Page 35 of One Wild Wish

A time out and no dessert. “Don’t push me, old man. An attitude like that will land you in detention.”

With a harrumph, he ignored my teasing, and I patted his frail shoulder.

I hurried home and showered, in a daze the whole while. Because Six, Six, Six. I nearly dialed him three times, until I pulled up my father’s message and let his soothing tone tamp the urge. It also heightened my confusion. Hopefully drinks with Ainsley and Gwen would offer more distraction.

* * *

Drinks with Ainsley and Gwen were not a distraction. The first words out of Ainsley’s mouth when we sat down were, “Did my advice work? Did you tell Lone Wolf he was a shitty lay?”

Gwen frowned. “I thought she didn’t remember the sexcapade?”

“She doesn’t, but he’s in the wine contest with her, getting all flirty.”

Gwen leaned back in her seat. “I’d forget my dating sabbatical if it meant tapping that.”

Ainsley fanned her face dramatically. “Tell me about it. She’s nuts.”

“You guys know I’m at the table, right?”

They grinned.

Ainsley clicked her French-manicured nails against her wineglass. “So, spill it. How did he take your brush off?”

I drummed my thumb on my thigh. I stretched my neck. I wiped an invisible crumb off the table. “It’s busy here for a Sunday, don’t you think?”

“Oh.” Gwen rubbed her hands together. “This is gonna be good.” She plunked her elbows on the table, chin in hand. “Open the vault, Rachel. We need details.”

And I needed to dampen my Jimmy infatuation. This club was more casual than Vesper, with small groups gathered at wooden tables, white-washed brick walls surrounding us. But I couldn’t help imagining him here. I was in the same tight jeans and heels I’d worn the fateful night I’d met him, but my fitted black blouse didn’t have a dip in the back. There was no place for Jimmy to lay his hand if he were here, ready to buy me a drink.

If he appeared, would I say yes this time?

I rolled the edge of my cocktail napkin through my fingers. “I may have flirted with him and helped him deal with a sticky situation with his ex, and he may have come over to my place to taste wine afterward. He also mayhave kissed me and asked me to go out with him.”

Ainsley pursed her lips. “Sounds very hypothetical.”

Gwen wasn’t impressed, either. She shifted on her seat and tousled her bobbed hair, while staring me down. “Sounds like we need to order you more drinks to loosen your tongue.”

I pressed my hand over the top of my glass. “No more wine. Excessive wine leads to poor choices.” I’d for sure drunk dial Bad Boy.

“Okay,” Gwen said, “but this ‘might have kissed’ crap won’t fly. Is he as good as he looks? Assuming you remember this time.”

Did I ever. The promise of his lips. The bite of his scruff on my cheek. “If I’d actually kissed him back, I imagine it would have been unreal.”

Ainsley crossed her arms, her ample cleavage spilling forth. A group of three men looked our way, but she was focused on me, intent on dredging up every agonizing detail. “This game of twenty questions is getting tiresome. I’d like specifics before our next birthday.”

My phone rang, saving me from their inquisition. I pulled it from my purse, only to be faced with my mother’s name. Still preferable to dissecting my boy drama.

I exhaled and answered. “I’m out with friends, Ma.”

“This won’t take long. You remember Jonathan Richter, Joanna’s son?”

Again with the setups. “Yes, I remember Jonathan.” I’d last seen him three years ago at a housewarming party. He’d cornered me for an hour, his foul breath nearly melting my mascara.

“Well, he just moved back to town and is opening his own dental practice. Running the whole thing. He even has a playroom for kids and TV screens for patients. Very new age. I ran into him and asked him over for dinner next week.”

“Ran into” was code for “stalked the man to his place of work.” The woman had no shame. And, God, I hated how desperate she made me look, even to a man I had no interest in dating.

Ainsley mouthed, Blind date?