Page 75 of It's a Date (Again)

He tips his beer in my direction and says, “That’s what friends are for.”

We stare at one another, and I swallow hard. Only the sound of my phone ringing steals my attention.

“It’s Shawn,” I say, picking it up.

Robbie’s eyes seem to darken to a denim blue. He walks to the couch and plops down while I take the call.

“Hi, Shawn,” I say into the phone. “Are you here?”

“Hey, I’m really sorry, but I’ve gotta reschedule our date. I have a family emergency.” He’s out of breath, and I can hear traffic whooshing past him in the background.

“Oh no. Are you okay? Is your family okay? And don’t worry about it. We’ll reschedule.”

A car horn blares. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, I’m just rushing to the hospital now. I’ll text you when I know more.”

“Okay. Take care and let me know if you need anything.”

The phone clicks off. My shoulders slump, and I stand there for a moment before turning back toward Robbie.

“What’s up?” he asks.

I set my cell on the counter. “Shawn canceled. He has a family emergency.”

Robbie jumps to his feet. “What happened?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t say, but I hope everything’s all right.”

“Yeah, I hope so too.”

I fiddle with my nails and then the pendant on my necklace, sliding it back and forth. I can’t help but be disappointed. I was really looking forward to my date with Shawn, and I worry I’m not going to get the chance to get to know him. I glance down at my dress and heels. I guess I’ll save these for our rescheduled date.

“Hey, Peyton,” Robbie says.

“Yeah,” I say, lifting my head.

“Do you want to come with me to Maya’s comedy show?”

“I’d love to,” I say. All of a sudden, I’m not disappointed anymore.

A smile spreads across his face. “Perfect. It’s a date.” He scratches the back of his neck and stammers. “I mean ...”

“I know what you mean.” I smile back.

CHAPTER14

A large man with a receding hairline and thick brows speaks into a microphone. The bright spotlight follows him as he paces the stage. “Our next stand-up comedian is a Chicago native. You may know her from the viral video where she completely destroyed a douchebag heckler—legit chewed him up and spat him out.”

Even though the room is dimly lit, I can see Robbie roll his eyes. He’s seated next to me, only a few inches away. I bump my shoulder into him. He shakes his head but grins. Zanies is an intimate comedy club with rows of small tables packed tight. We’re seated in the front row, just a short distance from the stage.

The announcer continues. “Trust me. You don’t want to mess with her. She throws an insult like Mike Tyson throws a punch. Please welcome to the stage the hilarious Maya James.”

Robbie and I go nuts cheering and clapping while Maya emerges from the back and jogs up the steps. The man hands the mic over with an encouraging nod. She’s wearing the red leather jacket she told me I bought for her, and the color of her lips perfectly matches it. She exudes confidence in her black skinny jeans and combat boots. Under the spotlight, her skin glows and her curly hair shines. When she spots Robbie and me, she nearly squeals but keeps her cool composure. Maya raises her chin as she takes in the applause and readies herself for her performance.

“Thank you,” she says. “Thank you. That’s exactly what I was expecting.” The audience eats up her deadpan delivery.

“My best friend was hit by a car last week, but miraculously she’s here tonight.” The crowd claps. “Which part are you all clapping for?” Maya regards the audience with suspicion. The clapping is replaced with laughter. “Don’t worry, the car’s fine.”

I knew she was planning a set about me and mysituation, and I’ve been dying to hear the jokes she came up with. It’ll be a nice reprieve laughing about it rather than living it—like a little comedic vacation from my life.

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