Chapter 13
Payton
“ C ome on, Payton, you need to go,” Sara Beth whines as we carry the empty dishes toward the kitchen. “Jer’s friend Nixon is here, and we thought it would be fun to all go out.”
Sara Beth and I have worked most of our shifts together, and she’s become a good friend.
Since I arrived on my shift tonight, she’s been bugging me about going on a double date with her, her boyfriend, and his friend.
I’ve met Jer a few times when he’s come in.
Thankfully, she hadn’t brought it back up all evening till now.
I guess since it’s slowed down, I can’t avoid the conversation anymore.
“I don’t know him, though.”
My statement causes her to laugh. I didn’t think it was really that funny. “Isn’t that the point of going on a date? You can’t honestly believe that you can only go out with people you know, can you?”
“Well, no.” With both my hands full of dishes, I use my ass to push through the swinging kitchen door, with Sara Beth hot on my heels.
I know I’m not leaving here tonight without agreeing with her. I would say she’s not above begging or possibly bribery.
Why am I hesitating so much? This would be my first date after my divorce. Joel has moved on. Why shouldn’t I?
I try to ignore her as I head toward the dishwashing station.
“It’s not like it’s a total blind date either.
” She pulls her phone from her apron and scrolls through a few things before revealing a photo zoomed in on a blond guy who looks straight out of a Hollister ad.
He’s clearly athletic, as most of his muscles are on display, wearing a toga?
He’s hot, sure, but I have a feeling that he knows it, too.
Been there, done that. Bought the T-shirt.
“Come on, Payton. Please.” The way she says the word “please” makes it sound like there are about twenty more letters added to the simple five-letter word.
“Come on, Payton, what?” a deep voice says behind me. That same voice that in my dreams says that phrase minus a few words. “Come, Payton.”
Before I get the chance to tell him it’s nothing, because he is the last person I want to join in on this conversation, Sara Beth opens her mouth to speak.
“I’m trying to get Payton to agree to a double date with Jer and me and a friend of his.
It would be so much fun, and face it, girl—” She focuses her attention back on me. “—you need to get out.”
“What are you talking about? I get out,” I say, but there’s not a lot of conviction behind my words. I mean, I do, but not in the sense that she’s referring to. Two weeks ago, I was out at the farmer’s market with Rhyland.
That day was a turning point for us, shifting something in our dynamic. Gabby and I actually see him around the house, even if it’s just in passing.
I stop washing dishes to turn to find Rhy’s green eyes on me. My breath quickens a little at the intensity of his gaze. What is he thinking at the moment? Did he feel the shift in things with us, too?
I’m not ready to date, but as that thought crosses my mind, I know it’s not true. It’s the who I’m going out on a date with that is the issue. I want it to be the man in front of me, taking me out to experience this.
So instead of confessing that I would rather stay home with Rhyland or let him be my first date post-divorce, I choose to hide behind a crutch—my daughter. Of course, I feel guilty over it, but maybe at least she can help me get out of this.
“I don’t have anyone to watch Gabby.”
“You can’t ask your mom?” Sara Beth adds, clearly not allowing me to hide behind Gabby.
I shake my head. “No, I already have her watching her enough.”
My eyes glance over at Rhyland, who has remained silent since Sara Beth made her big revelation. Save me , I plead with my eyes.
I wish I could figure out what the hell he was thinking.
“I could do it.”
“What?” I shriek. Seriously, the first time he speaks since joining this conversation, and that’s what he says? Way to stay in my corner.
“I mean, I could watch her.”
I furrow my brows. “But you have work.”
He shrugs. “I can have Logan cover for me. On the rare occasion I’ve been sick and needed time off, he’s filled in for me.
” He can’t be serious right now. He wants me to go out on a date with someone who isn’t him, so much so that he’s willing to take off work to watch my daughter.
I guess everything I thought that was happening was clearly all in my head.
