“It’s aCabernet Sauvignon,” he says. Then he says the exact kind, but the words don’t even register. It sounds fancy, whatever it is. Fancy and expensive.
“Well, I like it,” I say.
“It’s one of my favorites,” Lucas says.
“Are you a big wine drinker?”
“No,” he says. “But I know what I like.”
My heart beats a little harder. I take another sip of the wine. Lucas does, too.
“Oh,” says Lucas. “Before I forget. I want to pay you for the next couple weeks.”
“In advance?” I say.
He nods, pulling out his phone. “Yeah. That okay?”
“Sure. That’s fine.” In truth, I really could use the money now.
Lucas asks for my info and sends the money over. To make sure it went through, I check on my phone. The notification is already waiting for me. But to my shock, he’s accidentally sent me $22,000 instead of the $2,200 he should have sent to pay me for the next two weeks.
“Um,” I say, flipping the phone around to him, “this was an accident, right?”
Lucas takes one look at the screen and laughs. “Shit. Yeah. Guess I hit the zero one too many times.”
“I’ll send it right back. Minus what you should have paid me.”
“Thanks.”
I initiate another transfer and Lucas checks his phone to make sure it went through.
“All good,” he says, looking up from his screen. He grins. “Man. I need to be more careful about that, huh?”
I laugh. But it strikes me as kind of nuts that he’s so calm about the mistake. IfIhad just accidentally sent that much money to someone, even someone I trusted, I’d have a heart attack.
Maybe he’s better off than I realize.
Who cares how well off Lucas is, though? It’s not like it makes any difference to me. And even if we weren’t in this situation right now—even if, hypothetically, we were dating—I wouldn’t care. I mean, yes, I like money. I like to be able to pay my rent. But I’ve never cared about expensive things.
Although…this expensive-tasting wine is pretty damn good.
I down my last sip of it and then check my rideshare app again. The driver is only a few blocks away now.
“Looks like my ride’s here,” I say, and move to the sink to wash out my wine glass. “Thanks for dinner. And the drink.”
Lucas smiles. “Anytime.”
Chapter Four
Lucas
I’ve just gotten back to my desk from an agency-wide meeting when my cell phonerings. I almost ignore it, because I’ve got a billion emails to go through before my next meeting, but something prompts me to see who’s calling.
It’s Sophia.
“Hi, Sophia,” I say, pressing the phone to my ear. “Is everything okay?” As a dad, my first thoughts are always worried ones about my kid.
“Oh, everything’s fine,” she says. “I’m sorry to bother you at work. I just have a quick question. Penelope’s friend invited her over for a sleepover. Her friend’s name is Julie. Is it okay if Penelope goes?”