Popcorn Love (5 page)

Elena stepped to the sink, nudging Allison’s shoulder
with her own, and reached for the dish soap. “Come on, hero. Let’s
finish these dishes.”

* * *

Lucas’s small hand slapped against Allison’s in a
firm high five when she accompanied Elena to bid him goodnight.
“So, I’ll see you soon, okay?”

Grinning at her, he nodded and climbed into his bed.
“And we can play more dinosaurs?”

“Totally.”

“Totally,” he repeated, and Allison chuckled as she
ruffled his hair. She was already pretty taken with him. “Night
kid.”

She left the room and waited for Elena in the
hallway. Elena’s voice drifted from the room as she told Lucas she
would be right back to tuck him in. When she emerged from the room,
they walked quietly down the hall, through the foyer, and to the
front door.

“So, I guess you’ll call me when you need me?”
Allison asked as she opened the door and leaned into the frame.

“I will,” Elena said. “I’m glad we were able to do
this, Allison. I think Lucas will enjoy having you around when I am
out.”

She smiled. “I think I’ll enjoy it, too.” She gave a
small wave before stepping through the open door. “Okay, well,
goodnight Elena.”

“Good night.” Elena gently closed the door behind
her.

* * *

A resounding squeal spilled through the phone. “This
is fantastic! We can get started right away.”

“Please stop making it sound like a project, Viv.”
Elena groaned as she lay in bed with the phone pressed between her
cheek and her pillow. “I’m not a test subject.”

“Sure you are. And we are testing how fast we can
find you a man.”

“Or woman.” Elena bit her tongue as soon as she
realized what she said.

“Oh really? What happened to all that ‘it was only
one time’ stuff?”

Burying her face into the pillow, Elena let out
another exaggerated groan. “You are incorrigible.”

“I’m not incorrigible. You just hate it when I’m
right, and I was right. You are at least twenty-five percent
gay.”

The pillow muffled Elena’s snort of laughter.
“Gayness is not measured in percentages. It’s not a heritage.”

“Well, it is now.” Vivian was cracking herself up. “I
am one-sixteenth Irish, and you are one-quarter gay.”

Elena rolled her eyes and glanced at her bedside
clock. “I’m hanging up now.”

“Okay, but see if you can get the babysitter for
tomorrow. You are lucky you called me on a Friday, because I can
definitely have a date set up for you by tomorrow night.”

“Viv, no—”

“No excuses. You agreed, so you’re going. That’s
final.”

“Fine,
Mother.
He or she better be incredibly
attractive.”

With that, Elena hung up, buried her face into her
pillow again, and sighed as she pulled the blankets over her head
and shut out the world.

* * *

Heels clicked loudly against the floor as Elena
hurried to the door and pulled it open to see Allison standing
there with her blonde hair cascading around her shoulders in loose
curls and a backpack hanging off her back. Elena smiled as
Allison’s eyes trailed down her body.

Perfectly coiffed hair fell in shining waves ending
just above exposed collarbones, and Elena’s tight black dress
hugged her body and accentuated her curves. Toned calves were on
full display, drifting down to slender feet adorned in black
heels.

Allison let out a quiet whistle.
“
Daaaamn
.”

Cheeks flushing a faint pink, Elena nodded in
appreciation.

“I’m gonna take a wild guess and say that you’re
going to some big company party tonight, because you are definitely
dressed to impress.” Stepping inside, Allison set her backpack on
the floor beneath the table by the door.

“I’m afraid not. My friend, Vivian, the woman you
spoke to about the babysitting job, has been incredibly determined
to set me up with someone.”

“Whoa, hold up. Are you telling me that you hired a
babysitter so you could go on dates?”

Elena rolled her eyes as she walked through the house
with Allison trailing behind her. “Unfortunately, yes.”

“Oh wow. That’s rich. I hope she’s at least screening
the dudes.”

Elena’s lip curled as she thought on that. “Do you
think I should be worried?”

Allison followed Elena into a bedroom at the end of a
long hallway and collapsed on a large bed. “
I
would be,” she
sighed as she stretched and pressed her body more fully into the
mattress. She cracked up when Elena playfully smacked her knee.

