Chapter Fourteen
V ickie had cooled down some by the time she reached her apartment but could still feel the sting of embarrassment. She couldn’t bring herself to call Kristy and explain the fiasco she’d just experienced. Instead, she slipped on her favorite pajamas and headed to the couch. Few things happened that an old movie wouldn’t cure, and if this turned out to be one of those things, at least there was a fresh tub of chocolate ice cream in the freezer that would do the trick.
She checked her phone before she settled in on the couch. One missed call and voicemail from work. Odd, since it was after hours.
“Hi, Vickie. Sorry to bother you at home.” Her supervisor’s voice filled the living room. Janet Stevens was easy to work for as long as you didn’t question her decisions. Thankfully, Vickie was usually happy to go with the flow. “Remember the shift change we discussed a couple of weeks ago? I know I said I would let it be up to you, but something’s come up. I need you to switch beginning immediately. Tomorrow you can work your normal schedule, but Thursday, you’ll be on the ten-to-eight shift. I know Mondays through Thursdays will be long days, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy having three-day weekends. Thanks for understanding, Vickie, and have a great night.”
Vickie stared at the phone in silence. What had just happened? She should’ve known better than to put off giving Janet an answer. If she’d have only gone to her last week to let her know she wasn’t interested in switching shifts, the shift change might’ve gone to someone else. She sighed. The movie alone wasn’t going to fix this day. She headed to the kitchen, Jake at her heels.
She put an extra-large scoop of chocolate ice cream into a dish. This day called for chocolate. She’d just put the container back in the freezer when a knock sounded at the door. For a moment, she had to fight a flutter in her stomach. Maybe Thatcher had somehow tracked her down and was coming to tell her what a fool he’d been. She half smiled to herself as she crossed the living room. Her overactive imagination had always found a way to conjure up romantic scenarios, with whoever her current love interest at the time making a grand gesture that swept her off her feet. Wouldn’t she ever learn?
“Who is it?” she called from the dining room.
“Dawn.”
Vickie opened the door and ushered her friend inside.
Dawn was still dressed for work, in a black pinstriped sheath dress with a thin belt at the waist. Black heels and an oversized bag completed the look. “I just wanted to stop in and see what was new with you.” Her blue eyes were lit up with excitement.
“Whoa. It looks like you’re the one who has news to tell. Do you want some ice cream?” Vickie asked, holding up her bowl.
“No thanks.” Dawn smiled broadly. “And I guess I do have something to tell.” She followed Vickie over to the couch and sat down. “When I was younger, we called this perma-grin.” She motioned at her face and laughed.
“What happened? Another date with the detective?” Vickie hadn’t heard many details since the night she’d fixed them dinner, other than they’d had a nice time.
“Oh, a whole string of dates.” Dawn giggled. “I can’t remember what all I told you, so stop me if I repeat myself.”
“Um, you didn’t tell much. If I remember correctly, you said you liked him and didn’t want to jinx it by giving me details until you knew if he was as good as he seemed.”
Dawn’s smile grew wider. “He’s even better than he seemed.” Her blue eyes danced. “His name is Jason Redd. As you know, he’s a detective.” She took a breath then continued. “He’s originally from Alabama and he has an even thicker accent than you do.”
Vickie grinned despite herself. The hint of a Tennessee twang in her voice was often the source of ribbing from co-workers and visitors who attended her programs. Anytime she spent a few consecutive days back home, her accent became more pronounced for a short time. “So you’ve found a real Southern gentleman right here in the city?” she teased.
“I know. I would’ve thought if either of us would find that, it would be you.” She reached down to pat Lloyd, who’d sauntered in to see what the fuss was about. “Anyway, he also helps to coach a Little League team on weekends. And he even plays on a church league softball team.” She giggled. “He wants me to come watch him play sometime soon.”
“I can’t believe you’ve fallen for a sports guy. That isn’t like you.” Dawn’s taste in men had always been more in line with Vickie’s. Suit, tie and perhaps golf as a hobby.
“I know. But he’s so sweet. And intelligent.” She leaned back against the couch. “I’m smitten.”
In all the years they’d known each other, Vickie had never known Dawn to be smitten with a man, or at least not enough to admit it. She’d always been able to take them or leave them, instead focusing on her career and seeing dating as something to do to pass the time. But it looked like that had all changed. “I’m glad you like him. Who knew a set up could turn out so well?”
“So true. I’m going to have to send his aunt a thank you note.” She shrugged. “I guess sometimes you can meet the right person when you least expect it.”
