Operation Date Escape

blue bootleg jeans from the bed.
    “Thanks. Have fun tonight and call me tomorrow. I want all the juicy details.”
    “Bye, Nanci.” She hung up and returned the phone to its cradle. Nanci was going to be sorely disappointed because there wasn’t going to be anything juicy to tell about her date with Cole. Not if she could help it.

CHAPTER TEN

    Cole finished the last of the coffee he’d been drinking and then carried the emptied cup over to the sink. It was his third cup within an hour. He figured he was going to need all the caffeine he could get to keep up with Kelsie. Especially, if she decided to run during their date.
    He made his way out to the living room to turn off the television. Then he checked his watch again. Just a little bit longer...
    His cell phone rang and Cole debated answering it. Odds were pretty high that it was Kelsie calling to cancel their date. One she hadn’t wanted to go out on to begin with.
    Relief swept through him when he saw Joe’s number on the screen. He hit Talk and brought the phone to his ear. “Hello?”
    “Hey, buddy. You still at home?”
    “Getting ready to leave.”
    “What time’s your big date with Kelsie?”
    Cole smiled into the phone. “Six.”
    “As in ten minutes ago?” his friend exclaimed. “What the hell are you still doing home?”
    “Talking to you.”
    “You know what I mean. Why aren’t you with Kelsie? Oh, man. She backed out of your date. Didn’t she? Nanci was afraid she’d do that.”
    “She didn’t back out of anything,” Cole said in her defense. At least, not yet she hadn’t.
    “I don’t understand ,” his friend said.
    “I’m trying to prove to her that I’m not as perfect as she thinks I am. And being on time for our date would have been the ‘perfect’ thing for me to do. Therefore, I’m going to be late.”
    Joe’s laughter r umbled out of the receiver. “Good point, my man. I can’t say that I would have ever have thought of doing that, but it makes sense.”
    “You wouldn’t have to had to think of doing something like this. Nanci wants to go out with you.”
    “I suppose you have a point.”
    “So where did you two decide to go for your date?”
    “We’re going to hit Charlie’s for drinks and appetizers. ”
    “Good luck tonight.”
    “Thanks. I have a feeling I’m going to need it.”
    “Just keep her away from second story windows and you’ll be fine.”
    “You’re a real comedian, Joe.”
    “Sorry. Couldn’t resist.”
    “Catch you later.”
    “Not if things go the way I hope they will tonight. This man’s going to be busy getting lucky with one sexy female. You’re on your own.”
    Cole snapped his phone shut with a grin. If Kelsie managed to slip away from their date as she was known to do, he would be on his own. Literally.
    * * *
    Kelsie glanced at her watch for about the hundredth time since she’d started getting ready for her date with Cole. Only this time she wasn’t counting down the minutes until he arrived. She was counting down the minutes he was late.
    To think that she’d been racing around her apartment like a madwoman, determined to be ready when he arrived. Now here he was twenty-five minutes late. Maybe it wasn’t her backing out of the date that her mother and Nanci should have been worried about. It was Cole doing so.
    Despite all her protests and conflicting emotions when it came to going out with him, now that she’d been stood up Kelsie couldn’t suppress her disappointment.
    She plopped down onto the edge of the overstuffed sofa with a sigh. Why had Cole gone through all the trouble of blackmailing her to go out with him if he had no real intention of taking her out? Maybe he’d finally realized they weren’t compatible. Whatever the reason, she was off the hook. It was what she’d wanted, wasn’t it?
    No matter how hard she tried to convince herself that Cole’s blowing her off was for the best, she couldn’t ignore the deep disappointment she felt because of it. She bent to remove her shoes just as the doorbell rang.
    She straightened with a gasp and then shot to her feet, her heart thumping wildly against the new red satin push-up bra. He’d come.
    The doorbell sounded again.
    “Coming,” she called out, trying to sound as if his being late hadn’t bothered her one bit. She hopped on one foot as she made her way to the door, tugging her tennis shoe back on as she went.
    It no longer mattered that Cole was late for their date, just that he