"How is it that you always make me feel so much better?" I let all the sarcasm I could muster sink into my voice as I turned and backed the car out of my parking spot.
"We've been friends since you could walk. I'm not telling you what you want to hear. I love you too much for that shit."
"And what do I want to hear?" Frustration pumped through me. Why did I call her again? She was always the voice of reason to a fault.
"You want to hear that the two of you will cordially part ways and remain friends until you're healed and he's settled into a schedule that doesn't have him flying all over the world."
"How do you do that? It's annoying." I stopped at the stoplight in front of me and crossed my free arm over my chest while I waited for the green light.
"I know you, remember?"
"Why can't that be the future, though? That sounds so much better than all the other options that have played through my head."
"Because it doesn't work like that. Someone is going to steal his heart or yours if you don't leave your fear behind you and try this out with him. It's stacking up to be something incredible, Viv. Stop pushing him away. Give this a chance."
"I can't." I shook my head and gripped the steering wheel as I hit the gas. "I don't know how to."
"It's natural to think that you don't, but you do. Go with the flow, and make decisions with him based on the fact that he loves you and wants to be a part of your future."
"What if he doesn't though?" I realized how stupid I sounded, but we were too far into the conversation to stop now. "Then what?"
"Then we move on, but you're not even giving him a proper chance. Let your guard down. Promise me that you'll try tonight."
I nodded and let out a sigh of resignation. "I'll try, but that's all I've got right now."
"That's good enough."
Chapter 24
Easton
Just hearing her voice left me wanting to find her wherever she was. Warmth infused me as I dropped the phone on the couch next to me, and I let out a long groan, closing my eyes and thanking the stars that she answered and agreed to see me.
I needed to work on a good handful of write-ups for work but having something take most of my afternoon was going to work out well. Keeping my mind on task and off of Vivian was going to be the trying part.
I worked diligently and wrapped up my portfolio of write-ups for Miami by four-thirty. After packaging everything up nicely, I got in the shower and cleaned up quickly. I wanted to get to the restaurant a little early with flowers so I could make sure the dinner went exactly as I had planned in in my head the night before.
She deserved so much more than I felt like I had to offer, but I was going to pull out the stops and see if it didn't push her a little more in my corner. I'd take as long as she wanted me to, but I needed another night in her arms soon. She brought me to life in ways that I couldn't remember feeling for a long time. Everything was a little brighter, my mood much better, my disposition much more giving.
I dressed in black pants and a dark green button-down, hoping the outfit would scream class and yet comfort. I tugged on a heavy black jacket and decided to forgo the tie. The owner of the restaurant was a friend of mine from college, his father having given him the place when they decided that traveling was something he and his wife would rather be doing.
A driver picked me up forty-five minutes before six, and I was itching to get there and get everything set up. I wanted a driver in case we had a few too many drinks. We'd have a quick, responsible way to get back to my place.
"I need to stop by the flower shop on tenth and Johnson." I leaned forward and looked up to catch the driver's eye in the rear-view mirror.
"Not a problem, Sir." The guy tipped his hat to me and pulled out of the circle drive in front of my building.
After grabbing a dozen white and red roses, I got back in to the Lincoln and forced myself to relax. This wasn't a first date, nor was it a blind date. I knew Vivian as much as she'd let me know her. I was quite positive that she was the girl of my dreams though. That was the reason I couldn't stop my leg from bouncing, my heart from fluttering incessantly in my chest.
"Here we are, Sir. I'll be waiting in the valet parking lot. Just text when you're ready and I'll drive right up for you." The driver turned and smiled at me. "That okay?"
"That's perfect. Thank you." I got out of the car and walked into the restaurant as Jared turned and clapped his hands together.
"Easton Parks. You old dog." He laughed and reached out to shake my free hand.
"Jared. How are you, my friend?" I smiled and gave him a quick hug.
"I'm excellent. Now, you're here on a date, right? No critiquing my shit tonight?" He reached for the flowers. "Let me have these. Lucky girl..."