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I was telling him about college when his phone rang over the car’s speakers, cutting out the music, and he hit a button on his steering wheel with his thumb before he said aloud, “Hey, Mindy, what’s up?”
Whoever Mindy was, she sounded harried as she said, “Hey, Tyler, I need a favor.”
His voice dropped an octave and his hands tightened on the steering wheel as he said, “I’m on a date.”
“I know, I know. And I’m sorry, but my delivery driver called in sick, and Juan had to go to the restaurant to have a staff meeting—which means he’s drinking with his buddies and pretending to work—while I’ve had to run around picking up the girls from their theater and soccer practices. James is teething, Juan isn’t answering his phone, and I’m going to lose my mind. I have to get this candelabra I just made for the unity candle to a panicking future mother-in-law for a wedding that is happening tomorrow! The first one got broken, and the bride is freaking out about it being bad luck, so I had to talk her down while trying to not murder someone in the carpool lane who was driving like dild—dork.” The sound of a baby crying came from the background, and Mindy’s voice got even more strained as she said, “I’m really sorry. I know you really like this woman, and I’m probably totally screwing up your night, but if you could please, please, please be the best big brother ever and take this candelabra to the Sea Queen Hotel for the wedding tomorrow I will love you forever and forgive you for shaving my head when I was six.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped, and Mindy sighed.
“I’m on speaker phone, aren’t I?”
“Yep,” Tyler laughed, “Mindy, meet Nora. Nora, meet my sister Mindy.”
“Hi,” I said with a wave like a doofus, even though she couldn’t see me.
“Hi, Nora. I’m so, so sorry to intrude on your night like this.”
“Really, it’s no problem at all. I feel bad for that couple getting married.”
“They really are great people,” Mindy said before she yelled to someone in the background to hold on. “And thank you again for being so gracious about this. Some night, when my world doesn’t resemble a madhouse, I want both of you to come over for dinner so we can drink a big bottle of wine together and talk about Tyler. Right now, though, I have to go and get some dinner going for the kids before they start eating the furniture. With Madison being fourteen and Viola turning eleven, they’ve hit that growth spurt stage where they eat everything in sight. I swear, when Viola comes home from soccer practice, I have to put a lock on the fridge door.”
From the background came a wail of ‘Mooommmm’ in the distinct tone of an aggrieved teenage girl.
“We’re about fifteen minutes from your place,” Tyler said. “We’ll see you soon.”
After he hung up, he gave me a sheepish grin. “So, how about a little side trip?”
I could tell he felt bad, so I gave his hand a reassuring pat. “Tyler, it’s no problem at all.”
Sighing, he looked into his rearview mirror as he began to change lanes. “I’m afraid we’re going to lose our reservations.”
“There’s always tomorrow.”
I hadn’t meant that literally, but he took it that way, because he said, “It’s a date.”
“I didn’t mean, like, we have to go on a date tomorrow.” I laughed as he gave me a wink that softened his rough face for a moment.
“Nope, you asked me, and I’m not the kind of guy to play hard to get.”
I took off my sunglasses so I could stare at him. “Are you kidding me? You are totally playing hard to get. Look how long you waited just to kiss me!”
Giving me a smug look, he said, “I’m worth the wait.”
I couldn’t argue with that, so I rolled my eyes then looked out the window as we pulled into another gated community, but of a much more modest scale than Shyla’s ritzy neighborhood.
I looked at the unfamiliar residential area with actual yards and driveways along with massive palm trees that had been there for at least fifty years. At some point, while I’d been distracted by Tyler’s hotness, we’d left the crowded coast and entered suburbia. The white stucco, brownstone roofed home we pulled up to had a minivan and a nice Mercedes sedan parked in the driveway, surrounded by a collection of kids bikes and toys. Rose bushes in full bloom lined the walkway leading to the front of the house, and beautiful wrought iron lanterns hung on either side of the black wrought iron bound dark wood front door.
As Tyler parked along the curb in front of the house I said, “Did you, um, want me to wait here while you go in?”
