Page 41 of Crimson Promises
“Victor, stop watching TikToks!”
“I can’t. It’s my drug of choice.”
I press my palm to my face. “Just be nice.”
“I can do that.”
“And don’t mention my date.”
“I won’t.” He drew an x over his heart. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
I rolled my eyes.
“My granddaughter taught me that one. You can’t even be mad at me for that.”
I ignored that comment completely. “What time should we be there for?”
“Come for six-thirty. Us oldies need to be in bed at a decent hour.”
“Superb. Is there anything I can bring?”
“Don’t you mean ‘we’?”
I stared at him.
“Fine, fine, I’m done…until tomorrow. Just bring yourselves, and I’ll tell Darlene we will be expecting another guest.”
“Thank you. Good night, Victor. P.S. His name is Ben.” I leaned in to give him a side hug. Separate from the fact that he drove me ballistic, I didn’t know what I would do without his and Darlene’s friendship and hospitality.
“Night, Ms. James.” He hugged me back just as tight.
As I was walking away, I heard him call. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell you which one I think is cuter.”
I waved my hand in the air to acknowledge that I heard what he said.
* * *
After finishing a thirty-minute sculpt, I laid on my mat shavasana style and stared at my ceiling. I was so sweaty that my skin was practically welded to the mat.
“Siri, please send a message to Ben.”
“Do you mean to send a message to Breathtaking-brilliant-beloved-Bennett?” The robotic voice chimed in.
I laughed out loud. That was what I got for handing my phone over to him earlier to enter his number into my phone.
“Yes.”
“What would you like to say?” Siri asks.
“Dinner tomorrow night, six thirty. Work for you?”
“Sent.”
“Thank you, Siri.”
I rolled onto my side and grabbed my phone to respond to Riley’s message, needing to reread what he had sent earlier.
Aurora: Hey Riley
