Page 73 of Last on the List
Me: That is such a caveman thing to say.
Max: I’ve been driving to the office hard every day this week. The new rule stands.
Me: Well then, I get a new rule too.
Max: Hit me.
Me: You need to have your tie tied before you come out of your bedroom.
Max: Seriously?
Me: Yes. I’m two seconds away from grabbing onto it and dragging you into me.
Max: That sounds like a “you” problem.
Me: Tie your tie, and no one gets hurt.
Max: Fine. I’ll have Marcia fax you the updated list of rules.
Me: Nobody faxes anymore, Zaddy.
I’m smiling like a loon when I look up to see Dakota propped on the counter directly across from me, eyeing me with a knowing smirk. I glance past her to see that Everly is humming to herself as she continues her tie-dye work. I snap a quick pic.
“Have something you’d like to share with the class?” I state coyly before shooting the picture off to Max.
Dakota’s voice is low enough Everly can’t hear when she says, “What could I possibly have to say about my best friend bagging a Zaddy?”
I giggle and shake my head, instantly picturing Max when he said Zaddy back to me. God, I love that he wasn’t too cool to say it. “Wonders never cease.”
“Oh, I didn’t wonder,” she corrects. “I knew the minute I picked you up at his house that this wouldn’t be a clean summer.”
“How did you know?”
She sighs. “I’m a Zaddy whisperer.”
“Shut up.” I bark out a laugh and then lower my voice so Everly can’t overhear. “Seriously, this week…he’s come over like five times.”
Dakota’s eyes widen. “That’s a lot ofcoming.”
“Shhh.” I press my finger to my lips and feel my cheeks burning. “I didn’t expect it to feel so…natural.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, he’s…” I close my eyes and shake my head. “So good.”
“Details, whore.” Dakota eyes me like a seagull on a beach looking for food.
“Not now.” I glance over at Everly whose tongue is sticking out of her mouth as she struggles to seal the ziplock bag. “Drinks this weekend maybe?”
“It’s a date.”
I nod, pleased that we’ve made plans. “I need to act like I still have a life outside of him. I don’t want to freak him out like I’m catching feelings.”
“Are you?”
“No,” I reply quickly. “I mean, I like him, but he keeps mentioning this big corporate merger coming up in a couple of months, and I seriously try to tune him out every time he talks about it just so I don’t have a panic attack. But it sounds like his business is going to be giant after that, which isn’t my gig. I know that corporate grind world, and I want nothing to do with it.”
Dakota nods thoughtfully for a moment before asking, “Have you given any more thought to Kate’s business proposition?”
