Page 6 of Something Blue

Andy attended meetings all the next day, while the tiny reminder from Tanner about his date setup buzzed in his mind.

Instead of dreading the evening, he was looking forward to it. After a brief meeting, he was sure he could put the puzzle together of how he knew this girl. If they were already acquainted, things would be smoother. Before heading home, he stopped at the bank for a gift that was sure to win over his date.

Andy took extra care in changing, a navy-blue dress shirt with tiny white dots. He paired it with white slacks and a pair of navy shoes. Preppy, yet business-like. The girl didn’t stand a chance.

He arrived a few minutes early at the restaurant, one Tanner had reserved at Four Kings Casino. It had the best food in the city and was busy enough no one would recognize him. If word got out to Sadie that he was a VP of the biggest casino in Vegas, it would make their arrangement more difficult.

He sat down, giving directions to the host to escort Sadie to his table when she arrived. It wasn’t long before the host came walking toward him with Sadie. Andy could only stare as she sat in the chair across from him. From her extra curly hair to her sandals, she was everything his father didn’t want for him. Even her white blouse and denim jumper said she’d fit right in at the taco joint down the street, but not with his family.

“Have a good evening,” the host said.

“Hi, Russel. I’m Sadie,” she said as she grabbed the menu in front of her. Her voice was softer than he’d expected, a quality that reminded him of his mother.

Ah, he’d forgotten to tell Tanner to inform her of his real name. It might be better if she didn’t know everything, but that first name had to go. “My name is Andy, actually. I don’t share important information on a dating profile.”

She smirked. “I understand.”

A few seconds later, a waiter brought her a glass of water, and she took a long drink.

Trying not to stare at her bangs, he took a sip from his own glass. Hopefully, she would agree to a full makeover. Her blue eyes were wide as he studied her. With a symmetrical face and a nose dotted with freckles, she had the right foundation.

After she took a third drink, Andy raised a brow. “Thirsty?”

She nodded and took another sip. “I’m sorry I didn’t dress up much. I finished my shift an hour ago.”

Andy smiled. That was one thing his dad would love. “My mom is a big fan of the medical profession. Tanner told me you work in the ER. It must be challenging, especially in this area.”

She seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “A bit, but I love the fast pace.”

Her skin was tanned, almost bronze, and she didn’t have any makeup on as far as he could tell. A natural beauty. The thought whizzed through his mind before he could take it back. So, she was pretty without makeup. That didn’t compensate for the fact her hair reminded him of curly fries. Is the hospital where he’d seen her before?

“Have you always worked in the emergency room?”

She shook her head and gulped the last of her water. He gestured for the waiter to bring more before she could answer. “A few years ago, I switched gears. For about seven years, I worked in the pediatric cancer wing.”

A shiver rolled through him as he remembered taking his own dad to such a dreaded place. A negative for him, but his parents would approve.

“Anyway, I needed a change and switched to the ER.”

It seemed like there was more to that, but it wasn’t his place to pry.

After they’d ordered and salads had been brought, Andy ate quickly, then pushed his plate to the side. He reached inside his sports-jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope.

“It said on my profile I needed a temporary girlfriend. I hope you’re not offended, but I’m not interested in dating—other than to prove to my parents I don’t need a relationship to be a successful businessman.”

A piece of salad dropped from Sadie’s bottom lip, and she quickly covered her mouth with her hand. He shifted in his chair, but kept his expression clear.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, then pushed her salad to the side. “What is it that you do?”

Something in him wanted to tell her the truth. She seemed like a down-to-earth woman, but he hesitated. If he said CEO, dollar signs would appear in her eyes, and they’d be having a completely different conversation. “My family owns a small business. My parents are traditional and want me to settle down before I take over.”

She nodded, and he was pleased she didn’t push the subject. “How long is temporary?” she asked, eyeing her salad.

He pushed the plate toward her and encouraged her to eat. A stuffed woman was a happy one. “A few weeks. Until my parents think I have a stable relationship and the possibility of settling down. We’ll meet them for dinner once, of course.”

Other than an eyebrow raise, her face remained passive. If she was this good at schooling her emotions, he’d hit the jackpot.

“I’ll let them know we’ve been dating for a while, but have kept things private for personal reasons. One date is probably all it’ll take for them to see things my way.”

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