ideas for the house. I can’t wait to get started.”
“And that’s the perfect segue to the reason for this phone call.”
“What’s that?”
“Are you available Friday evening for dinner?”
“Dinner?” I repeat, his invitation catching me off guard.
“To go over a few ideas,” he explains. “That’s all.” He pushes out a nervous laugh. I picture him combing his long fingers through his dark hair, as he did a few times during our brief interactions. “It’s not a date or anything.”
“Of course.” I force a smile, ignoring the unexpected pang of disappointment.
“Not that I wouldn’t want to date,” he continues. “I just—”
“No need to explain, Wes,” I interject, not wanting this conversation to become any more awkward than it already is. “What time? And where?”
“I was hoping we could get together at my place in Brookhaven. Julia and Imogene will be there, too. They stay with me when Julia’s in town checking in on her bakery. It will be low-key and casual. Just a typical family dinner.”
“That actually sounds nice.”
“Great.” Wes’ voice is a mixture of relieved and excited. And perhaps a little nervous. “I’ll text you the address. Seven o’clock work?”
“That’s perfect. I’ll see you then.”
As I’m about to end the call, Wes stops me.
“Hey, Londyn?”
“Yes?”
He hesitates, then lowers his voice, that sensual tone returning. “It was really good to see you again today.”
I close my eyes, sucking in my bottom lip, wanting to tell him how great it was to see him again, too. Instead, I say, “I’ll see you Friday.” I wince, immediately feeling like a bitch. But if Wes thinks any less of me, he doesn’t let on.
“Looking forward to it,” he responds.
When the line goes silent, I end the call, heaving out a long sigh. “Me, too.”
“You like him, don’t you?”
I whirl around, momentarily surprised. I’d all but forgotten Hazel was here. As seems to happen whenever I’m in Wes’ presence, the mere act of speaking to him made me oblivious to the outside world. In those few minutes, it was just me and him. No one else.
“Excuse me?” I hold my head high, fixing my expression to one of disinterest as I make my way back to the couch and lower myself beside her.
“Wes.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest, a look of superiority about her. “You like him.”
“It doesn’t matter if I like him. He’s a client.”
“So?”
“If I want to make a go of having my own interior design business, I need to focus on that. Not spread my legs for my very first client. And even if Wes weren’t a client, I’m not interested. Not like that. Unless you’ve forgotten, I don’t date.”
“Oh, I haven’t forgotten. I just thought maybe after meeting someone who actually makes you feel for a change, you might revisit your stance on your ‘no dating’ rule,” she mocks, using air quotes.
I narrow my gaze. “You know why I don’t date. Plus…” I brighten my tone. “I’m happy.”
“And I’m the Tooth Fairy.”
“I may not go around singing Kumbaya and doing Sun Salutations, like you do, but I like my life. I have everything I’ve always wanted. My up-cycling business has taken off to the point where I struggle to keep items in stock. I have my first real interior design job. On a historic home, no less. And I have you and Diego. What more could I need?”
“Love.”
“I have love. You love me. So does Diego.”
“That’s different. While having a solid support group is important, it will never make up for that butterfly-inducing love we all crave. Trust me.” She squeezes my hand. “I understand your reluctance to get involved with someone. It’s impossible to know who to trust these days, as you learned yourself. But sometimes you have to say enough is enough and take a risk, come what may. Otherwise, I’m worried you’ll only live this half-life.”
I’m on the brink of arguing to the contrary, that I’m living the life I’ve always wanted, but she knows me better than that. She’s the only person who has no problem calling me out, pushing me to my limits so I don’t retreat into the shell of the woman I was when we first met during her self-defense class.
Throughout the duration of her training, I looked up to her. She became a role model. I admired how strong and resilient she seemed, especially when she shared her story with the class, telling us why she felt compelled to teach self-defense to any woman who needed it.
Like myself, she married