“Pretend date?”
“Yes. That.”
Her voice rose in tone happily. “Of course, you’ll want to get started soon. Can’t make her wait and all that. Let me check something.”
While she picked up her phone, frowning and scrolling through what I was sure was a packed social life, I slipped my phone from my suit pants. Pretending to do the same, I waited.
“Are you free Saturday afternoon? We could go to lunch and get a plan in place.” She looked at me expectantly, her eyebrows raised.
I didn’t have to look. I knew there was nothing much on my schedule for weeks. “Works for me, but I had an idea. What about meeting at the beach before lunch?”
The idea had come to me quickly, and I hoped it was a stroke of genius. Something told me she hadn’t been surfing in a long time.
She set her phone down but fiddled with it as she spoke. “What did you have in mind?”
Reaching for strength deep within me, I asked her the question I had been wanting to ask for years.
“Leyla, would you like to go surfing with me?” I held my breath and waited.
Her beautiful emerald eyes widened, and she looked like she might be surprised. She took a quick breath in. Praying I hadn’t done the wrong thing, I waited.
“I think I’d like that.”
My breath came out in a rush, and I smiled, my heart nearly coming out of my chest when Jaz knocked and walked in. “Sorry to interrupt, but your two o’clock is here.” Leyla nodded and looked back at me.
Jumping up, I said, “I’ll get out of your way now. I can text you to confirm a time. I’m free whenever.”
“Thanks, Niko. I look forward to it.”
I walked backward toward the door and nearly bumped into Jaz, who muttered, “Smooth, Slick Nick, smooth.” My eyes widened in horror, and I practically ran all the way back to my office.
Friday night,Mike agreed to come over after work and help me prepare for the next day with Leyla. He said he had a sure-fire plan. It was always a toss-up when it came to Mike’s advice, but I had no one else I trusted as much as him.
I had just slid the pizzas onto the kitchen counter when he knocked.
“Hey. Thanks again for doing this,” I said when I let him in.
He waved and moved into the kitchen. “I’m invested now. Did you remember the pineapple?” he asked, grabbing two plates and a drink from the refrigerator.
“Yes, I did, and as usual, I’ll keep my commentary to myself.”
“Please do. Grab your boring pizza and meet me in the living room.” Since he’d been over to my house about a thousand times, his demand didn’t even surprise me. Half the time, it felt like he lived here.
“Why? Aren’t we going to practice?” I asked, wondering what he had in mind.
He froze at the counter and turned to me. “You mean likeHitch?”
My brows furrowed. “Who’s Hitch, and what do they have to do with Leyla and me?”
Nodding as if he’d just made a decision, he said, “Glad you asked. We’ll watch that after the first one I had in mind.”
“I really don’t understand what language you’re speaking right now. You’re making me anxious.”
“Trust me. We’re going to watch some movies while we eat.” He grabbed three slices, balancing them on his plate as they spilled over the side, threatening to make a mess.
“You’re driving me nuts. Our date istomorrow, Mike. There’s no time to watch movies,” I said, confused.
“Grab your pizza and come on,” he repeated. I fought the urge to make him eat in the kitchen because I hated a mess, but with Mike, refusing him was futile.
