Boyfriend for Hire(25)

“No, I didn’t sleep with him.” I sigh. “We just got coffee and talked. It was very PG; you would have been so proud of me, Mom.” I decide not to tell her that after the wedding, I was ready to ride him like a stallion before I got too drunk. “Look, whatever happened in college that makes you think he’s not dating material isn’t true anymore. He’s changed. He’s been a total gentleman with me.”

“People don’t change, Elle, trust me,” she says, taking another sip of her wine.

I’m still baffled by how weird she’s being about this whole thing. Like she thinks he’s slimy. I’ve never heard her talk about someone this way, even people she doesn’t like, and supposedly she and Nic were close. But then why did she set me up with him on a blind date? It’s strange.

“Did you guys have a thing or something?” I have a loose theory that Christine and Nic hooked up in college, and now she feels weird about the thought of us getting together.

“What? No way. I’m just being protective. I don’t want to see you get hurt again, that’s all, and we both know that rebound men are never keepers.” She stares at me intently, and despite how strange she’s acting, I can tell she genuinely does care.

Before I can say anything else, my phone vibrates. It’s a text from Nic, and my heart jumps at the sight of his name on my screen.

Are you free for dinner this week?

“I’m going to be fine. Also, he just asked me out to dinner,” I say, unable to keep the smile off my face, even in front of Christine.

When I show her the text, she looks horrified. I hold myself back from rolling my eyes.

“Christine, whatever douchey things Nic did in college are way in the past. Most college kids sow their wild oats during that time, right? And then they grow up to be normal people who get married and have children. Trust me, he’s not like that anymore. If he were, don’t you think he’d have tried to do more than just kiss me by now?”

“Please just be careful with this.” She puts a hand on mine, looking into my eyes. “I can’t tell you who to date, but just know that I’m warning you about this guy. I don’t want you to end up with a broken heart.”

“I am being careful,” I say, frustration creeping into my voice. “When am I not careful? And why are you so sure I’ll end up with a broken heart?”

Christine sighs and looks down at her hands. “I’m not sure; I’m just worried. But you’re an adult, and I respect that. You can make your own decisions.”

Damn right I can.

“He’s a good guy, I promise. I know you’ve known him longer, but you haven’t seen him in a long time. He’s not a player, or an asshole, or anything like that. He’s really sweet and supportive.”

I don’t tell her about his encouragement with the bar exam, or the sweet compliments he offered when Jeremy said I was too curvy. I have a feeling she’d only find a way to condemn them as being less than genuine.

Christine stares at me for a few moments without saying anything while she finishes her drink.

Not wanting to get into an argument with my friend and now sister-in-law, I decide to change the subject. We spend the next little while making plans to go to the farmers’ market next weekend, and chat about a new chick flick we’d both like to go see.

After I finish my drink, I head home. I wait until after I leave Christine to accept Nic’s invite. The truth is I’m more excited about this dinner date than I’ve been about anything in a long time.

I’d love to. Just tell me when and where.

As I wait for his response, I decide not to mention Nic to Christine anymore. She clearly has some hang-ups about him, and until things get serious between him and me, there’s no reason to argue about it. The last thing I need is her bad attitude clouding my time with Nic.

She’s only a couple of years older than me, but she’s acting like I’m her daughter. I’m perfectly capable of deciding who’s a good person and who isn’t all on my own, and I don’t need her lecturing me.

Nic responds as I pull into my driveway, and my heart leaps again.

Saturday night, my place. I’ll cook for you.

I smile to myself as I step inside my apartment and start making my dinner. So I’ll finally get to see where Nic lives, and if things go the way I hope they will, the night will be ending with more than just dessert.





Chapter Twelve


Nic



Tomatoes, onions, red wine, bay leaves . . . what the hell am I forgetting?

I’ve scanned my pantry twenty times now, racking my brain to make sure I’m not missing any ingredients for my date with Elle tonight. Not that that’s really possible. I’ve already made three separate grocery runs, just to be safe.

I don’t normally cook for other people. Not ever, really. I cook for myself all the time, but it’s never been a skill I’ve wanted to use to woo a woman. Hell, I don’t woo women at all . . . at least, not in my personal life.

But from the moment I decided to take Elle on a proper date, I knew it had to be special. And cooking for someone—in my own home, no less—is definitely not something I’ve ever done for a woman before. But when the idea popped into my head, I knew it was perfect.

My place looks better now than it has for months, that’s for sure. I’m no slob, but when no one is around to see it, I don’t stay quite as on top of my scrubbing and dusting as I should. Until today, that is. I spent at least four hours deep cleaning every inch of my apartment. And I have to admit, it cleans up pretty damn good.