“Of course, Chip! We’re not in any rush.” I was actually in the opposite of a hurry to get to my house, face my parents, and field questions about Bob.
Bob waited until Chip pulled out onto the main road before he asked me in a low voice, “So, what is your type?”
I put up the privacy screen. “That’s an awfully personal question.”
Bob chuckled. “I just almost threw up all over you, and I’m about to meet your parents. I’m sorry I was so sick. It didn’t give us any time to talk.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. I’m sorry! I had no idea, and I didn’t think to ask if flying was okay.”
“It’s fine. Fear of flying’s kind of unusual, unlike food allergies, which you did ask me about. So c’mon—logistics.” He nudged me gently. “Tell me what what we’re telling your parents about us, everything. You already told Tyler I was your boyfriend. We need to build off that.”
I nodded. “I was thinking we could tell everyone that we met last month at an industry event and that we’ve been seeing each other ever since.”
“What industry are you in again?”
“Right, you don’t know.” I groaned. “I run a technology company. We offer tailored cloud services to boutique businesses.”
He nodded. “Got it.”
“You do?” Most people just blinked at me when I explained what my company did.
“Yeah, I do. So what’s your story for me? With the driver and the Boca-Raton fall casual dress code, I’m guessing that telling them the truth isn’t in your best interests.”
I frowned. “Is it okay with you if I lie?”
Bob nodded. “You just basically held my hair back for me while I puked. I’m at your service.”
“Okay. Thank you. I think I’m going to say you’re in the import/export business because it’s not technically lying. My parents…” I squirmed in my seat. Talking about what snobs they were was painful, but not as painful as watching people meet them for the first time and size them up.
He watched me. “Go on.”
“My parents are tough. They’re very interested in a certain type of lifestyle with a certain group of people, and they don’t have much room for flexible thinking. They are also total, complete, flaming hypocrites, but that’s another story.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
“They’re also snobs. I can’t even stand to be around them if you want to know the truth.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “Well, they must be bad if you feel like you have to lie to them.”
“Yeah, but I think that makes me as bad as they are. I’m sinking to their level by playing their game.”
“Nah.” Bob flashed his dimple. “You’re just getting through the weekend. I get it.”
“You do?”
“I told you, I have a family. They’re no picnic either.”
I frowned at him. “Why don’t you have a girlfriend, Bob? You seem like a really nice guy.”
“Now that’s a personal question.”
“Right, but we only have twenty minutes to get to know each other, so…” I looked at my watch. “Go for it.”
“I had a girlfriend for a long time.” He shrugged, trying to brush it off. “She’s getting married to someone else this weekend. A friend of mine, actually.” He sounded sad.
“Oh, crap. I’m sorry!” But really, I was feeling a little sorry for myself. Red flag, Maddy!
“I’m over it.” But he didn’t sound over it. “So enough about me. What about you? Why no boyfriend?”