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Sadie jumped up and down in frustration while Carmen laughed until her eyes watered. “Oh, Sadie. I love you, chica. But your plans never work. You’re like that evil pharmacist guy onPhineas and Ferb.”
“Scientist,” Sadie and I corrected at the same time. Sadie picked up another ball and walked back and forth, staring me down and plotting her next move.
Meanwhile, Carmen thwacked me in the shoulder and the older woman who worked in account services got me in the knees. I was pretty sure the one in the back was from Rob. It didn’t matter. As long as Sadie wasn’t the one to hit me, I was still the victor.
Chapter 27 – Sadie
The next time Carmen invited me to one of those after-work hangouts, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. Jenny was in full wedding-planning mode and rarely home. I didn’t have Nitro. And if I planned to continue saying there was nothing going on between me and Denver, then I needed to provide evidence. Like maybe, by going somewhere without him.
Feeling more resigned than excited, I headed over to Skillets around the corner and parked next to Carmen’s VW bug. The restaurant had half-priced appetizers during the week, and large high top tables that could fit a crowd. And it was crowded. Young adults in office wear were everywhere. It was like a GoWithFriends event, only worse. Because I was there for myself.
Denver was right. I hadn’t been sleeping well. And while not sleeping, I’d been doing a lot of thinking. Not just about Denver and how infuriatingly cuddly he was. But about Kellen. About Chris. About all the guys from high school and how much I’d let them live rent-free in my head. I thought about the guys I’d briefly dated in college before freaking out and breaking up with them before they could break up with me. I thought about the guys I’d sent the back-off vibes to since then. I’d led myself down a path I no longer wanted to be on.
“Sadie!” Carmen weaved her way over and linked arms with me. “You look lost.”
“I am lost.” She had no idea.
“No worries. Follow me. I saved you a chair and ordered us nachos to share.” I followed her through the crowded restaurant to where she had two chairs across from each other draped with her various cardigan sweaters. Carmen got cold easily and wore layers to work. Usually in bright colors that should have clashed, but somehow didn’t on her.
I handed her back her lime green cardigan and took my chair. The rest of the table was filled with various guys, most fellow GoWithFriends employees, and a few strangers who probably migrated over on the strength of Carmen’s magnetic personality.
“Hey guys. Sadie’s here!” She said it like everyone had been waiting for my grand entrance and now the party could start.
I waved hello, trying to live up to the hype. I was absolutely not living up to the hype. The lonely path of hermitville started calling my name. There was no hype to live up to there. And they had cookies. At home. In my cupboard.
“Tell me names,” I blurted out.
They went around the table, identifying themselves, and I started to relax as that turned into good-natured ribbing about the guy who threw in his very important job title from work along with his name.
I was content to sit and watch the back and forth. Until I found myself falling into work mode. I was cataloguing their interest in Carmen. Her likelihood of having any interest back. Observing. Only speaking when I was digging for information to back up my theories. Why did I have theories?
Carmen sure didn’t need them. She’d told me many times she was not looking for anything serious. In fact, she had started implementing a three-date-maximum rule to make sure. Oh, to be that sought after. I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. It sounded exhausting.
My phone buzzed with a text message, and I pulled it out to check.
Dad: How is work?
This was not the time. I went to put my phone away and paused. If I didn’t text him back now, I’d forget to later. I was a crappy daughter, but not that crappy.
Sadie: It’s good. I’m at an after-work thing at a restaurant. Tell you more later.
Dad: Sure thing, kid.
I put my phone away in the front pocket of my messenger bag and sighed. I would tell him more. I should. It wasn’t his fault we’d drifted from telling each other everything to barely talking at all. It was mine. Just another thing to work on. Sometimes I felt like an old house. Good bones, but about a hundred things in need of repair.
Our busy waitress returned with drinks, and I took my lemonade and sipped it, wondering at what point it would be okay to leave without being rude. It took a lot of work to look like I was having a good time. I could slip Carmen money for my share and give an excuse. Had I waited long enough not to hurt her feelings? These guys might be here for Carmen, but I got the sense she’d gathered them for me.
Carmen met my gaze and rolled her eyes. She knew I was antsy. She knew I was about to bail. Fine. I’d give it ten more minutes. I took a chip from the nachos and nibbled on it, taking in bits and pieces of conversation around me. The guy to my right was scrolling through videos on his phone. I got sucked into watching a parkour guy free run across the top of a building. The next video was people smashing watermelons with mallets, which was almost as dumb as watching a video of someone doing it.
The guy on my other side leaned over to me. “I have a theory about you. Wanna hear it?”
I turned and met his gaze, trying to remember his name. He had dark hair and a square jaw. Classically handsome, but a little boyish for my taste. I decided to go with honesty, rather than hoping I’d somehow remember. “Sorry, tell me your name again.”
“I’m hurt.”
“Well, that’s a unique name.”
He laughed, not knowing that for a second there, I’d actually thought his name was Hurt. Oh boy, I was on fire tonight.
