Damage Control

 When Cassie knocked on my door the next day, I was laying on my couch in a pathetic, hungover heap.  I dragged myself to the door to let her in, then flopped back down on the couch.  Cassie sat down in the chair across from it and regarded me suspiciously.  "Are you moping again?" she asked.

"Hungover," I grumbled.

"Ohh! What'd you have, like 4 drinks?" she teased.  My low alcohol tolerance was practically famous.

"Five."

"Oh man, you must really be hurting," she cackled.  "Wait, didn't you go out with James last night?" I nodded miserably.  "Oh no, please don't tell me you got drunk and talked about Brody."

"Not quite that bad.  I bitched about work for 45 minutes."

"Almost as bad!" she exclaimed.

"I know," I moaned, burying my head in my pillow.  "But I was so nervous and stressed out, I could barely even look at him.  I was a disaster."

"What did he do?" she asked.

"He was great.  He listened to me bitch, he gave me a few 'That sucks' and 'wow, really?'s and then he brought me home.  I was so drunk I couldn't even get my seatbelt off.  He made sure I got inside okay, kissed me on the cheek, and left.  He didn't mention a second date.  Probably a good thing," I sighed.

"And that's why you can't have nice things," she said, shaking her head.

I was about to reply when my phone starting ringing.  I cringed at the high pitched tones and fished it out from under me.  "Shit, it's him!" I said in amazement.  I turned wild eyes on Cassie.  "What do I do?!"

"Answer it, you idiot," she replied.

"And then what?" I asked frantically.

"Tell him the truth?  I don't know, just answer it!"

"Hello?" I said, answering.

"Hi, how are you feeling today?" His voice was warm and sounded slightly amused.

"Hungover and embarrassed," I said, my face heating up just thinking about the night before.

He laughed gently.  "I had a feeling you'd be at least one of those."

"I am really, really sorry.  I was ridiculous.  I was just really nervous, and I do stupid things when I'm nervous, like drink too much.  And talk about work for 45 minutes."  I was starting to ramble, and Cassie was shaking her head, so I stopped.

"Like I said last night, it happens to the best of us.  At least I know what you're like when you're drunk now," he teased.

"Lucky you," I grumbled sarcastically.

"Well, I hope your injured pride will be okay, because I was calling to ask you if you wanted to go out again."

"Really?" I asked incredulously, before I could stop myself.

He laughed.  "Yes, really.  I didn't think it would be productive to ask last night.  If you're free next Saturday, I have a friend who is opening a comedy show and I was hoping you'd join me for it.  Damien was talking about asking your friend Kinsley, too."

"That sounds like fun," I said.  "I'm pretty sure I'm free next Saturday, hold on a sec."  I looked at Cassie who was shaking her head in amazement.  I put my hand over the phone and whispered, "Do we have anything going on next Saturday?"

"Yeah," she whispered back.  "You're going on a second date, somehow!"

I took my hand off the phone.  "Saturday is good.  What were you thinking?"

"Well, the show starts at 10, so I thought maybe you and I could get dinner together before, and then we could meet Damien and Kinsley there if they go.  There are a few good restaurants near the club, so maybe 8 for dinner?"

"That sounds perfect," I responded.  We said goodbye and hung up.  Cassie was still shaking her head.

"You are the only person I know that can get so drunk they complain about work for 45 minutes and can't get their seatbelt off on a first date and still land a second," she said.  "It's a good thing you're pretty and smart, because you're completely socially inept sometimes!"

"Thanks," I said, rolling my eyes.

On Sunday morning, I met Kinsley, Lauren, and Kendra for brunch.  Kinsley reported that she was going out with Damien on Tuesday.  I wasn't sure if he'd asked her about the comedy show (or if he was going to) so I didn't mention that to her.  I told them about my horrible date, and they all laughed at me, except Kendra, who sympathetically patted my shoulder.  They were also shocked when I told them that James had called me the next day to ask me for a second date.  I felt embarrassed again just
talking to them about it, and quickly changed the subject back to Kinsley and Damien.

Kinsley seemed really excited for their date, but confessed that she was worried he was too good for her.  We all told her she was ridiculous, of course.  Lauren was especially helpful, saying, "Don't worry, Kins.  As long as you don't get drunk and complain for 45 minutes, you're one up on Olivia!"  I glared and they laughed, but I soon gave in and laughed with them. 

Talk soon turned to Kinsley's upcoming birthday.  It was coming up in two weeks, and we were working on some plans.  Kendra had offered to host a cook out in the afternoon and evening and her and Christian's house, and then we planned to head out on the town after that. 

I spent the rest of the day getting my house cleaned and getting prepped for my work week.  I had a crazy week facing me again, and I was dreading it.  Hopefully getting some work done ahead of time would help, but I was definitely counting down the days until I could start looking for something new.



I was just pulling into my garage on Wednesday when my phone rang.  I wasn't able to park and fish my phone out in time to answer.  I looked at the missed call and saw it was James.  I called back.  Maybe he had changed his mind and didn't want to see me again after all.

"Hey!  I was just leaving you a voicemail," he said when he answered.

"Hi, what's up?" I asked curiously, a little nervous.

