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“Whoa. Are you all right?”
“Yes. The wine just went to my head for a minute.”
He chuckled and moved his hand to the small of my back, steering me toward the exit. My car was at Mindy’s, but with all the wine I’d consumed, it wasn’t a good idea for me to drive.
“I think I should get my car in the morning,” I said. I was embarrassed I’d drunk so much since that was one thing Sid had judged me for.
“No problem. I can run you over to the farm in the morning,” Sid said.
“You don’t have to do that. I can find a ride.”
He frowned but let it go. Music played softly in the background, and I leaned back against the headrest. We were opposite in so many ways, including how we listened to music. I liked to crank it up and sing along, and Sid enjoyed it on low.
I reflected on our dinner as we drove. It wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t good enough to make me want to spend more time with him alone either. Luckily, we wouldn’t be alone at the gala. We’d have to put on a show, and I was good at that.
Sid was a nice guy, and he’d be perfect for someone who was quiet and enjoyed staying in. Someone who wouldn’t mind long stretches of silence and stilted conversation. But that wasn’t me. I enjoyed talking and getting to know people.
After our dinner, I’d learned nothing new about Sid except that he liked to sit in quiet while he ate. And he ate dessert like he was making love. I flushed at the memory and shoved it down. That was not reason enough to date someone. In fact, that was the reason I was ready to run the other way.
He dropped me off and walked me to the bottom of the stairs that led to my apartment. After an extremely awkward goodbye, I climbed the stairs and went inside. I took off my boots and stripped out of my clothes on my way to my bedroom. After washing my face free of makeup and tying my hair in a ponytail, I climbed into bed. We needed to fake it one more time, and then we could go our separate ways and remain distant friends who only saw each other once a week at dinner.
Chapter 9
SID
MY HOUSE WAS TOO quiet, and it was driving me mad, adding to my sour mood. Dinner with Kat could not have gone more wrong. First, I insulted her, then I went full grump and quit talking because I was angry with myself, and then I eye-fucked her while eating dessert. What the hell was wrong with me?
Tonight, I’d gotten a glimpse of what was behind her flashy appearance, and it was captivating, but as was the case with most of my dates, we didn’t match up. She liked adventure and trying new things. I liked quiet and knowing what was coming next. The conversation felt forced, not easy like it had been earlier in the barn. I was disappointed but also slightly relieved.
Faking feelings for Kat would be easy. The gala was a large event, so pressing a hand to the small of her back, pulling out her chair, and whispering in her ear would be more than enough to convince anyone looking on that we were together. I could pull that off, and from what I knew about Kat, she’d have no problem either.
My phone rang, and I cringed when I saw the name on the screen. I let it ring three more times before I finally gave in and answered.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, sweetie. How are you?”
“Fine.”
“That’s good. Listen, I won’t keep you long since it’s late, but I wanted to talk to you about the charity gala for the hospital in two weeks.”
I rolled my eyes and sighed. “I already told you I’m not going.” I was going with Kat, but I wanted to keep that to myself for now.
“I know you did, but my friend’s daughter needs a date. I was hoping you were free.”
I gritted my teeth and stood. My fingers gripped the phone as I made my way into the kitchen for a glass of water. This was the shit I couldn’t handle anymore, but no matter how many times I told her I wasn’t interested, she kept pushing.
“Mom, I already told you no.”
“I know, but you’re single, and so is she.”
“Mom, stop. I have a girlfriend.”
She squealed in delight. “Why didn’t you say that in the first place?”
Probably because it was a lie.
“You should bring her to the gala so we can meet her.”
