Walking to my car with a smile plastered on face, I glanced at the time. Dodge should be receiving his birthday present any second now. My walk almost turned into a skip as I thought about what his face would look like when he opened the door. I’d pay big bucks to see it. Damn. I should have told Kacey to record it! Damn it.
Pulling my phone out of my purse, I sent Kacey a text message.
Me: Did you deliver his gift?
Kacey: I’m about to. You’re going to hell. You do know that right?
Giggling, I hugged myself and actually started skipping to my car.
Me: Hey, I paid top dollar for that bitch.
Kacey: You’re heart is pure evil. How are you a nurse?
Me: That’s why I work with babies and women who like to scream at their husbands. It fulfills me in more ways than I care to say.
Starting my car, I headed to the restaurant. Rolling the windows down, I began singing along to Gloriana’s “Trouble” as the wind wiped my blonde ponytail around. My phone beeped and my car read my text from Kacey.
Kacey : It’s done.
Throwing my head back, I laughed my ass off and began counting.
It took less than two minutes before my phone was ringing.
Rolling the windows up and turning down my jam, I answered with a chipper voice.
“Hello!”
“What the fuck, Sierra!”
Holding my laugh in, I said, “Hey there, Dodge. How’s your birthday going? Getting ready for your hot date tonight?”
“What? Never mind all of that. A puppy? Why the fuck did some girl named Kacey just drop off a puppy?”
Covering my mouth with my hand, I held in my laughter. “You don’t like her, Dodge? Who doesn’t like puppies?”
I heard something slam and Dodge began cursing words I’d never heard before.
“Me! Single guys who work eighty-hour weeks! Guys who are never home and live in a house that just got all new wood floors!”
Covering my mouth again, I started laughing.
“I mean she’s cute and all . . . Sierra, what were you thinking? No wait, I take that back. You weren’t thinking at all, like you always do.”
“Excuse me?” I said as I pulled my car into the parking lot and put it in park. “I don’t think? I. Don’t. Think? I think all the time, dickhead. My mind is spinning because I think all the time. I’m like the queen of thinking. I think everything through before I do it. Like for instance, the lingerie I just bought. I thought long and hard before deciding I needed it. Even though I have no one to wear it for . . . I bought it anyway. You never know when I might meet a hot guy at a bar and bring him home to my house for a good . . . hard . . . fucking.”
Silence.
Followed by more silence.
Pressing my lips together, I fought to hold in my laughter.
“I hate you,” Dodge whispered as the line went dead. Dropping my head back, I laughed my ass off. Right about that time, my text message beeped. Reaching for my phone, I pulled up my messages. I had a picture from Kacey.
Oh. My. God. I was going to buy her the best wedding present ever!
Blowing up the picture, I studied Dodge’s surprised face as he held up the twelve-week-old Golden Retriever puppy. Fist pumping, I jumped out of the car and did a victory dance.
Damn. Sometimes I even surprised myself. Spinning on my heels, I smoothed out my dress, pulled my hair down from my ponytail and headed toward Sullivan’s Steakhouse. Walking up to the hostess, I smiled.
“Good evening. How many I help you?” Just as I was about to say something, a hand was placed on my lower back. Smiling, I turned to see Elliot standing there. Oh my. He looked even more handsome out of his scrubs.
“Dr. Emmerson,” I purred.
Winking, Elliot whispered against my ear, “Cute, Sierra. Let’s eat, I’m starved.”
Allowing Elliot to guide me into the restaurant, I smiled bigger knowing Dodge’s plans were most likely ruined because he had to stay home and tend to a puppy while I spent the evening with Elliot. Probably the most handsome OB/GYN I’d ever laid my eyes on. Elliot had been asking me out for the last four months. Running into him at the grocery today was pure luck. When he asked me out to dinner, I was all too happy to say yes.
Operation: Move On From Dodge, had officially begun.
OPENING THE DOOR, I STARED at her. “What took you so long?”
Em pushed past me carrying about ten bags from PetSmart. “I had a long list of stuff to get for the sweet little baby.”
Rolling my eyes, I slammed the door shut. “You want her?”
Em started laughing. “Aaron, you know I can’t have dogs in my dorm.”
