Mom and Dad looked at each other. I resisted biting my bottom lip because I’d forced them into a corner. Ashley deserved a night off, and their son, who’d just said nice things to them, needed a night out.
“Fine, but you’re paying for carry-out,” Mom said.
I peeled off another large bill and counted that as a win. Dad never had a chance; Mom snatched the money off the table. On top of that, I bet he would end up paying for the food. I would have to settle up with him later.
◊◊◊
I drove over to Ashley’s condo to pick her up. The plan was to bring Dawson, Allen, and Carol to my house. She met me at the door in a robe.
“Can you take them to your mom’s and come back to get me?” she asked, looking frazzled.
“Sure, no problem,” I said. I gathered up the giant diaper bag and loaded the little ones in their triple stroller.
When I made it back to my house, Ms. Lawrie, our new nanny, was there with Peggy to help me take the munchkins in. It seemed my mom had learned her lesson about watching all five on her own. She’d recruited help.
As I was leaving, Peggy stopped me.
“Tell Ashley she can pick them up in the morning.”
“I’m sure she’ll appreciate being able to sleep in,” I said.
I swear the little rug-rats had internal clocks that told them when it was the crack of dawn.
When I got back into the car, I sent Ashley a text to tell her I was on my way. When I got there, she was waiting downstairs. I jumped out of the car to open her door for her.
“Careful. You keep it up, and I’ll think this is a real date,” Ashley said.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
◊◊◊
Our House was the perfect place to take Ashley. She was older, so she didn’t really want to go to State and to a college hangout. Our House had become the local hot spot where the young professionals went on Friday and Saturday nights. Mary Dole tried to book bands that were fun to dance to, which turned the place into more of a bar-like atmosphere after the dinner rush.
We had a great meal, and Ashley had ordered herself wine. By the time we’d finished eating, she was visibly starting to relax and enjoy herself.
“Man, I needed a night out. Thank you for calling me, even if it was last minute.”
“I was going to stay in and study. My friends and parents pointed out that I should do something fun. I thought about everyone I knew, and you were the most pathetic, so I figured you’d be willing to go out with me,” I shot back.
“So, this is a mercy date?”
“Absolutely.”
“Even so, thank you, and next time you need a last-minute girl, give me a call. I am a little pathetic right now and am in no position to turn anything down.”
The twinkle in her eyes told me that she was playing along. Any guy would be lucky to be out with her. When I first met her, she had my full attention. As I glanced around the room, I’d noticed some of the younger professional types checking her out.
“Are you telling me that no one hits on you? I find that almost impossible to believe.”
“When they find out I have two boys, they run. No one my age wants an instant family. I’ve had some older guys show some interest, but I’m not into that,” she admitted.
“I thought all girls were into older guys.”
“That might have been the case when I was in high school, and the boys there were so immature, but once I got into college, that lost its appeal.”
“What about younger guys?” I asked.
“I fell for that once but got burned. The guy slept with me, but he also slept with my best friend, knocked us both up, and then left.”
“Well, the good thing about younger guys is they grow up.”
She reached across the table and captured my hand.
“That they do,” she said as the band started to play. “Dance with me.”
That I could do.
We danced for the whole first set the band played. Ashley was fun to be with. We returned to the table and found a couple had taken up residence since the restaurant had filled up with the ‘bar crowd.’
“We hope you don’t mind we claimed seats. Your waitress said it would probably be okay,” the guy said.
They introduced themselves as Bryce and Pat. It turned out that Ashley knew them. They were both real estate agents and worked for what my mom called one of the ‘big box stores’—a branch of a prominent national chain. My mom always quipped that their agents were as full of hot air as their balloon logo. When she said that, I would smirk because she used to work for them before she went out on her own.
Bryce looked to be in his late twenties and had packed on a few pounds, as tended to happen. He was full of himself. Bryce had just sold a house and gotten paid. I think he was trying to impress Pat. Pat was good-looking and knew it, and she clearly had zero interest in Bryce. I got the impression she wasn’t against spending his commission check, though.
Things took a turn when Pat figured out who I was.
“You’re
