Third Date (19 page)

***

Sunday I return to my dad’s house to pack up the last of the boxes. The moving truck is arriving tomorrow morning to take everything to Texas. My dad’s driving there with it, then flying back here next weekend to help Sophie with the wedding plans.

After we finish packing, Dad and I have dinner one last time in the house, eating take-out Chinese. The dishes are in boxes so we eat with plastic forks and drink out of paper cups.

“Brad’s mother stopped by here after you left yesterday,” Dad says during dinner. “She wanted to tell me goodbye. We talked for a few minutes. She asked me about Texas and the new house.”

I don’t say anything because I’m trying really hard to forget Brad and talking about his mother is not helping. I still can’t get Brad out of my head and it’s driving me insane. Every little thing seems to remind me of him.

My dad continues. “She said Brad’s coming home next weekend.”

“That’s good. I’m sure she’ll like having him home.”

“She invited you over for dinner while he’s here. I told her I’d give you the message. If you want to go, just stop by or give her a call to let her know.”

“Okay. I will.” I feel my dad staring at me so I keep my eyes on my food.

“Do you think you’ll go?”

“Go where?” I still feel him staring.

“To the dinner you’ve been invited to.”

“I don’t know, Dad. Probably not.” I add some rice to my beef and broccoli, mixing it together with my plastic fork. “I have a boyfriend now.”

“It’s just dinner with Brad and his mom. Why would your new boyfriend care?” My dad knows me way too well. He knows I’m avoiding Brad and I’m sure he knows why.

“I guess he wouldn’t care. But still, I’m busy.”

“You should let Brad’s mother know either way so she’s not left wondering if you’ll be there. And if you don’t have time for dinner, maybe just stop by and say hi to Brad. His mother said it’s the last time he’ll be back before moving out to Portland.”

I change the subject. I have enough people butting into my love life. I don’t need my dad doing it, too.

***

Monday at work, I get the usual rundown of Kayla’s wild weekend followed by her insistence that I tell her everything about my dates with Grant.
 

“What happened?” she asks. “Did he try anything? You’ve been on what—like five dates now? Six? I can’t keep track. You’re running out of time, Morgan. He’ll be expecting sex on the next date.”

“I’m pretty sure he won’t,” I mumble.

“What does that mean?” Kayla asks.
 

“I can’t talk about it.”

Paige looks concerned. “What happened? Why can’t you talk about it? Did he try something and not take no for an answer? Because if he did then—”

“No. It’s not like that.” I glance around, making sure the door to the lab is shut. “If I tell you guys something, you have to swear not to tell anyone.”

They both agree.

“I was all prepared to have sex with Grant on Saturday night. I wore my good bra. My sexy underwear. He made this really nice dinner and everything was going great. Then after dinner we went to the couch and started making out and things were heating up and then—he stopped.”

Kayla grabs my arm. “What do you mean he stopped? Why did he stop?”

“He said he’s a born-again virgin.”

They both stare at me, speechless.

Then after a long silence, Kayla shrugs and says, “Big deal. I’ve had those before. Broke two of them within a week. One had kept his virginity vow for four years. A week with me and it ended, just like that.” She snaps her finger. “It’s more work than your average guy, but you can do this, Morgan. I’ll show you how.”

“I don’t want to break him of it. I like it. Now all the pressure’s off. We don’t have to worry about it.”

Paige is deep in thought, gazing out the window. “It’s fate stepping in once again. It’s almost unbelievable.”

“I know, right? It’s amazing when you think about it. Grant and me? Two virgins finding each other? Well, technically he’s not a real virgin, but he’s been one for the past three years.”

Paige shakes her head. “No, that’s not what I mean. Fate intervened in a different way. Grant is just part of it.”

“So what did you guys do?” Kayla asks me. “Make out like teenagers?”
 

I smile. “I’m not giving details. If you want to know, find your own virgin to date.”

Kayla sneezes. “Damn, I think I’m getting your illness, Paige.”

“That was like two weeks ago. You didn’t get it from me. It was probably from some guy you went out with last weekend.”

I hear the lab door open and we all turn and see Chase walking in. “Kayla, are we still meeting tonight?”

