Page 18 of Blush
While I order a third plate of nachos.
Chapter Six
Jackson
Dylan Andrews won’t be getting a promotion anytime soon. Going out for drinks tonight was his idea, not mine, and I agreed, since my date fell through. He works under me, and he’s gunning for a recommendation to the IT department. I’m in marketing management. So was he, until he finished his master’s degree in computer information systems. Now he wants to switch departments, and they want my recommendation.
Fine. Maybe I’ll give the recommendation just to get him the hell out of my department. If he thinks asking me to have drinks with him and then picking up a woman instead of talking to me will get him where he wants to be, he’s deluded.
Isabella Phillips is tall and great on her feet, and she’s not a big talker, so I can concentrate on the music.
I’ve danced with Mandy on occasion, but it felt…weird.
Both right and wrong.
In truth? Mandy’s a beautiful woman, and if she weren’t my Mandy Cake…
I’ve had some very un-best-friend-like thoughts about her lately.
But I can’t allow myself to go there. I don’t want to ruin her. In her sweet and innocent way, she’s so perfect, and nothing should taint that.
Least of all me and my limitations.
The song ends, and a slow dance begins. Before I can stop her, Isabella entwines her arms around my neck and we’re moving gently to the music. I glance over to the table. Mandy is noshing on more nachos, and if she sees Isabella and me, she makes no indication of it.
The next time I look back at the table, Mandy’s gone.
…
I call her an hour later.
“Jack?” she says into her phone. “It’s eleven o’clock.”
“I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. You seemed to leave the bar in a hurry.”
“Didn’t Frankie tell you? I have an early meeting in the morning with Lily.”
“She didn’t mention it.”
In truth, I didn’t ask Frankie or anyone else where Mandy had run off to. Once I disentangled myself from Isabella, I took care of the tab and left. When I got back to my place, I called Mandy.
“Oh,” she says. “Well, I do.”
I don’t call her out on the lie. She never has an early meeting with Lily. Lily lives on the West Coast, so she’s on Pacific time. Here in New York, we’re on Eastern time so even a six o’clock a.m. meeting would be nine o’clock for Mandy.
Why is she lying to me?
More and more, we seem to be growing apart.
I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. We’re different in so many ways. I want Mandy to be happy, and I know I’m not the one who can give her that.
Maybe I could try fixing her up. I work with some young men who might be right for her. Maybe someone in HR.
“Jack? You still there?”
I clear my throat. “Yeah, I’m here. I’m sorry I bothered you. You want to have lunch tomorrow?”
“Sure. Just text me where and when.”