Sweet Contradictions

Chapter Four: Credible Sources

        "How many is that, again?" I grinned. I had been pushing a date a day, sometimes two, when I was lucky. 

        "Wow, 14 dates in the last 11 days. I'm impressed." 

        I sat on the couch next to Cam and her husband, Freddy. 

        "Ha. Ha-ha-ha. I'm so good." 

        "You're not done, yet, sweetheart. Just wait. He'll come along and you'll fall in looove with him." 

        I smiled back at her, "Now, that's funny." 

        "It's true. There's a lid to every trash-can." 

        I playfully punched her, before walking to the window. 

        "Waiting for your date?" Mom called out from the kitchen. 

        "No. He'll get here when he does. What's his name again?" 

        "I don't remember," Cam said, but I saw her blush and Freddy's guilty face. He coughed and stood up. 

        "Cam..." I looked at her face, "What's his name?" 

        "Something...James, or something." She scratched her neck and I dropped the curtain. 

        "Are you kidding me right, now, Cam? It better not be Ace-James." 

        There was a honk from outside the door and I walked to it, watching Cam give me a small wave. 

        No, they wouldn't set me up with Callaghan again. They weren't that ruthless.

        As I neared the cute, grey sports car, I leaned down to the window. Usually, I wouldn't just get into cars with strange men, but Cam had talked to one of her "guy friends" and told them that I would be a good idea. 

        His window was tinted, but he looked nice enough. I could only make out dark hair and he was wearing shades, but he didn't look as bad as "cat man" or others. I opened the door and slid inside. 

        "You're kidding me." 

       

         It was Callaghan. Those bitches. 

        "I'm really sorry, I didn't know that Cam was talking about you." 

        He looked genuinely apologetic and I smiled at him, "You know what Callaghan, let's just go." 

        "You sure?" 

        "Yep." I looked ahead. 

        He pulled into drive and we drove down the road. 

        "Do you have any gum?" I asked, partly to break the ice, partly because gum is amazing. 

        "Yeah, right here," He pointed to a little drawer and I reached to open it right as he did. 

        Our hands touched briefly and he pulled back. 

        "Sorry." 

        "It's all good." 

        "Where do you want to go?" 

        "Anywhere with alcohol," I replied and was surprised when I saw a smile appear on his face. 

        "I can do that." 

        ***

        "Oh....oh, this is amazing," I grinned over the tall, glass of something delicious and peachy.