Truth or Date (2 page)

The room fell silent and Ellen checked out each one of us suspiciously. “What’d I miss?”

“Gina’s moving in with me and I’m setting her up with a date for your wedding. Which just leaves Rachel.” Kristen turned to Rach. “Should I hook you up with—”

“No way.” She shook her head. “I’m going stag.”

I suppressed a laugh at Rachel’s emphatic response. Ellen had recently arranged a blind date for Rach with her fiancé Henry’s friend. The date had started out promising with a pleasant dinner, then the guy suggested they make hot fudge sundaes at his place for dessert—naked. To say he’d misjudged Rach’s fondness for ice cream
à la
nude
would be putting it mildly.

As we were packing up our stuff to leave Blissfully Bridal, Ellen put an arm around me. “You okay?”

I gave a small laugh. “About moving out of my place with George or moving in with Kristen?” Her hazel eyes filled with concern and I sighed. “Truth?”

She tilted her head. “Of course.”

“I’m good, just nervous. What if I waited too long to get out of the wrong relationship? What if I missed my chance to find the guy for me?”

“Maybe it wasn’t the right time before.” Ellen’s gaze drifted down to the sparkly gem on her left ring finger and the corners of her mouth lifted. “We never know when the right guy will come along, but he will. Trust me. And now you’ll be ready for him when he does.”

“I’m really happy for you, Ellen.” As I pulled my friend into a hug, I imagined her walking down the aisle toward the love of her life and this time there wasn’t an inkling of pain.

George wasn’t the right guy.

Maybe timing really was everything.  Maybe agreeing to live with Kristen would be the best decision I’d ever made. And maybe I should switch to low-fat ice cream.

CHAPTER TWO

I showed up to work Monday morning wearing sweats. Normally, I dressed up for the office, but I’d been at this software company for five years and worked in the accounting department so it’s not like I ever met with customers. Besides, I’d taken the afternoon off to haul the last of my stuff over to the condo. Yes, that’s right. Finally. As annoying as Kristen was, she’d made me realize my part in the entire debacle that had been my relationship.

I mean, what kind of girl gives her boyfriend the ultimatum to propose or it’s over? So not romantic. George and I started dating in college after we’d participated in a game of Quarters. He’d impressed me with his ability to bounce that silver coin into a cup. Ah, young love. Somewhere along the way, beer games stopped being as impressive to me.

“Going somewhere special after the office, I assume?” a sarcastic voice startled me out of my thoughts.

My head whipped up and I saw Rach standing in the doorway to my office, eying my outfit with raised brows.

“You scared me.” I flared my eyes at her, then plopped back in my chair. “Just getting the last of my things out of the apartment this afternoon while George is at work. He got a little psycho dividing up the CDs yesterday. Like each and every one were precious to him or something.”

Rach adjusted the clip holding her hair up in a messy twist. “That’s ridiculous.”

“It wasn’t just that.” I sighed, fingering my own short, dark curls, then tucked one side behind my ear. “George said he misses me and thinks maybe he can change.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re kidding me.”

“It’s fine.” I clasped my hands on my desk and leaned forward. “A couple months ago I would’ve crumbled, thinking I could find a way to make it work. Now, I realize that George’s mastery of Beer Pong? Not so hot at twenty-nine years old.”

She chuckled. “Well, I’m glad you didn’t fall for his desperate plea now that he’s supposedly figured out what he lost. You deserve better.”

I shrugged my shoulders and reached for my candy jar. “I’m not even mad at him anymore. He is who he is, you know? I just want to get the rest of my things without a hassle.”

She hesitated, appearing deep in thought, before accepting the wrapped butterscotch I held out for her. “So, you’re over George. Is that what you’re saying?”

Her body language told me she was up to something. “Why would you ask that?”

“No specific reason.” She shifted back and forth on her feet before taking a breath. “I, uh, do have a favor to ask of you though.”

I hesitated, wondering why she looked so tense. “What’s up?”

She stepped toward me and lowered her voice. “You heard that Chris Bradley gave his two weeks notice last week? The traitor is going to work for the enemy.”

