Page 34 of Summer Weddings
“You didn’t have to. I could see it in your face.”
Jeff was ready to leave a few minutes later, just as Robin was getting dressed. He stood outside her bedroom door and shouted that Kelly and her mom were there to pick him up.
“Have fun. I won’t be any later than ten-thirty,” she assured him.
“Can’t I wait for you over at Cole’s after the movie?”
“Absolutely not!” Robin’s heart skidded to a dead stop at the suggestion. The last person she wanted to face at the end of this evening was Cole Camden. “You didn’t ask him, did you?”
“No…but I’m not all that excited about going to Kelly’s. I’m there every day, you know.”
“Sweetie, I’m sorry. I promise I won’t be late.”
“You’re sure I can’t go over to Cole’s?”
“Jeffrey Leonard Masterson, don’t youdarebother Cole. Do you understand me?”
He blinked. She rarely used that tone with him, but she didn’t have the time or energy to argue about this.
“I guess,” he said with an exaggerated sigh. “But could you make it home by ten?”
“Why ten?”
“Because I don’t want to do anything stupid like fall asleep in front of Kelly,” he whispered heatedly.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Robin said.
Glancing at her clock radio, she gasped at the time. She was running late. From the moment she’d made the arrangements to meet Frank, she hadn’t given the reality of this evening much thought. Just forcing herself to go through with it had depleted her of energy.
Robin had always hated situations like this. Always. She was going to a strange restaurant, meeting a strange man, and for what? She didn’t know.
Tucking her feet into her pumps, Robin hurried to the bathroom to spray on a little perfume. Not much, just enough to give herself some confidence. She rushed down the stairs and reached for her purse.
Her hand was on the doorknob when the phone rang. For a moment, Robin intended to ignore it. It was probably for Jeff. But what if the call was from her parents? Or Frank—calling to cancel? Ridiculous though it was, each ring sounded more urgent than the last. She’d have to answer or she’d spend all evening wondering who it was. Muttering under her breath, she dashed into the kitchen.
“Hello,” she said impatiently.
At first there was no response. “Robin, it’s Cole.” He sounded nothing like himself. “I lied.” With that the line was abruptly disconnected.
Robin held the receiver away from her ear and stared at it for several seconds. He’d lied? About what? Good heavens, why had he even phoned? To tell her he’d lied.
There wasn’t time to phone him back and ask what he’d meant.
* * *
“Would you care for something to drink?” Frank Eberle asked, glancing over the wine list.
“Nothing, thanks,” Robin said. Frank had turned out to be a congenial sort,which was a pleasant surprise. He was quite attractive, with light blue eyes and a thick head of distinguished-looking salt-and-pepper hair. Angela had once mentioned he was “a little bit” shy, which had panicked Robin since she was a whole lot shy, at least around men. The way she’d figured it, they’d stare at each other most of the night, with no idea what to say. However, they did have Angela in common. Whereas with Cole, all she shared was—
Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt. She refused to think about her neighbor or his last-minute phone call. She balked at the idea of dining with one man while wistfully longing for another—which was exactly what she was doing.
Robin studied the menu, pretending to decide between the prime-rib special and the fresh halibut. But the entire time she stared at the menu, she was racking her brain for a topic of conversation.
Frank saved her the trouble. “For once,” he said, “Angela didn’t exaggerate. You’re a delightful surprise.”
“I am?” It was amusing to hear him echo her own reaction.
Frank nodded, his smile reserved. “When Angie phoned earlier in the week, I wasn’t sure what to expect. She keeps wanting me to date her friends. And to hear her talk, she’s close friends with dozens of gorgeous women all interested in meeting me.”