“Oh
do
make yourself at home in my
bedroom
, Ms. Sawyer.”

Grinning, Allison rolled around on the bed a bit.
“Allison,” she sing-songed in response, “and it’s
your
fault. You walked. I followed. If you didn’t want me in here, you
should’ve said.”

The daring, confident nature of this young woman was
ever surprising, and Elena could only shake her head and laugh. “I
suppose it is fine.”

“Good.”

Elena walked over to a large vanity and pulled a pair
of earrings from a small jewelry box that rested atop it.

“Where’s my little guy? Or did you call me here to
babysit your house?”

Pressing the earrings into her lobes, Elena took the
opportunity to double check her makeup in the mirror. “He’s in his
room watching a movie,” she said. “He likes to lie in bed while he
watches.”

Allison’s brows rose in appreciation. “Smart
kid.”

Elena blotted her lips, and Allison popped her own,
as if to fill the silence. “So,” she said after a moment, “you’re
not even a
little
bit worried?”

“About?”

“Well, I’m assuming these are blind dates,
right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, so they’re called blind dates for a reason.
You don’t know the guys ahead of time. So, I’m just saying….”

“You are just saying what?” Elena huffed, arching a
brow at Allison’s reflection in the vanity mirror.

“I’m saying I hope Vivian at least knows the guys,
because you don’t want to like end up, you know.”

“No, I’m afraid I
don’t
know. Perhaps you
should elaborate.”

“I’m just saying, you don’t want to end up playing
out weird ‘mommy’ fantasies with some deranged Momma’s boy or you
know, like, trapped in some dude’s basement being told to put the
lotion on your skin or else you get the hose again.”

Elena’s lip curled in disgust even as her brows
furrowed. She turned toward Allison looking utterly confused. “What
the hell are you talking about?”

Allison gaped. “Oh no,
seriously
?”

“Seriously
what
?”

“You haven’t seen
The Silence of the Lambs
?
That is a
must
-see!”

“I’m afraid not, and if what you just said is from
that film, then I am afraid I would rather not.” A shiver ran down
her spine. “I’m going to have that unfortunate image stuck in my
head for the rest of the night.”

“Well, you’re welcome.” Allison stuck her tongue out.
“It’ll remind you to be cautious.”

The doorbell rang, echoing to them from down the
hall, and Elena cursed as she glanced at the clock. “He’s
early.”

“Overeager,” Allison said, playfully shaking her head
in disapproval.

“Oh hush.”

Allison followed Elena back down the hall and to the
door. When Elena opened the door to reveal a tall, dark-headed man
in a light gray suit, she smiled, seeing how Allison narrowed her
eyes, sizing him up. He had to be in his mid-thirties, probably
pretty wealthy, considering his attire and the Rolex on his
wrist.

Instead of introducing himself, the man offered up a
cheesy smile and said, “You look lovely.”

Elena smiled tightly and noticed Allison rolling her
eyes at the compliment. An urge rose in Elena to do the same, but
she knew her manners. Thus, she nodded her head in appreciation and
returned the compliment. Asking him to wait in the foyer, she
walked down the hall to Lucas’s room with Allison following.

Lucas barely acknowledged her goodbye kiss, too
wrapped up in his movie, and Elena was able to slip in and out
without a fuss. She turned to Allison once they were out of the
room.

“You have my cell number?”

Allison nodded.

“Okay, and I left emergency numbers on a pad for you
in the kitchen. There is plenty to choose from for dinner or you
can order something; I left some money on the counter. Also, I
prefer Lucas be in bed by no later than eight, though he can be
difficult to put down at times.”

“I got it covered. Go on. You don’t want to keep your
fancy date waiting.”

“I shouldn’t be home too late.”

Allison followed her to the door once more. Just
before Elena stepped out, Allison leaned in with a whisper. “Watch
out for the lotion.”

Elena’s cheeks flushed with pink as she tried not to
laugh. She subtly kicked Allison’s shin before following her date
out the door.

“So, Elena, Vivian tells me you have a son. Larry, is
it?”

