Page 29 of Perfect Enough
“Ask away, Soph.”
Lord, the sound of my name coming out of his mouth made me wish Chloe wasn’t here.
I started talking. Fast. “My mother won’t give up on meeting you and my cousin is having a wedding this weekend, and it just so happens to be in Hamilton, at the country club there. I RSVP’d for one a number of weeks back, but that was before I got myself into this mess. And I promise you this will be theonlytime. I’ll tell my mother we broke up afterward, and she should give me a few months’ reprieve. But if you’re busy or working or something else–”
“Count me in.”
Chloe jumped up, a hand over her mouth.
“Are you sure?” I asked, looking at her with wide eyes. She started to jump around like a child, and I waved my hand for her to stop.
“I’m positive. I’m off this weekend, so it’s not any trouble at all.”
I smiled, relieved. “Thank you, Josh. So much.”
“If I do this for you, will you do something for me?”
My heart felt like it froze in my chest.Dear God, please don’t let him be like all the other men out there.
“It depends on what it is,” I answered cautiously.
“A fireman’s ball is coming up in a few weeks, and I don’t have a date. I’ll be forced to take one of my cousins if you say no, and it’s a small town, so all the guys will know it.”
I laughed. “Well, we wouldn’t want that.”
“No,” he replied. I could hear the smile in his voice. “We wouldn’t. Of course, strictly platonic. I’ll get a hotel room for you here in Hamilton so you don’t have to drive home late.”
Chloe put her hands to her heart and dropped back to the floor.
“I’d love to attend with you. I’m guessing it’s formal?”
“It is, so I hope that’s not a problem with a dress.”
I waved my hand, even though he couldn’t see me. “Not at all. I just attended a charity gala my father and mother cofounded years ago, and I have a dress. I have a closetful of formal gowns, actually, so it won’t be a problem.”
“Great. And for the wedding?”
“Oh, I’m just wearing a dress I picked up a few weeks ago. It’s not formal, yet it’s not casual. But I mean, it’s just…like a wedding-type dress. You know?”
Chloe stood and made a grab for the phone. I pushed her away and muted the speaker. “What are you doing?”
“He meant how shouldhedress for the wedding.”
My eyes widened. I unmuted the call. “I’m an idiot. You meant, what should you wear?”
“Yeah.” He chuckled.
“Um, it’s at the country club, so a suit if you have one?”
Another low laugh came over the phone, and I tried like hell to ignore how warm my entire body felt.
“I’ve got one or two lying around.”
Some sort of alarm went off.
“Soph, that’s the alarm. I have to run. I’ll call you tomorrow?”
“Yes. Okay. Sounds good. Be careful!”