Page 37 of It's Not PMS, It's You
Inside my car, I pulled my phone from my purse and immediately sent Dee a text, tapping the letters of each word a little harder than I probably should have.
Ruth: We need to talk!
Dee: Why are you texting me when you should be getting to know Barney?
Ruth: He’s a loser and that’s all I need to know. I just left the restaurant.
Dee: Seriously? I don’t think it was even thirty minutes.
Ruth: Twenty-five. On the bright side, I did get to enjoy one of my favorite meals, although I ate it a lot faster than I normally do. I hope I don’t get gassy.
Dee: Feel free to take your time coming home, just in case.
Ruth: I’m not coming home until after my tea with Judy, so relax your nostrils. I’ll see you this afternoon. We can regroup and plan my next move.
Dee: No planning will be necessary. You have 31 more men who sent you messages while you were gone. You just need to choose the next victim. I mean, choose the next person to go out with. We can go through your choices when you get back. I’ll be here and won’t leave until you’re satisfied. Trust me.
Ruth: I’ll think about it. How are the guys doing out back? Making progress?
Dee: The fountain has been installed and they are adding the water. It’s beautiful! It’s been fun watching Nick and Brandon work with their shirts off. Those sweaty muscles glistening in the sun. Almost as hypnotizing as your cleavage.
Ruth: Are they really working with their shirts off?
Dee: I guess you’ll find out when you get home, won’t you?
Ruth: Just tell me.
Dee: Nope. Gotta run. My boss doesn’t like it when I’m messing around on my phone.
I laughed and stuffed my phone back in my purse.
Dee had a talent for distracting me when I needed it most. I suddenly didn’t feel bad about the pathetic date with Barney. Maybe it was because I was thinking about two handsome, shirtless men working in my backyard.
Those sweaty muscles glistening in the sun.
Why did I have the urge to cut short my tea with Judy and get back home as soon as possible?
Chapter Nine
RUTH
Later that afternoon, I arrived back home and tossed my keys on the kitchen counter, glancing out the window to see the latest developments on the backyard project.
Okay, that wasn’t true.
I have no shame.
I was looking to see if there were any shirtless men out back.
Unfortunately, there were not.
Nick and Brandon were laying a path of stepping-stones on the ground that led to the foundation where the gazebo would eventually go.
They were both fully clothed.
I shook my head, disappointed that Dee had lied, but at the same time feeling a little pathetic that I longed to see half-naked men from the comfort of my own home.
“Hey!” Dee said from behind. “How was the tea with Judy?”
