Page 5 of New Resolutions

“Use mine.” I tip my head, and she gives me a small nod as we exit the room. Once outside I hand her my phone already open on a new message screen. “Tell her we’re going to walk along the pier and stop at Redman’s for fries and shakes.”

“I love shakes.” She says, giving me another big smile before typing away and sending the message.

“They have the best in the world. Go ahead and put her contact information in there so you can text her again if you need to.”

She does as I ask so sweetly. I take her hand in mine and pull her out the door of the building. The guard on the door gives me a small wave as his mouth hangs open in disbelief at the fact I’m with someone. Once we are outside, I turn us so we can walk to the pier before I look down at her feet -which are just as tiny as the rest of her- and the heels she has on.

“Let’s take a cab.”

“Are you sure? It’s not very far.”

“There is no way in hell I’m letting you walk that far in those things knowing I could have done something to prevent all the pain I’m sure that will cause.”

She gives me a half smile before looking down herself. “I’m not really used to wearing them. Maybe a cab wouldn’t be such a bad idea.”

I easily hail us one and let her slide in first. She reaches into the top of her dress sending my eyebrows to my hairline. She finally fishes out a neatly folded rectangle of money before I stop her.

“Why don’t you keep that where you had it, and I’ll take care of everything.”

“Oh no! I couldn’t. I wouldn’t want you to think…well, to expect something because you pay for everything.”

“Wait, what?” I have a feeling I'm not going to like her answer.

“Well, some guys think if they…not that you are one of those guys, but…um,”

“Some guys think what?” She looks like she might not want to tell me, but I want to know who I have to kill for making my angel worry her bottom lip like she is doing now.

“They think if they pay for everything you should, um, put out for them. And I just didn’t want you to think…”

“Put out for them?”

She nods and drops her gaze to where her hands are clutched around the money.

“Has anyone ever done that to you?” I want names.

“Well, no. I don’t, um, date. Not that this is a date. Some of my friends have had it happen to them and one of them had it end badly. I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s not like this is…that.”

Something she says catches my attention. She doesn’t date. Why?

“Why don’t you date?”

Chapter Five

Charity

“Why…uh, what?” I’ve lost track of the conversation again. And we are out of time for me to figure it out because the taxi has pulled over.

My mystery man slips the driver money and opens the door for us to get out. He waits for me to step out before asking me his question again.

“Why don’t you date?”

“Oh, um, well, it’s not necessarily that I don’t as much as I’ve not…ever, before.”

“So, no one has ever done what you were describing to me to you?” He seems mad and I immediately wish my big mouth would stop spilling every thought that enters my head.

I was really looking forward to that shake he talked about. Now, I’m pretty sure I talked myself out of it by being an idiot…again.

“Did anyone try to force you to do that?”

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