by J. S. Cooper
And for the first time in their lives, all three boys jumped up silently and followed me to the card without questioning me or asking me for something. I could feel Dante’s stare as we walked back to my car and it took everything in me to not turn back around and give him one last look and the finger. I was a lady, after all.
Chapter 5
“Oh, my God, Sadie. You need to tell me everything that happened last night. I can’t wait to hear about it.” Cara’s voice was more excited than I had heard it in a while and I wondered if the kids had told her anything. No, they couldn’t have had time. They’d been fast asleep before she’d gotten home and they were still in bed now.
“Oh, Cara. Trust me, you do not want to know what happened. I just can’t believe it myself,” I said and groaned. “Can we make some coffee? I need coffee!”
“What can’t you believe? What happened?” she asked eagerly as she jumped up and walked over to her coffee bean grinder. I could tell that she was really excited to know what had happened. I mean who wouldn’t be? But she was even more excited because it had been a long time since either one of us had gone on a date.
“Dude, you do not want to know what Dylan did to me last night,” I said as I remembered Dylan’s words to Dante. The words that had caused the whole night to turn sour. And into a dramatic mess. Ugh, I rubbed my forehead in shame just thinking about it. I wasn’t sure what Grandma Louise was going to say. She was going to be so pissed.
“What did he do?” And then she paused and made a face as she poured the ground coffee beans into the French press machine. “I’m really sorry that I made you watch them last night. I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy.”
“Girl, you do not even know.” I groaned again dramatically, though they were really only partially to blame for how the night had turned out.
“Why? What happened?”
“Dylan ran up to me and to Dante. And he asked Dante if he was gonna be his new daddy.”
“He what?” she said incredulously, looking embarrassed and then suddenly we both started laughing. “His new daddy? Oh my God.”
“It’s not funny, Cara,” I said.
“I know it’s not funny. Oh my God,” she said, gasping for air. “I can’t believe he did that.”
“Yeah,’ I groaned. “So he came up to us with chocolate ice cream all over his face. And he goes to Dante, ‘Are you gonna be my father?’”
“Wow. What did Dante say? Did he laugh? I mean, he must have been impressed that you were looking after my kids, right? Even though you had a date, you were a good friend and took them with you. Shows you’re reliable and responsible and a good human being.” She looked at me thoughtfully. “If he couldn’t see that, he’s an asshole.”
“I can’t say he was too impressed.” I paused not knowing whether to tell her the full truth or not. I really wanted to tell her, but I didn’t want her to think I had lied and used her kids. Well, I didn’t really use her kids, but I had lied. I mean, it wasn’t like I had gone into the date thinking that I was going to pretend that I was their mom. It had just happened.
“Sad.” Cara made a face and then studied mine. I knew she could read me like a book and I definitely had a guilty expression on my face. “What are you not telling me?” she asked me in her best mom voice.
“Um,” I said, feeling like one of her naughty kids. I stood there furiously trying to figure out whether or not I should tell her the full truth, though it wasn’t like I could keep anything from her.
“Okay, you gotta promise not to hate me?”
“Uh oh. Firstly I could never hate you and secondly, why would I hate you?”
“Well, maybe hate’s not the right word. You have to promise not to judge me.”
“Judge you?”
My face turned red as I thought about how easily the lies had slid from my mouth. I had been so annoyed and had gotten completely carried away. He’d just been so rude.
“What did you do?” Cara’s voice was now very high. I could tell that she really wanted to know what I had done.
“Sooooooo, I kinda didn’t tell Dante that I wasn’t Dylan’s mom.” I bit down on my lower lip as I waited for her reaction.
“You what? Why not?”
“He was being such an ass and he was giving me such an attitude. He was a judgmental jerk. And you know what, he called me a bad mom. He called me a bad mom. He said that I shouldn’t have brought the kids with me on my date with a strange man. He said it was irresponsible of me to leave them at the ice cream shop next door while I went to gallivant around looking for a sugar daddy.” He hadn’t exactly used those words, but he’d essentially said that.
