“That still doesn’t answer my question. Where do I fit in all of this?”
He gave me a sheepish grin. “I was hoping maybe you could be like a…a stand-in? Just in case she can’t make it after all?”
“Absolutely not. Why’d you even buy the stupid tickets if you don’t have to go? And don’t tell me you do. Because I know from my students that this ball is optional.”
He made a face. “It looks good when the commanders see you at base functions. They take participation to mean you’re dedicated.” He sighed. “And I bought the tickets back when I thought she could make it. I didn’t realize she’d keep saying no. Also…I might or might not be on the planning committee.”
I closed my eyes and shook my head. “You know this is the reason men are known for being stubborn to a fault.”
“Yeah, I know.” He snuck another peek at me. “So you’ll go?”
“I told you. Absolutely not.”
He studied me for a moment before pulling out his phone. “What do you want?”
“I want you to leave me alone.”
“I mean it. What if we made this a business deal? We can even write it out in a contract and sign it if you like. Terms, addendums, all that. You can tell me what you want, and I’ll agree to it as your payment in exchange for one and a half hours of standing or sitting beside me, eating the very nice catered dinner they serve, not making faces at me while I talk to my superiors, and then we leave.” He held up his hands. “We won’t even think about dancing. Literally, all you’re going to be is a warm body.”
“You mean a bodyguard.”
“Yes, one that will protect me from my overenthusiastic, well-intentioned boss so he doesn’t stick his daughter on my arm in the absence of my fiancée.”
The answer was no. Obviously. And yet…I couldn’t help thinking of what a tightwad I’d been since…well, since I’d had my first job. Everything had been scrimped and saved as I prepared to buy my own car. To pay for my own college. Now to pay for my master’s degree. It might be nice to make a deal where for an hour and a half, all I had to do was stand there and get a bit out of it in return.
I lifted my chin so he knew I meant business. “I don’t have anything to wear.”
“I’ll buy you a ballgown.”
I looked up from my phone, and he rolled his eyes.
“I’m not taking you shopping if that’s what you’re insinuating. I’ll send you with my credit card. If you want, I’ll even hook you up with my friend’s wife so she can tell you what you need.”
“Fine, but I get to keep the dress.”
He leaned forward, and so did I. “So you’ll do it then?” he asked.
“Only if Amy can’t make it.”
He stuck his hand out, and I shook it.
“Deal.”
21
Colorado
Derrick
As soon as we got back from the mall, I left Jade with Jessie and went to my casita. I needed some space to think about what I was going to do. Because if anything was sure in this world, it was that I’d messed up. Majorly. But before I dealt with that, I would need some sleep.
Unfortunately, deep sleep was hard to come by, and my mind was still spinning in useless circles by the time I got to work. Thankfully, we had a lot to do, so it wasn’t until I got off the next morning that I realized I still had to deal with everything I’d been avoiding.
I was such an idiot. I tossed my gear into my locker harder than necessary. An idiot of idiots. First for buying those tickets, which were non-refundable. Then for allowing someone…I didn’t even remember who, to get me involved with the planning committee. Third, for doing what I knew Amy wouldn’t like right after we’d made up. Okay, well, we hadn’t really fixed our problem. But at least she was talking to me again. It had been a long four days before she’d broken her silence this time. And she’d only done that because I’d had the foresight enough to send her a stupid stuffed animal before I knew any of this would become an issue.
Before I had any more time to berate myself, my phone rang. My heart rose and fell when I saw Amy’s face on the screen.
“Hey, babe.” I held the phone up to my ear as I ducked into a back corner of the locker room to get some privacy.
