Chapter 10 Samir
“Ican’t believe you made me do that!” I whispered and sunk into my chair, trying to make the world disappear.
When did it get so hot in here? Was everyone looking at me? Was Cole? Oh, what he must think of me.
“Oh, come on, Sami. Lighten up,” Zay said, elbowing my side playfully.
“I was trying to. But you just embarrassed me in front of everyone. Embarrassed me in front of Col—”
“Ooh, Cole? So you’re on a first name basis with the man you were just drooling over?” Alina asked, and I slapped my face, hiding it behind my hands.
What had I done? I’d given them even more ammunition. I should have kept my mouth shut.
“I wasn’t drooling,” I mumbled.
“You were so,” Zay said.
I shook my head. “Nuh-uh, not me.”
The girls giggled, and I made a small prayer for the floor to open up so I could hide from everyone and everything.
Today was so not my day. First, I had to experience the trauma of Cinderfella creeps.
Now this. I just needed my bed. My bed, a good book, and a kitten to cuddle.
I could make it all go away. Pretend like it never happened. Forget it all.
“Oh, come on, Sami. It’s not that bad. It’s just a date with a sexy firefighter,” Zay said.
“It’s not,” I mumbled. “It’s twelve. Twelve dates.”
“Oh yeah.” She giggled. “That would explain the high price.”
I put my hands down and gasped. “Don’t get me started on that. Where am I going to find two grand? You think I’m made of money?”
Alina bumped her shoulder to mine and said, “Don’t worry. We’ll split it three ways. Isn’t that right, Zay?”
Zainab nodded, and I huffed.
“Are you going to split the dates with me too?” I chuckled.
“No. Those are all your own, sweetheart,” Alina replied, and I rolled my eyes.
I took a deep breath and then another.
It’s not so bad, I guess.
I only bought dates with the guy. Not a hookup. Though it could always turn more scandalous. But I couldn’t imagine a father being a horndog, texting me his dick pics or some shit. Or at least, I hoped not.
So Cole was single, huh? Was he divorced? I wondered what the story was there. I guess I had twelve dates to find out, maybe.
Oh gosh!
Twelve dates! I hadn’t even been on one date with a guy, let alone twelve. How the hell was I going to suddenly go on twelve?
A young man and a woman weaved through the tables and approached ours. It was Enzo and his mom, Lilian, who made the meanest cakes—with apparently a dose of magic, though I wasn’t sure I believed that part.
“Oh, hi, you two. What brings you—” I started but stopped when I noticed the man behind them.
Lilian brought Cole forward, and he stood there with little Ella in his arms and a scowl on his face.
“You’re the lucky winner of this man, right?” Enzo asked, and I didn’t miss the way Cole rolled his eyes.
I tried not to let the reaction affect me or let it show if it did. Maybe he was dreading this thing the same way I was.
Or maybe he really doesn’t like you, dude.
Everyone turned to me, and I forced myself to speak.
“Um… yeah, I-I guess.”
Agh. If I could slap myself, I would.
I was forty-one for crying out loud. Why couldn’t I string two words together like a grown-up?
“Aw, perfect!” Lilian clapped her hands together. “You two should exchange numbers so you can arrange your dates.”
“Oh… um…” I started.
Come on, Samir. Pull yourself together.
“I haven’t even paid yet.”
For crying out loud. What was wrong with me? If the floor could open up and swallow me whole now, that would be great.
I glanced down but nothing happened.
Worth a try.
“Sorry. That sounded wrong,” I rushed to add, and was it me or did I catch Cole smirk?
It only lasted for a moment—if it was even real—but it had made his face all the brighter for it.
He really was so handsome. Impossibly so. He made it hard to stop looking at him, admiring him, but I had to if I wanted to save myself from looking like a total creep.
“Don’t you worry about that. The organizers will stop by the table to get all that sorted out. We just wanted to make sure you’ve got each other’s numbers,” Lilian said.
“Yeah. We wouldn’t want someone trying to get out of this,” Enzo said, and I bit my lip.
“Oh no. Of course I’ll honor the agreement,” I said and put my hand up in scout’s honor, though I’d never been a scout.
“I wasn’t talking about you,” Enzo muttered under his breath and cast a glance at his friend.
Then he gave me his hand, and I just stared at it.
“Give me your phone. I’ll put in his number,” Enzo said, and I dug through my pockets for my mobile.
I gave it to him.
“Perfect.” He tapped away all too excitedly and then passed the phone back to me. “I added my number in there too. In case he’s hard to reach. You better let me know.”
The girls on either side of me chuckled.
“And you let us know if he plays hard to get, Enzo,” Zainab said, and Enzo wiggled his eyebrows at my ex.
“You bet.”
“This is so exciting,” Lilian exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear, and Cole rolled his eyes again.
Ella, who seemed to be reveling her dad’s embrace, turned to see what all the fuss was about, and I found the opportunity to run away from our meddling friends so I could greet the little girl who was innocent in all of this.
“Hi, Ella! What are you doing here so late?” I asked in my best imitation of a baby voice.
Cole readjusted the girl in his arms and came closer too.
“Ella, you remember Samir from last week? He helped us pick all your new books,” Cole cooed at his daughter, and wasn’t that the most adorable thing? How the tough, frowning man turned to goo for his kid.
“Yeah. Sami,” she said, fingers covering her mouth as if she was too embarrassed to talk, but then she did a big yawn, and both Cole and I laughed.
“Someone needs to go to sleep,” I said, pinching her cheek, and Cole nodded.
“She’s not the only one,” he said and smiled.
I smiled back.
We stood there, for who knew how long, just smiling at each other like two buffoons when Ella turned her face to her dad’s chest to shield her eyes from all the lights. I shook myself off from Cole’s disarming gray eyes.
“I’m sorry about all this,” he said after a moment.
“Oh, it’s not your fault. I’m sorry my friends made me sound desperate or something,” I said, and Cole laughed.
“They didn’t,” he said.
“Oh good!” I let out a sigh of relief.
Ella bunched up her shoulders and stretched, and Cole held her head with one hand.
“Right. Gotta go put this one to bed,” he said. “I guess I’ll see you soon?”
I gave him the thumbs up and had to mentally stop myself from rolling my eyes. Who the hell gives someone—a potential date especially—a thumbs up?
Could I be any lamer?
“Goodnight, little Ella,” I said, and the toddler flashed me a tired smile before her dad took her out, followed closely by Enzo and Lilian. I had no choice but to return to my seat at the table.
Both Alina and Zay were staring at me. It was creepy.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” they said in unison.
I grimaced.
“What were you two whispering with Enzo and his mom?”
Alina shrugged.
“That’s none of your business, Mr. Ali,” she said, and Zainab giggled.
I glowered at them both.
Now what were they cooking up?