“No way. He did not say that.” Cara’s jaw dropped. “Sugar daddy?”
“Yeah, girl. He said that. I couldn’t believe it. What an asshole.” And then because I felt guilty. “Well he didn’t say sugar daddy, exactly, but he basically said I was willing to whore myself out for a free steak.”
“No way.” Her eyes widened. “So you pretended they were your kids?”
“I said. Well, hey, you know what’s a single mom like me going to do? If I want to go on a hot date and get a free dinner?”
“You did not say you wanted to get a free dinner. Did you? Did you actually say that?”
I laughed as I spoke to her. “No, but I wish I had said it. I know, I know, I’m crazy right. I shouldn’t have lied, but I couldn’t stop myself. It was stupid. He was the one that made the assumption and I was trying to correct him at first, but ugh his attitude. He deserved it. You should have seen his face when I left.”
“So did you get a free dinner?” Cara laughed as she shook her head at me and I remembered why I loved her so much. She just didn’t judge me for the stupid shit I did.
“No. I didn’t even get the free coffee.” I laughed. “And I was hoping to get a brownie as well.”
“So what happened?”
“Well, Dylan was saying how he wanted his pizza . . .” I paused as Cara groaned and then continued. “And I thought to myself, these kids are hungry and this guy’s a jerk, I’m leaving.” I giggled. “You should have seen the look on his face when he said in a disbelieving voice, ‘You have three of them?’ His eyes were getting narrower and narrower. He couldn’t believe it.”
Cara just started laughing even louder then. “Poor guy.”
“I didn’t know what to say. I just couldn’t believe it.”
“Oh my God. I am so sorry. Sadie. This is all my fault. I should have just stayed home. I never should have made you look after them.”
“Girl, this is not your fault. You were gonna lose your job. There was no way I was gonna say no to looking after your kids. You have put a roof over my head and I was not going to let you down in your time of need for some stupid date with some stupid asshole.”
“Was he cute though?”
“I’m not going to lie. He was all man. He is most probably the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen in my life. He was about six four. So well-built that I know he most probably lives in the gym. Silky dark hair. And, girl, he had the most incredible eyes.” I groaned as I remembered gazing into them. “Sometimes when I looked at him they were like an emerald green. And sometimes I looked and they were like this chestnut brown. Oh, my God. And he had this deep golden olive tan. He could have been a male model. I swear. Maybe he is a male model.” I stopped then. “But he’s a player and an asshole and he told me he doesn’t do relationships.”
“He told you that.”
“Yup.” I nodded.
“Wow.” She looked shocked. “So he wanted a hookup?”
“I guess?” I shrugged, suddenly feeling warm as I remembered his body against mine as we’d hugged.
“Would you have hooked up with him?” She looked at me curiously. “If it hadn’t been for my brats?”
“You know, I do not do one-night stands.”
“I know you don’t normally do one-night stands. But you don’t normally go on first dates either
, especially ones that your grandma set up.”
“I know. I know,” I acknowledged.
“Sooo . . .” She paused. “Say you were to have a one-night stand. Do you think that Dante could possibly be a guy you would have one with? I mean he sounds like a douche and all, but quite a hot one?”
“That’s hard to say,” I said honestly and groaned.
“Ooh?”
“If I were to have a one-night stand, which I would never have, I guess I wouldn’t care about the guy’s personality. It would just matter that he was good in bed and if I’m honest, Dante seemed like he would be good in bed.” I could feel my face reddening and she grinned as she handed me over a steaming cup of coffee, which I grabbed eagerly.
“So you would.”
“Ugh.” I moaned as I sipped. “Okay, looks-wise he would totally be the sort of guy that I’d have a one-night stand with.” I couldn’t believe that I had just admitted that.