“Yeah, but I’m not feeling so good. I might be getting sick.” She races up to him, grabbing his arm and leading him out of the room.
 

“What’s up with those two?” I ask Paige.

“She’s falling in love with Chase, but refuses to admit it to herself.”
 

I burst out laughing. “Kayla? Falling in love? I don’t think so, Paige. You’re such a hopeless romantic. And what did you mean when you said fate intervened in a different way with Grant and me?”

“You’ll see.” She grins, and I can tell she’s hiding something. Maybe she really
is
a mystic love witch.

The week goes by quickly. Grant has to work late every night so we don’t have a chance to go out. I’m swamped, too, because Kayla ended up getting sick and stayed home all week, leaving me stuck with her work.
 

When Friday finally arrives, I’m so tired I don’t feel like going out so Grant invites me over for dinner at his place. I know he’d rather go to whatever hot new restaurant just opened or go hear a band, but after such a hectic week, I’m just not up for it.

“You didn’t have to make dinner, Grant.” I’m standing next to him in the kitchen. He’s making a pasta dish tonight. “We could’ve just got take-out.”

“I’d rather cook.” He stands over a giant bowl, tossing hot penne pasta with sliced sausage and roasted vegetables. “I like cooking.”

“Yeah, but you’re tired from work so I feel bad making you do all this.”

He kisses me. “Then you’ll have to be sure to thank me later.”

Normally, that comment would imply sex, but with our current arrangement I have no idea what that means.
 

After dinner we watch a movie I brought over. It’s a romantic comedy and Grant pretends to like it, but I can tell he’s bored.

He keeps letting me decide how we spend our time together, which is nice of him, but we need to find something we both like. It’s not fun to do stuff when only one person is having fun.

Later we go to his bedroom but I’m just not feeling it. I don’t know why. I’m attracted to him, but something’s missing. A spark. A connection. Something.

I’ve been dating Grant for a month now, and in the past, my relationships have ended after two or three weeks. Maybe I can’t date someone for this long without getting bored. Or maybe Grant isn’t my dream man after all. But he has to be. He’s a good-looking lawyer who has every quality a woman could possibly want, including talent in the kitchen.

At 11, I get up to leave. “I’ll be with my dad all day tomorrow, but I’ll call you, okay?”

My dad is back from Texas and I promised him we’d hang out all weekend.
 

“You could stop by in the evening,” Grant says.

“I would, but I don’t know what my dad has planned for us and I don’t want you waiting around for me. I’ll just see you on Monday.”

“Is there something you’re not telling me, Morgan? Because I feel like you weren’t really into it tonight.”

“I’m just tired. That’s all.” The truth is that I can’t stop thinking about Brad. He’s back in town this weekend and I really want to see him. But I can’t. I made it clear I don’t do long-distance dating. Plus, I have a boyfriend now and going to see Brad would be inappropriate.
 

Grant kisses me goodbye and I head home. As I’m driving, I start to think that maybe I’m not ready for a serious relationship. If I was, I’d be more into Grant. He’s definitely ready for a serious relationship. He’s told me that several times.
 

When I get home, I check my messages. Part of me is hoping Brad’s mom gave him my number and that maybe he called to see if I’d reconsider the dinner invite. But I have no messages from him. Just a message from my dad, reminding me to meet him and Sophie in the morning for breakfast.

I spend Saturday over at Sophie’s apartment, which is where my dad is staying since his house has now been officially sold. As Sophie’s making dinner, she realizes she needs butter for her recipe. Before my dad offers to run out and get it, I volunteer, knowing that Brad’s house is on the way to the store. I have to at least drive by and see if he’s there, although I have no idea what kind of car he has.

As I’m driving there, I feel a little ridiculous because I’m acting like I’m 16 again, driving by a boy’s house. But technically it’s on the way to get butter.

I slow down as I approach the house. There’s a black two-door sedan in the driveway. It could be Brad’s or it could be someone else’s car. This is so stupid. I can’t believe I’m spying on him like this. Maybe I should just leave.
 

