“OH MY GOSH, SHAI!” Zoe squeals after I get finished telling her about my “interview” with Mr. James. “He wants you.”
I roll my eyes and laugh. “I don’t get it though. Why would he want me? And why would he have to go through the job applications to find someone he liked?”
“First of all, girl, you’re gorgeous. Second of all, maybe he just stumbled across your picture and thought you looked like someone he’d like. I wouldn’t question it if I were you.” She shrugs her shoulders as she turns back onto our block.
“You know what I just realized,” I think out loud, “he never even told me his name. This whole time I’ve been referring to him as “Mr. James”.”
“Maybe he has some embarrassing name, like Burt! Or maybe, maybe, his first name is James, so he doesn’t use his last name and just goes by his first name.” She exclaims like she discovered gold. I roll my eyes again and lean back in the seat.
“I just have so many questions.”
*
I get a phone call from an unknown number later that night.
My first thought is that it’s a telemarketer trying to sell me some stupid product. Then it occurs to me that it could be Mystery James (my nickname for him). I did give out my number when I turned in my application, so it would make sense that he had access to it.
“Hello?” I answer the phone eagerly.
“Shailene,” His smooth voice comes out of the speaker like honey, and for a moment it makes me forget that I’m supposed to respond.
“Yes?” I ask, my voice quiet and strained.
“I want to see you again.” I can almost hear the faint smile making it’s way across his gorgeous face.
“Well,” I say, then clear my throat, “the desire is mutual.” He chuckles.
“Lunch, then? Tomorrow?” I quickly agree and immediately tell Zoe. I insist to her that it isn’t a date, but of course she doesn’t believe me. Hell, I don’t believe myself.
I go to my closet and rummage through it three times, not finding anything I believe is acceptable to wear. Finally, Zoe convinces me to wear one of her many ‘casual and cute yet screwable’ dresses. It’s black and tight at the bust but flares out at the waist and hits mid-thigh. But paired with an oversized cardigan and some ankle boots Zoe says it’s casual enough for lunch wherever Mystery James might be taking me.
The rest of the night I have to keep myself calm by doing laundry and drinking tons of chamomile tea. I also have to constantly ask Zoe if this is really happening. She reassures me that I really am going on a “not date” with Mr. James tomorrow, but I just can’t believe it.
AN: So i'm almost done actually writing this story so I'll be posting more regularly yay also im gonna change the title because its not really smutty and i think that would give a false idea to readers. So yeah, um comment or whatever :)
