“At least give him a chance to make his case,” George pleads. “Look, Adrian and I weren’t friends in high school but even I know that he’s a good person. I don’t think he’d do this if he didn’t have a good reason.”
“I can’t believe you’re actually defending him!” There was no love lost between George and the jocks who tormented her in high school. The same jocks Adrian hung out with. "I thought you’d be the first to write him off. A lot of his friends messed with you in school after all.”
“If we were talking about his friends, I’d be more than happy to help you tell them to get lost. But Adrian is nothing like those bozos. I know that first hand. If any of his teammates tried to mess with me in his presence, he’d drag them out of the room and tell them to lay off. I’ve got no beef with him.”
Some friend she is, hyping Adrian up and reminding me of his finer qualities while I’m trying to talk myself out of considering his proposal. “Damn, I didn’t know he did all that. I’m not surprised either. But just because he’s a good person doesn’t mean he’ll be a good husband.”
“Not saying he would be. But I don’t think there’s any harm in hearing him out. I don’t think he’d do anything to hurt you and I think there’s more to this than temporary insanity. If it still sounds crazy, send him packing and block his number.”
“Damn it, George.” I hate it when she makes complete sense. I admit it. I want to know what his reasons are for wanting to fulfill the pact two years early. I’m not worried about being alone with him, either. I know he won’t hurt me. Giving him an opportunity to explain himself is the respectful thing to do. I just hope that don’t come to regret it. “Fine, I’ll hear him out. Stop making sense.”
“You know what else would make sense? Going shopping for a new outfit. Makeup, too. If you’re gonna send him packing, you better look good doing so.”
“Sure, why not?” Rejecting a sudden wedding proposal is a good excuse to splurge. And this day was about to get even crazier. “If everything goes to hell, at least I’ll look good.”
“Hear, hear.” As we clink glasses, I realize how blessed I am to have George as my friend. High school would have been much more memorable if I knew her then. But I’m glad that I know her now. “I’ll drink to that!”
Chapter Six
Adrian and I are set to meet at Larabee Park, right across from Granny’s house. Gathering the courage to dial him up was a struggle but in the end, I put my big girl panties on and did the thing. To be honest, hopping on a last-minute flight to some exotic locale, never to be heard from ever again, is more appealing than facing Adrian head-on. But I know that’s not an option. As the primary breadwinner, I would never want to leave Mom and Granny in the lurch. Plus, I know I have to face Adrian’s proposal sooner rather than later.
Life has a wicked sense of humor.
The outfit I bought with George’s input gives me a confidence boost. There’s a good chance this meeting will end on a sour note but at least I’ll look good in this black lace kimono cardigan with flowers and cranes all over, a cream satin camisole top, and skinny black leggings. I’m standing tall in my black ankle booties. They give me the height I need to go toe-to-toe with Adrian. I’m a respectable five-foot-seven but I’m still a dwarf compared to Adrian, who is over six feet tall.
“Ooh, you look so pretty, Micaela!” Mom coos as I walk into the living room. She’s watching some random game show with Granny. “Meeting someone special in that outfit?”
“N-No. Why does dressing up mean that I’m going out to meet someone special?” Because I’m absolutely not about to walk across the street and listen to a guy try to make sense of a sudden wedding proposal. She didn’t need to know that. “George helped me pick out nice clothes and now I want to go out and wear them. Is that so wrong?”
“Not at all! You look amazing.” I can always count on Mom to give me a sweet compliment while graciously sidestepping my obvious anxiety. “I hope you have a wonderful time.”
“I won’t be long.” I kiss both Mom and Granny on the cheek before leaving. Onward, to my demise. “Enjoy your shows.”
“While you’re all dressed up, try to bag yourself a man, honey!” Granny yells from behind.
My eyes pop wide open. Nothing gets past her, does it? “Don’t worry, I won’t!”
Adrian is already waiting for me at the field house. The confident, easygoing man I had dinner with yesterday is nowhere to be found. Worry clouds his features. “Kay. You came.”
“I said I’d hear you out, didn’t I?” My voice is more forceful than I’d like.”
“I’m glad you did. Believe me, I know this is a lot for you to take in.”
“Eight hundred scripts on a Wednesday with only one tech on-schedule is a lot for me to take in. This? This is impossible. Adrian, what on earth are you thinking?”
“Before you go any further, I think we should go somewhere else.” He cocks his head toward the field house entrance, where a group of random guys band together, sweaty and jovial. “Somewhere private.”
“Fine.” I point to the playground a few steps away. “Let’s go over there. It’s empty and nobody will bother us there.”
“Actually, I have another idea.”
“Did I mention that I’m not a big fan of your ideas?”
“I know, but please, hear me out.” I can hear his desperation. It cools me off a little bit. “Let’s go back to my apartment and talk about this.”
“What?” Every hair on my body stands on end. It’s like someone put their hand around my neck and squeezed tight. “I don’t even want to be here talking to you. What makes you think I want to go to your apartment? What are you trying to do? Carry me over the threshold or something?”
“No, I — damn, have you always been this feisty?”
“Yes. I’m a calm person, but when I’m mad, I’m pissed.” He swallows hard. Where’s the charm now, pretty boy? “Just so we’re clear, flattery will get you nowhere tonight, Mr. Campos. What the hell is in your head?”
“Please, let’s go to my apartment first.” I tap my foot, a skeptical scowl on my face. His eyes continue to plead with me. “We’ll be in a private place and you can yell at me as much as you want.”
“Good of you to realize that I’m about to destroy your eardrums,” I hiss through clenched teeth. “I hope the government provides you with excellent health insurance.”
“The best. But I’m a tough guy. I’ll catch whatever you throw at me.” I’m so ready to nip this in the bud, but I know I’ll regret it if I send him away. “Please, Kay. I’ll say my peace and if you aren’t convinced, I’ll drive you home immediately. I promise.”
I sigh, running my fingers through my hair. Ten minutes in and nothing is going how I planned. Might as well make things worse. “Drive. No radio, no conversations, only dead silence. Oh, and for the record, my granny used to be a department store detective. If you try anything stupid, I swear to God, she’ll be on your ass!”