choose to walk in. I’m no expert—but explaining that to her would be borderline awful.
“If you’re lucky,” I replied with a wink; and took the paper from his hands. Corey was on his feet, hands planted on the desk as he leaned into my space.
“I’m sure I’ll get lucky.” I couldn’t help but smile as he leaned in to place a kiss against my mouth. Thank goodness for the desk in front of us—the kiss had no promise of stopping and was usually one that started a heated round for us.
“Later,” He whispered against my lips; reading that it wasn’t going to happen.
“Of course.”
Corey backed away and before he left, made sure I would accept a check from the bar for the order. The way our conversations went from funny to heated to business certainly made me laugh. I’ve never had quite the easy transitional conversations as I do when I’m with Corey.
My mind was still wrapped around Corey’s kiss and the effect he had on me when the phone rang.
“This is Danielle.” I breathed into the phone.
“I’m surprised you’re at the office today, Dolly—it’s Saturday.” Grandma.
“Well there is always work to be done.”
“Well, I’m impressed. Anyways, I won’t keep you—just wanted to invite you to dinner tomorrow. Will you come?”
“Yeah Gram, of course.”
“Okay Dolly—be here at 5; dinner’s at 6.”
“See ya then.” I smiled when I set the phone onto the dock. If Corey had stayed—my Gram would have called right in the middle of a very impassioned …discussion. Not that this stopped me from wishing Corey was still there.
* * * *
I left my house with a good half hour to get to my Gram’s on time. All I had to do was get in my car and go. Instead, my jaw dropped as I stood staring at the very flat tire that was now going to make that near impossible. The worst thing was—I didn’t have a spare. The last time my tire went flat I was driving around the New York countryside with Gabby—well that turned out to be a total disaster. Long story short, it was never replaced.
My Grandma’s disappointment was quickly filling every inch of my psyche—and I hadn’t even told her yet. There was only one person I could think to call that could make this experience less like the nightmare it had the potential to become.
“Hey baby.” Corey could always put a smile on my face with his enthusiastic greetings.
“I have a problem.”
“What kind of problem?”
“Flat tire. No spare. Expected at Grandma’s for dinner in 30 minutes.”
“Yikes, I wouldn’t want to walk in late to a dinner at Violet’s house.” Sigh—I was dreading it.
“Yes, I know. Is there any way you could help me get there? In exchange I am officially extending an invitation for you to join us.” He laughed.
“It’s just me and Sanders until 8 so I can’t come with you, but I could step away to drive you— then come back later to pick you up.”
“Oh no Corey, if you’re not able to stay that’s okay, but I’m not going to ask you to do all that if you need to be at work. I’ll just give her a call and let her know the situation.” That thought gave me goose bumps; she wasn’t going to just accept a flat tire as an excuse to miss her dinner.
“Don’t do that, Dani—that’s a death sentence. Seriously, it is totally fine, I’m more than happy to help you out.”
If there’s one thing I knew about Corey, he’d drop everything to help if I called. Even if that meant leaving Sanders in a crowded bar for an hour. “I want to talk to Sanders, have him tell me that you really aren’t too busy to do this.”
“It’s my bar, Danielle; I can do what I want.” “Do it, please.” Maybe it was childish—but it would give me piece of mind to know that Sanders wasn’t going to be left with a packed bar.
“You’re impossible.” With a sigh, he called Sanders over.
“Hiya sexy.” Sanders beamed over the phone. “Ow—damnit man!” I laughed as I pictured Corey’s hand smacking whatever part of Sanders he could reach.
“You get hit?” I asked.
“Yes! This boss I have is very temperamental, anyways; your man said you had something to ask?”
“Do you mind staying alone at the bar while Corey brings me to my Grandma’s for dinner tonight?”
“Totally fine, babe.” Sanders let out another grunt, from being hit again, I assumed. “YES—please pull this guy away from here for