Incidental Fate Book 1

59

I was up early so I called Debbie. My arm was already feeling much better. The swelling was down but the blue and brown bruising was still there.

I would work Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and then Saturday night. Which left all day Friday for Gavin.

I text him the good news and he replied quickly that he'd make dinner reservations, which meant I needed a new dress.

Then I text Grant and asked him to meet me for lunch at the mall. I hadn't seen him in almost a week and wanted some time with just him.

Everything was falling into place and I couldn't wait for this weekend; dinner, hotel and Valentine's Day with Gavin.

I grabbed my keys and danced my way to the car, bumping my boy bands as I drove to the mall.

The last time I bought lingerie was, never. I was never in a relationship long enough or spent the night anywhere when Grant was younger.

I browsed the racks of sexy underwear with what seemed like every other woman in San Diego. I guess I wasn't the only one having a sexy valentine's day.

"Can I help you?" A sales lady asked and I shook my head no but then relented.

"Yeah, I'm looking for something sexy to push these up."

"Does your partner prefer naughty or nice?"

"Oh," I was caught off guard and blushed a bit. "Naughty?"

"Follow me," she chirped, walking towards the back of the store. "This," she grabbed a red lace up bustier, "will put a ring on it." She waved her ring finger in the air with a laugh.

"I'll take it!" It had nothing to do with a ring, that thing was just super sexy.

"Anything else you need?"

"No, unless you have dresses and maybe a bikini."

"Follow me, we have a clothing section in the other side of the store." I followed her through an open walkway to another room of clothes.

"We have a few bikinis, very sexy!" She pulled out a black and gold one, with the tiniest of triangles for the top and string tie bottoms with a skimpy rear.

"I don't think I'm that brave," I chuckled.

"Brave? That's funny, why would you need to be brave to rock a bikini? Your body is beautiful, this is just an extension of its beauty."

Damn she was good, "ok, I'll take it."

She smiled wide, surely pleased that she was going to make quite the commission off me. "Now," she boomed. "What is the dress for?"

"Dinner, most likely fancy at a hotel."

She raised her finger to her mouth as she looked around the store. "I think I have something in the back!"

She took off and I stayed put, staring at the impossibly hot models draped across the walls.

"Look at this!" She called from across the room.

She scurried to me holding a shimmering grey dress that wrapped tightly up to the chest then draped over a single shoulder.

"I love it!" I squealed. Gavin would love it too!

I paid and ran the bags to my car before returning back to the mall to wait for Grant.

He finally text as I finished browsing through a few more stores and I rushed over to meet him at the cafe. He was sitting on the bench right outside and he was alone, thank goodness.

He smiled when he saw me and jumped up to meet my hug. "Hi Mom."

"Hi baby!" I was so relieved that he was here alone and didn't bring B.

"What happened to your arm?"

"Oh, just something at work, no big deal," I shrugged.

"Two please," I called to the hostess, bounding down the aisle as she took us to our seats.

"You seem different mom," he chuckled.

"Why?"

"I don't know, like happier. I don't know you just look good, really happy."

"I am," I blushed. "So, are you and Berkeley or um B doing anything for Valentine's Day?"

"Well her dad was going to come down for the weekend, but he called and canceled. So I'll probably just take her to dinner."

"Why did he cancel?" I asked too quickly. "Did he say?"

"Too much work, a big case or something. B and I are going to go up there for Spring Break."

"That will be fun."

So Mike hadn't said anything and on top of that I didn't have to worry about running in to him anytime soon. Today was a good day.

"Oh and how was that earthquake," I sighed. "Did it make you want to go back to Tucson?"

"I barely felt it, I was just waking up. What about you?"

"Same, barely felt it," I lied. "I'm glad you could meet me today Grant, I've really missed you."

"You too mom, I'll try to come by more often. But hey, school will be out soon and I'll be back home."

I practically choked on my water, "you'll what?"

"Be back home, dorms close up for the summer. Unless you want to get me an apartment for three months."

"No, yeah, of course sweetie."

Shit. What did this mean for Gavin and I. There was no way he could come over with Grant there. I didn't even know where Gavin lived, he was probably in a dorm too. Was he going back home this summer?

"Maybe Mike could come by too with B."

Oh god. I needed to tell him. I hated keeping secrets from Grant but this was the mother of all secrets and I just wasn't ready to deal with it yet.

"We'll see," I smiled back, seeing my phone flashing down next to me.

I grabbed it quickly, turning it out of view from Grant as I read Gavin's text:

"Can't come by today, group thing and then exam prep. Will see you Tuesday baby."

I quickly replied:
"Working T-Th. See you Friday?"

I figured he'd balk at that, instead he text back:
"Sounds good, pick you up at 5."

What the heck. This was so unlike Gavin, we'd never gone this long apart. Surely he didn't mean it.

"I like your necklace mom."

I tossed my phone down, turning back to Grant as I rubbed the bird in my fingers, "oh thanks."

"So do you have any plans this weekend?"

"Work, work, work," I lied.