“It’s okay, Tyn,” Bliss said. “I’m fine.”
“Blake, don’t pull that shit again,” Paityn warned. “I will fly my butt home and whoop your ass.”
I laughed. “Such language.” My big sister was never really the type to swear much. Mostly when she was irritated. She must be pissed. “I’m telling Mom.”
Paityn rolled her eyes. “I’m so serious.”
“I’m not as angry at you now,” Dallas chimed in, “so I can say I’m glad you kicked his ass.”
“If I was there, I’d give you a high five,” Paityn agreed.
“Stop, you guys,” Bliss said. “I have something to tell y’all.”
All conversation ceased as we turned our undivided attention to her. “What is it?” I asked.
Bliss winced, then let out a low groan. “I think my water broke.”
Chapter 6
Please Don’t Go
Lennox
At some point, life had become more about work and less about everything else. Countless hours in front of the classroom, even more time grading papers, and long conversations with students about anything from grades and sources to college events and career planning. I loved my job, I loved the students, but I found myself wanting more than this. More than lectures and syllabi and nights alone.
Past relationships aside, I liked the idea of sharing my life with someone. I wanted to haveoneperson to come home to at night. I’d grown tired of the dating scene, the blind dates that didn’t go anywhere, the pussy pics in my inbox, the meaningless hookups that left me unsatisfied. Since I’d broken up with Ayana, my mother’s friends seemed to come out of the woodwork with nieces and daughters I needed to meet. My sisters always had afriendwho liked me. Even Vaughn had introduced me to a producer who’d seen my TED Talk online and wanted to get to know me.
And today, I’d agreed to meet a colleague of my father’s for lunch. The first ten minutes had consisted of her staring at me. We hadn’t ordered our food yet, because every time the waiter came by, she wasn’t ready. Right now, her head was still buried in the menu.
Pulling out my phone, I opened the chess app to the tense game I’d been playing against my father for the past few days. I studied the board, then made my move.
Seconds later, my father texted me:Aren’t you on a date?
I glanced up at Rebekah, who was still murmuring various menu items to herself, counting calories, and reading off all the ingredients. We’d communicated via text mostly, andshe’dchosen the restaurant because she’d claimed it had an “amazing selection of Vegan dishes.” I found out later she’d onlyheardthat from a friend of a friend. Bekah, as she wanted to be called, had never been here herself.
I responded:I think Bekah is on a date with the menu, not me.
It took a minute, but the text came through right as Bekah set her menu down:Damn, I owe your mother $50.
Chuckling, I shook my head. I probably should’ve been irritated my parents were taking bets on my love life. But I didn’t bother to respond, because my date was watching me expectantly. When I met her gaze, I asked, “Are you ready to order?”
She smiled. “Yes.”
I motioned for the waiter and we both placed our orders. When the server walked away, I asked Bekah, “Do you like working at the firm?”
“Yes,” she answered.
Bekah worked for Cole & White Law Firm as a budget analyst. According to my father, she’d been top of her graduating class at Stanford, played tennis for fun, and enjoyed home improvement. I wasn’t sure which of those traits indicated a love match between us, though. While Stanford was impressive, I’d never played tennis in my life and I preferred to hire contractors for any home projects. In fact, I’d only agreed to the date because Dad had gone on and on about how nice she was—and because I was genuinely curious.
“My father tells me you enjoy home improvement,” I said. “What projects have you done lately?”
“Oh, I haven’t done anything. I like watchingLove It and List Iton HGTV.”
What the hell? I sipped my water, reconsidering my choice to not day drink. “So, you like tennis?”
She nodded. “I’m not very good at it myself, but love watching Serena Williams.”
Forget my mother—Dad owedmefifty dollars. “Serena’s fly,” I grumbled.
