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Paige and I are in deep conversation when her friends come over to our table. “You ready to leave?” Missy asks.
Startled, Paige looks up. “You’re going so soon?”
I intervene, “We haven’t quite finished yet. I’d be happy to take Paige home when we’re done.”
“I don’t want to put you out.” Paige seems shocked by my offer.
“It won’t be any trouble,” I tell her. “I’m done working for the night.”
Smiling up at her friends, Paige announces, “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Teddy looks between us like he’s trying to figure out a particularly complicated puzzle. “You should join us again some time, Tim.”
I need to let Paige’s friends know that she and I won’t be dating, so I tell him, “Anytime you need a sixth wheel, I’m your man.”
“Thank you for the desserts and wine,” Jamie says. Bowing slightly at the waist, he adds, “Everything was as delicious as always. But Paige’s food wasn’t on the check. I’d like to pay for her.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of hers,” I tell him.
And just like that, everyone stares at me like I’ve started negotiations for her marriage dowry. I want to remind them that friends are allowed to take each other to dinner, but I don’t want to sound like I’m protesting too much. Because as much as I like Paige, there aren’t enough goats in the world for me to consider that institution anytime soon.
CHAPTER SEVEN
PAIGE
My alarm goes off at five and it takes me a solid five minutes to figure out why. I was in one of those super-deep sleeps that left me feeling disoriented. Like I can’t quite remember who I am.
But then like a runaway train, reality hits. It’s January sixth and winter break—a blissful three weeks off—is officially over. Back to school means I’ll not only be teaching full time, but I’ll also be filmingMidwestern Matchmaker.
I told my principal what I was doing and let her know I might have to use a personal day here and there, depending on the shooting schedule. Hallie said that wouldn’t be a problem. She even suggested I bring one of my dates to school to meet the faculty. It turns out she’s a huge fan of the show.
Rolling over onto my stomach, I begin the process of coaxing myself out of bed. Once my feet hit the floor, I raise my arms up over my head and stretch while yawning loudly. I eye my bed with longing, but ultimately decide nobody would appreciate me calling in sick the day after such a long break.
I run across my freezing cold bedroom floor to the bathroom. Once my feet hit the fuzzy bathmat, I sigh at the warmth beforeturning on the shower. After stepping in, I quickly wash my hair and body before sitting down and plugging the drain. I turn off the shower and fill the tub with the hottest water I can stand. I don’t wake up this early because I have to. I do it so I can enjoy a nice hot soak before walking out into negative twenty degrees, not including the wind chill factor.
Sighing, I lean back while the water creeps up my body. I think back to Saturday night and realize how much fun I had. And not with Faith and Missy and their significant others. That was not the shining part of my evening. That happened when Tim and I broke off on our own.
The whole time, I kept wondering what it would have been like to have dated him back in high school. I wondered what it would have been like to dateanyonein high school. As far as physical impairments go, having scoliosis was not the biggest deal. Yes, I wore a brace, and yes, I felt socially stunted but at least I had use of all my limbs.
On the flipside, I had the self esteem of a slug which lasted long after having surgery to fix my back. Long after … like into my twenties. You need to believe you’re worthy of dating to accept the offer of a date. Even though I no longer have any physical deficiencies, and I’ve developed decent social confidence, the lack of available men is my current problem.
That’s why I allowed myself to pretend Tim and I were on a date last night. I know he’s not looking for love, but I still did my best to try to keep that knowledge from the forefront of my thoughts. And even though the most we’ll ever be to each other is friends, I figured there wasn’t any harm in indulging in a small fantasy.
We stayed at the club chatting until eleven before he drove me home. Tim drives a gorgeous little sports car that only seats two. It’s much more suited to the balmy temperatures of L.A. than to a Wisconsin winter. He said he’s been waiting to buy something more rugged until all the new models come out.
I can’t imagine what it would be like to drive a brand-new car.The newest one I’ve ever had was eight years old, and I felt like I’d won the lottery when I drove off the lot in it. That’s the car I still have, only now its undercarriage is rusted from all the salt that’s spread on the roads to melt the ice. If I didn’t need a new roof so badly, I’d put the show money into a newer used car, or I’d paint my house and maybe get new appliances … My current kitchen setup is a color that hasn’t been popular in my lifetime. Too bad things weren’t built to last in a nice neutral stainless steel.
By the time I get out of the tub, I only have twenty minutes before I need to leave. I hurriedly blow dry my hair—not for any style, just to get the moisture out—then I get dressed and run downstairs and grab a bagel to go.
Once I’m sitting in the car, I crank the heat up and eat while the frost melts from my windows. I wonder what it's like to wake up in Los Angeles every morning—one beautiful day after another. Talk about being spoiled.
After I’m done eating, I put the car into reverse before lifting my foot off the brake and gently hitting the gas pedal. It doesn’t move as quickly as expected, so I press harder. When the gear engages, I speed back and slam into one of the pine trees at the end of my drive.
While Tim’s car would probably need some serious bodywork after such a collision, I know from experience that mine is probably just scratched. It truly is a tank.
Even though I only live three miles away from school, it takes me fourteen minutes to get there. It snowed overnight so everyone is being extra cautious. Once I arrive at Elk Lake Middle School—Go, Bears!—I jump out of the car in the parking lot and burst into a slippery jog toward the building. I’ll no longer be able to get any work done before class, but I still want to get to my room before the first bell.
Six feet from the building, I hit a patch of ice that has me sliding right into the front door. I grasp for the handle when I hear an unfamiliar voice yell, “Stop fooling around, or you’ll break something!”Is he talking to me?
