Page 54 of One Bossy Date

His eyes narrowed. “You mean someone.”

I didn’t deny it, just shrugged.

“Is it that girl you fictitiously knocked up? Did she move in yet?”

“Yeah, Zoe moved in this morning,” I concluded.

“Well,” he clapped a hand on my shoulder, looking serious, “you’d best get back there and knock her up for real. Or Mom will kill you.”

I chuckled, swatting his hand away. “I don’t think so, bud.”

“Oh, I think so. Mom’s got herself all twisted up. She must be ecstatic that you found someone, bro.”

“I know.”

“And she’ll assume you’re staying in New York.”

“I figured.”

Dax laughed now. “You’refucked.”

“I know.”

“Well, then. As long as you know what kind of a shitshow you’ve created for yourself…” He turned and bade me goodbye.

“Oh, trust me,” I rumbled under my breath, putting my helmet on, “I know.”

* * *

The very moment I pulled up to my building, I noticed Zoe outside the main doors. She was walking down the street, wearing a free-flowing dress that flapped in the wind. It was the pinkest of pinks and reminded me of that lipstick she’d worn the first time we’d met.

“Hey,” I said, loudly enough for her to stop, spin around and widen her eyes at me.

“Hey…this is your bike?”

She had the fucking pink lipstick on again, and I could definitely tell that the dress was the exact same color.

“Yeah. Just finished a Sunday cruise.”

“Cool.” She crossed one leg over the other, seemingly unsure of what to say. “I was just going to visit that new coffee shop down the street.”

“Want company?”

“Yeah!”

“But you have to join me first,” I said.

“Where?”

I patted the seat behind me. “Hop on.”

Her face betrayed her anxiety—as it always did. “Oh, noway.” She waved her hands in front of her. “Not a chance in hell.” With a small nod, she pivoted on a heel, ready to walk away.

“Here,” I said and undid my helmet. “Put this on.”

“But I—”

“No backtalk.” I lifted the helmet off my head and held it out to her. “It’ll be fun. Just around the block, that’s it.”