Page 9 of Something Blue

Work was too busy right now to take a week off. There’s no way his dad would agree to it.

His dad dropped the newspaper, giving Andy the kind of reaction he’d expected. “A vacation? Your first one together?”

“Yep. Definitely our first.”

His dad slapped Andy’s back a few times. “You must be serious if you’re willing to spend a week with her. Why haven’t you brought her over if things are going so well?”

Andy chuckled. His dad was so gullible. “You know. I didn’t want to give mom high hopes. After bringing home—”

“Jenna.” His dad practically hissed. “Yes, you are right, son. Good choice. Let’s meet her tonight then.”

An idea popped into Andy’s head. “Maybe you can explain to Sadie why I can’t go on this vacation. She doesn’t seem to understand how missing a week of work will mess everything up.” He didn’t need to spend a week with the woman to know she wasn’t his type. Plus, no woman was worth a week of getting behind.

“You told her you couldn’t go because of work?”

“Of course,” Andy said with confidence.

His dad stood and reached for the box of beignets. “You’re an idiot. Of course you’re going. And if you don’t, you won’t have an office to work in starting the first day you should’ve been gone. I’ve let you work your life away, and I can’t take another lecture from your mom. You will do this.”

“What? But Dad, I can’t afford—”

“You can’t afford not to. Now, call the girl and start making arrangements. You take care of everything. Wine and dine her until she’s ready to marry you.”

Andy’s mouth hit the floor. This had gone wrong too quickly. “Marriage? Dad, we’re only dating.”

His dad started pacing the room as he rambled on. “Yes, but dating leads to marriage and marriage leads to grandbabies. Oh, your mother is going to cry for joy when she hears this. Call that girl and make this the best vacation she’s ever had.”

* * *

After collapsing into his office chair later that morning, Andy reached over and pressed the call button. “Tanner, get in here. We’ve got some things to discuss.”

After Tanner took a seat with his laptop poised and ready to type, Andy dropped an information bomb. “Cancel everything starting next Friday.”

Tanner’s eyes grew as wide as the disc in the fashion mall further down the strip. “Everything?”

“Everything.”

Tanner’s face paled. “For how long? We have evaluations coming up in a month.”

Andy shrugged and pulled out a notepad in his drawer to make a list. “Can’t be helped. I’ll be back the following Saturday, on the sixteenth.”

“Nine days! You’ll be gone the whole time?”

“Yep.”

“Does your father know?”

Andy huffed. “He’s the one demanding I go. He’s already talking about marriage. And babies.”

“You’re going to die when he finds out the truth.”

Andy leaned over the desk and patted his friend’s back. “He’s not going to find out, is he?”

Tanner shook his head. “Nope. I’ll start clearing your schedule right now.”

Andy nodded and started writing a list on a sticky note. When he was done, he passed it over. “Print out the rental car and plane ticket reservations for tonight’s dinner. My dad wants proof.” He picked up a document from the side of his desk. He’d worked on it all morning. “And before she gets the makeover, make sure she signs this contract.”

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