Page 51 of Babydaddy To Go

I probably shouldn’t be going out on a Monday night, but it sounds like exactly what I need. “Yeah, I’m in. I’ll see you later.”

“See you.”

We hang up and I take a few minutes to myself before returning to the classroom. There’s no smoke in the air, so everything looks good.

I take a stroll around the room and come to an annoying realization when I approach Samantha’s half-empty station.

As angry as I am at Alyssa, I still miss her. A part of me even still loves her.

All the more reason to go out with David tonight and drink her out of my mind.

17

Nathaniel

Monday

“How many drinks will it take to wipe that mopey look off your face?” David asks, pulling me from my thoughts. My friend hits it right on the head because I was thinking about Alyssa. Is she out somewhere with that guy right now?

I wish I’d gotten his name. It’s hard to hate an unknown number. I bet his name is Jamie or something equally annoying.

David watches me expectantly. Right, he asked me a question. I’ve been terrible company tonight, and I should try to pay more attention to the conversation.

“Sorry, what?” I ask.

He rolls his eyes. “Maybe you should call Alyssa and talk it out.”

I scoff.

“That will never happen. She made her bed, and now she has to lay in it. With Jamie.”

He looks puzzled.

“Jamie? Is that the guy’s name?”

“I don’t know. Probably,” I say with a sour expression.

David looks thoughtful.

“I think we need another round.”

“I think you’re right,” I respond. My scotch is empty. It’s the second I’ve had tonight and it’s only seven. Damn. This night is never going to end.

David heads for the bar to get us a couple new drinks while I glance around the room for possible prospects. The relationship thing clearly isn’t for me. I need to go back to my old ways. There’s no time like the present to start.

“Don’t even think about it,” my friend admonishes when he returns with our liquor. “I’ve never seen you so screwed up about a girl. The last thing you need is another one complicating things.”

It’s annoying that David can read my thoughts. We’ve been friends since we were children, so it makes sense that we know each other that well. I know what David is thinking half the time. Still, I don’t want him to use his powers on me. At least not tonight.

“My mother says hello,” David shouts over the music. “She’s wondering when you’re going to come over for dinner. In other words, she wants you to go cook scampi for her.”

“I’ll make time to visit next week,” I promise. “Your mother is my favorite taste tester. I’ll need some new recipes if we’re going to open another restaurant next year.”

He sips his drink. “Are you okay with that? I know I pushed you with the building. If you really want to sell, or maybe rent it out to another chef, I’ll draw up the paperwork.”

I appreciate his attempt at placating me, but we both know he’s bluffing. David would never let me sell the building he fought so hard to buy. “It’s fine. You were right. We should ride this wave while it’s happening. Lord knows some new guy will become the ‘Next Big Thing’ and push me out of the limelight.”

“We’ll keep you up there somehow,” he says. “Enough shop talk, though. Tonight is about letting go.”