“I can’t take this emotional warfare, Gage. I really can’t.” I take a deep breath, grab the door handle and leave. I’m done fighting with him. I’m done with everything. I’m so glad it’s Friday. I plan to spend the entire weekend with a half-gallon of rocky road and TV.
Chapter Eighteen
Saturday
“Get the hell out of bed, Lex.” Roni orders, relentlessly pounding on my bedroom door.
“Go away!” I yell.
“No, the delivery man just dropped off a package that I had to sign for, the least you could do is open the damn thing. It’s time to come out of hiding.” Sassy Britches is miraculously speaking to me again. Four days of radio silence and now she’s trying to draw me out of weekend hibernation.
“What is it?”
“How the hell am I supposed to know? You’ve got five minutes to get your robe on and come downstairs. I’ve made tea and set the table. If you’re not down there, I’m burning this house to the ground with you in it.”
I bark a laugh, shaking my head. That’s Sassy Britches at her finest. God love her.
“Fine.” I pout, even though I’m truly ecstatic she’s speaking to me again. With Roni, you can’t approach her to make amends, not unless you want an earful of words that would make a trucker blush. Trust me, I’ve got years of experience dealing with her. Honestly, it’s probably her time of the month, which makes her extra bitchy.
Dragging myself out of bed, I cover my red silky nightgown with my cream silk robe and meet Roni down in the kitchen.
She smiles as I take a seat across from her. It seems the table is a place to store packages, because that’s where she’s left it.
“Well?” she presses, eyeing the box.
“I’ll open it now.” I give her a dirty look, stand, and grab a knife from the knife block on the kitchen counter. Slicing open the top I tug back the flaps and nestled inside is a beautiful white flowing gown, a pair of white heels and a note written on red cardstock.
I know you’ve had a rough week. It’s time for someone to treat you for a change. Wear this dress tonight to Vino’s and enjoy dinner and drinks on me.
I’ll be watching.
Suit Master
I read aloud.
“Dinner at Vino’s?” Roni asks, a thoughtful look marking her face.
“Seems so. That’s what the note states.” I drop it in front of her on the table and reach into the box, gently extracting its contents. The size twelve shoes I set on the table and carefully lift the dress from its prison.
Holding it out in front of me, pressed against my chest, it nearly touches the floor.
“That’s beautiful.” Roni whistles, eyeing the dress appreciatively.
She’s right; it’s exquisite and reminds me of a beautifully wistful, Grecian gown encompassing a delicate ethereal quality. It must have cost the Suit Master another fortune. The tennis bracelet unquestionably matches this gown, telling me that he had planned this night well in advance. That sly altruistic bastard.
Spending each night for days on end, texting and sneakily learning more about me has left him even bolder than I imagined. It’s one thing to speak of romantics. It’s another to display it this forthright. It’s true I’ve become more acquainted with him, but I’ve yet to even know what he looks like. I asked him that last night. He responded. “Handsome enough to get girls and smart enough to know better.” Not sure if that’s his way of easing my mind, by gently confessing he doesn’t sleep around. Every single thing about him is never cut and dry. He leaves it all open to vast interpretation. Not sure if that makes him more intriguing and attractive, or a huge pain in my ass.
“Are you going?” Roni inquires, with a serious expression, dropping the cardstock back onto the table with a thud.
Exaggeratingly, I shrug my shoulders, holding them steady by my ears. “What do you think?” I ask, nervously nibbling my bottom lip.
“I think if a man courts you like he has, I’d go. I’m not into all the mushy shit. You deserve it though, and he seems genuine in wanting to get to know you.”
Sure he does, or maybe he’s a lunatic.
“Yeah, maybe… But… Weren’t you just telling me to give Gage a shot?” I press, with wide eyes and a raised brow, nearly chewing a hole into my lip.
“Neither one have claimed you. You’re not exclusive with anyone. I’d play the field.”
No she wouldn’t, she just wants me to have a boyfriend. She doesn’t have to worry about me being lonely, now that she has Bob. The sentiment is sweet, the execution, not so much.