It seemed by noon that the worst was over.
Weary, foggy headed, and bleary-eyed, I decided to put off our talk about her alcohol consumption, gathered my purse, straightened my clothes, and headed home for some much needed sleep.
As I drove, I thought about the date I had tonight. Feeling as crappy as I did now, I wouldn’t be very good company. I wasn’t sure a nap would make a difference.
I waited until I was home before I pulled out Tevin’s card and dialed the first number printed under his name.
It rang three times before he answered, “Hello?”
“Hi,” I said as I kicked off my shoes at my front door. “This is Daryl Laroche. We met last night.”
“Yes, Daryl Laroche. I remember. You aren’t calling me to cancel, are you?”
He had a nice voice over the phone. Sexy. I needed to sit down after hearing it.
“Um, well, I think I am,” I said as I sank onto my couch. Ah, so soft and comfy and warm.
“No,” he said.
“No?” I turned sideways to recline against one arm of the couch and kick my feet up.
“No, you can’t cancel.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re a tad controlling?”
He chuckled. I really, really liked the way the sound vibrated through my body. “Once or twice.”
“Then maybe you’ll do something about it if I tell you too?”
“Maybe…not.”
“Hmmm.” I stacked a couple of pillows on top of the couch arm and shifted slightly, sliding lower so my head rested on them. That was better.
“Why are you cancelling? I told you I’m good at keeping secrets. Nobody will know a thing about our little arrangement.”
“I believe you. Honestly, it has nothing to do with that. My friend, the one who was at the bar with me last night, was a little sick last night.”
“Ah.”
“All night.”
“Ah.”
“So, now you see? I’ve had no sleep.”
“None?”
“Well, maybe an hour or two. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be very good company tonight.”
Silence. Then, a deep sigh. “Fine. I’ll take a rain check.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I didn’t get to the bad news yet.”#p#分页标题#e#
“Bad news?” I asked. Now that I knew I wasn’t going anywhere, I was feeling awfully drowsy. I let my eyelids drop down.
“Sure. There’s always a price to pay to get what you want. Am I right?”
What kind of game was he playing now? “I don’t know. What price are you paying in all of this?”
“Oh, take my word for it. I’m paying a price.”
I didn’t scoff. It was tempting. Surely, he wasn’t risking his livelihood to go out on a date with me. Surely, he wasn’t risking anything to go out with a girl he wasn’t even genuinely interested in.
Price.
Give me a break.
What was this terrible price? Were his friends all laughing at him for going out with me? It served him right if they were.
“So, what’s the bad news?” I asked, too tired to give him grief over the supposed dear price he was paying, unnecessarily.
“Hmmm. I think I’ll let it go for now. You sound tired. I should let you sleep.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll be by to pick you up tomorrow. At noon.”
“Tomorrow’s Sunday,” I pointed out as I reached up to pull the quilt draped across my sofa’s back over myself. Who went on a date on a Sunday afternoon?
“I know it’s Sunday. Do you have other plans, church perhaps…?”
“No, I don’t. I mean, tomorrow at twelve will be fine.”
“Good. Then I’ll let you get your rest. You’ll want to be fresh and ready for tomorrow. Wear something comfortable.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Sweet dreams, Daryl.”
I smiled at the low husky sound of his voice. Keep talking like that and I’m sure I’ll have sweet dreams. Reluctantly, I added, “Goodbye,” and hung up.
Wow. Wowwowwow. That man…even his voice, on the phone, did things to my insides.
Would I start getting stupid and fall for him after going on just one date? God, I hoped I wasn’t that weak.
Must be the exhaustion.
I dropped my phone on the coffee table and closed my eyes. Imagines of a certain man’s face flashed through my head.
Sweet dreams, indeed.
I slept through Saturday and Saturday night. Like a coma victim. An earthquake probably wouldn’t have roused me.
For one thing, not only was I sleeping deeply, but I was having dreams. Great dreams. Lots of dreams. And they were all starring a certain man with a low, rumbly laugh. Nothing was going to wake me because I wouldn’t let it.