“Well, yeah . . . but usually there’s a little bit more than that. You know, friends with benefits? You really have no idea what goes on in the real dating world, do you?”
I refrain from telling him to go fuck himself in the real dating world, because no matter what, we still work together and I am still the HR Manager, regardless of my bad decision to have dinner with him, and I’m not going to sink to his level. If the dating world consists of sleeping with people on the first date just for the hell off it, then I want nothing to do with it.
We don’t speak at all until he parks in my driveway, where I thank him for dinner and get out of his car, slamming the door behind me.
“Mom, what are you doing home so early?” Macy asks when I walk through the front door. She and Shelly are lounged on the couch eating popcorn, engrossed in the television.
“It was just a quick dinner with someone I work with. Can I get you two anything?”
They both shake their heads simultaneously. “Okay.” I take off my coat and hang it in the hall closet. “I’ll be upstairs. Enjoy your vampire marathon.”
After a hot shower, I curl up in bed and put a romantic comedy on, realizing that Tommy didn’t call me to say goodnight. I hope that means he’s having a good time with his father, but I also feel a little bit forgotten about. I hate this separation of my family, but it looks like I’m going to have to get used to it.
At midnight, my phone beeps on the bed next to me. Picking it up, I swipe my finger across the screen, squinting at the glare in the darkness of the room. It’s a text from Lukas. I recognize his number now and quickly save it in my contacts.
Lukas: Hey
Me: It’s midnight
Lukas: And? You gonna turn into a pumpkin? ;-)
A smile spreads across my face as I type back.
Me: Very funny :)
Lukas: I wanted to make sure you got home okay. Your date looked like he was either going to bore you to death or grope you on the way home.
Me: Yes to both, but I survived. I came home and went right to bed. Exciting, huh?
Lukas: Same here. Came home, been sitting in bed drawing.
Me: What did you draw?
A few minutes go by, and just as I think he’s fallen asleep, I receive a picture message of a colored pencil drawing of a beautiful girl with long brown hair, her hair blowing to the side and fading into a butterfly wing. It’s breathtaking. The colors are gorgeous, and even viewing it on my tiny phone screen, I can see the details are incredible.
Me: Wow. It’s beautiful. Your talent is beyond words.