“You just missed out on the greatest night of your life, you dumb cow,” he snarled. “Your loss, not mine. Every girl in that club would have killed for the opportunity I just gave you, but you blew it. Whatever, I don't even give a crap.”
He turned around and stormed back into the bar.
“You alright there, miss?” the taxi driver asked.
“I'm okay, yeah. Thank you so much for helping me,” I said. “I really appreciate that.”
“No problem. Being a taxi driver and working the night shift on weekends, I’m afraid I get to see a lot of behavior like that, and it makes me sick to my stomach. I'm just happy that I was able to step in and help you out there.”
“Thank you. I really, really appreciate it.”
“Don't mention it. Come on, get in. Where am I taking you?” He opened the back door of the taxi for me.
I slid into the car and gave him my address, and we left, chatting along the way. He was a really nice old guy, and I took his card for future occasions in which I might need a taxi driver. I said goodbye and then trudged up onto my porch. He sat and waited until I was safely inside my house before he drove off. I couldn't help but peek through the shade covering the glass of my front door across at Everett's house. The lights were off. I guessed he was passed out drunk or something.
“Why did you do that?” I said to the house. “Why did you stand me up like that, without even a word or a phone call? I thought you were different, Everett, I really thought you were different.”
Shaking my head, I dropped my purse and keys on the entryway table and went straight to bed.
***
I was having my morning coffee, reading the newspaper and feeling slightly hungover when my doorbell rang.
“Just a minute,” I yelled as I got up and headed over to a mirror to make sure I looked alright just in case it was someone aside from Mrs. Dobbins.
A t-shirt and shorts with my tied my hair up in a messy bun wasn’t exactly my best look, but despite how I felt, I did look okay.
I walked over to the front door and resisted peeking through the shade before I opened it. My jaw dropped when I found Everett standing there holding a huge bouquet of flowers in his hands.
“Miss Andrews,” he said, looking slightly embarrassed. “I am deeply, deeply sorry about what happened last night. But trust me, there is a good explanation for it all, if you'll only give me five minutes of your time to explain everything.”
Chapter Twelve
Everett
“Everett?” Vivienne said, looking quite surprised to see me standing on her porch with a bouquet of flowers in hand. “I uh, well... yeah, yeah you do have a bit of explaining to do.”
I hung my head with shame. “I cannot begin to tell you how deeply sorry I am for standing you up last night.”
“It wasn't the best way to make a good impression, I'm afraid,” she said. “And I ended up having a pretty crappy evening, I'm sorry to say.”
“Damn. That makes me feel even worse about the whole thing. Please take these flowers, and please, please just give me a chance to explain why things went the way they did last night,” I begged as I held the flowers out toward her. “It was a total disaster for me, as well, if that makes it any better.”
“Hmm, I'm not sure if it does, to be honest. But... I'll give you a chance to explain yourself,” she said and reached forward to accept the bouquet of flowers from me.
A sigh of relief escaped my lungs as she did; at least I hadn't blown the whole thing entirely.
“Come on in,” she said. “Would you like a cup a coffee? I've just finished brewing a fresh pot.”
“Yes, please, that'd be great,” I said.
“How do you like it?”
“Black, actually. No sugar.”
She smiled, and a rush of joy rippled through me at the sight of that lovely smile.
“Just how I like it, myself.”