Vickie couldn’t keep her eyebrows from raising in surprise. “The right person? You really think he’s ‘the one’?”
“It’s stupid, isn’t it? I know it’s soon. But we have so much to say to each other. Every restaurant we go to we end up closing down because we’re talking. And then we end up sitting outside on the steps, talking more. I’ve been dating for a long time, you know.” She looked at Vickie. “And with Jason, everything feels so natural.”
“Wow. That’s great.” Vickie shook her head. “I can only imagine.”
Dawn gave her a sideways glance. “I’m sorry. I’m going on and on, and look at you.” She motioned toward Vickie. “Pajamas before 9, a heaping bowl of ice cream and”—she glanced at the TV—" Sleepless in Seattle . Someone must’ve had a bad day. What gives?”
Vickie sighed. “Oh, no. You’re fine. I like hearing about your life. And I am really happy for you and Jason.” She rubbed her eyes. “It’s just been a tough week.”
“How so?”
“First I had a birthday dinner with my parents, which wasn’t so much of a celebration as an evening listening to all the ways I’m a failure at life. Then I made this stupid promise to Kristy that I’d get out of my comfort zone and ask out the next available man I met.”
“Hang on.” Dawn interrupted. “ You are going to ask someone on a date?”
Vickie rolled her eyes. “Yes, I was, thank you very much. I can be unpredictable.”
Dawn snorted. “Of course you can. So did you? Ask someone out I mean?”
“I was going to. Yesterday morning, this guy attended my ranger program at the Lincoln Memorial. We started talking after it was over. He’s a history professor at George Washington University. And he’s really handsome. I think he’s in his late thirties, because his hair has some gray in it. Plus he has a kind of distinguished air, like he doesn’t care what people think about him.”
“This sounds promising. So what happened?” Dawn asked.
“I was getting all psyched up to ask him to have coffee with me, when he asked me if I wanted to have dinner.”
Dawn let out a squeal. “Yay! When’s the big date?”
Vickie rolled her eyes. “Do you see this bowl of ice cream? Don’t you think if I were all excited about an upcoming date I’d be doing something more constructive with my time, like picking out the perfect outfit or shopping online?”
“Did he call and cancel?” Dawn asked, her brow furrowed.
“Nope. We met for dinner tonight. And come to find out, it wasn’t a date after all.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Yeah, neither do I. It seems that after listening to my talk yesterday about Abraham Lincoln, he only wanted to ask me to be his research assistant on a big mysterious project.”
“What did you say?”
“That I’d think about it. I said whatever I had to in order to leave. I left him sitting there with his fish, like I had somewhere else I needed to be. He even said he’d pay me. The nerve.” Vickie threw her had back against the couch and sighed. “And once I got home, I had a message from Janet. It seems that I’ve been switched to the four-day shift.” She grimaced. “I’m sure you’ll enjoy having three-day weekends,” she said, mocking Janet’s high-pitched voice.
Dawn gave her a tiny grin. “I don’t want you to get mad at me for saying this, okay? But I sort of think you should take Mr. Professor up on his offer.”
Vickie opened her mouth to protest but Dawn cut her off. “No, really. Listen to me. You love stuff like that. Solving puzzles and researching history. Remember last year when you took that genealogy course and traced your family tree?” She shook her head. “Now I would think that was some sort of punishment, but you had a blast. And now you have three-day weekends to fill. If I know you, you’ll fill them with some sort of activity.” She looked pointedly at Vickie.
“So maybe I was already considering salsa lessons.” Vickie managed a smile. “But I’m mad at this guy. I totally thought it was a date, but he was all, ‘It’s just business,’ and it didn’t seem to even occur to him that I was a female.”
“I’m sure it occurred to him. But really. I doubt he meant to tick you off. Maybe he’s one of those clueless men who have no idea how to act around women.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll give you that he didn’t seem malicious or anything.” Vickie let out a loud sigh. “I just felt so stupid because I kept thinking how well the date was going and all he wanted to talk about was Abraham Lincoln.”
Dawn burst out laughing. “I’m sorry. But this is something that would only happen to you.”
Vickie managed a grin. “Yes. I’m quite aware of that.” She picked her bowl of half-melted ice cream up from the coffee table. “You are right about one thing though. It would be kind of interesting to work on his project.” She shrugged. “Plus, instead of me shelling out money for salsa lessons, I’ll actually get paid.”
Dawn nodded. “See. There’s always a bright side.”
Vickie hoped she was right.