Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“Say you’ll have dinner with me tonight.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Great, does six work?”
“Six is perfect,” I tell him. “I’ll wait for you at the door so you can pull up and not have to worry about parking.”
“This is a date, Kelsey. I’ll park and go into the lobby, and then I’ll call you so you can buzz me up. Then, I’m going to knock on your door and hand you the flowers I will have purchased.”
A date.
“Oh, um, okay. I’ll wait for you in my apartment.”
“See you at six, Kelsey.” Alex hangs up before I can say anything. I stay in the private room and do a little dance before straightening my clothes and heading back to my desk. Except, I bypass my cubicle and head right to Valentine’s and tell her all about the conversation, squealing as quietly as I can when I get to the part about the flowers.
FOUR
ALEX
“Good evening,” I say to the doorman. “I’m here to see Kelsey Sloane.”
“Yes, sir, go ahead. There’s a house phone near the elevators.”
“Thank you.” He holds the door for me, and I step into the lobby and look around. Every secure apartment building looks different from others. With Noah’s, you have to check in at the receptionist's desk and get your picture taken before you’re even allowed to go through the locked gate. Even if he calls down and tells the person sitting at the desk that he’s expecting you and it’s okay to send you up, they still follow the procedures they have in place.
Gotta appreciate security.
I pull my cell phone out of my pocket and call her.
“Hey,” she says. “I’m 505. I’ll buzz you in now.”
Kelsey hangs up before I can ask her how everything works. The elevator opens and I step in. There are no buttons to press, only a card slot. “Interesting,” I say to the empty car.
When I get to the fifth floor, it’s a right down the hall. I’m thankful she left her door shut because for some odd reason, I really want to knock and have her answer. Call me old-fashioned or whatever it might be. Although, I also like seeing someone waiting for me while leaning against the door frame. I guess that makes me a walking contradiction when it comes to what I like.
Standing in front of her door, I look at the 505 and smile before taking a deep breath, knocking, and holding the flowers I bought at the center of my chest. My lips move from a smile to no smile, and then back again. It’s my hope that my smile seems endearing and not at all creepy. Believe me, I get the over-eager smile, and I often have one, especially during photoshoots or fan meet and greets. I know the line, “Alex you need to relax,” all too well.
The door swings open, and she’s there, her focus moving from me to the flowers and then back to me again. Her grin slowly spreads across her face, and I know I’ve done well. “Hi,” she says breathlessly. I swallow hard and force myself to look at her instead of staring. Kelsey’s wearing a black and blue dress, with a deep v-cut that accents the valley between her breasts. Eyes up top, mister. “Would you like to come in?”
“Of course.” My hand extends, almost shoving the flowers into her chest. “Sorry, I’m nervous.”
“Really?” Kelsey takes the bouquet and inhales their fragrant scent. “You weren’t nervous the other day. Or were you?”
Is she not?
“I wasn’t, and I think it’s because yesterday was a job, so to speak.” Her face falls, but she nods. “I’m not saying being with you felt like work because I had a great time teaching you about the game, but it was a work assignment. If that makes sense. Tonight, it’s a date, and I’m trying to make a good impression.”
Kelsey’s eyes light up and she gives me a shy smile before turning away slightly. “You’re making a very good first impression.”
“Phew.” I wipe away the imaginary sweat from my forehead. “I work hard to lose the dumb jock stigma.”
“I don’t even know what that is,” she tells me. “I’ve never hung out with a jock.”
“Never? Not even in school? None of your friends played sports?”
Kelsey shakes her head. “Not really. I knew a few, but we never spent time together outside of the classroom or school. I’m going to put these beautiful flowers in some water. Feel free to look around.”
She disappears behind a corner, leaving me in her living room. I do look around because she encouraged me, but I’m very careful about what I touch because everything is white. Or maybe it's off white? Or cream? I haven’t a clue but she’s the exact opposite of me with my black couch and dark wood furniture. Along the main wall, she has a floor-to-ceiling entertainment center. Her flat screen television sits between bookcases filled with not only books, but other personal items, like awards, figurines, and statues that I assume are bookends.