God’s sake. This wasn’t a romance novel, it was real life, and I was in way over my head. He was the hottest guy I’d ever met, and I was going to take my clothes off in front of him. One second I was giddy, the next I wanted to put on a caftan and hide in a corner.
“I’m sorry,” I said to Shipping as I stood in the Shipping and Receiving department, making my deliveries. “I can’t find the envelopes you wanted. I think I must have forgotten to order them.”
“No, you didn’t,” Shipping said. “You can’t find them because you already delivered them an hour ago.”
“I did?”
He peered closely at me. “Who is he?”
“Who is who?”
“The guy who’s distracting you. I promise I’ll treat you better than he does. I may not have money, but I have a lot of other qualities.”
“Don’t listen to him. He’ll dump you after a week,” Receiving said from behind Shipping’s shoulder. “It’s just how he is.”
“He’s lying,” Shipping said. “I’d make changes for you.”
“No, he won’t,” Receiving said.
I shook my head. “Sorry I’m so weird today. See you later.”
“I’m just waiting for the right woman!” Shipping called after me.
I thought Helen would take the opportunity to make me pretty much wish I was dead, but she seemed distracted herself today. She kept checking her phone—something she would lecture me over for weeks if she ever caught me doing it. At one point she called her cell company to ask if her incoming messages were working properly. “I’m expecting something very important and it hasn’t arrived yet,” she told the cell phone guy in her prim, annoyed voice. Then, predictably, she asked to speak to the manager. Helen was a speak-to-the-manager person if there ever was one.
I didn’t find out if there was really something wrong with Helen’s phone—maybe she just didn’t have any friends—because she left soon after that, saying she had to go to the cell phone store to check that hers wasn’t malfunctioning. It was a relief after she was gone.
I finished my last spreadsheet, trying not to nod off, and when five o’clock came I finally dragged myself home.
Still, as tired as I was, I had a plan. I was going to shower, eat—something light and healthy—and then prepare. I would do my hair, moisturize, put just the right amount of subtle makeup on. There was shaving and plucking to do. I would buff my nails and even make my feet pretty.
I had one really nice push-up bra that made my girls look sensational, so I would put that on. I didn’t own any sexy lingerie—it was expensive to buy for a single girl on my salary. Was Holden a lingerie type of guy? It seemed a little over the top, especially for us girls who didn’t have Victoria’s Secret bodies. What was I supposed to do, dance around in it? But besides the bra, I didn’t know what else to wear. I’d go through my closet and cross that bridge when I came to it.
When I had on some sexy-but-appropriate clothes, I’d tidy up my place and put together a snack. I’d dig out the wine I’d had in the back of a cupboard since New Year’s. I’d chill the wine. Then I’d wait for Holden.
Here’s what really happened: I got into my apartment, toed off my heels, and went to the fridge. I ate celery sticks dipped in cream cheese straight from the container, because the celery sticks make the cream cheese healthy. Then I walked to the bedroom and lay on the bed, thinking I would close my eyes for a minute.
I was asleep in seconds.
Mina Maple, mistress of seduction. That’s just how I roll.
Eighteen
Mina
I woke up when a text chimed on my phone. The phone was next to me on the bed. Where I was lying on top of the covers, fully dressed.
I picked the phone up and stared at it. Just got off work, Holden wrote. I’m on my way. If I’m still invited.
Emotions rolled through me all at once. Panic that I’d fallen asleep. Confusion about what time it was. Piercing sweetness that he was double checking that I still wanted him here, as if I’d change my mind.
Panic or not, there was no freaking way I was turning him down.
You’re invited, I wrote back. Get here as fast as you can.
Then I jumped out of bed and panicked properly.
I ran into the bathroom. No time for a shower, but I looked like