Whipped (Hitched #2)(17)

"I intend to help those who need help."

"Not with my money, you're not."

Fuck. I can't have this deal fall through. I can't tour again. "Wait. Let me look over the budget. Maybe I can cut some things. Raise… some of the prices."

"Very well. Send me your new proposal within the week."

"I will."

She hangs up. I lay in bed another few minutes wishing the day had started differently. Vi's already gone when I pull my tired ass out of bed, shit, shave and shower and grab coffee.

The kitchen table is covered with the new puzzle I bought Vi, and I smile and try to put two pieces together. Ten minutes later I realize this is not something I'll be doing without Vi by my side, so I shuffle a few pieces around to make it look like I accomplished something, and I take my laptop and coffee to the coffee table to work. But it's not happening. The living room is messy. Dirty clothes scattered around. Empty dishes sitting out.

I take twenty minutes to clean up, do dishes and run a vacuum through the place. I look around and nod. That's better.

I sit back down and realize I'm hungry, so I rummage through the kitchen until I find an apple and some peanut butter. I take my time eating, knowing I'm procrastinating. Knowing I don't want to do this shit, but I must if the youth center has any chance of success. Once I'm fed, hydrated, the house is clean and I have no other distractions to justify stalling, I sit back down and look over my plans.

There are things I can do to increase the profit margin… if I let go of my morals and the reason I'm starting this center to begin with. I compromise. I raise prices, but also raise extra funding for those who qualify. I look for other ways to cut corners in the budget. It's mind-numbing work. Midway through the day I stop for a quick lunch of chicken salad and a green drink and then dive back into it. By evening, I've trimmed a couple grand off the business costs. I don't know if it's enough. It'll have to be.

I email Mrs. Wallace the new proposal, head out to pick up some groceries, and drive to Kevin's.

When I arrive, Mary says he's out with friends. I help her cook a stew for dinner.

"How are things with the center?" she asks.

"Fine. How are things with work?"

"Fine."

We've both learned to keep our sorrows close. We don't talk of troubles.

Kevin returns just as dinner is ready, bounding through the house with all the enthusiasm of youth. "Lach, dude, glad you're here."

I high five him. "You too, buddy. How's it going?"

He shrugs. "Same old. Starving though. Let's eat!"

Mary laughs, Kevin sets the table with some prompting and the three of us settle into our seats and count off the things we're grateful for. New on my list is Vi.

"You've got a girlfriend?" Kevin asks, his face a comical cross between grossed out and impressed.

"Looks like it," I say. "Tomorrow morning is our first date."

"Where are you two going?" Mary asks between bites.

"It's a surprise."

I tell them my plans and even Kevin is impressed.

They wish me luck as I leave, and I'm no longer worrying about money and investors. Our super secret date will be soon. Now all I need is a blindfold.





CHAPTER 11





VI


I stare at the blindfold as if it's a poisonous snake intent on biting me. "Seriously?"

He grins. "Seriously. It's a surprise. You have to be blindfolded. Besides, what better way to begin this budding romance but with a game of trust?"

"Fine, you want trust? You wear the blindfold." I hold the black silk out to him but he doesn't accept it.

"I could, but I'm not sure you want me driving while blindfolded."

"I'm perfectly capable of driving," I tell him. We're standing by the front door and were just about to leave for our first date when he sprung the blindfold on me.

"But you don't know where we're going."

"You could tell me, and then all of this would be moot."

"And the fun would be spoiled. Come on, Vi. Let those impenetrable walls down a bit and have some fun. I promise, I won't break you." He takes the blindfold from my hand and lifts it to my eyes.

I have to make a choice. Surrender to him, or ruin our first date before it's begun?

This wouldn't be a hard choice for most people—but then I'm not most people, I guess. Still… I'm loath to ruin what might be just because it's hard to relinquish control.

So, I do it again. I surrender. I close my eyes, and he ties the silk around my eyes and leads me to his car, the cold morning air nipping at my exposed flesh.

It's unnerving, trusting someone to guide me. I'm usually the one putting on the blindfold, not wearing it. But excitement builds for this unusual date as he drives us to our destination in the still dark morning, made darker by the black silk over my eyes.

"What kind of date has to happen before the crack of dawn?" I ask, yawning. I'm not the best morning person in the world. Fortunately for Lach's sake, he had coffee ready before waking me up for this experience.

"The kind that's a surprise," he says. "Did no one ever explain the concept of a surprise to you?"