Catch Him(4)

The empty pool in the center of the courtyard was filled with dirt, broken beer bottles and cigarette butts. There were some broken lawn chairs around it. And every once in a while people gathered to drink or smoke together if it was a nice night. Not that she was ever asked to join. Not the lone cop in Shady Oaks.

Leaving all of it behind her, she focused on the night ahead. She ran her hand down her hair. Hoping the late August heat wouldn’t ruin all her effort. What her father called gussied was probably her nicest outfit. A soft cotton skirt, sandals and a light green sweater that brought out the green in her eyes.

Sinead had no illusions about her appearance. David had called her cute, and it was probably accurate. She had the face of Ireland, a smattering of freckles on her nose, green eyes and long hair that was midnight black. Usually she wore it in a ponytail back off her face. Which was practical for work. Today she’d blown it out and straightened it, letting it shift and move around her shoulders.

Her version of going all out, because who wouldn’t go all out for a man who looked like David.

She had this silly idea he would take one look at her and lose his shit. Even though she knew she wasn’t a lose-your-shit kind of girl. She just didn’t want to be at such a disadvantage to him. She wanted to at least hold her own.

Heading to the corner of the city street where she said she’d meet him, she waited with a nervous energy. Maybe this was a joke. Maybe he was playing her. Maybe making her blow out her hair and stand on a corner waiting for him was how he got his kicks.

Then her phone dinged, and when she looked down at it the message read:

Across the street.

Her eyes moved to the other side of the street and she saw the sleek black convertible Porsche.

He was leaning against the driver door, legs crossed, phone in his hand. Dark slacks, midnight blue collared shirt. He looked like something out of a high school eighties movie. Some kind of weird dream come true where the hot guy actually likes the sweet girl instead of the beautiful, mean babe.

Her phone dinged again.

You’re hesitating rather than running across the street to get to me. This is bad for my ego.

She smiled, but then quickly suppressed it in case he could see that far. Instead she typed back:

I always look both ways before crossing the street.

I see. A safety girl. Take a risk for me.

She already was. Just by being here. She saw the light turn red and carefully looked both ways and then made her way to him.

He was shaking his head, his hand over his heart. “Could you have done that any slower?”

“Nope. That was slow enough.”

He smiled and she knew he was out of her league on many different levels. But she decided there was really nothing to lose. This was just about having some fun. Something that was sorely lacking in her life.

“Hello, Sinead who spells her name correctly.”

“Hello, David.”

He guided her around to the passenger door and opened it for her. She settled in and fastened her seatbelt while he did the same. It was late August in San Francisco, which meant the weather could be anywhere from the mid-eighties and sunny or the low fifties and foggy.

Today was somewhere in between, which made Sinead grateful she’d brought her sweater. She thought about what the convertible was going to do to her straightened hair, but she was willing to sacrifice it for the thrill.

Hot guy. Hot car. Oh yeah, this was definitely stepping out of her comfort zone.

“So where are we going?” she asked.

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Are you ready? I hope you like food.”

“I like food,” she said as if that was obvious.

“Well then I have secured reservations for us at… wait for it… Saison.”

Sinead blinked. “That’s… that’s… that’s like the most expensive restaurant there is. It’s a three-star Michelin restaurant. I can’t… I mean look at me.”

David frowned at her obvious upset. “I’m not sure I follow.”

Sinead huffed. “I can’t go to a restaurant like that dressed like this. And please don’t suggest that I go home and change, because I promise you I have nothing in my closet appropriate for a place like that. I’m a cop. Maybe that means something different where you are from…”

“No,” he said, cutting her off. “I completely understand. Think no more of it. Change in plans.”

Sinead relaxed a second before the guilt set in. Who knew what it took to get reservations at a place like that? Maybe he’d been looking forward to this for months and she’d shut it down because of her insecurities.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “This was probably a big deal for you, if you would rather…” She didn’t know how to finish that statement. As good-looking as he was, even David would find it a challenge to secure another date within hours who had the appropriate wardrobe to dress for Saison.