Playing It Safe(54)

“What’s so funny?” I ask her defensively.

She wipes away the tears from her eyes from laughing so hard. “You. That’s what’s so funny.”

“Why am I so funny?”

“Because, Julia,” she says with another quick swipe underneath her eye, “it was so obvious that there was something going on between you two from the last time we talked. But for whatever reason you didn’t want to tell me.”

“It’s weird,” I confess.

“No, it’s not. You’re only making it seem weird.”

“You don’t think it’s even a little weird?”

She sighs and then leans forward again so her elbows are propped on the desk in front of her. “Nope, not at all. In fact, I think it’s great. Alex is—”

“Amazing,” I say, finishing the sentence for her.

Sabrina smiles fully then, all teeth and gums. “Yes, he is. But what I was going to say is that I think he’s kind of perfect for you and that we’re just friends. You of all people should know that better than anyone. So stop saying you feel weird about it, because you shouldn’t.”

“I know. You’re absolutely right, and I’m sorry I kept it from you. Although there wasn’t much to keep from you up until recently, to be honest.”

“What about that Marisa person you were telling me about?” she asks thoughtfully.

I purse my lips and make a face of distaste at the mere mention of Miss Teen USA before explaining the situation to Sabrina. “They’re not dating really. As it turns out, they never were, according to him and his niece.”

At the mention of Josie, Sabrina’s eyebrows shoot up in curiosity. “Yeah, about that,” I say. “Do you remember that deal Alex and I made last year to get your résumé to your now boss?” Sabrina nods in understanding. “Well, he finally decided to cash in on the favor I owe him.”

“What does he want you to do?”

“Plan his niece’s tenth birthday party at his house.”

She lets out a small giggle. “That sounds like fun.”

“It is. I’m having the best time planning it.”

Right then it occurs to me that with all the crap that went down yesterday, I really was supposed to have a meeting with Alex about the party. Obviously we got sidetracked, so I’ll have to remember to bring it up to him at some point tonight.

“So, has he restored your faith in men?” Sabrina asks teasingly.

I bring the mug to my lips with an evasive smile. “Perhaps.”

“Oh my God, I just had a great idea!” she yells, making me almost spit my coffee out. “We should all go out to dinner the next time I’m in town.”

“Sabrina, settle down. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I say in between coughs. “We only started dating, or hooking up—whatever you want to call it.”

“Well, promise me that you’ll at least think about it.”

I raise my hand up and twiddle my pinky finger at the screen. “Fine. Pinky swear.”

Sabrina does the same thing on her end with her finger before letting me know that she’s running late to meet up with Tyler and has to cut the session short.

“That’s fine. I have to start looking for something to wear that’s ‘semi-nice’ anyway, and I really would like to take a nap before Alex picks me up later.”

“Wore you out, did he?” she guesses with another giggle.

“You have no idea, Sabrina.”

We end the session as I finish what coffee is left in my mug. After a quick refill, I head straight into my bedroom. First, I change into a pair of beat-up sweatpants and an old Depeche Mode concert T-shirt that has seen better days before tackling the outfit situation.


An aggravating hour later, I’m staring at possible selections on my bed when my cell phone rings. Holding it in my hand, I roll my eyes and prepare myself for the worst before I answer it.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hello, sweetheart,” she replies. “Your father said you’d be coming over today. What time should we be expecting you?”

“Mom, I didn’t say that.”

“Carter! Pick up the phone!”

Oh dear God, it’s one of those calls.

My dad gets on the line in the middle of yelling about a play gone awry in the college football game he’s currently watching. “What kind of bullshit call was that, ref? Pass interference, my ass! Let them play the game, for chrissakes!”

“Carter!”

“What?”

“I thought you said Julia was coming over today,” my mom says to him.

“No I didn’t.”

“Yes you did.”

“No, I most definitely didn’t say that. I told you she’d be calling you today.”

“Are you sure?”

“Marilyn, I may be retired, but I’m not senile.”

My mom sighs into the phone. “I never said you were going senile, but I could have sworn you told me she was coming over today.”

“Are you sure you’re not the one going senile?”

I clear my throat loudly to get their attention. “I’m sorry to interrupt you two, but is my presence required within this conversation?”