Hooked (Hooked #1)(9)

Mel nodded. She brightened for a moment. “Say. We’re having lunch back at the house; I have a lasagna in the slow cooker. Do you want to come back with me? You know you’re always welcome, and Jim would love to see you. Carson would, as well.” She winked at me.

I had to tell her, then. I looked at the clock, noting I had only an hour until Drew was meant to pick me up outside my apartment. “Actually, Mel,” I whispered, hearing as the last jangle rose from the bell, signaling the last girl exiting the studio, “I have a date.” I closed my eyes at the words. They were so strange, spoken out loud.

Mel reared back, her hand over her mouth. She had only known me to have one date—ever. And that, of course, had not worked out well, leaving me stranded at the side of the road somewhere south of greater Chicago. But that was neither here nor there. “Who is he? Where did you meet him? Tell me everything!” she cackled, sitting down in the desk chair and leaning toward me.

I leaned against the desk. “Well. I met him, purely by accident, at that little coffee shop I like so much—across the street?”

Mel nodded. “They have great sandwiches.”

“Right. Anyway,” I went on. “He was just there—sort of joking with me. Being handsome all over the place. And he sat there, next to me, and ate. I, of course, could hardly eat. I was too nervous.” I took a sip of my coffee. “He just moved to the city from New York. Said he wants to open up a bookstore. I don’t know anything other than that.” I paused, watching as Mel’s eyes widened. “And then he walked me home. And he kissed me. He wanted to come inside—but I said no.”

Mel nodded approvingly. “Classy lady,” she said, raising her left eyebrow.

“Right,” I said. The clock was ticking fast. “I just. I can’t believe this is happening. He’s so handsome. Like. Too handsome,” I giggled. “But maybe a little crazy. He called me at five in the morning today, asking if I could go to the Cubs game. I’ve never been—never had an inkling to go before.” I shrugged.

“But for him, you’d do anything,” Mel said, winking.

“He hasn’t done anything wrong yet,” I murmured, looking out at the sun on the streets. I clutched my mug for a moment, not saying anything. “I better get ready, actually. He’s supposed to meet me at my apartment in—oh gosh.” I looked at the clock. The time had escalated quickly, giving me nearly no time to get ready. I knew there was a shower in the back of the studio; but I had told Drew that he could pick me up at my apartment! I looked around wildly, my heart beating like a drum.


“What is it?” Mel asked me, her eyebrows furrowed. A picture of her baby was positioned behind her, and the baby had the exact same look on his face. It nearly made me double over with laughter. I tried to have composure.

“You know. I think I have to tell him I’m going to meet him there. I don’t have time to go home; I have clothes here, after all.” Mel had told me to stop leaving my clothes at the studio, that it was probably giving me a sense of homelessness. But I was thankful that they were there, today.

Mel nodded. “Can I call him? Act like your assistant? I mean. I suppose that’s what I actually am,” Mel said, shrugging. Her eyes brimmed with light.

I nodded, stripping off my clothes in a hurry. The shower was directly behind the office, next to the toilet. I was shaking out of my yoga pants when she picked up my phone. “Here, I’ll call him from your phone. Watch,” she whispered, winking at me.

Mel dialed the number that I had recently saved, after his earlier phone call. She hummed as we both listened to it ring. I stood, naked, my hands over my chest. I could feel my pulse quicken. It was so strange to be naked and contacting the man you liked. It was jarring, exciting.

Mel descended into a deeper, more serious voice as she began speaking to him. “Yes, hello. Have I reached a Drew?”

She paused, nodded her head. Her eyes parsed over to me, nearly laughing. “Yes. I am Molly Atwood’s assistant. I have her on the other line. Can you please hold?” She nodded to the phone. “Thank you.”

She paused for a moment, bobbing her head back and forth, before handing the phone to me. I was quivering. “Hello. Drew,” I said, announcing myself to him.

“Well, well. I didn’t realize you were so important.”

“Well, if you play your cards right, I’ll take that last sentence as a compliment,” I said, raising my left eyebrow toward Mel. Mel snickered. “Listen, Drew. Some things ran late. I’m closer to the stadium than normal, so I thought I’d just meet you there. Sound kosher to you?”

Drew paused, trying to size me up. “Sounds good, Molly. I’ll head over early and get us situated. You like Chicago dogs?”

My heart glimmered. I nearly spouted a very girlish, “Oh yes!” But I composed myself. “I will be very hungry, yes. After this hard day, all I want is a dog and a beer.”

“Old Style?” he asked me. My heart rumbled.

“What else?” I loved the way our voices sounded together; I loved his laugh.

We said pleasant goodbyes, and I hung up the phone swiftly, nearly cutting him off. My body was shivering. I started jumping up and down. “Yes! Yes!” I called. “I sounded so important, so cool!”

“You did, Molly,” Mel said to me, winking. “You did.”