Page 57 of The Last Date

“Oh wow,” she murmured, “That’s really sweet.”

“If you have any lucky days, or a date that’s meaningful to you, I’m fine to switch it.”

“No – almost the longest day of the year is perfect,” she said. She kissed me gently at first, then suddenly I was on my back with her on top of me.

“Don’t move your leg too much,” I murmured, gripping her back to roll her gently off me.

“I sort of forgot about it,” she laughed.

“And I almost forgot about this.” Standing us both up, I pointed out a little cut glass dish on the shelf near the main easel. “That’s for your ring, and any other jewelry that you don’t want to get paint on,” I said.

Sasha’s fingers gripped my bicep. “I can’t believe you thought of that,” she exclaimed.

“When I was designing this room for you, I stood here and tried to think of anything and everything you could possibly need.” I pointed to a shelf. “There’s also a mug warmer for your coffee, and to keep it far away from your paint water.”

“You’re amazing,” she said softly, taking my hand. “This date has been better than I could have ever imagined.”

“Then I should probably take you to bed and see if I can get lucky.” My eyebrows jumped up and down as I stared pointedly at her breasts.

“Pig,” she giggled.

“Watch it, this pig is your fiancé now.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

* Sasha *

As we walked upstairs to Oakley’s bedroom, I couldn’t stop smiling. I couldn’t believe that everything had happened so fast, but still felt perfectly right. We were meant to be, and we both knew it. There was no sense trying to be normal. We weren’t. As a team, we were extraordinary.

Long ago, I thought that my parents were extraordinary, but as I grew up and got to know them as people, and their friends, I realized that they were completely average in every way. Even if my mother was sometimes bossy.

“Oh my god.” I stopped so fast I had to grab the railing.

“What’s wrong?”

“Everything’s fine.” I dug my phone out of my purse on the way to his room, sitting on the bed as I crafted a text.

“Can that wait?” Oakley asked.

“No. I thought of how to set my father straight.”

He chuckled. “Really? How is that?”

“I’m telling my mother on him .”

Oakley’s laugh sputtered out like a strangled choke. “That’s brilliant.”

He stared as my fingers flew over the glass, and I held the phone so he could read the screen.

Me: Dad got his bank to decline Oakley’s credit card tonight in an attempt to embarrass him on our date. Then he had those credit cards stop working at all six of the Eastman Corporation restaurants.

Me: I don’t care if he never wants to speak to me again, but damaging someone’s business, causing stress for the employees, and possibly ruining the night for diners is completely unforgivable, not to mention tacky. I would have thought better of him.

I was relieved that Mom was still checking her phone this late.

Mom: Is this some sort of sick joke?

Me: Not at all. Look him in the eyes and ask him about it.

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