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I think Hailey's right. We should go on a date. Make it more believable. Let's go out tomorrow.
I stared at the text for a long time trying to figure out how to respond. A part of me was eager to take her out, have a drink, relax, pretend we were a couple. It couldn't be that hard, but I didn't know how to act. I hadn't been in a new relationship since high school, and that was a lifetime ago.
How the hell was I going to get through this?
7
MOLLY
After leaving Jake's house, I was in a weird mood. It had been fun riling Jake up at school laying it on thick, but part of me felt at odds with the whole thing. We had slept together but now it felt like what happened between us existed in some other universe.
I also hated lying to Hailey. As a teacher, I cared about all of my students, but some stood out more than the others and that was Hailey for me. She had such a bright spark inside of her and she was such a sweet kid.
Her mom had left her and even though it was years ago, she deserved to be protected. I couldn't imagine what a blow it would be for her to learn that what her dad and I were doing was just a ruse.
As I lay in bed, my thoughts turned to what we would do on our date tomorrow. It was so easy to rile him up and get him flustered. He was so tightly wound and yet, despite how much of a hard ass he was, he was also charming and cute.
I shook my head and turned on the TV. I was not thinking about Jake like that. And yet, I couldn't deny that something was shifting between us.
I was halfway through the season two finale of Bridgerton when I fell asleep.
I was awakened by the sound of knocking on the door. I sat up, confused and disoriented. Thanks to blackout curtains, the room was still dark so I couldn’t even guess the time. My phone, blinding bright said it was only eight o'clock. Who could possibly be knocking at my door at eight am on a Saturday?
I grabbed a sweater off the floor and wrapped it around my waist, hoping it would be long enough to cover my ass, and made my way to the door.
I looked through the window and saw Jake standing there looking uncomfortable, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, and his head tipped back as he stared at the ceiling.
"Jake, hey, what's up?" I asked after opening the door.
He smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. He wore a tight-fitting V-neck tee and jeans. So different from the buttons ups and slacks he wore to work. I blinked as if dreaming. It's like he got sexier than the last time I saw him. How had I not noticed him in this light for so long?
And then he said, "I just wanted to see if you wanted to go on that date today. I have to go grocery shopping and you can come with me. Then we can grab some lunch."
"Why are you up so early. It’s Saturday." I groaned, disappointed that he wasn't here for a spontaneous morning delight. Where had that thought come from? I mentally filed it away. “You're taking me grocery shopping? That's a little domestic for a first date, isn't it?”
"It's the only way to avoid the crowds and it's convenient. I always shop on Saturdays. And grocery shopping is very intimate. You can learn a lot about a person from their shopping habits."
I shook my head, not even sure why I was considering this. "Alright, fine. Give me ten minutes."
"I'll be in the car."
He walked out and I shut the door behind him. What the hell was I doing? This was the worst idea in the world. And yet, part of me was excited.
I hastily dressed in jeans, a lightweight tank top, and a stylish flannel shirt before making my way to the car. The morning air was cool and smelled fresh, the sky a perfect blue.
I climbed into the passenger seat and buckled myself in. Hailey beamed at me from the back seat.
"Morning, Ms. Sinclair."
"Good morning, Hailey. I think you can call me Molly, outside of school anyway."
"Really? Okay, Molly," she said, looking pleased.
"Hailey is spending the night at Mary Shadlock's house."
"Oh, I didn't realize you were friends with Mary. That'll be fun. Is it just you or will others be there?"
"A bunch of girls will be there. Mary's turning twelve today, so she's kind of making a big deal out of it," Hailey said, sounding less than impressed.
