“I believe his words were, what are you trying to do, one-up me?” he laughs.
Damon’s house is bigger than Aiden’s by a long shot. Hopefully, he didn’t go out and try to buy a new house just to prove a point. Sounds like something he would do.
The conversation over dinner is mostly small talk about Emily going back to school, Tessa updating us on her new ideas for the wedding, and even listening to her talk about it is raising my blood pressure. She talks a hundred words per minute, and trying to follow her train of thought is practically impossible.
Damon hasn’t been kidding. I thought he had been exaggerating, but listening to her firsthand, I feel sorry for him. Apparently, she is making a running list of things that are my job for the wedding. Not that I minded. It will keep me occupied. Wedding planning isn’t really my strong suit but if it helps her and Damon out, then so be it.
Once dinner is over, Emily gives me a tour, but more wanting to show me her bedroom. We make it up the staircase and into the master bedroom. Jesus, they are living like kings and queens. The bedroom and ensuite are the size of a presidential hotel room. Not kidding. And don’t even get me started on the size of the walk in closet that could fit all my clothes time four. Why do they need all this? I know we have money but it could be better spent somewhere else. Damon’s never going to have enough clothes to fit in that damn closet.
“There’s more. Come check out mine.” She pulls on my hand. “It’s the best room in the house.”
The door opens to a giant bedroom painted a soft pink, built-in bookshelves, and two massive dollhouses. I can see why she is so giddy about it. Coming from a single parent home, she never had a bedroom of her own, and likely didn’t have many things to play with since Tessa lived paycheck to paycheck most of the time. Not a dig, but Damon has explained to me before how they lived.
“Wow, you have two now?” I ask, knowing she obsesses over them. “You are the luckiest girl in the world.”
We sit on the ground playing, something I hope to do with my own daughter someday.
“So, I take it you like your room, huh?”
“It’s the best. I’ve never had my own room before. I can be as loud as I want and never wake them up.”
Emily always makes me laugh. She is very honest, as are most kids her age. They don’t have a filter. You can always count on them to give it to you straight.
Damon texts me to come downstairs instead of just coming up to get me. Lazy bum.
“What, you couldn’t just come get me?”
“I yelled, but you obviously didn’t hear me,” he replies.
“Ahh... probably because you live in a damn mansion and I was three miles away.”
His head shakes, eyes roll, and gestures to me toward the living room where Tessa is sitting on the couch. When he starts talking, it sounds like he’s giving me a lecture, but toward the end I can tell he’s just worried. Damon doesn’t want me to look for love in all the wrong places, or end up dating someone just because I want to settle down. That isn’t me. I won’t do something like that, because I have a relationship to look at and see what I want. Their relationship is as close to perfect as you can get, and yes, I’m jealous. Not that I want Tessa at all, but just the bond and intimacy they share with each other. You can tell how compatible they are, how good they work together, and just the overall love they share.
My watch beeps, informing me it is time to head to my date. “Wish me luck. Maybe this will be a good one, and it’ll start my new year off right.”
Harper and I are going to a mutual destination, Dixie bar. The bar will have enough bodies around to give her a secure feeling. I wonder if her profile is authentic? It’s not like there’s a fact checker option. My fingers cross, praying that this is it.
Entering the bar, I snatch a booth near the back and patiently await Harper’s arrival. I hope she looks like her picture. Sometimes they don’t especially with all the filters and stuff available nowadays.
There she is. Standing by the front door in a silver strapless dress, her left hand across her torso holding onto her right. Harper glances around the place until her eyes land on mine. A smile takes over her face as she walks toward me. Her long legs catch my eye and I try not to drool. Those would look great around my shoulders, hips, or anywhere really.
“It’s jam packed in here tonight. Maybe we should’ve chosen somewhere else,” Harper declares, slipping into the booth, and setting her handbag down. “Although, I should’ve expected as much with the holiday.”
We survey each other, while the painful first date silence comes into effect. She looks precisely like her picture, with modest makeup, which is how I favor my women. “You’re very beautiful. The picture doesn’t do you justice.”
A blush visits her face. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
Harper is gorgeous with long dark hair, inviting blue eyes, and lips that I’d love to sink my teeth into later. If the date goes well, of course.
“So, you’re a teacher, right?” I confirm, recalling her profile didn’t distinguish what level. “What grade?”
“Tenth. Chemistry.”
I have so many questions. Why did she want to become a teacher? She must have a lot of patience to deal with a revolving door of teenagers. There is no way I can ever do that job.
“Do you love it? Or, was there something else you dreamed of becoming?”
She tucks her hair behind her ear, “I’ve always wanted to be my own boss, although I guess that’s like the most basic answer. Doesn’t everyone?”