I puff air into my cheeks, feeling guilty. “It’s not you. It’s me.” I sigh. “I’m sorry.” I shrug. “I have no excuse, because you’re perfect.”
She gives me a lopsided smile. “Do you want to talk about it in bed?”
I chuckle and sip my red wine. “As tempting as that is . . . no.”
“So this is our last date?”
I wince. “I think so.”
“I really thought we had something.” She pulls a whiny face, and as I stare at her, I remember Claire teasing me with that exact line, as if she knew I heard it often.
And I do . . . but I never knew how it felt to hear it from someone I cared about.
It sucks.
I read the report as Fletcher stands in front of me, nervously waiting for my opinion.
A smile crosses my face. He’s worked hard on this; I can tell. “This is good, Fletch.”
“Really?”
“I like it. I would have perhaps added a little more information on projected earnings for the first quarter.” I look up at him. “But it’s good. You did well this week.”
He smiles. “Thanks.” He turns to walk out, and I notice it’s dark outside. I kept him later than usual. “How are you getting home?”
“Subway,” he says.
“I can give you a lift if you want.”
He frowns. “You want to drive me home?”
“No. I’m offering you a lift because it’s Friday night, and I know you’ve missed your usual train. And besides, your mother will have a conniption if something were to happen to you.”
“Ah.” He thinks about it.
“Contrary to what you believe, Fletcher, I’m not the devil. I have no plans to kill you and bury you in a ditch on a deserted road.”
And besides, I want to see your mother.
“See, the fact that you said that . . . is just creepy,” he mutters dryly.
I chuckle. “Was a little.” I turn off my computer. “Okay, let’s go.”
Twenty minutes later we arrive at my parking space, and Fletcher’s eyes nearly pop out of his head. “This is your car?”
“Nice, huh?” The lights blink as I unlock it.
He whistles as he walks around it. “A brand-new Aston Martin.”
“Uh-huh.”
“In sapphire black.” He gasps in awe.
“You got it.” I smile. “You like these cars?”
“I love these cars.”
I smile. “Maybe if you get your license, you can have a drive of it.”