“Rhyland—” I say, not even sure how to finish that statement, but Sara Beth’s excited clapping has me shaking out of our staring contest.
“Perfect. Then it’s settled. I’ll let Jer know we’re on.”
“So you work at Tilley’s with Champ?”
“Umm, who?” I have to say it a little louder over the music. I’m not sure who thought the best first-date idea was a loud dance club.
Nixon scoots closer to me in the booth, and I catch a whiff of his aftershave. It’s a little too much in this small space. Did he douse himself in it before coming out? Why not just use the natural scents from bodywash like Rhyland does? Fuck, Payton, stop thinking about him.
“Sara Beth. Sorry, I’m so used to calling her Champ. One of the first few times we met, she kicked mine and all my frat brothers in a game of flip cup, and she’s been our Champ ever since.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m newish. Well, my brothers own it, and when I moved back, they offered to help me out with a job.”
“Well, that was nice of them. You said you moved back from college?”
“Yeah, I attended Rutherford University.”
“Oh, no way, I know some friends who went there, who studied sports medicine. What was your major?”
“I was an early education major but had to take time off just a few credits shy of graduating for Gabby.”
“Who’s Gabby?” he shouts in my ear, placing his hand on my thigh.
The sip of my drink that I currently have in my mouth slowly drips back into the glass. Well, this is awkward.
“Gabby is my daughter.”
Wow, if I thought the last moment was awkward, that was nothing compared to this. Nixon has finally stopped chatting for the first time all night, and he is rocking a look similar to a deer in headlights.
His hand is off my thigh so fast you would have thought I burned him. Trying to steady my features to not show how his reaction is affecting me, I chew on the inside of my cheek.
“You got a kid?”
Why does he say that phrase as if it’s a bad thing? I had a child in college. It’s not like I picked up an STD…which thank fuck Joel at least never gave me one of those while he was also fucking Adrienne.
“Yeah, she’s three months old.” I pull my phone out of my bag on instinct and show him my lock screen with her photo. He glances down at the phone for a second, but things have already gone to shit.
Nixon backs up to where he had originally sat, and my shoulders deflate.
It’s amazing how in a room filled with people and music, a person can actually feel so alone. The bass of the music thumps through my body, yet the silence surrounding our table is deafening.
Nixon reaches into his pocket and looks at his phone. “Will you excuse me? I gotta take this.”
I nod, although I catch a glance at his phone as he scoots out of the booth, and there was no incoming call. But I don’t stop him.
“Hey, girl,” Sara Beth shouts, returning from the dance floor. Sweat coats her skin. “How’s it going with Nix? He’s a hottie, right? You are welcome.” She scoots in beside me so close that I can smell the watermelon vodka on her breath.
“Yeah.” I take a large gulp of my drink. “So I take it you didn’t tell him I’m a mom, huh?”
Sara Beth’s smile falls. I can’t hear it over the music, but I can read the word “shit” whispered on her lips.
“Umm.” Her eyes frantically search the room.
I’m not sure what she’s looking for exactly.
Maybe checking to see if Nixon left or not.
But I find him over at the bar with Jer, clearly not on a phone call and now flirting with the redheaded bartender with her tits spilling out of her skimpy top. Earlier, I caught a nip slip.
“I’m so sorry, girl.”
“No, it’s fine. I promise.” His reaction is something that I realize I’m going to need to get used to.
Is there like a dating website for single parents so it’s not so awkward when you reveal that you have a kid with someone else?
“I think I’m going to go, though.” I put my phone back in my purse and try to scoot out of the booth.
“No, you can’t go yet. Stay. Fuck the guys. Come on, you’re already out, and Gabby is in excellent hands with Rhyland. Just come dance with me and live a little.” She grabs my hand and drags me toward the dance floor.
“You know what? Fuck it.” I turn back to the table and down the rest of my drink, wincing at the burn as the vodka slides down my throat.
“Let’s go dance.”