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“Do I? Much better than acting like a cold asshole, right?”
“It’s night and day,” I admit.
“Thanks. I’ll take that as a compliment. Oh, there is one tiny thing. I need to apologize in advance, but so far, it’s been a delight.”
“Wh—”
He quickly interrupts me, “Take this parking spot. Can you parallel park?”
“You love offending me, don’t you?”
“I’m sure I say all the right things at the wrong time.”
He chuckles as I reach my arm across the back of the seat. I look into his eyes before glancing behind me as I inch the car into the tight place. After I engage the parking brake and turn the engine off. He holds out his palm, just like the first day we met, and I return his keys.
“Ready for the time of your life?” he asks.
“As ready as you are,” I tell him.
“A little secret: I was born ready,” he says, getting out of the car as I slide on my high heels.
He walks to the driver’s side and opens the door with his hand held out. I take it, and we walk toward the entrance. He’sclose to me, and I wonder if photographers are snapping photos of this.
After we enter, I turn to him. “I need to quickly stop by the ladies’ room.”
“I’ll meet you at the bar?” He points over toward it.
“Five minutes,” I tell him, knowing he has a thing with time.
I smile and move toward the restroom as excitement and adrenaline rush through me. I go inside the stall, ignore all texts, and call Carlee. I explain everything as fast as I can because it’s quicker than texting.
“Holy shit,” she says, and I can tell she’s smiling. “You’re on a date with Easton Calloway.”
“It’s not a date,” I explain.
“Call it whatever you want. If a man picked me up in that car, wearing that suit and giving me flowers … well, let your imagination wander.”
“I’ll leave and meet up with you so we can go out,” I tell her because I feel guilty.
“Don’t you dare! If the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t.”
I laugh. “Okay. That’s true. I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing,” she says. “Go have fun!”
“Thanks. I’ll keep you updated,” I whisper.
“And don’t forget to say thank you to him.”
“I already did. Thank you for everything. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
I end the call and lean my back against the stall of the bathroom door. Once my heart rate has settled, I wash my hands and walk to the bar area. On the way there, I pass the same guy I saw in the park last weekend. This must be his bodyguard. I wonder where he’s been all night. Following us?
I shake my head at him. “You’re good at hiding.”
He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, but he doesn’t say anything. I move through the crowd and find Easton sitting at the bar with a drink.
I place my hand on his back as I climb onto the stool beside him. “Sorry. I’m back. Hopefully, I wasn’t a second over five minutes.”