This woman was screwing with me. I didn’t play games. I didn’t have damn time for games. Which reminded me…I needed to get back to work.
I tossed my phone to the side and dug back into the investment prospectus I had been trying to digest.
But twenty minutes later, I had my goddamned phone in my hand again. I was completely distracted by just one simple text. I wasn’t sure if I was angrier at myself for needing to know her plans or her for not answering my question.
Grant: Just answer the question.
Her response was immediate.
Ireland: Boy, someone’s cranky.
I took a deep breath, which did little to help me relax.
Grant: That would be because I’m still waiting for an answer to my question…
Ireland: Is the muscle in your jaw flexing right now?
I read her text and looked up at the ceiling. This woman was going to be the death of me. And I was starting to get a headache from how hard I’d been clenching my teeth. So she wasn’t wrong about the muscle in my jaw.
Grant: Ireland…answer the damn question.
My phone started to buzz for a call, rather than a text. Ireland’s name flashed on the screen. I swiped to answer.
“Why must you be so difficult?” I said in greeting.
Ireland laughed, and the sound instantly softened the muscle in my jaw. “You’re fun to screw with.”
I leaned back in my chair. “I’m much more fun to screw. How about we move on to that phase of the relationship instead of you making me fucking nuts?”
I could tell she was still smiling when she spoke. “I do have a date tonight, but you don’t have anything to be worried about because he’s married.”
“Come again?”
She giggled. “I have the rehearsal dinner for my best friend Mia’s wedding, which is next weekend. My partner in the wedding is her brother, who is married to a man. So technically, I guess he’s my date tonight.”
Great. Now I’m jealous of a gay, married man…
“How about Sunday?” she said.
I decided to see if turnabout was fair play. “Can’t. I have a date.”
Of course, that date was with my grandmother to play Santa Claus at the annual Pia’s Place party…
She was quiet for a long moment and then said in a curt tone. “Well, if you have a date, you don’t need a second one with me.”
I smiled. “You see how that feels, Ireland? It’s not very pleasant, is it? Especially not while I’m trying to get work done. My date tomorrow is with my grandmother.”
“Oh.”
“Next weekend, then?” I said. I really didn’t want to wait that long.
Ireland sighed. “Next weekend is the wedding. Mia and I are going to spend the last night in our apartment together Friday night and then Saturday is the wedding and Sunday is a brunch with the wedding party. I don’t usually go out on weeknights because I get up so early for work. But maybe we can have an early dinner or something one night?”
“I’m leaving Monday for a business trip to the east coast. I’ll be gone until Thursday evening.”
“Oh.” At least she sounded as disappointed as I felt. “Well, maybe the weekend after, then. Or maybe…would it be too weird if I asked you to come with me to the rehearsal dinner tonight? Spouses are coming that aren’t in the wedding. So it’s not just the wedding party.”
I’d been thinking of our date as being a nice quiet evening with just the two of us, not a night with all of her friends at some wedding rehearsal. But waiting two weeks to see her was not an option. So I’d have to take what I could get.
“What time should I pick you up?”
“Really? You’ll come?”
“Apparently that’s the only way I’m going to get to see you, so yes. But, full disclosure, I’m only coming because I can’t wait to push you up against the car again and suck your face.”
She laughed. “That’s fair. How about six thirty? The rehearsal is at seven and dinner is right after. They’re getting married at the restaurant, so the rehearsal part won’t take very long.”
“I’ll be there at six fifteen. Because I won’t be waiting until after dinner for my kiss.”
***
That evening, my heart started to pump at an almost alarming speed the minute she opened the door. Ireland’s hair was pulled back from her face and pinned up. She had on another blue outfit; this one a powder blue, body-hugging dress with a wide, scooped neck that exposed her collarbone. It