“Okay, so do you think you’re going to see him again?”
“I don’t think I’m ever going to see him again.” I shook my head vehemently and I didn’t know if that made me feel happy or sad.
“Because you don’t want to see him again?” she questioned.
“I never want to see him again. And honestly, why would he want to see me? He thinks I’m an irresponsible single mom with three kids. And I left him standing outside a coffee shop. Why would he ever want to put himself through that again?”
“True,” Cara said with a nod. “It’s a pity though, you might have had some fun.”
“Yeah right.” I rolled my eyes. “He’d be as much fun as an elderly narcoleptic in bed,” I said, but deep inside I knew I didn’t believe that.
Chapter 6
“I can’t believe that Grandma Louise said that she would babysit for us tonight,” Cara said excitedly as she brushed her hair.
“I think she felt pretty bad because she said Dante was going to be this great guy and he turned out to be an asshole,” I said to Cara as I looked through my wardrobe. “I mean, come on. She thought she was helping me find a husband. And he was far from husband material.”
“So, what did she say when you told her about the date?”
“Surprisingly, she didn’t say much. I guess Dante already told his nana some stuff and she must have passed it on because Grandma Louise was the one that called me to apologize and suggested we go for a night out.”
“I’m still in shock,” Cara said and made a small face. “And your grandma is the one that recommended the club we’re going to tonight, right?”
“I know. I know. It sounds like a weird thing. But you know her, she knows what’s happening everywhere. She’s more on the scene than we are,” I said, with a laugh, though, I did still feel as if I were trusting the devil by going to an exclusive club that she suggested and gotten us reservations at. I mean, yes, she had sounded dreadfully sorry and had been more apologetic than I’d thought she would be. And she hadn’t even brought up the kids and my lie. I’d been so taken aback by the entire conversation that when she had easily asked me if I wanted to babysit for the kids so Cara and I could go out for a night I hadn’t even blinked twice. I had thought that it was a bit weird. Because while she loves kids, she didn’t love Cara’s kids that much. And had never volunteered to babysit before. And well, even though it did strike me as out of character, who was I to turn down a free night out for me and Cara?
“So what are you gonna wear tonight?” Cara asked as she interrupted my thoughts. I didn’t want to tell her that I was a little bit suspicious that Grandma Louise had offered to babysit. Cara needed a night out just as badly as I did.
“I was thinking about wearing this black dress that I got the other day at Macy’s?” I pulled the slinky black dress out of the closet. “It was on sale for twenty dollars, what do you think?”
“That’s hot.” She grinned.
“Is it too short?” I asked and then continued. “I was thinking about wearing those black heels I got last year. The suede ones.”
“Yeah, that will be perfect.” She nodded. “This will be fun. We’ll be out of our jeans for once. What should I wear?” she asked.
“What about that red dress?”
“That one you got a couple of years ago.”
“What red dress?” she asked me again confused.
“You know that silk one and when you got it I always said it looked like a negligee from Victoria’s Secret.”
“Sadie, you said it looked like a negligee from Victoria’s Secret because it was a negligee from Victoria Secret.” She laughed. “No way am I wearing that out.” She shook her head. “So tell me more about this club.”
“I don’t know much, but I think it’s just like this really cool exclusive bar with different clubs inside and stuff.”
“So everything, what does that mean exactly?”
“I don’t really know and Grandma Louise didn’t tell me much. Just that it’s exclusive and cool.”
“So we’re going to a really exclusive hard to get into club?” Cara sounded super excited and I nodded.
“Now, go and get ready.” I grinned at her. “Grandma Louise will pick up the boys in about thirty minutes. I’ll be downstairs in maybe twenty minutes. I want to shower and do my hair.”
“So, I should expect you down in an hour.” She laughed.
“Yes.” I grinned back at her. Cara knew me all too well. There was no way that I could take a shower, dress, do my hair, and makeup and be down in twenty minutes.”
