“Y-yeap, all good. Thank you.” I was fully dressed now and busied myself folding laundry so I didn’t have to look at him.
My phone buzzed on top of the washer where I’d left it.
Colin: Was lovely to meet you last night. Do you have plans for tonight?
Me: Was nice to meet you too. An early night for me tonight. I’m trying to recover from my first Pilates class today.
Colin: I can’t tempt you with dinner. I’m happy to pay and then you can come back to mine to show me how grateful you are.
Colin: PS Pilates sounds fun and I’m glad you’re taking care of your weight. You’ll look great if you tone up and lose a few pounds.
“You cheeky fucker,” I cried and suddenly Jackson was in front of me.
“What? Sorry, are you talking to me?”
I held out my phone. “Am I reading this wrong or did this idiot offer to pay for dinner so I’ll sleep with him and then tell me I should lose a few pounds?”
His eyes skimmed over the words, then his jaw hardened as if he was grinding his back teeth together. “No, that’s exactly what he said.”
“What gives him the right? You were right, I deserve so much more and from now on I won’t be settling for anything less than my Prince Charming, who is going to ride into my life and make me feel like a queen.” Something flooded through my body that felt like confidence… a belief that I deserved just that; someone who saw my value and wouldn’t change a thing about me.
“Hell, yeah.” Jackson held up his hand, and I high-fived him. “Now, how are we going to deal with the hamster man?”
“There is so much I want to say, but I’m a lady, so I’m going to take the classy way out.”
“Which is?”
I pressed a couple of buttons. “I sent him the middle finger emoji and blocked him.”
Jackson laughed. “Very restrained behaviour. I’m impressed.”
Putting my phone down, I let out a sigh. “That’s it. I’m done with dating. Conner’s right. I’m too old for this shit and so far, dating sucks. I’d rather be alone.”
Jackson’s lips pursed before he spoke. “How about you let me take you out tomorrow? Call it a practice date. Let me show you how someone should treat you and how much fun you can have.”
Shaking my head, I laughed nervously, because after our moment earlier, I didn’t trust myself to be anywhere alone with Jackson Cartwright. Even standing here right now was testing my resolve. “You don’t have to do that. I’m sure you have better things to do with your Sunday.”
“How about you say yes and trust me?”
“What if someone sees us?”
He shook his head. “I’m not embarrassed to be seen with you, Helen, but if it makes you feel better, I wasn’t thinking about doing it here. I have the perfect place.”
“Okay,” I whispered so quietly, I wasn’t sure if Jackson heard it, but his warm smile told me he had.
What am I doing?Although, deep down, I knew what I was doing. Something really, really foolish.
Chapter 10
Helen
“Knock knock.”
I opened one eye to find my bedroom in darkness. “Did someone die?” I mumbled.
“Nope, but you promised me a date, so I have a plan,” a far too chirpy Jackson announced from my now open door.
“Too early. Why would you wake up this early on a Sunday? Do you hate me?”