents of pampering, then what was the point of even bothering with a response?
“Turn here,” Elena snapped bluntly, pointing to the right turn quickly approaching. She scratched at the side of her nose and avoided looking at the man in the driver’s seat as she added, “It’s faster.”
That must have been enough of a hint for Brice, because he said nothing else for the remainder of the ride back to Elena’s house.
* * *
Lucas’s long, dark lashes fluttered as he tried to keep his eyes open, but his breathing had grown deep and heavy, and Allison knew that the kid was a goner. He hadn’t been nearly as hard to put down as Allison had been expecting, though he put up a good struggle. She stopped reading and laid her hand on his belly over the covers, rubbing in small circles. Within seconds, he was out. She leaned over and kissed his forehead before quietly slipping out of the room.
“What to do?” she muttered as she checked the time on her cell phone and saw that it was barely after eight. She probably had quite a bit of time left before Elena would be home. She could kill some time on homework. Grabbing her backpack from the foyer, she carried it into the kitchen and pulled out a bag of microwavable popcorn and a few small bags of Reese’s Pieces candy. She popped the popcorn in the microwave and poured it into a large bowl she found in one of Elena’s cabinets before pouring all the bags of candy into the popcorn and mixing it all up.
Carrying her backpack and the large bowl of popcorn into the living room, she pulled out one of her textbooks, a notebook, and a pen and began jotting down notes while she stuffed her face. She fully expected to be at it for another few hours, but it was only about thirty minutes later that Allison heard the front door open. The soft clicking of heels on a hard floor then echoed through the house.
