Page 39 of The Plus One Professional
“Call if you need anything. I can be home in two hours,” I told her for probably the hundredth time.
“We’ll be fine,” she assured me, probably for the hundredth time.
“Arthur said you can use the Cadillac if you need to, or Uber, of course.”
Although Arthur didn’t drive much anymore, he still had a license and a classic 1959 Cadillac de Ville that was in perfect condition. Usually, I drove my work truck, and Sara had the Expedition; not that she drove much either. But I couldn’t take my work truck to Napa, so I had to take the SUV.
“Leave. Now. Go. Have fun.” She opened the door and shooed me out of the apartment.
I kissed her on the top of the head and said a silent prayer that I was doing the right thing, and that they would all be okay.
On the drive over to pick up Bailey, I felt the nerves I’d been suppressing begin to percolate. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt any butterflies in my stomach over the opposite sex. It had to be when I was in middle school and saw Lindsay for the first time. I wish I could say that over the years, the butterflies had gone away, but even after ten years together, I’d still felt them every time I saw her until the day she was gone.
It was the same feeling I’d gotten the first time I’d seen Bailey. A bride was yelling at her about flowers or something, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Even in the face of being screamed at, she had this calm, angelic energy that I’d been mesmerized by. She captivated me in that moment, and, all these months later, I was still under her spell.
I pulled up to her apartment complex, a brick building with black trim and vines growing up one side. It had a modern storybook feel that reflected what I’d observed about Bailey. I texted her that I was out front. I would have parked and gone to her door, but since parking was so bad on her street, she told me just to let her know when I was there and she’d come down. So that’s what I did. She immediately messaged me back, saying she was on her way.
As I waited, I glanced inside the SUV, making sure that there were no Capri Sun pouches, candy bar wrappers, crumbs, or empty water bottles. I’d detailed it the day before, but I’d dropped the twins off for school this morning, and it was mind-boggling how quickly they could make a mess.
I was turning back around in my seat when I saw her emerge from the building. Her hair was pulled back off her face, and she wore a white V-neck T-shirt, jeans, and white Vans sneakers. It was the most casual outfit I’d seen her in. She looked adorable and somehow even more like my dream girl. Seeing her in jeans and a T-shirt conjured visions of curling up on a couch with her, of shopping at the farmer’s market, going to the movies and dinners, walking by the water at Crissy Field—all of the things people did in relationships. It had been so long since I’d had any desire to do any of those things. I’d just put them out of my mind after Lindsay left.
A single suitcase trailed behind her. The large black bag that I’d seen her carrying several times before was over one shoulder, and she was holding up a garment bag. I got out and opened the liftgate.
She met me in the back of the Escalade, smiling widely. “Hi.”
“You look… amazing.” I wanted to say adorable, but I didn’t know how she would take that.
“You don’t have to say that.” She glanced down at herself, appearing self-conscious.
“I know I don’t.” I lifted her suitcase and put it beside my duffle bag. Then I hung up her garment bag beside mine. I motioned to her bag. “Do you want me to put that back here?”
“No, that’s okay.” She patted it.
I’d hoped that once I saw her, the nerves that I’d been battling would chill the fuck out, but if anything, they’d only increased. I shut the liftgate, walked to the passenger side, and opened the door.
“A gentleman. Thank you.”
“Arthur would never forgive me if I didn’t open a lady’s door.”
“He’s old school, just like my Granddad. I appreciate it.” She smiled as she climbed inside, and I shut the door.
I walked around the driver’s side and realized my palms were damp. My nerves had caused my hands to become sweaty. Before opening the door, I wiped them on my jean-covered thighs and told myself to get it together. This was just a weekend at a vineyard with someone I was excited to spend time with. That’s it. We weren’t the ones getting married. Although I wouldn’t be upset if we were.
We started driving and Bailey put our destination address in the SatNav.
“Thank you for driving. And agreeing to come,” Bailey said as I pulled onto the 101.
“I’ve been looking forward to it.” I flexed, then closed my fingers around the steering wheel.
“You don’t have to keep saying stuff like that. I mean, this isn’t a real date—this is your job, so you don’t have to say nice things.”
This weekend was going to be really long if, every time I complimented her, she told me I didn’t have to say that. Instead of addressing it now, I just ignored it. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve gone away, even for a weekend. It’s been…years.”
Six years, to be exact. Not that I was counting. The last getaway I’d had was when Lindsay and I went to Big Bear to celebrate our high school graduation. Three weeks later, Peter went to the doctor for a headache, and the nightmare began.
“Really?!” Bailey was clearly surprised by my admission.
“Yeah.”
