Tough Girl

Chapter 9

"It doesn't look like you are really looking forward to tonight's date." Amy acknowledged as she helped me get ready for the date my mother arranged. "If I can be one hundred percent honest with you, I'm not," I replied looking at my reflection in the mirror. "Then why did you agree to it?" She asked.

"To get her off my back," I answered fixing the bandage around my arm.

"And if this date doesn't work out? What happens then?" She questioned not really trusting my mother. "Whether this date works out or not, she stops nagging me about my future boyfriends and dates." Amy looked at me unblinking until her face almost split in half when she smiled as she caught on. "You agreed to this knowing that it is going to end badly just so she would leave you alone." I nodded. "You are playing this game quite well." She said. 

"With my mother, it's the only option I have. Give her what she wants and she stops bothering you." Amy smiled at my statement. "Let's just hope she doesn't pick up on your little game." I pulled up my shoulders. "She's just satisfied that I agreed to her arranged date." I got up from the chair and smoothed out the dress I was wearing.

"You look hot. If his mouth doesn't water at the first of sight of you then I believe he is not the one." I turned to look at myself in the mirror. I was wearing a short, sleeveless black dress that reached just above my knees. Gave a little glimpse of my round breasts as my cleavage picked out enough for a tease.

Amy made me wear black heels that gave my legs more definition as if they weren't defined enough. She decided to put my hair up because she thought it was a good idea to show off my slender neck with my muscular shoulders. I felt like a complete tease as I looked at my reflection.

"He would be stupid if he doesn't ask you out for a second date." She said from behind me. "Let's not get carried away. I'm already against this whole dating thing of hers." I replied. We headed downstairs to the living room where Juan was watching television. He did a double-take when his eyes landed on me.

"That's a first." He commented. "Not my first choice." I replied entering the kitchen to pour myself a glass of wine when the doorbell chimed. "I believe that is for you." Amy said sitting down next to Juan. I inhaled a fresh breath of air before slowly exhaling as I walked over to the front door. I pulled it open and found Billy standing in front of me dressed in the most expensive taste in clothing.

I tried to control my facial expression but I wasn't so sure about my mouth. "Alexandra Anderson," Billy said followed by a whistle. "If you are a good girl tonight, I might just order dessert." I quirked my eyebrow at his comment. If this wasn't my only option to get my mom off my back, I wouldn't shut the door right in his face.

"Well, Billy. That is so kind of you." I replied my voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm a kind man." He replied showing me to his car. I turned to say goodbye to Amy where I found her stifling a laugh while Juan just shook his head at me. I shut the door behind me and followed him to his car.

I opened the door and got into the passenger side. "Wow, nice car," I commented even if I wasn't really a fan. It reminded me too much of a man who doesn't know what to do with his money. "Thanks, just got her last week." He answered feeling quite pleased with himself.

God, help me. The drive to the restaurant was quite unsettling. The conversation was awkward and egotistical. I was already over this date. So, I've learned that he is a businessman, working under his father and that he just bought himself a house. And that he has all the money in the world, can travel to any place he wanted all he wants is a private jet and his life is complete. Like I said; egotistical.

I understand now why as a kid I punched him in the face and broke his nose. I never liked him and I still don't.

Billy made this whole evening feel ridiculous, I actually started forgetting why I stopped dating in the first place. The feeling of physical discomfort was killing me. From the moment we got in his car up until the moment we arrived at the restaurant I had to listen to him. How his day was, how many dollars he gave out, where he is planning his next vacation.

Billy was not my kind of guy. He has never seen the inside of the gym not even in high school. He always made sure he missed out on PT. He is self-centered, ignorant and a rich man with no desire to make a girl feel special.

He bought a bottle of expensive red wine when we got to the restaurant and I think he only had one glass unlike me who kept on refilling my glass and end up finishing the wine just to keep my mouth busy. I just nodded, smiled, and downed my wine as he continued to talk about himself and his interests.

When we neared the end of the date, I couldn't wait to get rid of him. "So, how about we do this again Friday night?" He asked. Not a chance. "Sorry, can't do," I answered trying to keep my cool. "I think it went pretty well, don't you?" You are kidding me, right? " I just finished the last bit of wine in my glass so I didn't need to answer him.

"Can I give you a ride home?" He offered. "No need, my friend is around I'll ask her to pick me up." I lied. There is not a chance I'm spending another minute with this guy. "Okay, goodnight then." He got up paid the bill and he was off. I just sat at the table with my hands in my head thinking how stupid I was to agree to this.

"This is for you, on the house." A voice said. I looked up and found our waiter placing a shot glass in front of me. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop but that didn't sound like a great date." She said. "No, it wasn't." I picked up the glass and downed the contents. "Thanks." I handed the shot glass back to her and decided to get up.

Might as well call a cab.

I had my back turned to the upcoming traffic in the restaurant as I collected my things and just as I turned I found myself staring up at a familiar face. He was dressed up in a suit, hair pulled back, I guess it wasn't really his style and he smelled wonderful. His cologne actually tickled my nostrils.

"Or I had way too much to drink or this is a dream," I mumbled trying not to slur. I definitely had way too much to drink. Ryder smiled at me. "Looks like you had too many for the night." He replied not judging my actions. "Yeah, and I better get going before I end up sleeping here." Ryder raised an eyebrow. "You okay?" He asked. As I wanted to open my mouth to reply, a woman cut me off. "Hey, Ryder. Our seats are this way." I glanced over my shoulder and was greeted by a beautiful tall woman.

Long beautiful hazelnut brown hair, light green us, and a smile from a magazine. He was on a date.

"I need to get going anyway." I kept my eyes down and made my way around him and left the restaurant.

The cold breeze of the night brought all my senses back to life. For a moment it cleared my mind until I was reminded that I was going to be waking up with a bad hangover tomorrow morning. I took off my heels while trying to find a cab as they started to hurt.

"Alex." I turned at the sound of my name being said. Ryder walked up to me making me frown. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be inside?" I asked looking around to see if she followed him.

"I noticed that you misread that whole part back in the restaurant."

"It's got nothing to do with me. I, myself was on a date and it turned out awful." I muttered turning back around to see if any cab will pick me up and take me home. My feet were killing me.

"And he just left you like this?" He asked. "Correction, I let him go. I wasn't going to spend another minute with him." I answered. Ryder grabbed my hand I was holding up signaling for a cab. "I'll take you home." He offered. "Not a chance. You have a beautiful looking woman waiting for you inside." I replied trying to pull my hand from his hold. "She isn't mine." I looked at him frowning.

"It's my manager's wife. She joined us for dinner. He was late and she caught a ride with me." He replied. "I still don't know why you are telling me this," I said.

"Because I noticed that you misread that whole situation in there, incorrectly." He answered.