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, andthat’swhat 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 datewith 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.
