of people, actually. But I’m the only one who figured it out. And when I tried to call him on it, he barely took a breath before threatening my entire academic future.
There’s a note scrawled on the bottom from Dean Rebecca Reynolds, my former advisor. Daphne, we already miss you! My door will always be open to you. ~RR
Well that stings. Until a few weeks ago, I’d been part of an advanced program at Harkness College. I was on track to earn my Bachelor of Science and a Master’s in public health, concurrently, in just five years. I could have done it, too. If I hadn’t trusted the wrong man.
Even now, I’m still not really safe. Reardon Halsey could blow up my new life with a single phone call. This is why I don’t sleep well anymore.
I’m tempted to throw the invitation right out the window. But Shipleys don’t litter. So I open Dylan’s glove compartment and shove the invitation inside before snapping it closed again.
“Not the mail you were hoping for?” Rickie asks cheerfully.
“Nope,” I grumble.
“Bummer. Maybe I could find a way to cheer you up later.” I groan, and he laughs. “I meant with ice cream. Can we stop for a cone on the way home?”
“Sure, pal,” I mutter.
“Awesome.” There’s a beat of silence. “Or we could have dinner together.”
“We eat dinner together every night,” I point out.
“That is not what I meant. You look like a girl who could use a fun night out. And I’m just the guy for the job.”
I’ll bet you are. There’s no doubt in my mind that Rickie knows how to put the play in playboy. But I’ve been down this road before. He once invited me out, before ghosting me.
I don’t trust men who flirt with me. And I never will again.
“Look, I’m flattered,” I lie. “But we both know you’re really not my type. And I’m not yours.”
“Really? What is your type? Let me guess—you like ‘em clean cut and ambitious.”
This is partly true. Or at least it used to be. The first man I ever fell for was clean cut. And the second one looked clean cut, and was certainly ambitious. But now I’m just confused. “I honestly just don’t know anymore. But I’m not going to be your super convenient good time, okay? That’s not happening.”
He actually laughs. “You think you’ve got me figured out. I’m a total sleaze, huh?”
Yes. “I didn’t say that.”
“It’s okay, Daphne. There have been times when you would have been right. I definitely went through a sleazy stage. But then I grew out of it.”
“Good to know,” I mumble. I never went through a sleazy stage, but I went through a naïve stage, which is surely worse.
“I’ll be honest,” he says, as if this conversation were ongoing. “You confuse me. Your mouth says you’re not interested. But your wandering eyes say you are.”
“Hey! Not true,” I lie. I’m definitely attracted to Rickie, and completely unwilling to admit it.
“And what’s with the photo yesterday? Did you take my picture?”
“No!” I yelp. “Why would I do that?”
“Lock screen shot?” he suggests. “I’m very decorative.”
“Shut up. I was taking a selfie.”
His snort says he doesn’t believe me. Just kill me already. We’re still at least forty-five minutes from the first delivery. This is going to be the longest ride to Burlington ever.
My phone buzzes with a series of texts, so I pull it out to check. They’re all from Violet.
Helllooooo! How’s it going with Mr. Hottie?
Does he have good taste in music?
Did you ask him why he stood you up for a date that time?
Can I have another photo? His face doesn’t show very well in this one.
I reply with the speed of someone who feels guilty. No more pics. Ever. I should never listen to you. He saw, and now I’ll never live it down.
Oh, don’t worry! I’ll tell this story at your wedding someday.
I groan. You are a hopeless romantic. Emphasis on hopeless.
She replies with a heart emoji. I love Violet, but I don’t understand her optimism. Her luck with men isn’t any better than mine.
I put my phone away and stare out the window again. But Rickie takes that as a sign that I’m available for conversation. “Look, we have to clear up a couple of things. I’ve got some questions.”
I watch the landscape shoot by and wonder if I could survive a dive out of a moving vehicle.
“I’m wondering why you seem so jumpy around me. And I realize we met once