“
Lucas
, and yes, he is three.”

“Oh, and the father?”

Brows shooting toward her hairline, Elena leveled the
man with her piercing gaze. “My, Brice, you cut directly to the
personal questions, don’t you?”

Brice grinned far too widely to be natural. “Forgive
me. Was that out of bounds?”

“Considering we have only just met, I would certainly
say so.” She pulled her napkin into her lap and took a careful sip
of her water.

“Well, perhaps we will know one another much better
by the end of the night,” Brice replied softly and with a subtle
wink that Elena assumed the man thought was either charming or
seductive.

Brice had selected a high-end restaurant that Elena
frequented with her parents, and she found it much too predictable,
given his obvious wealth. Why so many men assumed all women wanted
an expensive meal, an expensive wine, and a ride in an expensive
car was completely beyond her. Would it kill them to try for a
little originality?

Elena, as was her nature, kept a mental list of
strikes against her date, and, thanks to the man’s overly personal
question and suggestive behavior, he gained his first before they
ever even placed their orders. He earned his second strike only
seconds later when the waiter arrived to take their orders.

Before she could even open her mouth to speak, Brice
flashed a smug grin and addressed the waiter. “Yes, thank you,” he
said. “We will take a bottle of your finest Cabernet Sauvignon to
pair with two house sirloins, both medium rare, and the lady will
enjoy a side salad while I will take a—”

That was about as much as Elena could stomach. How
dare he speak for her? Fifteen minutes into this date, and Brice
was already stripping her of choice.

She far from approved.

“Actually,” Elena interjected, “
I
will have a
glass of chardonnay to pair with the roasted salmon in lemon
butter. I would like that with a side of seasoned vegetables, and
please, ask the chef to apply any salt lightly. Thank you.”

The waiter smiled at her and nodded before smirking
at Brice, who was staring at Elena with his lips slightly parted
and his brows furrowed. “Sir?” the waiter asked.

“Oh right, yes,” Brice said quickly, snapping back to
attention. He placed his order and offered Elena a tight smile. “I
was unaware you didn’t eat red meat. I apologize.”

“Oh I do eat red meat, Brice.” Her revelation came
with an equally forced smile. “I simply am not in the mood tonight.
You would have known as much if you had simply bothered to
ask.”

Brice cleared his throat and glanced around the
restaurant. He took a sip of water and smacked his lips. It was
clear to Elena that the man had only just figured out that she was
nowhere near the type of woman he was looking for. He undoubtedly
wanted a piece of arm candy that would worship his every
decision.

Elena was hardly a trophy. She was the entire
goddamned competition—a complex yet worthwhile challenge, not a
mindless reward.

Sighing, she crossed and uncrossed her legs
underneath the table, avoiding eye contact with Brice.
Great,
she thought. She was going to have to sit through an
entire undoubtedly awkward dinner with this man now, and it was
likely that little conversation would take place. Then again,
perhaps that would be a blessing.

She could only hope the waiter returned soon with
their meals and then soon after again with the check.

* * *

“Hold on, kid.” Allison grunted. “Let me just get my
feet right.”

Lucas giggled as Allison finally got her feet
positioned gently against his belly. She then took his hands and
squeezed them. “Hold on tight, okay? Tight tight!”

“Okay!” He squealed and squeezed her hands as tightly
as he could when Allison then easily lifted his body into the air.
She held his arms out with her hands and kept his body up with her
feet so that he looked like he was flying just a few feet above
her. She couldn’t help her laughter when Lucas screamed at the top
of his lungs, “I’m an airplane!”

“You are!” She separated her feet so that Lucas fell
quickly from his position in the air and she caught him in a fast
embrace, tickling him as he squealed and wriggled around, rolling
off her chest to the floor.

Lucas laughed so hard that little sound escaped, but
then his eyes went wide and he clapped a hand over his mouth.

“Whoa,” Allison said, her smile fading. “You okay,
buddy? Are you gonna be sick?”

Perhaps it was a little too soon after dinner to be
flying the kid around on her feet. She didn’t want to end up
covered in stomach-pureed sweet peas.