I wake up Monday morning grateful for our early close the night before. It meant I could actually wake up on the first alarm at eleven o’clock, instead of hitting snooze three times.
I quickly get ready as my nerves start to kick in. I’m excited to be going for a run with Theo but I’m nervous of how he will be with me. I don’t really know where we stand with the whole mating thing. Was it just an act or was it real?
When the clock reads three o’clock, I accept that I’ve been stood up.
Relief washes over me when the phone rings half an hour later.
I can hear Benji answer it in the lounge room. “Hello.” I’m not close enough to hear the person on the other end. If I was in the same room as him I would hear them no problem, but I’d been sulking in my room.
I dash through the apartment.
“Yes, you’ve got the right number. I’ll just get her for you.” He holds the phone out towards me, mouthing the name. ‘Emmanuel.’ I can’t help feeling disappointed.
I take the phone and try not to sound as disappointed as I feel. “Hi Emmanuel, how are you?”
“Good thanks, Rosabel. I just wondered if you wanted to go out again. Misty told me it’s your night off.”
Another date? Part of me doesn’t want to. I can’t stop thinking about Theo. I should accept that Theo doesn’t want me and see where things go with Emmanuel? “Yeah, that sounds good, do you mind if we just go to Misty’s though? It wasn’t busy last night and I feel like I had a night off. I’d like to be there to help if things get busy.”
“That’s fine. I was going to suggest Misty’s anyway. Seven thirty sound okay?”
“Perfect, I’ll see you later.”
“Bye,” he says before disconnecting the call.
I place the phone back in its cradle on the sideboard.
“Ooh, a second date,” Benji teases taking a seat on the sofa.
Misty walks in from the kitchen, practically jumping up and down. Obviously she’s been earwigging on the phone call. “I’ll entertain Benji at the bar. I might even let him help me out behind it.”
“Sorry, Benji, but Misty you might not want to do that. Benji has two left hands. They just don’t seem to coordinate,” I warn deadly serious.