Chapter 9
9
T his time, Sadie had insisted on picking Grant up. She’d miss riding around in his convertible—the corkscrews of her hair blowing behind her and the palm trees zooming past like giants standing at attention—but she had to make sure Grant couldn’t escape from the Saturday night date-disaster that she and Monique had planned for him. He also might not appreciate being anywhere near her rusting hatchback with its hideously stained fabric seats, so that’s exactly where he had to be. The more emotionally off-kilter she nudged him before they’d even arrived at their destination, the better.
Considering her prim and proper reputation, Monique nurtured a surprising number of odd connections, mostly gained through her work as a real estate lawyer. There seemed no end to the shady types involved in real estate. After witnessing the utter meltdown and subsequent social media destruction of the jerk in Rick’s Diner, Sadie assumed the meaningful look Monique had sent her would result in the fastidious Grant wearing a four or five-star dinner on their next date. And while that outcome would be perfect on so many levels, Monique’s plan, once she had fully described it to Sadie over the phone, launched that basic concept into a whole new orbit.
Ronny had given her the address to Grant’s apartment, and it was only fifteen minutes from hers. Though not exactly high rent, the tasteful landscaping and actual parking lot at his two-story, stucco building made her place look grungy. Of all the cars in the lot, his blue Mustang stood out as the nicest. Figures. Show off.
The setting sun burnished everything a deep gold as she texted him that she was outside. Once again, she sighed in disappointment over wasting the next several hours of her life with Grant. But if this date went as planned, there’d be no need for another.
At least he didn’t keep her waiting. He strode out of his first-floor unit and headed toward her car. “Hi,” he said as he opened the creaky door on the passenger side and folded his tall frame into her tiny car like human origami.
She watched in unsmiling silence as he struggled with the wonky seat belt. So far so good.
“Yeah, that thing’s hit and miss,” she said finally. “My sisters won’t even ride in this car. They don’t trust it.”
“I think I’ve got it figured out.”
“And sorry about the dirty seat with your fancy suit,” she added as she pulled out of the parking lot. “What’s it made of? The fabric is a little bit shiny.”
He looked down at his cloud grey suit, which he’d accented with a light pink tie. “There’s probably a little silk in it.”
“Oh.” She waited a few beats. “Your shoes look nice too. Were they recently shined?”
He lifted the toe of his tan leather dress shoe as if inspecting it for wayward smudges. “They were, yeah. Don’t tell anyone, but I enjoy shining shoes.”
“Your secret’s safe with me,” she said as she did a fist pump in her mind. A silk suit? Shoes he freshly shined himself? Perfection .
“And what culinary delights do you have in store for us this evening?” he said as they climbed the ramp to the highway.
She feigned surprise. “Culinary? Didn’t you eat already? I specifically told Ronny to tell you to have some dinner ahead of time,” she lied.
“Huh. He made it sound like dinner and a show was involved.” His stomach audibly rumbled, and he slapped a hand across his abdomen to silence it.
“I’m sure you’ll find something to eat there, but don’t get your hopes up for a dosa.”
His whole body slumped, surprising Sadie. “Don’t say that word. Amrita gave me dosa batter to take home, and I burnt it to a crisp! Pathetic, huh?”
Without thinking, and despite her newly imposed no-smiling rule, she offered him a genuinely sympathetic look. He did love that dosa, and he looked so cute being all dejected about ruining it. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah. Julia called as I started making it, and I got distracted.”
Welp, all sympathy gone .
Her tone returned to businesslike. “She’s happy about the reaction to our first date?”
He picked at some non-existent lint on his sport coat. “Oh, she loved it. Yeah. Just what she was looking for.”
“Tonight’s date should be even better.”
“And do I get to know what that is?”
“Eventually.”
“Was Ronny at least right about seeing a show?”
“Kinda.”
He sighed. “We’re back to single syllables?”
“Yep.”
He ran a hand through his hair and tilted his head toward her. “Well, I loved your first date, so I'm going to remain optimistic.”
She chose to withhold even a one-word reply to that, ushering in a silence that reigned for the remainder of the drive.
Now and then she used the excuse of keeping an eye on the traffic around them to steal glances his way. He sat stiffly in his seat, giving Sadie the impression he would rather be floating an inch above the mottled fabric than nestled into its grunge. She had to admit, though, he looked fantastic in the suit. The silver grey brought out silverly highlights in his eyes that she hadn’t noticed before, and she had a weakness for men with the confidence to wear pink ties. Maybe once she’d destroyed his acting career, he could model suits.
As the sign for their destination came into view, she envisioned tomorrow’s headlines: “Grubby Grant Loses Cool,” “Grant Can Dish the Dirt but Can’t Take it,” or maybe “Hollywood Glam Meets Hollywood Glop.”
The Down & Dirty Bar enjoyed a reputation for one thing and one thing only. Judging by the crammed parking lot and the deep base beat pulsing the air around them, the entertainment was already in full swing that Saturday night.
“Wait, is this where—” Grant began.
“Remember, we could be on camera right now,” Sadie said, cutting him off.
He lowered his chin to look at his suit. “I feel a little funny walking in there dressed like this.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll blend right in in no time,” she said, hopping out of the car. Under her breath, she added, “If Monique’s friend has anything to say about it.”