house, maybe grill hamburgers and enjoy some beers. Mom will be in Miami this weekend on business, and Dad has a meeting with some general on the air force base in Panama City, so the house will be free.”
Tripp’s face changed from a grimace to pleasant. “A barbecue I can do. Has Duke agreed yet? If his schedule is free, I know mine is too.”
I slipped my fingers into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone. I dialed Duke’s number before putting it on speakerphone.
“Hey, babe, how’s your day going?” he asked.
A grin took hold of my face. “It’s going great so far. I have you on speakerphone with Tripp and Megan. I invited them to get together with us on Saturday night for a barbecue at my parents’ house. Does that work with your schedule?”
I could hear Duke clicking away on the computer in front of him, probably checking his calendar. “Yeah, Saturday night works.”
I shimmied in excitement. “Perfect. It’s a double-date. Call me when you’re finished with work.” Pressing the end button on my cell, I smiled up at Tripp. “I guess your schedule is free.”
Megan stood on her tiptoes and pressed a flirty kiss to Tripp’s lips. “This is so exciting, I can’t wait.”
The days passed so slowly that week. Duke had an emergency for work and had to fly out Monday night and wasn’t sure he was going to be back in time for our Saturday night double-date; but I wasn’t ready to cancel just yet. Although, by the time Friday rolled around, I was beginning to think he wasn’t going to be there.
As Megan and I made our way to our cars, she popped open her trunk and slung a folder full of papers that needed grading into the back, then closed it shut with a loud thump. Her poor car , I thought. She was so rough on them she had to get a new one every year, but then again, those were the perks of having an uncle who owned a high-end car dealership.
“Why don’t we go do some retail therapy? That way, if Duke doesn’t make it home in time for our double-date tomorrow night, I’ll ditch Tripp, and you and I can go out for a night on the town.”
I thought about her offer for a nanosecond before answering. “Reason number ten bazillion you are my very best friend.”
I hopped into my car and hollered out the window, “Follow me to the house so I can drop off my car.”
We both pulled out of the teachers’ parking lot and took off toward my house. My windows were down, chilly air swirled my hair, and country music blasted through the speakers.
When the two of us left the mall, I turned to Megan. “I still haven’t heard from him, and as much as going out for a night on the town sounds marvelous, I really want to have Duke home to get the four of us together.” I turned to look out the window, and my phone vibrated in my lap. I heard his deep voice when I answered it.
“Hey, babe, how was work?” he asked.
Excited, I responded, “Great, but I’m glad the weekend is finally here.” I paused for a moment. “Speaking of, do you think you’ll make it back into town for tomorrow night?”
I heard his sigh through the speakers. “I’m really trying.”
I tried to push the disappointment away. “Okay, I understand. I miss you.”
“Miss you too. I’ll call you later.”
When I hung up, Megan did her best to distract me. “So, what kind of trouble are we getting into tomorrow night?”
I forced my building bad attitude aside. “The bad kind,” I said as I winked over at my best friend.
The next night, Megan and I were getting ready as I slid my feet into my favorite pair of peep-toe heels, admiring my outfit in the mirror. “Damn, I look good.”
Megan let out a loud laugh from the inside of my closet. “You are so full of yourself!”
I posed and snapped a quick selfie then shot back, “I think I have every reason to be.”
Her laughter continued but was unexpectedly interrupted.
“I couldn’t agree more,” a deep voice echoed from the doorway.
My head whipped to
Tripp’s face changed from a grimace to pleasant. “A barbecue I can do. Has Duke agreed yet? If his schedule is free, I know mine is too.”
I slipped my fingers into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone. I dialed Duke’s number before putting it on speakerphone.
“Hey, babe, how’s your day going?” he asked.
A grin took hold of my face. “It’s going great so far. I have you on speakerphone with Tripp and Megan. I invited them to get together with us on Saturday night for a barbecue at my parents’ house. Does that work with your schedule?”
I could hear Duke clicking away on the computer in front of him, probably checking his calendar. “Yeah, Saturday night works.”
I shimmied in excitement. “Perfect. It’s a double-date. Call me when you’re finished with work.” Pressing the end button on my cell, I smiled up at Tripp. “I guess your schedule is free.”
Megan stood on her tiptoes and pressed a flirty kiss to Tripp’s lips. “This is so exciting, I can’t wait.”
The days passed so slowly that week. Duke had an emergency for work and had to fly out Monday night and wasn’t sure he was going to be back in time for our Saturday night double-date; but I wasn’t ready to cancel just yet. Although, by the time Friday rolled around, I was beginning to think he wasn’t going to be there.
As Megan and I made our way to our cars, she popped open her trunk and slung a folder full of papers that needed grading into the back, then closed it shut with a loud thump. Her poor car , I thought. She was so rough on them she had to get a new one every year, but then again, those were the perks of having an uncle who owned a high-end car dealership.
“Why don’t we go do some retail therapy? That way, if Duke doesn’t make it home in time for our double-date tomorrow night, I’ll ditch Tripp, and you and I can go out for a night on the town.”
I thought about her offer for a nanosecond before answering. “Reason number ten bazillion you are my very best friend.”
I hopped into my car and hollered out the window, “Follow me to the house so I can drop off my car.”
We both pulled out of the teachers’ parking lot and took off toward my house. My windows were down, chilly air swirled my hair, and country music blasted through the speakers.
When the two of us left the mall, I turned to Megan. “I still haven’t heard from him, and as much as going out for a night on the town sounds marvelous, I really want to have Duke home to get the four of us together.” I turned to look out the window, and my phone vibrated in my lap. I heard his deep voice when I answered it.
“Hey, babe, how was work?” he asked.
Excited, I responded, “Great, but I’m glad the weekend is finally here.” I paused for a moment. “Speaking of, do you think you’ll make it back into town for tomorrow night?”
I heard his sigh through the speakers. “I’m really trying.”
I tried to push the disappointment away. “Okay, I understand. I miss you.”
“Miss you too. I’ll call you later.”
When I hung up, Megan did her best to distract me. “So, what kind of trouble are we getting into tomorrow night?”
I forced my building bad attitude aside. “The bad kind,” I said as I winked over at my best friend.
The next night, Megan and I were getting ready as I slid my feet into my favorite pair of peep-toe heels, admiring my outfit in the mirror. “Damn, I look good.”
Megan let out a loud laugh from the inside of my closet. “You are so full of yourself!”
I posed and snapped a quick selfie then shot back, “I think I have every reason to be.”
Her laughter continued but was unexpectedly interrupted.
“I couldn’t agree more,” a deep voice echoed from the doorway.
My head whipped to
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