“See you in an hour, Sadie.” She grinned and I could hear her singing to herself as she danced out of my apartment.
* * *
“Wow, this is beautiful,” Cara said as we walked inside the lobby of the new building. The walls were a rich deep purple and the floors were a shimmering marble.
“This looks way above our pay grade,” I said with a laugh. I wasn’t sure how Grandma Louise had gotten us reservations, and I wasn’t about to ask how either. I walked up to the hostess stand confidently, knowing I looked the part in my slinky black dress. “Hi, I have a reservation,” I said to the skinny blond lady who was wearing a very, very expensive Valentino dress I’d seen in Vogue. “My name is Sadie, Sadie Johnson,” I continued as she just stared at me, her blue eyes cold and distant.
“Let me check,” she said finally, not blinking.
I stood there nervously wondering if somehow Grandma Louise had got it wrong and sent us to the wrong place. I mean, how could she have gotten us into this swanky place?
As we stood there waiting, Cara whispered in my ear, “Look at the paintings on the walls. I think they are original Chagall’s.” I looked around and studied the walls and I could feel myself growing excited as I recognized some of the pieces from some of the art books, I studied for my job.
“Wow,” I said as I looked at her, both of our mouths slightly agape.
“Are you having trouble finding my reservation?” I asked the blond lady, trying to fake confidence.
“No, follow me,” she said, a smile still not touching her face. Cara and I grinned excitedly at each other as we followed her through a narrow door into a dark hallway, lit by small sconces on the sides of the walls. I wondered what sort of place this really was. It seemed so mysterious. This definitely didn’t seem like any regular sort of club.
The blond lady stopped in the middle of the hallway and Cara and I just stood there looking and confused. The lady then proceeded to knock three times on the wall and before I knew it, a secret door had opened and a tall, handsome, Scandinavian looking man stood in front of us. He nodded at the blond lady, who walked away without another word to us. He gestured us to follow him inside the room.
“This way,” he said and the door closed behind us as we followed him into the small room. He then led us down another hallway and walked through an open door. There was live jazz music playing as we walked into the room and I gasped at the opulence of the place. Large crystal chandeliers hung from
the ceiling and plush Persian rugs were strewn across the floor. There were dark leather brown couches centered around the walls, each with a glass table in front of them. The tables held glittering candles in their center and there were white and red flower petals floating in a little bowl of water.
I looked around to see who else was in the club. Several of the couches were filled with rich looking men in suits talking to each other while smoking what appeared to be Cuban cigars, and sipping on what I presumed to be whiskey. I saw a couple of couches with women all holding cocktail glasses, looking glamorous and beautiful and I tried not to stare at the large pieces of expensive jewelry they all seemed to be wearing.
“Oh, my God. Where are we?” Cara whispered as the Scandinavian guy escorted us to the corner of the room.
“I have no idea,” I said as I tried to act cool. Like I came to this sort of place all the time. I really hoped that the tab was prepaid like Grandma Louise had said because I knew that Cara and I could not afford anything in a snazzy place like this.
The Scandinavian guy stopped next to a couch that was directly next to a burning fireplace and then turned to us. “Your waiter will be along shortly. You can have a look at the menus on the table.” And with that, he was gone. We both sat down as quickly as possible and then looked at each other eyes wide as we grinned at each other and picked up the menus.
“What the hell is this place?” Cara said as she looked at me. “This has got to be the most fancy place I have ever been to in my life.”
“You’re telling me,” I said as I gazed around. “I don’t even know how we got in here. But tonight, we are going to have fun.” I smoothed the dress down on my legs. “Cara, do not look right now, but there are two very attractive guys sitting in the corner.”
“Oh, I want to look.” She groaned and I just gave her a look. “Describe them to me then,” she said.
“Well, they both look hot and blond,” I said, knowing I wasn’t giving much information, but I didn’t want them to know I was checking them out.