Chris was an amazing sales associate and we paid him well, but apparently our biggest competitor had made him a better offer. “Good for him. Too bad for us, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s sad to see him go.” She fiddled with the empty plastic candy wrapper, avoiding my gaze. “So, I’m totally swamped with work this week. Since you and I are the only ones left on the party committee, would you mind handling the cake, food, and decorations for Chris’s bon voyage bash? I know it’s my turn, but it’d really help me out.”

A few phone calls weren’t all that time consuming, but this request felt like something more. “Sure, I can do that.”

Her face lit up. “Thanks. You rock.”

“Not so fast.” I made an
eh-eh-eh
sound. “Truth or Dare?”

“For real?” She flipped her light brown hair over her shoulder, then crossed her arms. “Fine, Truth.”

“Are you avoiding Chris for any specific reason?” I said, using a sultry tone. Chris Bradley was super hot and a serial dater. Maybe since her last date had been such a meltdown she’d had a little fling with him.

“No! Of course not.” She gasped. “I can’t believe you even thought that.”

“Just checking.” I set the top back on the crystal candy jar, then laughed, holding my hands up in surrender. “Not like it’d be an insult to hook up with Chris Bradley.”

I pictured his sunny California tanned muscles, brown hair lightened from the sun, and baby blue eyes framed in dark lashes. No, dating Chris Bradley wouldn’t be a hardship at all. My belly danced at the idea, then my face heated as I mentally cringed. Sure, I’d always known Chris was hot, but I’d never thought of him in that way. My new single girl perspective must’ve clicked into overdrive.

Rach stared at me pointedly, showing she’d guessed where my brain had gone. “Maybe you should ask him out. I hear he’s not dating Cyndi anymore.”

“Me?” I shook my head, adamantly. “No way.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Why not? Chris is sweet. And you thought he was good enough for me.”

“Yeah, but I’m not interested in the casual dating scene. I’m looking for a guy I can settle with and you know as well as I do that Chris never brings the same girl to a company party twice.”

“Dating’s not against the law, you know.” She turned toward the door, then flipped back around. “You should give him a try. I totally see you guys together.”

My mouth dropped open. “Do you want me wasting more of my golden years with another commitment-phobe?”

She pursed her lips. “Uh, I think the golden years are in our fifties.”

“Whatever.” I pulled out my keyboard tray to finish my work and leave. “I made a vow not to waste my time on guys who aren’t looking for a serious relationship and that’s a plan I’m sticking to. I’ll order his cake for you, but that’s it.”

“You’ll be missing out.” Turning around to leave, her voice sang the words as if issuing a grave warning.

Wrapping my arms around my chest, I watched her saunter down the hall and wondered how she’d gotten me all riled up.

I spent the rest of the afternoon emptying never-ending boxes at the condo—moving the rest of my stuff from the apartment went smoothly, thanks to George being at work. For dinner, I ordered a pizza but Kristen opted to stick with her protein shakes which, in my opinion, were void of any flavor.

While eating/drinking our perspective meals, Kristen told me she’d left a message for Ethan and was waiting to hear back from him. Then, she and I battled over the TV remote, finally compromising on a historical documentary (her choice, such a snoozer) and then a reality dating show (my choice, completely engaging). While watching twelve hopeful guys compete over one girl, I suddenly pictured myself as the bachelorette with Chris and an imaginary Ethan as the final candidates vying for my attention.

My body shuddered.

Rachel’s absurd suggestion that I date Chris Bradley must’ve affected me on a molecular level because I’d certainly never partake in a dating game. Between a man interested in a lifelong commitment and the other going for short-term fun? No contest. I’d only take a chance on Ethan.

Assuming he called Kristen back, of course.

The fact that my mind had even entertained the idea of Chris? Ridiculous. He could be the sweetest, most undeniably handsome man in the world, but the way he ran through girls told me to steer clear. Tingles over a hot guy would not divert me from my goal ever again.

****

The next morning I strode into the office dressed in a casual business suit, glad that all aspects of my life were now headed in the right direction. Since I lived further from the office, I’d had to drive, instead of walk, to the bakery to get my morning pastry (okay, pastries), but it was worth it for the possibilities that awaited me. While munching on my scone, I checked emails and found a reminder from Rach to set up Chris Bradley’s farewell festivities.

 Since I had to go upstairs anyway, I took the elevator to the second floor, and knocked on the open door of Chris’s office. “You got a sec?”

