Cutie With a Booty

28. Wooing is SO Overrated

                  

Despite being busy as hell and dreading the moment I run into Justin this week, I actually miss my little sister Miranda and her friend Linet. The entire week I've spent with her has been invigorating. She reminds me of what it feels like to be young and most of all happy. I was sad to see her go.

My phone rang once again and I ignored it, knowing it's Jace yet again. She will not stop calling me. Maybe I should block her number. No, I'll put her on do not disturb. Later though because I'm supposed to be seeing Richard for lunch right now. It is Monday after all.

Stepping inside of the sandwich shop, I ran a hand through my hair, sliding my sunglasses from my face to the top of my head. Miranda is obsessed with her new sunglasses. She has sent me thirty different pictures of herself wearing them. I smiled.

Richard is seated already with his eyes and hands focused on his phone. I dressed really nice for him. I bet he's not even going to notice. I'm wearing light blue Ralph Lauren pants with a floral shirred utility blouse that I tucked in paired with matching espadrille wedge sandals.

"Richard?" I breathed out, a tentative smile lighting up my face. I haven't seen him in a while.

"Kasey, there you are," he responded, not even looking up at me from his phone. My smile faltered and I pulled out my own chair and sat down. "Let's talk, hm? How are you?"

I didn't give him an answer as I rested my elbows on the table, propping my chin up on my hands. He hasn't gotten much of a tan despite how he was in California for spring break to see his college friends. He probably stayed inside and worked.

Finally realizing that I am not going to respond, he looked up at me from his phone with eyebrows raised. "Kasey?"

"Surely you didn't agree to lunch just so you can be on your phone all day. I honestly do not know how your phone even still works." He's on it nonstop. One day it just might explode in his hands.

He stared at me for a minute before setting his phone down on the table. "Look, I—"

"Richard...Don't." I took my elbows off of the table and sat up straight in my chair. A waiter brought two glasses of water and obtained our food orders. "I know you're angry about the Justin thing, I get it." Richard sighed. "But if you want me to see things your way you have to see things my way too."

"What do you mean?" His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"I'm saying you refuse to stay off of your phone when we are together despite how many times I've whined and bitched about it since we've started dating. Then you want to throw at me that you're not okay with me being Justin's escort and then expect me to take you seriously? Why should I when you don't do anything I ask, ever? I want to see you more, you tell me it just has to be this way. I want you to stay off your phone; you say you have a lot to do. Hell, I have a lot to do too, Richard. But I put it on hold when I'm with you because you're more important than my job right now. Aren't I more important than your job at least a couple hours out of the day?"

"Yes, you know you are." Richard reached his hand over to lay it over mine.

"Do I?" I countered.

Richard looked down at the table then back at me again. "This dating thing is new to me, Kasey and I'm trying and most importantly I'm learning. Work has always been the only thing I've had."

"Which is something I can relate to because I used to be like you. But you have to learn that the people in your life need some time too or you'll be all alone and never experience anything." I pulled my hand out from under his.