“OH NO,” MIKE said, coming up to where I was seated in the back of the rig checking inventory the next day.
“What’s wrong?”
He scrunched up his nose. “You’ve got that butt-ugly grin on your face again.”
“Screw off.” I rolled my eyes and went back to my checklist.
“This have something to do with why you stood me and Deb up last night? You get a better offer?” he teased.
“Look, no offense, because you know I love you guys, but I can think of about a million different things I’d rather be doing instead of getting set up.”
“You’re avoiding my question.”
“I’m not.”
“Dude. You are. Who’s the cause of you lookin’ way too happy this morning?”
“Why does it have to be a who? Maybe I finally got some damn sleep. Itwasmy day off.”
Mike snorted. “I guaran-fucking-tee sleep is one thing you did not get.”
“You’re a perv.”
“And you’re holding out on me.”
I knew Mike well enough to know he wouldn’t stop poking until the truth came out. Served me right, because when the shoe was on the other foot, I’d do the same.
Lowering the clipboard, I said, “If I tell you, you have to promise not to go all big deal about it.”
“Sooo, it’s a big deal but you don’t want me to act like it is? Got it.”
“That’s not—” Sighing, I shook my head and then proceeded to give him the condensed version of how Reid and I had run into each other and become friendly over the last couple of days. I hadn’t even gotten through the part about dinner tonight when he interrupted me.
“Whoa, whoa, hold on a sec. You’re seeing him again? Tonight?”
Oh, here we go.“We’re just gonna go down to Fisherman’s Grill?—”
“Shut the hell up,” Mike said, then whooped loud enough that one of our coworkers stuck her head inside to see what the commotion was about. Mike was oblivious as he pointed at me. “Yo, that’s a date.”
“It’s not a date.”
“Itisa date.”
“It’s dinner.”
“Yeah, a dinnerdate.”
I threw the clipboard at him, and he caught it, laughing. “You got the rest of this?” I asked.
“Why? Do you need to get ready for your date?”
Shaking my head, I jumped down out of the rig and ignored Mike’s simulated sex noises behind me.Jesus.Couldn’t take that guy anywhere.
Before I could get out of the garage, Mike decided it would be a good idea to wake up the whole building, because his voice boomed off the walls as he shouted, “Hey, Ollie! Make sure youput out on a first date.” When I turned to look at him in horror, he winked at me. “Guys like that.”
I really needed someone to remind me why I was friends with that guy.
With my middle fingers aimed his way, I left the room with the sound of his laughter following me down the hall.