Seven

I don’t date much. Okay, almost never, and have spent far too much time today, like all day, staring at the clothes in my closet and piled on the bed. Do I wear jeans and a t-shirt? It’s a casual dinner at Jesse’s place. Or, a flirty skirt and top? I’m not exactly the flirty, frilly type of girl, though I have a few outfits to pull from for occasions that call for such apparel. But, it’s not exactly what I’m comfortable in. Besides, in a skirt, I’d be so conscious of how I sit. Since Cam will be awake at first, can I really play with him, maybe even sit on the floor in a skirt?

No. Jeans and cute top. That’s what I’ll wear. If Jesse and I have another date, where we actually go out somewhere like a restaurant, I’ll wear a skirt then.

My phone dings and I grab it from the dresser and glance down at the text. It’s a generic one from a number I don’t recognize. Mass Message to residents. Water damage to a number of rooms. We will keep you updated.

“What the hell?”

They don’t list my complex or apartment, nor is anyone else tagged in the text. Of course, they could be blocking the personal information.

This can’t be happening.

“Don’t panic!” I click on my contacts and tap the number to the complex manager. Instead of anyone answering, it goes to voicemail. It’s three in the afternoon; somebody should be in the office.

Unless they’re dealing with a crisis.

Shit.

Do I drive to Vassar and find out what the hell is going on? I can’t ignore it. What if there’s damage in my apartment? It will have to be dealt with now, not later.

If I do go, I’ll have to cancel on Jesse, which majorly sucks.

I try the complex manager again. This time on her cell. Again, no answer.

Shit!

I really have no choice.

As much as I hate this, I call Jesse. When he answers, I quickly explain.

“Well, you’ve got to go.”

“Yeah, I know, but I was looking forward to tonight.” I want him to know I’m not just trying to get out of the dinner, or dumping on him.

“We can go out Friday.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I already planned on actually taking you to dinner, if you wanted to go. Larry agreed to babysit for me.”

“You don’t need to do that.” I assure him. “We can eat in.”

“I want to go out. I rarely have a chance to. And, I want to take you out.”

I smile into the phone. “Sorry about tonight.”

“Don’t worry about it. It can’t be helped.”

I’m not exactly in the same good mood when I get home as I was before I left for school, but it isn’t Deirdre’s fault. If I got a text like that and couldn’t get ahold of anyone, I’d go check on my apartment too. It just sucks because I was looking forward to spending time with her, and being able to talk to her without interruption.

Larry is upstairs in the apartment and is just carrying Cam from the back. She has him wrapped in a towel.

“I thought I’d bathe Cam so you wouldn’t have to worry about it.” She pauses in the living room. “With your big date and cooking dinner, Cam will already be ready for bed.”

I drop my backpack on the table and take my son. “Thanks, but the plans are cancelled.”

Larry frowns. “Really?”

“There’s been an incident with her apartment and Deirdre needs to go back to Vassar and check on it.”

She smile’s for a split second and then frowns. “That’s too bad.” The quirk of her lips is gone so quickly I’m not sure if I imagined it or not. Does Larry not like Deirdre? Not that it matters because I sure as hell am not taking dating advise from a sixteen-year-old.

“Oh well, can’t be helped,” I say and carry Cam back to his room so I can get him dressed. He’s not wearing a diaper and even though there is a towel between us, I don’t want to be the recipient of anything that comes out of him. “At least we’re still having dinner tomorrow.”

Larry follows me back. “So you still need me to babysit?”

I glance up and she’s biting the corner of her bottom lip and there’s concern in her eyes. Larry’s not going to cancel is she? I could cook tomorrow, like I planned tonight, but I really want to take Deirdre somewhere, without a child along. “If you still can.”

“Sure,” Larry assures me. “But, let me know if she cancels again.”

I narrow my eyes on Larry. “What makes you think she’ll cancel?” Does she know something I don’t, like she’s picking up on a girl vibe that only females get?

“Well, she did tonight. Though you did go to a movie last night, but she kind of bolted the first chance she got yesterday afternoon.”

I get where she’s going with this, and Larry is trying to be gentle in telling me not to get my hopes up, but I can’t help it. Should I listen to her and realize that Deirdre may not want to go out with me as much as I want to go out with her? Was last night a pity date because she couldn’t come up with an excuse not to go? Alexia did kind of force her to ride home with me and she had seemed surprised to see me at the gallery. Shit!

“Well, we’ll see what happens. Plan on her going. If not, you’ll get to go home early.”

“I’m sure it will work out. But, a lot of girls do avoid guys with kids.” She bites her bottom lip again and then looks up at me. “Sorry. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up and then be hurt.”

At least I have Larry’s sympathy. Cam’s, not so much, since he’s grinning up at me and kicking his legs.

“Thanks, I’ll keep that I mind.” I grab clothes for Cam and carry him out to the living room. “Go ahead and go. I’m not going to open the shop tonight. I’ll just kick back and watch some television.”

Larry pauses by the front door. “You gonna be okay? I hate to leave you if you’re going to be all depressed and stuff.”

Like a sixteen-year-old kid could make things any better. At least she has a good heart. “I’ll be fine. Go hang out with your friends.”

After she leaves, I pick Cam up and wander into the kitchen. “Well, Little Dude, looks like it’s just me and you tonight.”

He kicks his legs with excitement.

“Love ya, guy, but I was really hoping for a little more grown up company than you or the kid.” I sigh and open the fridge. Half of my burger is still in there from yesterday. Looks like that is dinner tonight.

It was a prank is the text I get from Deirdre three hours later. I’d just put Cam to bed, grab my phone, walk out to the living room, and text back. Call me if you can.

The phone rings a moment later and I answer.

“What was a prank?”

“The whole text!” I can hear the anger in her voice. “Kian and I drove up here thinking we’d need to deal with all kinds of damage, but nothing happened.”

“Nothing?” Was she making excuses or was she really pranked? Ever since talking to Larry, I’m wondering if Deirdre really wants to go out with me and has been making excuses. Is she now going to just stay at Vassar and I won’t see her again?

“My apartment is fine. I talked to the supervisor, who has no clue who sent the text and why.”

I scratch my head. “Who would do something like that?”

“I have no idea, but I am pissed.”

“Don’t blame you,” I answer.

“My brother’s not to happy either, but we’re headed back now.”

At least she is coming back to town.

“I am so sorry about dinner tonight. Had I know this was a bad joke, I would have never come back to school.”

“Don’t worry about it. You had to check it out.” Was she really sorry about dinner?

I need to quit doubting her. She didn’t need to call and tell me it was a prank or a bad joke.

“Let me take you to dinner tomorrow to make up for it.”

My heart lifts. So, she isn’t just trying to blow me off. “No. I’m taking you. That’s already decided.”

“But I feel so bad.”

“This isn’t your fault,” I assure her. “Someone with a bad sense of humor, not you.”

“Still…”

“Don’t feel bad. We’ll just have fun tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she says, kind of sad. “I’ll see you then.”

I may not have liked that our plans were canceled tonight, but I feel tons better knowing she still wants to go out. At least Larry got that wrong. But, why would anyone play such a prank or joke on her? It’s probably one of the shittiest things I’ve heard of anyone doing before. Hopefully Deirdre can figure it out, if she even tries. I’d sure want to know what asshole sent the text it if happened to me.