Chris’s face lit up, obviously happy for the distraction from whatever he was working on behind his large mahogany desk. “Hi, Gina. What’s up?”

Stepping inside, I tried to ignore how handsome he looked today. “I’m ordering your bon voyage cake for next Friday. Do you prefer chocolate or vanilla?”

He chuckled. “You came all the way up to the sales department for that?”

I shrugged. “No big deal. I needed to stretch my legs.”

“Maybe.” He leaned back in the leather chair and laced his hands behind his head. “Or, perhaps you’re secretly going to miss me and wanted to spend as much time with me while you still can.”

“Hmmm. . . plausible, if not a tad overconfident, but I actually had to drop a vacation request form off for Ellen so she can go on her honeymoon and still have a job when she gets back. And I figured as long as I’m up here . . . ” I plopped into one of the two chairs across from his desk.

His lips curved upward. “Well, I’m glad you stopped by. I don’t get to see you enough.”

I swallowed, wondering why he’d want to see more of me. “Are you excited about going to work for our largest competitor? I heard they made you an amazing offer.”

He eyed me critically. “Chocolate.”

My head tilted in confusion. “They offered you chocolate?”

He laughed. “The cake. You asked me which kind I preferred.”

“No,” I corrected him. “I asked about your new job and you dodged the question.”

A strange look crossed his face, but he didn’t answer.

“What? I’ve known you for five years and you’ve never been shy. Now, suddenly, you’re clamming up on me?” I felt instantly intrigued, wondering what about his new job he didn’t want to tell me. “Truth or Dare?”

He rubbed his chin, his knuckles sliding across his noticeable five o’clock shadow. “I’m trying to figure out what you mean by that.”

“It’s a game I’ve been playing. You have to either answer my question honestly or perform the dare of my choosing.”

“I see.” He set his hand on the desk. “And what do I get out of this?”

My gaze dropped to his hand and I couldn’t help noticing how strong it looked. And smooth. Like he could lift an axe effortlessly, but also give a shoulder rub that’d make me go boneless.

I cleared my throat. “Well, in the game you’d get to do it back to me.” The word ‘it’ caused all kinds of inappropriate scenarios to go through my mind. “Although fair warning—I never pick Truth, which is actually how I ended up moving in with my crazy roommate last weekend.”

“Oh, really?” The phone on his desk rang, but he sent it to voicemail. “Who did you move in with?”

For some reason I felt flattered that he’d ignored his call. Even though he’d done the same thing during plenty of our conversations over the years. Weird. “One of the other bridesmaids in Ellen’s wedding. She also set me up on a date as a dare and . . . oh, wait.” My eyes narrowed. “You diverted me again. Truth or Dare, Chris? And I won’t be distracted this time.”

He laughed, making me realize he really had intentionally diverted me again. “What are the ground rules on Dare? My days here are numbered, but I don’t think I’d get a good send off if I streaked the office in my boxers.”

Hmmm. Boxers. Interesting. . . .

I cleared my throat. “Okay, ground rules. No taking off clothes.”

He winked at me. “Much appreciated.”

I flushed. “Second rule, no bodily contact with someone else. That’s pretty standard. Or, at least, it should be.”

“I’d say so. Especially since we’re in the office. On the other hand, if it were after hours—”

“Please don’t finish that thought.” I held my hand up.

He made a face like I’d wounded him. “Where’s the fun in that?”

Although Chris was teasing me, I knew there’d be plenty of fun with a guy like him. No doubt about that. But I wanted more than a good time. I needed a partner in life, not just for the time being. “Let’s just agree to keep it clean.”

“You’re the boss,” he said.

My thoughts drifted to all the different ways I’d like to give him orders and I sucked in a breath. What had we been talking about? Oh, right. “Truth or Dare? Pick one.”

He palmed the air with both hands turned up as if weighing each side before he brought his hands together in decision. “Truth.”

My mind immediately raced back to his strange reaction when I’d brought up his new place of employment and I wondered what he hadn’t wanted to say. “Are you looking forward to your new job?”

“That again, huh?” He held my gaze with a serious expression. “This is just between you and me?”

“Absolutely.” I held my index, middle, and ring fingers up. “Rule number three. What happens in Truth or Dare stays in Truth or Dare.”