“Definitely, but…”
“But what, Annabelle?”
“We can’t lose sight of the fact that I’m a single mom and I work full-time, so I need to take things slowly. You’ll need to be patient with me, Hayes.”
“Hell, Annabelle, we can take it as slow as you like. Just don’t cut and run again. That’s all I ask.”
Her apprehension melts away and a wide smile breaks out across her face.
When I amble into the private room at the rear of the Mexican restaurant, the conversations stop, and eight eyeballs stare my way.
“Hey man,” I say as I greet Rowdy, clapping him on the back before nodding to the others. When I reach Bailey, I bend down and kiss her cheek.
“Sit down next to me, Hayes,” she says, patting an open chair. Rowdy rolls his eyes.
Josh sits across the table from me, looking sheepish. “I really am sorry, Hayes. I never would’ve asked her out if I’d known she was your Annabelle.”
I like the possessive sound of that. Your Annabelle.My Annabelle.
“Josh, it’s cool, man. Honestly, it weirds me out to think of y’all going on a date, but if you hadn’t taken her out, I might not have seen her again.” I shrug. “I mean, it was only a first date, right? It’s not like y’all had time todoanything.”
A look flits across Josh’s face that makes my hackles rise. “Dumber, what aren’t you telling me?”
“After we got the good news about the new contract, I was stoked and I… I kissed her.”
“You kissed her?” I repeat, dumbfounded.
I didn’t even fucking kiss her last night! Or today.
“It was a spur-of-the-moment celebration. No big deal. Besides, you probably got a lot more than kissing last night anyway, right?”
I hesitate. Like sharks smelling blood in the water, the table grows quiet, awaiting my response.
Rowdy leans forward. “Hayes? You closed the deal, right? Tell me you didn’t pine for that lady for a fucking year and then fail to seal the deal.”
Bailey elbows her husband, shooting him a pointed glare. “Rowdy! Let Hayes talk.” She turns her attention to me, placing her hand on my forearm. Growing impatient when I remain silent, Bailey repeats Rowdy’s question. “Dammit, Hayes. Did you seal the deal or not?”
Tugging on the collar of my shirt, which is growing inexplicably tighter around my neck, I explain, “Well, not exactly. With the album launch coming up, and Annabelle being a working single mom and… it’s a complex situation. We decided it was best to take things slowly.”
“Holy shit!” James slaps Josh on the chest and hoots, “Hayes got friend-zoned!”
“Damn, son. Even I landed a date with her."
Too soon, Josh. Too fucking soon.
Rowdy looks pleased as punch. “Has that ever happened before?” The apparent glee in his voice is annoying as shit.
“I did not get friend-zoned, you dickheads. It’s more complicated than that.”
God bless the server and his impeccable timing when he arrives to take our drink orders, saving me from further harassment. I order the largest margarita they serve.
“I think it’s great you’re taking it slowly, Hayes,” Bailey smiles at me. “It shows maturity that you’re proceeding with caution. I imagine it's hard for single moms to do casual.”
Rowdy slings his arm around the back of Bailey’s chair and leans around her to speak. “Since you weren’t dicking her down, fill us in on what happened.”
“Rowdy!” Bailey elbows him hard in the gut. Hearing him grunt in pain makes me feel a little bit better.
“We talked. Caught up with what’s been happening over the past year.”
