Page 25 of Miss Treated

Her reaction was stunned as if it hadn’t crossed her mind I’d want to ask her out for an actual date.

“I don’t think— I mean I’m not— I don’t—”

Watching her fumble for words, clearly uneasy, was making me uncomfortable too. “It’s okay for you to simply say no, Kelsey. I didn’t mean to make thinks awkward.”

“You haven’t. I’m just really terrible at this stuff.”

“At what stuff? Going out on a date?”

“It’s been a while. I’m not sure what time I’ll be home on Sunday.”

It had been a while? How the hell was that possible? She was stunning, smart, and funny. “How about you think about it and call me Sunday to let me know? Then you can enjoy your weekend and feel no pressure about coming back by a certain time.”

Of course I’d be sitting like a pathetic lump waiting for the phone call on Sunday, but I’d take waiting over her giving me a flat “no” right now.

“Okay. Yeah, I can call you.”

The next day I emailed Kelsey a generic message of, “Here’s my number. Have a good trip home.”

She replied with, “Thanks. Have a good weekend.”

Probably for the best she hadn’t given me her cell phone number. I wasn’t sure I could be trusted with it. I might do something stupid like text her tonight saying I wished we were in my office having dinner together.

At least I had the charity ball this evening to keep me distracted. I’d brought my tux to the office since the gala started at six o’clock. My cousin Ava was meeting me here so she, her mother, Sophia, and I could all go to the event together.

I’d just changed over to black tie when my phone rang with Sophia’s number. “I’m about to go downstairs,” I told her.

“Good. Ava is downstairs, but I need more time before I can leave. I’ll meet you two at the event.”

“We could wait for you?”

“Darling, your mother will be irritated to hear I’m running late, but she’d be truly pissed if I made you and Ava late too. Go. I’ll see you there in a bit.”

She wasn’t wrong. Mom would be upset if there were three empty spots at the table she’d purchased. “All right. See you there.”

I took the elevator down but didn’t see Ava in the lobby. So I stepped outside and there she was, walking toward me in a red sequined gown, short enough to cause real worry about her ability to get in and out of my Bronco.

“Hi, Nicky. My mom call you?”

“She did.” I hugged her, giving her cheek a kiss. “You look beautiful.”

Ava worked as a real estate agent for her father. She’d been the top earner there for two years running and had done a great job helping me find my condo. Although she might look like the consummate Southern California party girl, with her long blond extensions and designer clothing, she was an incredible business woman.

“Thank you. Won’t all the girls be jealous when I walk in with the most eligible bachelor? I should auction off your phone number. Now there’s where the charity could make some real money.”

Yet the one woman who had my number probably wouldn’t even call. But I couldn’t allow myself to dwell on Kelsey and her possible rejection right now. She’d either call me on Sunday or she wouldn’t. “Funny.”

As we turned to walk toward the company parking lot, I heard a familiar voice.

“Nic.”

Ah, shit. It was Shauna. Her gaze locked on my date.

“Do me a favor, Ava, please.”

She groaned. “Seriously? You owe me, cousin.”

Thank you, I mouthed before turning toward the sales manager. “Hi, Shauna, how are you tonight?”