I shook my head. “Nuh-uh, not me.”
The girls giggled, and I made a small prayer for the floor to open up so I could hide from everyone and everything. Today was so not my day. First, I had to experience the trauma of Cinderfella creeps. Now this. I just needed my bed. My bed, a good book, and a kitten to cuddle. I could make it all go away. Pretend like it never happened. Forget it all.
“Oh, come on, Sami. It’s not that bad. It’s just a date with a sexy firefighter,” Zay said.
“It’s not,” I mumbled. “It’s twelve. Twelve dates.”
“Oh yeah.” She giggled. “That would explain the high price.”
I put my hands down and gasped. “Don’t get me started on that. Where am I going to find two grand? You think I’m made of money?”
Alina bumped her shoulder to mine and said, “Don’t worry. We’ll split it three ways. Isn’t that right, Zay?”
Zainab nodded, and I huffed.
“Are you going to split the dates with me too?” I chuckled.
“No. Those are all your own, sweetheart,” Alina replied, and I rolled my eyes.
I took a deep breath and then another.
It’s not so bad, I guess.
I only bought dates with the guy. Not a hookup. Though it could always turn more scandalous. But I couldn’t imagine a father being a horndog, texting me his dick pics or some shit. Or at least, I hoped not.
So Cole was single, huh? Was he divorced? I wondered what the story was there. I guess I had twelve dates to find out, maybe.
Oh gosh!
Twelve dates! I hadn’t even been on one date with a guy, let alone twelve. How the hell was I going to suddenly go on twelve?
A young man and a woman weaved through the tables and approached ours. It was Enzo and his mom, Lilian, who made the meanest cakes—with apparently a dose of magic, though I wasn’t sure I believed that part.
“Oh, hi, you two. What brings you—” I started but stopped when I noticed the man behind them.
Lilian brought Cole forward, and he stood there with little Ella in his arms and a scowl on his face.
“You’re the lucky winner of this man, right?” Enzo asked, and I didn’t miss the way Cole rolled his eyes.
I tried not to let the reaction affect me or let it show if it did. Maybe he was dreading this thing the same way I was.
Or maybe he really doesn’t like you, dude.
Everyone turned to me, and I forced myself to speak.
“Um… yeah, I-I guess.”
Agh. If I could slap myself, I would.
I was forty-one for crying out loud. Why couldn’t I string two words together like a grown-up?
“Aw, perfect!” Lilian clapped her hands together. “You two should exchange numbers so you can arrange your dates.”
“Oh… um…” I started.
Come on, Samir. Pull yourself together.
“I haven’t even paid yet.”
