“Ugh, I have to go to class,” Trixie says as she pushes her body off the floor.
“Yep, me too,” Molly says, patting my head. “Your hair is perfect for your lunch date.”
“Thank you,” I say back as I respond to Randy.
Rachel: Hi, sure. Where, when?
Crap. Did that sound desperate.
Randy: Café. 12?
Rachel: See you then.
Randy: Looking forward 2 seeing u.
So smooth. He’s nothing but alluring chocolate dripping in caramel, and there’s no woman who could resist taking a bite. I drop my head, pressing the heel of my palm to my forehead as the memory flashes to the forefront of my mind, I bit his shoulder. Oh God. Please tell me I didn’t leave a mark.
6
Rachel
I barely register a word the professor says in class. My eyes are fixed on the clock, and with every tick, my nerves twist a little tighter. I’m not even sure why... Maybe it’s because Randy’ssopopular. Or maybe because I was surprisingly forward the other morning and that’s just not like me. Not that I regret it. The sex was mind-blowing. And with how little time I get to meet anyone new, part of me didn’t want to pass up the chance to blow off some long-overdue steam. It’s just lunch, a quick catch up I remind myself, and if there is something Randy is great at other than hot sex, it’s holding a conversation and making you feel comfortable. So, I’ll go with no expectations because what would he want with a single mom in the long term.Nothing. And like I have time for anything more in my life.
I glance at my phone just a few minutes to midday as I step into the café. Randy’s already there, seated at a table, mid-conversation on his phone. I make my way over, and the moment he spots me, he wraps up the call, says goodbye, and greets me with a kiss on the cheek.
“Hey,” I say in greeting.
“Hey yourself,” he says. “What can I get you?”
“Oh…” I go to argue.
But he cuts me off before I can even start. “I asked you to lunch, so that means it’s my treat,” he says with a mischievousglance. “Just tell me what you want, or I’ll order you one of everything.”
“Chai latte and a turkey sandwich,” I reply, scanning behind the glass of the counter.
“Be right back.”
I make myself comfortable, placing my phone upside down on the table and my bag on the bench beside me. Randy is back quickly as I scan the line and wonder how he got served so soon.
“They will bring it over,” he says, sliding in the bench across from me. “You look cute in braids.”
I blink. “Thank you,” I reply, making a mental note to thank Molly for her handiwork this morning.
“How is Sam this morning? Does he go to school?”
“He’s really good, a little difficult to get off to preschool today, but I managed to make class on time. With the help of Molly doing my hair.”
A server places our food and drinks on the table. I reach for my coffee, wondering if he somehow skipped the line.
Here you go,” she says, smiling a little too brightly at Randy. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
Her eyes linger. Like, linger linger.
Randy flashes his usual grin—charming, effortless, borderline illegal. “Thanks. Appreciate it.”
She walks off, but not before sneaking one last look over her shoulder.
I sip my coffee, watching him. “You have a fan.”
