AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Saturday at 6 p.m.? That’s close to dinner time. Am I supposed to starve, or was he expecting to eat with me?
Works for me.
I huff in annoyance.
I get through half of my sandwich before I look at my phone again. The message on my screen has me letting out a noise of indignation.
Good, it’s a date. Send your address, and I’ll pick you up. Wear something nice.
I quickly type back, hitting send with a triumphant grin.
It is not a date.
But my grin falls away as I receive his final message.
Whatever you say.
It has a winky face emoji that a man of his age does not need to be using.
Throwing my head back, I release a groan of frustration.
I am not looking forward to Saturday.
At all.
CHAPTER5
TYLER
Something tells me that spending time with Maria will be entertaining.
It’s not a date, though.
As much as I enjoyed teasing her about it, I doubt her father would appreciate me labeling it as such. This is nothing more than a meeting. A fancy restaurant and a nice meal to discuss business matters.
I reassure myself with this justification, attempting to quell any guilt that arises from flirting with her. Fantasizing about Maria in less-than-innocent ways is already toeing the line. Taking her out on anot-dateis treading dangerously close to a line I dare not cross.
Yet, despite my best intentions, Maria manages to make it difficult for me to stick to my resolve.
Arriving at her apartment complex, a weathered brick building that has certainly seen better days, I step out of my car and head toward the entrance.
Finding her name, I press the button next to it.
“It’s Tyler,” I say into the intercom, waiting for a reply.
“Just wait there. I’ll come down,” Maria answers, sounding only slightly irritated, which is better than I would have expected.
I give my outfit one last look over, making sure I’m put together. The light gray suit and a white button-up without a tie are swanky and professional, but less formal.
I straighten up as the entrance to the apartment building swings open to reveal Maria, who, dare I say, looks amazing.
She’s wearing an emerald green dress, the flowy material blowing slightly in the cool evening breeze. The short sleeves cover her shoulders, but the neckline plunges, though it isn’t wide, making it more modest. Two thin green straps cinch the waist, displaying a shapely figure that I can’t believe she’s been hiding this entire time.
“You clean up nice,” I tell her, loving the way she scowls at the wide smile that appears on my face.
I can tell she wants to say something snappy back but am pleasantly surprised as I watch her take a deep breath before cordially saying, “You as well.”
Her words only make the grin on my face widen, if that were even possible, which doesn’t go unnoticed by her.
