Page 5 of The Rules of Dating a Younger Man
“No, that wasn’t what insulted me.”
“That wasn’t? So something else I said insulted you?”
She looked at me a moment. “Such a shame. Because I find you attractive, too.”
“I’m confused. Why is that a shame?”
She shook her head. “Goodnight, Brayden. I’ll see you in the morning. Oh, and you don’t have to worry about which team I’m on. I’m happy on Alexandria’s team.”
“Alexandria’s team?”
“Oh. Did I say Alexandria’s team? I meant Alex’s team. I go by both names. Alexandria is my given name, after my grandmother. Alex for short.”
CHAPTER 2
Alex
“Hey. Could I talk to you a minute?”
The next afternoon, Brayden came into the upstairs bedroom as I was finishing taking measurements. I pressed the button to retract the measuring tape, plucked the pencil out from behind my ear, and lifted my notepad off the floor.
“Sure,” I told him. “I’m almost finished. Just let me write this number down so I don’t forget it.”
It was the first time the two of us had been alone together since I’d left the bar last night. When I’d arrived at the house this morning, the other team leader was already here. The three of us had talked for a while, and then Brayden had run out to pick up a long list of supplies. Twenty volunteers were scheduled to arrive at eight AM tomorrow morning, so each of us had a lot to do to prepare.
It was no surprise that Brayden had mistaken me for a man in our email exchanges, and I’d managed to avoid any conversation about last night until now. I wasn’t really upset with him for calling me a pain in the ass, especially not after I’d gone back to my room and looked through our messages back and forth. I had suggested a lot of changes, but it was only because I wanted the house to come out perfect. Plus, I’d been called particular and extremely detail-oriented by people before, including my business partner, which was just the polite way of saying pain in the ass. So it wasn’t news to me that I was picky. I was more upset with myself than Brayden—for allowing myself to feel tingly over a man. I hadn’t done that since my husband died three years ago, and guilt weighed on me, even though I knew I had nothing to be guilty about. Besides, Brayden was too young for me anyway.
I finished scribbling in my notepad and flipped it closed. “What’s up?”
Brayden raked a hand through his hair. “I want to apologize for last night.”
“It’s fine.” I shrugged. “I realize I can be difficult. But it’s because I want to do a good job.”
“I should never have spoken poorly about anyone who volunteers. You’re doing a good thing, and I was being a jackass. I really am sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
He extended a hand. “Friends?”
I nodded and shook. “Sure.”
I hated that the tingly feeling I’d had last night came rushing back as soon as I put my hand in his. I also couldn’t help but notice how big his hand was, and how warm it felt wrapped around mine. I pulled away as quickly as possible, a fraction of a second longer than coming off as hasty.
Brayden tilted his head toward the front door. “Do you want to take a ride to Home Depot with me? You can help me pick out the moldings.”
“Do you want my opinion, or are you asking because you realize I obviously like to give it?”
Brayden smiled. “I’m going to go with honest here. Both.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. But I’m joining you because I saw the vanity you picked out when it was delivered this morning.”
“What’s wrong with the vanity?”
“Nothing. If you live in a dorm room.”
“It’s simple. I like simple.”
“It was the first one that came up on the website, wasn’t it?”