To the Single Dad in the Store, page 11
“I would never expect you to do anything like that. I’m sorry, Nellie. I didn’t realize that you thought that about me. I try to be the best friend that I can be.”
“And you are a great friend. You are, but you know, our dynamic has always been that you’re sort of bossy.” She looked sad. “Come on now, Shelby. You know you’re bossy.”
“Okay. Maybe.” She laughed. “I’m sorry, though. I’ve never wanted you to think I’d take advantage of you.”
“Are you mad at me that I said something?” I asked her softly, worried that she would be pissed at me.
“Nellie,” Shelby looked at me earnestly, “I would never be mad at you. I respect you so much for actually saying something to me. I know I can be overbearing, and I know that I can be crazy and too much for some people. And I need a friend like you who’s going to be honest and tell me when I’m getting on their nerves, or when I’m going over the top, or when you feel like I’m taking advantage of you. Because everyone needs that person in their life. I love you, Nellie.”
“I love you too, Shelby. This is our come-to moment,” I said with a laugh and got out of bed.
“You know what’s really funny?” Shelby mused.
“What?”
“We’re finally starting to mature.”
“You think so?” I laughed.
“I know so.” She laughed back. “Do you think it’s because we’re both dating hot, older men?”
“Well, we’re not both actually doing anything. I have one date coming up with an older guy, and you don’t even have a date yet.” I laughed. “Not to be mean.”
“Yeah. I don’t have one yet, but I think I’m going to definitely have one.”
“You’re so confident.”
“I’m not really, though,” she said, “Inside. You know that, right?”
“I know.”
“I know I try to pretend that I have everything going on because I’m beautiful—”
“Oh my gosh, Shelby!”
“What? You’re beautiful too. Probably even more beautiful than me.”
“Don’t say that. That’s not true.”
“You could fricking be Miss South Carolina if you wanted to be.”
“No, I couldn’t.”
“Yeah, you could.”
I stared at my beautiful best friend. “You’re amazing. You know that, right?”
“Well, not as amazing as you.”
I sighed. “We’re crazy.”
“Why are we crazy?”
“I don’t know. I’m still half asleep. Let’s go and make that coffee and figure out what we’re going to wear tonight. I guess if I’m going to be flirting with your dad’s best friend, I need to look as hot as possible if I’m even going to have a chance.”
“So you want him to flirt back with you?”
“I don’t want him to flirt back with me, but I do want to see if he’d be willing to give you a chance.”
“Oh, so you think if he doesn’t flirt with you, he wouldn’t want me?”
“That’s not what I’m saying, and you know that.”
“I know,” she giggled. “I’m just teasing you, Nellie. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Chapter Nineteen
“You’re gorgeous.” Shelby’s blue eyes looked me over and I grinned at the slightly nervous expression on her face. “You’re not going to try and go for him, are you?”
“Go for who?”
“My dad’s best friend.”
“Shelby!” I rolled my eyes. “I don’t even know his name, and no, I’m not going for him.”
“Not even when you see how gorgeous he is?”
“I don’t care how gorgeous he is. I like Steele.” I smiled slyly. “If you’re that nervous, I don’t have to go tonight, and I definitely don’t have to flirt with your Mr. Magoo or whatever his name is.”
“Sam.” Shelby made a face. “His name is Sam.”
“Oh, cute.” I grinned. “So tonight, my mission is to flirt with Sam.”
“I guess so.” Shelby wrinkled her nose and I could tell that she was having second thoughts about her absolutely crazy idea. Not that she had any reason to be nervous. Shelby was absolutely gorgeous, and her beautiful gold dress clung to her like a magnet. “Why did you have to be so hot, Nellie?”
“I don’t know.” I laughed. I studied my reflection in the mirror on the hallway wall and smiled. I did look hot. I only wished Steele could see me. But I couldn’t even take a photo and send it to him. I didn’t think he’d be super happy to hear why I’d postponed our date and I didn’t want him to think I was immature. Because this totally wasn’t on me. This was Shelby’s stupid idea. “But we should get going soon because if we don’t, I honestly don’t know if I’m going to go through with this.”
“I didn’t think there would be so many people,” I said to Shelby as we walked into the main room. “There must be over 500 people here!”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Shelby shrugged. “Does that make a difference?”
“I mean, I guess not,” I held my mask to my face. “But how are we going to know where Sam is?”
“Oh, yeah.” Shelby bit her lip. “I didn’t think about that.”
I laughed a little at my best friend. She clearly hadn’t thought this plan all the way through.
“Why are you laughing, Nellie?” She wrinkled her nose at me. “It’s not funny. We came here for one reason and one reason only.”
“We’ll find him. If you like him as much as you say you do, your senses should be able to tell you that he is here and where he is.”
“Yeah, but …” She looked around the room in dismay. “I’ve never seen so many lawyers in one spot.” She shuddered dramatically. “Yuck.”
“Oh, he’s a lawyer?” I asked her, looking around the room. “Sooo … you didn’t tell me that.” Hearing about lawyers made me think about Steele and I wished I was on that date rather than here.
