crap?” Blaine asked as his friend joined him on the couch, having grabbed a can of Coke Zero from the fridge.
“No. It just wasn’t supposed to be good. She didn’t really want me. She wanted a hero, some guy who is famous for being good and always does the right thing. She’s got it wrong. She just enjoyed me last night because of the plans you sat up for us.”
“That sounds like a load of shit to me. You know that stuff is going to kill you, right?”
“Coke Zero is an absolute good, and it’s true. She loved the ball and the fancy food, and those things aren’t me. I’m a fireman, a construction worker and a man who loves his country and his mama, there’s no glamour in any of that.”
“Stop acting like such a bitch, David. She paid an outrageous amount of money for you before she ever saw the ball or the dinner. You give her a call and see her again. Show her the real you and then have some fun for once in your dutiful, sad, little life.”
“Maybe you’re right. But it’s too late now. I can’t call her. I didn’t get her phone number.”
Blaine stood up abruptly. “Didn’t get her phone number? Have I taught you NOTHING? Quit sabotaging yourself!” He pulled out his smartphone and began typing away.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m finding this girl for you!”
“Don’t do that.” David rose and went back to work.
“Why?”
“I already know where she lives and where she works.”
“Well hell, Boy. Go get her! Put down that hammer and that toxic caffeine cocktail and go get her!”
“I can’t. Tonight is when I volunteer at Austin Pets Alive to walk the dogs.”
“Come on, David. Ladies love dogs! Plus that is totally you! Take her with you.”
“I don’t know if I should. I have a lot of work to do here and there is only so much embarrassment I will allow you to put me through in a week’s time.”
“David, you’re my best friend, and I love you, but you have to stop being such a coward. She was in to you, every minute. You should have seen her little hand tremble when she held up that placard. She is different than the other girls, and the complete opposite of Veronica. David, if you don’t start putting yourself out there, you are going to end up alone.”
“Maybe I want to be alone.” David’s voice turned sour and his hands sped up in his work.
“Relax; I’m not trying to make you mad. Look at it this way, did you have a good time with her?”
“Yes, an amazing time.” That released a little tension.
“So have an amazing time again tonight. If you don’t see her again, you’ll never see her again, if you do, there is a chance you might finally start having a little fun. Logic will prevail eventually, Boyscout. Go get her and for once, think about yourself.”
David stopped working and thought. “I guess I really don’t have anything to lose, do I? Hell, I might as well. You’re right!” David took his tool belt off and tossed it on the couch and headed for the door.
“Wait.”
“What? You got me all pumped about this and now you are telling me to wait?”
“Change shirts, you Neanderthal.”
David looked down at his sweat-drenched white Hanes t-shirt. “Yeah. Good idea.”
David ran to his bedroom. Blaine grabbed his Coke Zero and tossed it into the garbage. “Damn right, it’s a good idea.” He spoke to himself. “Now, if I can get you off of this poison.”
*****
Jenna had settled into her new office nicely. The boss was a lot sweeter, as far as she could tell, and she was getting closer and closer to Miranda.
Her desk started to take shape. There were not as many knick-knacks and not as many memories, but it was growing. Her picture of her sister stood by her laptop. She had bought some new office equipment to give a fresh feeling to the atmosphere. Nothing adds spark to a desk like a new stapler. And the newest addition was the brochure from the Holiday Fantasy Date. One page had its corner bent down for remembering
“No. It just wasn’t supposed to be good. She didn’t really want me. She wanted a hero, some guy who is famous for being good and always does the right thing. She’s got it wrong. She just enjoyed me last night because of the plans you sat up for us.”
“That sounds like a load of shit to me. You know that stuff is going to kill you, right?”
“Coke Zero is an absolute good, and it’s true. She loved the ball and the fancy food, and those things aren’t me. I’m a fireman, a construction worker and a man who loves his country and his mama, there’s no glamour in any of that.”
“Stop acting like such a bitch, David. She paid an outrageous amount of money for you before she ever saw the ball or the dinner. You give her a call and see her again. Show her the real you and then have some fun for once in your dutiful, sad, little life.”
“Maybe you’re right. But it’s too late now. I can’t call her. I didn’t get her phone number.”
Blaine stood up abruptly. “Didn’t get her phone number? Have I taught you NOTHING? Quit sabotaging yourself!” He pulled out his smartphone and began typing away.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m finding this girl for you!”
“Don’t do that.” David rose and went back to work.
“Why?”
“I already know where she lives and where she works.”
“Well hell, Boy. Go get her! Put down that hammer and that toxic caffeine cocktail and go get her!”
“I can’t. Tonight is when I volunteer at Austin Pets Alive to walk the dogs.”
“Come on, David. Ladies love dogs! Plus that is totally you! Take her with you.”
“I don’t know if I should. I have a lot of work to do here and there is only so much embarrassment I will allow you to put me through in a week’s time.”
“David, you’re my best friend, and I love you, but you have to stop being such a coward. She was in to you, every minute. You should have seen her little hand tremble when she held up that placard. She is different than the other girls, and the complete opposite of Veronica. David, if you don’t start putting yourself out there, you are going to end up alone.”
“Maybe I want to be alone.” David’s voice turned sour and his hands sped up in his work.
“Relax; I’m not trying to make you mad. Look at it this way, did you have a good time with her?”
“Yes, an amazing time.” That released a little tension.
“So have an amazing time again tonight. If you don’t see her again, you’ll never see her again, if you do, there is a chance you might finally start having a little fun. Logic will prevail eventually, Boyscout. Go get her and for once, think about yourself.”
David stopped working and thought. “I guess I really don’t have anything to lose, do I? Hell, I might as well. You’re right!” David took his tool belt off and tossed it on the couch and headed for the door.
“Wait.”
“What? You got me all pumped about this and now you are telling me to wait?”
“Change shirts, you Neanderthal.”
David looked down at his sweat-drenched white Hanes t-shirt. “Yeah. Good idea.”
David ran to his bedroom. Blaine grabbed his Coke Zero and tossed it into the garbage. “Damn right, it’s a good idea.” He spoke to himself. “Now, if I can get you off of this poison.”
*****
Jenna had settled into her new office nicely. The boss was a lot sweeter, as far as she could tell, and she was getting closer and closer to Miranda.
Her desk started to take shape. There were not as many knick-knacks and not as many memories, but it was growing. Her picture of her sister stood by her laptop. She had bought some new office equipment to give a fresh feeling to the atmosphere. Nothing adds spark to a desk like a new stapler. And the newest addition was the brochure from the Holiday Fantasy Date. One page had its corner bent down for remembering
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