“It’s a good thing he’s good at football because a wordsmith he is not.”Molly snorts.
Posey frowns at her friend. “Molly, could you not?”
Molly has the decency to look embarrassed. “Sorry.”
“You’d like to…?” Posey encourages me to go on, but like, it’s hard with these chicks and everyone else in the room staring at me like this. Why didn’t I ask her to follow me somewhere private, for fuck’s sake?
“I think I’d like to give it a go. You know. Datin’.”
There’s a long pause as Posey rolls this over in her brain. “You want to date me?” More hesitation. “But…why?”
“What do you mean, why?”
“I mean—you don’t actually want to dateme.”
What’s she implying? “Is there something wrong with you? Do you have an STD you aren’t tellin’ me? Do you have a husband hiding somewhere I don’t know about?”
“No.”
“Then why wouldn’t I want to date you?” I get closer; close enough that my leg brushes against her, and this time I do go down on one knee so she can hear what I’m about to say because I can only say it once. “You’re amazin’. I don’t know how you’re still single, but if I have anything to say about it, you won’t be for long.”
“Oh. My. God,”someone says.
“Shhhh.”
“I got a lot on my plate, so I think it’ll be intimidatin’ for you at first, but once we get through these rough patches—practice and the travel schedule and shit—I think we’ll have fun. I like you.” I like you? That sounds too basic. “You’re amusin’ and so freaking cute I can’t even stand it sometimes.”
My hand is on the back of her chair, our faces inches apart.
And while I’m making an ass out of myself, I might as well keep plowing forward.
I can’t fuck it up any worse than I already have.
“I’m sorry I left without sayin’ goodbye. I wasn’t thinkin’—I was in a bit of a panic. That picture leaked, and Eli had his dang underwear in a fucking twist, so I felt like I had to get my ass to the airport. And…” I stop to think about the other offenses. “I shouldn’t have left any cash, but I knew you still need to fix the deck, and figured you could pay off the old bag next door so she wouldn’t sell a story to the press.” Also. “I don’t know if you noticed, but there are indeed stains on the white sheets. So you’ll have to get new ones.”
Everyone’s eyes go wide at that last remark; everyone at the table, at least.
“Well then,” Posey says at last. “I suppose I can forgive you for leaving me cash on the counter like I’d done you some sexual favors you felt the need to pay for.”
Excuse me now? “Is that what you thought?”
“Um, yeah.”
“You’ve seen way too many movies.”
But she’s so damn irresistible.
“I’m datin’ a kindergarten teacher.”
“You are?”
“I don’t know—am I?”
She pretends to mull it over. “I suppose we could give it a try, considering you scare everyone away I try to go on dates with.”
"I’m sorry, but Brian is lucky I didn’t break his dick off.”
Posey chuckles, eyes sparkling, thank God. “True.”