I cut the engine, taking the phone into my hand.
“Does your silence mean you’re considering?” Beth asks, sounding hopeful.
I don’t want to let Beth down. And if I go out, it doesn’t mean I have to end the night with a girl in my bed. I could just go, then leave after Beth’s feeling okay with Toni.
I exhale. “I’m considering. Keep talking.”
“Okay … so it’s free entry, courtesy of Toni. And I’ll buy your drinks all night. Also, it’s a paint party, something different.”
“What the fuck’s a paint party?”
“From what Toni said, paint is sprayed all over the clubbers.”
“Sounds awesome.”
“Don’t be snarky. So will you come? Please.”
My eyes wander to Mia again, and a thought starts to form … I could ask Mia to come with me.
Mia and me together in a club … dancing … hot and sweaty … our bodies close together…
This could make things happen. Or at the very least, move things on a little bit.
“Okay, I’ll come. But I’m bringing someone.”
“Yay! Jordan, you are the best effin friend ever!”
“I know,” I deadpan. “So what time is this thing?”
Ignoring my question, she asks, “So, who are you bringing? Anyone I know?”
“What time, Beth?”
She sighs at my blatant dismissal. “Toni’s set starts at nine. One other thing … can you drive? My car is in the shop.”
“Fuckin’ hell! So the drinks you planned on buying me all night …?”
“Soda.”
I can’t help but laugh at her audacity.
“I’ll owe you.”
“You will. Big time.”
“What am I gonna end up doing? Your laundry or something equally gross?”
“I don’t know.” I switch the phone to my other ear. “But I’m sure I can come up with something good.”
“Whatever it is, it’ll be worth it for a date with Toni,” she says in a dreamy voice. “So come on, tell me who you’re bringing tonight? It’s not like you to play coy. Am I missing something here?”
“I’ll pick you up at eight.” And right before I hang up, I add, “And I’m bringing Mia with me.”
Chuckling, I push my cell in my pocket and hop down from the mower. That’ll give Beth something to chew on instead of fretting over her impending date.
Dozer’s ears prick as I approach. He gets to his feet and hobbles over to me. I crouch down to stroke him.
Mia’s eyes lift from her book to me. “Hey.” She smiles, sitting up.
I suddenly feel nervous. And a little queasy. “Your book good? You looked lost in it.”
Turning the book over, she stares down at the cover.
I grin when I see that it is a picture of a half-naked guy draped over a half-naked chick.
Book porn. Go Mia.
Realizing her mistake at showing me the cover, her face goes bright red. She quickly closes the book and sets it down. Back cover up, naked couple down.
Shame.
“Yeah, it’s okay.” She looks out at the lake. Leaning over, she trails her fingers in the water. “I wanted to ask … is this water okay to swim in?”
“Yeah,” I answer, moving to sit in front of her. “I swim in here all the time. You up for a swim now?”
An image of Mia wearing a bikini flashes through my mind. It’s a really fucking great image.
“Oh, not right now.” She scores her lower lip with her teeth.
And that’s it. My thoughts go to shit. It takes me a good minute just to remember why I actually came over.
Beth. Date. Club.
“So I, uh…” I push my hair out of my eyes. “I came over because I just got off the phone with Beth. She’s got a date tonight, and she’s talked me into going with her.”
Her eyebrow lifts. “Aren’t dates supposed to be just a two person thing?”
“Normally. But it’s a big deal for her, and her date is going to be DJing at the club, so she’ll be alone for the first hour or so. She needs me to keep her company. And Beth is impossible to say no to when she wants something, so I said I’d go and … I was … uh, wondering if you wanted to come along – with me?”
Her eyes widen. I’m not sure if it’s shock of the bad variety, or surprise of the good.
“Do you mean, like, on a date?” Her eyes instantly close on a groan. “Did I say that out loud? I said that out loud. Oh god.”
I can’t help the smile on my face, or the happy in my voice. “Yeah, you said it out loud.”
“Oh god.” She groans again, covering her face with her hands.