“Well, the dummycould kiss. That’s all I cared about.”
“Do you hearyourself? Your last good kiss was in high school, Molly! That’s like a crimeagainst your adult self! You deserve a hot date with expensive food and gooddrinks and a sexy, sexy man.”
“Who’s a sexy man?”I heard Killian ask in the background.
Embarrassed thathe’d heard so much of Vera’s side of the conversation, I lay my forehead on theedge of my desk and talked to my shoes. “I don’t want to lead him on.” Or me.
“He’s a big boy,”she argued. “He’ll be okay. Or not. The disappointment of not wooing the mostincredible woman he’s ever met might be his undoing. But either way, you can’tblame yourself. If you’re not into him, you’re not into him and so be it. Butyou should at least let yourself try.”
That wasn’t it atall. Iwasinto Ezra—too into him. Sointo him I knew I was headed for epic disappointment and the utter annihilationof my heart. “Vera, I’m scared.”
She was silent fora few moments, then finally she said, “Cook for him.”
“Uh, what?”
“Cook for him,” sheordered.
“Vera, I said Iwanted to keep my distance, not commit accidental homicide. I’m just not readyto go on a real date.”
“So cook for him,”she repeated. “Then you won’t feel the whole date-induced pressure becauseyou’re at some super fancy restaurant and he’ll have to face the cold, hardtruth that you hate food. That might be enough of a deal breaker for him toback off all by himself.”
“Hey!” I protested.
“At the very least,it will buy you time before you have to speak to him again.”
“Okay, maybe that’snot a terrible idea.”
“It’s a geniusidea!” she gloated. “You’re welcome. As payment, Killian and I will accept thereservations at whatever exclusive restaurant Ezra was planning on taking youto. I think that is only fair.”
“Oh, you don’tthink he would have just made a reservation at one of his own?”
She barked out alaugh. “Because that’s romantic? No, Molly. He wasn’t going to take you to oneof the restaurants he owns named after one of his ex-girlfriends. He’s not thattacky. It would have been someplace good though. For sure.”
“If he asks, andthat’s a big if, I’ll see what I can do about the reservation.”
“You’re the best!”
“I know. You’realso the best.” I felt instantly lighter after talking to Vera. Lighter, butalso heavier. I was no closer to having this whole Ezra thing figured out thanbefore the phone call, but I had a friend that always had my back and waswilling to listen to every single one of my freak outs. It was okay to suck atrelationships as long as I was good at this one. “Thanks, Vere.”
“Let me know whathappens.” She told someone she would be right there. “Igottago.”
“Me too.”
We hung up and Ikindoftried to focus on work. It wasn’t easy. In fact, it was the hardestthing I did all day. By five o’clock, I was exhausted from staring at shades ofgray and trying to figure out which one would appeal to the widest audience.
Ugh.
“Youleaving?”I asked Emily as she gathered her things.
She wrinkled hernose. “Oh, yes. Want to walk out with me?”
“Yes, please!” Iquickly clicked the right buttons, sending Henry the updated, but not final,versions of the graphics and shut down my desk. Emily waited for me to put mycomputer in my bag and sling it over my shoulder before she started walkingtoward the elevator bank.
“How’s the BlackSoul project?” she asked when we were in an elevator heading down to theparking garage.
“Terrible,” Igroaned. “It’s not at all what I thought it was going to be.”
“That sucks,” shesympathized. Her expression shifted and she waggled her eyebrows at me. “But atleast you’re getting some action, right? Henry’s such a gentle lover.”