“I guess I didn’t think it was important.” She waved off the question. “But yeah, he’s a partner in one of the law firms here. He makes so much money.”
“Why are you excited that he makes money? It’s not your money.”
“Well, if I get married to him, what’s his is mine and what’s mine is his.”
“But you don’t have anything right now.”
“I know,” she giggled. “Isn’t that great?”
“Shelby! Are you trying to be with him because he’s rich?
“No, of course not.” She shook her head quickly. “I really like him. He’s really hot.”
“So he’s rich and hot. Is there anything else?”
“He has a really fun personality, and he just makes me feel safe.”
“What do you mean, he makes you feel safe? You don’t even know this man. I mean, you know him, but you don’t know him on that level.”
“I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. Haven’t you ever been around someone and their very presence just calms you? He does that to me. He calms me.”
“He calms you?” I said slowly. “He must be pretty special, then, because you’re the most hyped-up person I’ve ever met in my life.”
“I know. And when you see me around him, you’ll see how different I am. I can’t explain it. There’s just something about him. I guess that’s what love does to you.”
“Shelby, you’re not in love with him. You don’t even know him.”
“Do you think you’re in love with Steele?”
“What? Why are you bringing Steele up?” I said quickly. “I don’t know. I mean, I really like him and I have strong feelings for him and …” I blushed. “Well, you know, I’d like to get to know him better.”
“So possibly you could be in love with him.”
“I don’t know. I mean, it seems really fast to say that I could be in love with him.”
“I think when you know, you know.” Shelby nodded wisely. “I mean, I know a lot of people don’t like to believe in one true love and soulmates, but I still believe in that. And I still think that possibly, well, definitely, actually, I think that Sam is that for me.”
“You think Sam is your soulmate?”
“Yeah,” she said. “I really do.”
“Okay. Let’s go and find him and let me get my flirt on and see if he’s interested in underage girls.”
“We’re not underage.”
“I know, I’m just joking.”
“That’s not funny,” she said looking at me with a stern expression. “I’m not laughing at that. That’s a serious accusation.”
“Oh my gosh, Shelby, I was just joking! Of course I didn’t mean he’s into underage girls. We’re legal. I should’ve said maybe he’s interested in girls who are significantly younger than him.”
“Age doesn’t matter,” she pouted.
“Uh, I think you think age does matter, and that’s why we’re here tonight.”
“I just want to know if he’s bound by those constraints,” she said earnestly. “I mean, it’s not like I haven’t tried to see.”
“What do you mean, try to see?”
“Well, I’ve asked my Mom and Dad about his previous girlfriend, but very subtly, of course. It’s not like I could be like, “Hey Mom, Dad, who’s Sam been banging?”
I laughed. “You’re too much, Shelby.”
“What? It’s true. You know I couldn’t say that.”
“Of course you couldn’t say that. I mean, I don’t talk to my parents about sex period. Shit, I don’t even want Hunter to know anything about my sex life. I don’t even want him to see me making out.”
“I know, I know,” she grinned.
“Oh, come on. Let’s go and find him. So, what’s the plan?” I said as we looked around the room. “I don’t even know how we’re going to find this dude.”
“Well, let’s go and get some champagne first and maybe some finger food, and then let’s think about it.”
“Seriously? We’re going to eat?”
“What? We’re at a free corporate event. The alcohol is flowing. The food is flowing. Let’s get our grub and our drink on and then worry about everything else later.”
“I guess,” I shrugged. “I’m not going to argue with that, but I can’t be here all night. You know that, right? I’m meeting Steele—”
“I know,” she cut me off. “You’re meeting Steele in the morning because he’s picking you up for breakfast, and it’s your first proper date, and la-di-da-di-da.”
“Okay, just so you know.”
“And just so you know, I’m hoping to also go on a first date too, soon.”
“With Sam?”
“Of course with Sam! Who else? Why do you think we’re here?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I know you’re interested in Sam but we don’t even know if Sam’s gonna …” I stopped myself from finishing the thought.
The guy was handsome from what she said. He had a lot of money from what she said. And he was single. Was that sort of guy really going to be interested in loud, obnoxious Shelby, who was still in college? I didn’t think so, but I wasn’t going to tell my best friend that. I was her biggest supporter and I was here for her, but 40-year-old guys do not want to date immature college students. I felt lucky that Steele was still interested in me, and we were much closer in age than Shelby and Sam were.
Though I’d have to meet him first. Maybe I wouldn’t even like him for her. Maybe, and I really, really hoped not, he was going to look really old and smelly and just disgusting. I knew that sometimes Shelby was attracted to guys for the oddest reasons. She normally dated jocks who were hot, but sometimes she’d been interested in some guys that, well, I didn’t even think they had bathed in months and I had no idea what she saw in them. I really, really hoped that this wasn’t going to be the case with Sam.
Though as I looked around the crowded room, I wasn’t so sure. There were a lot of older guys, and even though they had masks covering their faces, I could tell there weren’t a lot of George Clooneys roaming around here.
I would be supportive. Really, really supportive. I just hoped that Shelby’s dream guy was going to look more like Bradley Cooper than Jack Nicholson.
