“You don’t know what he does for a living?”
“Um, no. I didn’t get around to asking that. We just kind of jumped into bed. He did mention he has two daughters though. He’s divorced and has full custody.”
“Whoa. That’s complicated. Most parents don’t get full custody. The e
x must be a nutbag or something. Are you sure you want to get involved in something like that?”
“I’m not trying to marry him,” I said, annoyed. I didn’t want her to kill my vibe. “I would just like to repeat the four orgasms I had last night. We had fun together. As I mentioned.”
Fun seemed such a pale word for getting down and dirty with each other.
“Well, here’s both my and Sean’s consensus on what that phone number is. I showed it to him and we’re in agreement with each other.” She recited a number.
She thought it was the same number I originally texted. “Nope. That belongs to a dirtbag stranger who asked me to send nudes.”
“Oh. Hmm.” There was a pause. “Do you think it’s possible he gave you a fake?”
That thought had occurred to me and I hated it with the burning heat of a thousand suns. That thought sucked. A lot. “Why would he bother? He could have just rolled out of here before I even woke up. It was like five in the morning.”
“Because guys don’t want to seem rude. So they lie. It’s stupid, but it happens. Why did he have to leave so early anyway?”
“He said he had to get home before the nanny woke up.”
“Why?”
This was not how I had pictured this conversation going down. “I don’t know! Maybe she’s judgmental. Maybe it’s her day off. It is Saturday, after all.”
“Or maybe nanny is just another name for girlfriend.”
That had never even entered my head and I was seriously annoyed that Isla had put such a cynical idea in my mind. “I hate you,” I told her. “And I refuse to believe that until I have proof otherwise.”
“Sorry, just trying to consider all possibilities.”
“I don’t like that possibility.”
“I guess it doesn’t matter, because you’ll never see him again.”
“Ew. Harsh.” I tossed my half-eaten donut down on the kitchen counter. “That’s very disappointing.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t sound sorry. You sound like a woman with a boyfriend who thinks I’m being dumb.” I sipped my coffee, feeling very, very sorry for myself.
This wouldn’t be such a big deal if I were rich. But I was the opposite. I’d gotten another email rejection for a job just thirty minutes ago and I wasn’t sure how I was going to pay my rent, let alone the two hundred bucks I still owed for being five days late with February’s rent. I had just wanted this.
“I don’t think you’re dumb. What the hell are you talking about?”
“I just wanted a win,” I said. “Like that it couldn’t just be an accident that he reappeared in my life, on Valentine’s Day of all times. Like it was meant to be a victory for all the bullshit I’ve been going through lately. I’m so broke and yet I just bought a six-pack of donuts because this sucks. I should have never quit the cheerleading squad. It was a nice side income. Damn Dante. He wanted me to quit because of the alleged conflict of interest and I let him talk me into it. I hate six-months-ago-me for being an idiot.”
“Can’t you just audition again?”
“I guess. But I’m old now.” I picked the abandoned donut back up and bit it viciously. “There will be twenty-year-olds trying out.”
“But the cheer coach knows you. Don’t be so negative. That’s not like you, D.”
She was right. It normally wasn’t. “I know. I’ll be fine.” I sank down onto my couch and pulled my knees up to my chin. “I guess I’ve just been lonely and worrying about money a whole hell of a lot.”
“If you need a free meal and some company, come to the restaurant tonight. I don’t have to work, but Sean will be in the kitchen. I’m sure I can talk him into serving us something amazing. He kind of does what I tell him to.”