“Oh, just about half a dozen collection companies trying to squeeze every last dime out of me. And my mom, per the usual.”
I’d just polished off some delicious sweet and tangy ribs while we gabbed about our lives when I looked up and spotted Mike walking in and heading to one of the buffet tables.
“Oh, freak. You’re kidding,” I said and ducked low.
Maybe he hadn’t seen me. The humiliating scene at the pool was mortifying enough to reflect on without remembering that the whole thing had been witnessed by the hottie bartender. Worse, as I confirmed after Mike dropped me off half-conscious at Penny’s and I’d stood in front of the mirror, thanks to my dip in the pool, my swimsuit had indeed gone from white to transparent.
Meaning, as I’d lain there dying on the side of the pool and then slumped over in that golf cart, Mike could see almost everything.
I should have amended my comment to include an order that neither of my friends were to look over to see who I was talking about, because they immediately turned their heads in his direction. As if sensing the attention, Mike looked over and recognition settled in his eyes before he headed in our direction.
Would he notice if I hid under the table?
“Good evening, ladies.”
He was in shorts and a white shirt with large orange flowers on it that, on anyone else, might have marked them as a clueless tourist, but on him it somehow worked.
“Hi, Mike,” Penny said when he reached us. Of course she would know him since they both worked here. “How’s it going?”
“Not too bad. I thought I’d come and check in on your friend. That was quite a tumble earlier. You feeling better?”
I smiled sweetly but couldn’t quite meet his eyes. “Doing great. Thank you.”
“Wait, are you the guy who fished her out?” Penny asked.
Holly nodded, adding, “And brought her home. Thanks again. That was really kind of you.”
Holly had answered the door when we pulled up and he’d had to help me to the door. Other than that, I hadn’t detailed anything more—not that there was anything more to explain.
“It was nothing. I’m just glad you’ve recovered, ummm…I’m sorry. I didn’t quite catch your name,” he said.
Not surprising since I hadn’t thrown it at him, as we both knew.
“Oh, sorry. Mike, this is Janie, the damsel you rescued, and Holly. They’re staying with me for the next couple of weeks.”
“It’s Jane,” I corrected quickly, half out of habit, something I’d been doing since I left Deerfield High School and wanted to be taken seriously.
“Nice to meet you, Holly. And Jane.” Was there a slight taunting tone as he said my name? “Anyway, I just wanted to say hi. I’ll leave you to your dinner.” He nodded and weaved his way back to the buffet table, where he started to pile his plate.
Holly handed me a napkin. “Here. You’ve got sauce on your chin.”
I swiped at my chin, coming away with a healthy portion of barbecue sauce. I would complete today’s humiliating experience with food splattered all over my face.
“You couldn’t tell me that before he got here?”
“I didn’t want to embarrass you.”
Right, I’d done that well enough on my own.
Penny was looking at me with a strange smile. “So. Mike rescued you, huh? He’s a great guy. Very good-looking, too. Half of our staff—male and female—have been trying to get a date with the guy for the last month. So far he hasn’t shown any interest in anyone…until today.”
“He isn’t showing any interest in me either, other than mild flirtation. But with a guy like that, flirting is as natural as breathing.”
“Nope. Not with him. So…” she said, her face spreading in a wide grin. “You’re admitting that you two flirted?”
Ah. She got me. “I wasn’t flirting. The last thing I need is a distraction from what I’m here to do.”
“I don’t know,” Holly said. “A distraction might be exactly what you need until you’re thinking straight again and realize your whole marry-a-billionaire scheme is a mistake.”
“I’m thinking with perfect clarity.”
Even if I wasn’t, the last thing I needed was to get involved with a guy who didn’t appear to have any career goals other than spending his days flipping cocktails and flirting with desperate women. Me included.
He was as far from a prospective husband as I could get.
And yes, I realize that was very hypocritical of me considering I was even worse off than him, not being employed and all. But that only proved the point that I needed a partner who was obviously less messed up than I was. Someone who had it together.
“That’s too bad. I certainly wouldn’t mind getting a little downtime with the guy,” Holly said, slurping the last of her drink through her straw.
“Right. You could have freaking Captain America standing in front of you naked and you wouldn’t look at him twice—if George was next to him.”
“Who is this George?” Penny asked.
“Just a complete cretin who strung Holly along so he could use her research while also secretly dating half the university’s faculty.”
“We’re not talking about George tonight, Jane,” Holly warned. “Or I’ll start talking about all the BS you put up with from screw-around Eddie before you finally saw the light.”
“Point taken. Moving on.”
I stared down at my plate that was low on the delectable grilled beef and melon. “I’m going to hit the buffet one more time. Anyone going to join me?”
Holly pushed her own barely touched plate away from her. “Actually, I’m still not feeling so hot. Would you guys mind if I head back? I think I’m going to just have some crackers and Gatorade.”
Lightweight, I tell you.
I’d just returned with what I promised myself would be my last plate for the night—well, at least before I hit the desserts—when Penny’s phone vibrated from where it was sitting on the table. She read the text.
“Shoot. It looks like Gary missed his shift and CaryAnn can’t cover for him since she has to get home to relieve her babysitter. Sorry, Janie, but I’m going to need to run and cover the front desk for about an hour.”
I eyed the crispy sweet potato fries and grilled steak kabob piled on my plate, remembering the molten lava cakes I’d spotted at the buffet that had my name on them. “You go ahead. After all, I’m twenty-eight years old and perfectly capable of eating by myself.”
“All right,” she said and stood. “I’ll see you back home.”
I waved her off and grabbed one of the fries and shoveled it into my mouth. Mmm. Crispy and sweet but also salty. Perfect. I stuffed a few more in my mouth as I picked up my phone and scrolled through my Instagram feed. Looked like a new follower…
Ugh.
Of course Tracey Applewood Faulkner would follow me, just so I could feel even more aware of how pitiful my life was compared to hers. My last post was a pic of myself with an I Voted sticker. From the last election.
I clicked on her profile. Big mistake as there were pages and pages of pics from her fabulous life, including pics of the recent renovations to her six-room condo—the penthouse, apparently—and a vacation to Bora Bora.