Chapter Twenty
“I think I see him.” Shelby’s voice rose excitedly, and I stifled a groan. I was on my second glass of champagne and had almost forgotten why we were at this event. I’d had a couple of boring conversations with a group of lawyers who wanted to talk about a Supreme Court case that had recently been in the news. I’d nodded along with everyone else, but I hadn’t really had any clue what they were talking about. I was an ignoramus when it came to the law. I guess I was glad Steele hadn’t brought up his job when we’d been together. I sure hoped he wouldn’t care that I had no interest in the legal field.
“Did you hear me, Nellie?” Shelby poked me in the arm hard, and I flinched.
“Yes, you said you think you see him.” I glared at her as I rubbed my arm. “No need to hit me so hard.”
“Sorry, but I can’t believe I see him.”
“What do you mean, you can’t believe you see him? We came here for him.” I was quickly losing patience.
“I mean that I can’t believe I’ve been able to—” Shelby stopped when she saw the look on my face. “Okay. Well, do you want to go and talk to him then?”
“What do you mean, do I want to go and talk to him? I don’t even know the man. No, I don’t want to go and talk to him.”
“Are you okay, Nellie? You seem kind of …” She chewed on her lower lip. “I hate to say it, but you’re acting like a bitch.”
“I’m acting like a bitch?” I stared at her. “I’m doing you a favor here. I would definitely make sure you’re treating me a little bit nicer.”
“I didn’t realize I was treating you poorly. You agreed to do this to help me. I mean, if you really don’t want to, fine. Go, it’s fine. I’ll do it by myself. I always have to count on myself anyway.”
“What’s that supposed to mean, ‘You always have to count on yourself anyway’? I have always been there for you.”
“Yeah, and I thought you were here for me for this as well. This is really important for me.”
“I know it’s really important to you, and that’s why I’m here. That’s why I blew off my date with Steele.”
“You’re going on about Steele again?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you’re lucky, Nellie. You’ve got a man. You’ve got Steele. Yay for you. You’ve got a date lined up. I have no one. And once you and Steele get together, I’m not even going to have you.”
“What are you talking about, you’re not going to have me?”
“You’re not going to have time for me. Every time you have a boyfriend, you disappear.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do.” Shelby looked sad. “You’re going to disappear. And then it’s just going to be me. Hunter’s going to be with Birdie. You’re going to be with Steele. And I’m just going to be sitting in your house like some sort of interloper.”
“Interloper?” I giggled. “Honestly, Shelby.”
“It was the only word I could think of,” she said with a pout. “I know I sound ridiculous. And I don’t mean to be so clingy and needy. I just … I’m worried, and I don’t want to be alone. And I don’t know if this guy’s going to like me.”
“Girlfriend, why wouldn’t he like you? You’re beautiful. You’re amazing.”
“I’m also his best friend’s daughter. Let’s be real. That’s a huge obstacle.”
“Which it should be. I mean, if he was all like, ‘Yeah, let me take you now,’ I would kind of question his motives.”
“I don’t want to question his motives. I don’t care. I would love it if he—”
“Enough. I will go, and I will talk to him and flirt. And if he seems like he’s interested, I’ll let you know that I think that it could work for you.”
“Thank you, Nellie.”
“You’re welcome,” I grumbled. I drained my glass of champagne, and let out a huge sigh. “Okay. Which guy is he? Let me go now, before I lose my nerve.”
“Okay. Do you see that guy over there?”
“Over where, Shelby? There are a lot of guys in the room.”
“To the right. Look where I’m pointing.”
“Okay.” I turned my face to the right, and I still saw a group of men. “Still a lot of people.”
“No, look where my fingers are pointing.”
“I am looking where your finger is pointing, and there are a lot of people.”
“Okay, fine. Fine. Do you see the super tall guy in the navy blue suit?”
“Um, I hate to tell you, Shelby, but most of the guys here are wearing navy blue suits.”
She huffed impatiently. “Fine, we’re going to have to get a little bit closer.”
“Good, because I don’t want to go flirting with some random.”
“You’re not going to flirt with some random. Now come on, Nellie. Since when have you been such a spoilsport?”
“Since when have I been a spoilsport? You’re not seriously asking me that, are you?”
“I am, and I did.”
“Fine. Come on, show me this guy.”
She turned right and I followed her, almost bumping into her when she stopped suddenly. “Oh my gosh. Don’t look. Don’t look.”
“Don’t look where?”
“Just look at me,” she said.
“What?”
“He turned around.”
“Okay.” I turned my face slightly to the right.
“Nellie, I told you not to look!” she hissed.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to see who I’m looking at.” I looked back and forth, and then I was pretty sure I saw who he was. There was a tall guy in a navy blue suit, dark hair, and from what I could tell from his position, he looked like he had an amazing body. He filled out his suit very well. “Okay. Is it the guy with the gold mask?”
“Yes, that’s him.”
“Okay. I mean, I can’t see him 100%, but he definitely looks cute.”
“He’s absolutely gorgeous. Oh my gosh. I want him so badly.”
