I’ve actually seen him the last few days, ever since he told me he “took care of it” with Steven and Stephanie. Mrs. Potter felt bad for me when I told her about my disastrous dates and informed me that she’d open up the library for a couple of days because, she said, I deserved a few days of sleeping in to recover. Vincent and I have had some time together each day, sharing lunch right after he woke up and before I left for the library. I actually got a little more than a mouth twitch out of him when I told him my version of my date with Steve. I didn’t get a full smile or anything crazy like that, but it was still wonderful.
“And then he asked me if I’d be interested in a threesome. Can you believe that?! And his wife was totally on board. I don’t get it. I’ve never read anything like that in a romance novel,” I told Vincent, shaking my head as I took a bite of one of the ham sandwiches I made us for lunch.
“I once had to break up a fight between a married couple at the club because the wife paid for a lap dance for her husband. He didn’t want it,” Vincent informed me as he grabbed a potato chip from his plate and popped it into his mouth. “They were sitting in one of the booths against the wall and I could hear them screaming above the music. ‘I BOUGHT YOU A PERFECTLY GOOD WOMAN WITH A NICE RACK AND A GREAT ASS! LOOK AT HER BOOBS! LOOK AT THEM RIGHT NOW!’”
Vincent’s voice got high-pitched as he shouted, mimicking the woman, and it was so out of character for him that I immediately started laughing and couldn’t stop as he continued, lowering his voice to imitate the husband.
“‘I DON’T WANT TO LOOK, CHERYL! PLEASE, DON’T MAKE ME LOOK AT ANOTHER WOMAN’S BOOBS. LET’S GET A REFUND AND JUST GO HOME!’”
“I can’t believe that actually happened,” I said through my laughter.
“True story,” Vincent replied.
He told me a few more stories that day about crazy customers at Charming’s that made me laugh so hard I cried. It was fun and easy, and now I’m about to ruin all of that with what I’m going to do.
I’ve made my lists. I’ve rehearsed in front of the mirror a million times, and I think I’ve figured out a way to see if there’s anything between us without actually coming right out and asking him, at the risk of being humiliated.
When I hear his bedroom door open, I perk up in my seat and smooth my sweaty palms down the skirt of my yellow cotton, three-quarter-sleeved baby-doll dress. I hear the creak of the floorboards as he makes his way down the hall, and I blow a few strands of hair, which are falling out of my messy bun, out of my eyes, pushing my glasses up the bridge of my nose and taking a deep, fortifying breath.
He steps out into the hallway and my nerves skyrocket, as well as my heart rate. He’s wearing his usual pajamas of drawstring sweatpants sitting low on his hips and no shirt. His hair is rumpled, and his eyes are still heavy from sleep as he gives me a nod on his way to the coffeepot.
“Good morning!” I chirp brightly.
He turns around, leaning back against the counter and staring at me over the lip of the mug as he brings it up to his mouth.
“So, I have another date tonight,” I tell him with an awkward giggle.
He growls under his breath as he pulls the mug away from his mouth.
“Why in the hell are you continuing to go on these stupid things?”
“It was Cindy and Ariel’s idea. And I know the first two were disasters, but I’m hopeful about this one. Plus, I’m a woman of her word, and I would feel bad if I didn’t honor my commitment.”
And I’m kind of hoping that if you know I have another date, it will make you jealous because you care about me and maybe you’re a little bit attracted to me.
“You see, I don’t really have a lot of experience when it comes to men, which you probably already know, since I told you I’ve only kissed one guy before and I’ve never had my heart broken. And to top it off, I’ve only had sex with one guy, one time,” I tell him hurriedly, not wanting to lose my nerve. “It wasn’t the best experience, let me tell you. It was over in like, ten seconds. And it took him, like, twenty minutes just to get it in and—”
“Stop.” Vincent interrupts me, setting his mug down on the counter next to him, but I ignore him.