Just as I’m about to take off, I see someone coming out of the house. It’s Brad, looking even hotter than I remembered. My heart leaps forward seeing him again, then lurches to a stop when I see a girl coming out of the house behind him. She’s beautiful; probably mid-twenties, with a pretty face and long blond hair. She’s wearing a red coat and black heels.

I pull over to the side of the street a few houses up and peer back at the driveway, trying to see what’s going on. Brad goes up to the black car and opens the passenger door. The blond woman smiles and says something to him before she gets in. Brad gets into the driver’s side and I watch as they pull out of the driveway. I duck down as they drive past me.

My chest tightens and my stomach feels queasy. I feel like I’ve just seen my boyfriend cheating on me with a hot blond. Why am I reacting this way? Brad’s not my boyfriend. He’s not cheating on me. He has a girlfriend. Either he’s had her all along or they started dating since I saw him last. She must’ve been over at his house for dinner. But then why would his mom invite
me
to dinner?

I start the car and drive to the grocery store, wishing I hadn’t volunteered to get the butter for Sophie. But it’s probably best I found this out so I can stop thinking about Brad and finally move on with Grant.

***

 
On Sunday, Dad and I go to a movie, then out for pizza. As we’re eating, he says, “So why didn’t you go to the Fletcher’s for dinner last night?”

“Because you’re only here for the weekend and I wanted to hang out with you.”

“You could’ve stopped by quick and just said hello to Brad.”

“I didn’t want to bother him. He needs to spend time with his mom.”

I’m not going to tell my dad about the hot blond I saw driving off with Brad. I’m trying to forget that little scene.

“How’s it going with the lawyer?” Dad takes another napkin from the dispenser on the table.

“It’s going well.”

“You don’t talk about him much.”

I grab the hot pepper flakes and sprinkle them over my pizza. “I don’t talk about any of my boyfriends with you, Dad.”

“Okay, but if this gets serious, I need to get to know this guy before he proposes.” He says it kiddingly, but I know he’s serious. “I’m not letting my daughter marry just anyone.”

I laugh. “We’re nowhere near that stage. And I’ll make sure you meet him long before that.”

I should’ve invited Grant to dinner with us tonight. This would’ve been a good time for my dad to meet him. But for whatever reason, I didn’t even think to invite him.

“Are you bringing Grant to the wedding?”

“Yes. I told him about it weeks ago and reminded him last Friday.”

“I guess I’ll have to meet him at the wedding then.”

We finish dinner and I say goodbye to my dad. I’m not as sad about him leaving anymore. He’s happy and really excited about his new life in Texas and I’m glad he found someone to share it with.

***

At work on Monday, Grant comes downstairs to see me. I just got in and haven’t even taken my coat off.

He gives me a kiss on the cheek. “You want to have lunch today?”

“Sure. How about noon?”

“There’s an employee meeting at 1. Let’s go earlier. Maybe 11?”

I agree and he goes back upstairs. I forgot all about the employee meeting. Like I have time for that. I’m completely swamped with work. I head to the lab and Kayla’s actually there working. She’s never there early. Paige is there, too.

“Kayla, what’s with you?” I joke. “You’re here before 9?”

“I have to catch up after being gone last week thanks to Paige coughing and sneezing all over me and making me sick.”

“I didn’t make you sick,” Paige says to Kayla. Then she looks at me. “But guess who made her better?”

“I don’t know. Who?”

“Chase.” She draws out his name, smiling at Kayla. “He went to Kayla’s apartment every night after work and took care of her.”

“He was
not
taking care of me,” Kayla insists. “I told you we had to do that stupid HR project. That’s all we were doing, Paige.”

“That project goes on for months. You have plenty of time to work on it. He was over there because he
wanted
to be over there. You were sick and he wanted to make you feel better. Isn’t that sweet of him, Morgan?”
 

“It is. What guy wants to be around you when you’re sick? He must really like you, Kayla.”

Her cheeks are turning red. “It’s not like that, okay? Just stop talking about it. I have to work.”

At 11, Grant and I go out for lunch and as he’s talking, I feel like we’re back on track again. Things have been a little off with us lately but today I feel like everything’s good. We hold hands at lunch. We kiss in the car. I think we just need to spend more time together to get this relationship moving forward.