"Well, I'm finishing up some work and I'm in your neighborhood.  I was wondering if you wanted to hang out for a little bit.  I'd like to see you, but I know you have a busy week and you're probably tired, so if you say no, I promise you won't hurt my feelings."

"That afraid of rejection that you have to throw in a disclaimer?" I joked, feeling more at ease.

He laughed.  "No way.  I'm so sure that you'll say yes that I threw that in just to tempt fate."

"So, I should say 'no' to spite you then, huh?" I teased back.  This was the friendly banter that had come so easily during the not-date.  Where was it on Friday?

"You could say no, but then you'd miss out on seeing me," he pointed out.

"Got me there," I responded, laughing.  "I'd love to see you.  Do you just want to come over here?"  He responded that that worked, and I asked if I could have a little time to shower and change, since I just got home and the air conditioning was broken at work.

"How long do you need?" he asked.

"Can you give me 20 minutes?  And just so you know, I'm absolutely putting on yoga pants, so don't expect much of anything good to look at."

"20 minutes is perfect, but have you seen yoga pants?  I think I'll have plenty to look at," he responded, chuckling.

I hurried inside to shower and was in and out of it in 5 minutes.  I pulled my hair up into a bun and put a little light makeup on.  I would let him see me in yoga pants and a gray v-neck t-shirt but no way was he getting to see me without makeup on before we even went on a second date.

I was sitting on the couch for about 2 minutes when the doorbell rang.  I opened it and allowed myself to briefly enjoy the sight of James in a suit on my front porch.  I let him in and he hugged me.

"Now I really feel under-dressed," I said, motioning to his suit. 

His eyes slid from my face down my body and back up.  "I think you look amazing," he said with his characteristic easy, perfect smile.  I blushed and muttered a thank you.  Then he took off his jacket and tossed it over the back of one of my chairs.  "Better?" he asked.  

"Much," I said with an approving nod.  "Do you want something to drink?  Water, Coke, tea, coffee?  Otherwise I have wine and whiskey, but don't worry, I'm not drinking."  I said it with a smile so he knew I was joking.

He laughed.  "Whiskey?  Really?"

"Why does everyone say that?" I exclaimed.  "It's good whiskey too!"

He shook his head, smiling.  "Water is great, actually."

I brought him a bottle and sat next to him.  "Have you eaten?  I'm starving.  We could order something."

He agreed and we settled on pizza, because pizza is always the best choice.  I handed him the TV remote and instructed him to find something while I called in the order.  He found a Big Bang Theory marathon and put it on.

When I got off the phone, he asked about my week.  "Oh, as good as can be expected," I said quickly, before asking him about his week.  He talked a little about work and house hunting.  Then I asked him about his brother, and how it was working for him.

"We get along better now.  And since he handles one aspect and I handle another, it's more working with him than for him, though I guess he is technically my boss."

"You get along better now?" I asked.  "So does that mean you didn't used to?"  He explained that they were pretty close in age growing up and were both really competitive, so they were constantly competing for everything.

"He's a total womanizer, too," James continued, "and he can charm the pants off of women more easily than anyone else I know, though I'm not sure how.  I don't find him particularly charming, especially when he's drinking.  We have thrown punches over that before."  He was telling me about the time he gave his brother a black eye two days before prom when the doorbell rang.  James jumped up and beat me to the door, paying the pizza delivery person before I could even open my mouth.

"You didn't have to do that," I said.  "I would have paid."

"Be quiet and eat your pizza," he said with a grin. 

We ate in comfortable silence, at least until I spilled my glass of water all over the couch.  James looked at me and cracked up, and I followed soon after.  I made it to the kitchen for a towel, and soaked up the water as best as I could.  I stood there looking at the wet cushion and shaking my head while James continued to laugh.  I tossed the wet towel into the laundry room and walked back to the living room, where he had managed to collect himself.  "Too bad, I guess you'll just have to sit a little closer," he said with a flirty smirk.

"I don't know, I might prefer sitting in the spilled water," I said, cocking an eyebrow.  He reached for my waist to pull me down next to him but I twisted away, laughing.  I grabbed our empty plates and took them into the kitchen to avoid any more casualties, and when I came back into the living room, he was waiting for me.  He grabbed me around the waist and spun me around, pinning my back to his chest and wrapping his arms around me.

"Now you don't have much of a choice where you sit," he teased, his voice low.  I felt the now-familiar flutter in my stomach from being so close to him.  I wiggled, testing his grip, though I wasn't completely sure I wanted to be out of it.  I felt his biceps flex against my shoulders as he tightened his hold around me just a little. 

"I seem to be entirely at your mercy, sir," I conceded with a grin. 

"So you'll come willingly?" he asked.

"I suppose I don't have a choice," I replied.

He laughed.  "That doesn't sound terribly willing," he said, loosening his grip and nudging me towards the couch.  I pulled the soaked cushion off and tossed it on the floor.

"Otherwise, I will likely forget and sit on it before it dries," I explained in response to James's raised eyebrow.  "I'm a disaster even when I'm sober."  He laughed as he sat back down and I sat next to him.  He slipped his arm around me and I relaxed against him.  It felt comfortable, and I was glad he had come over so we could spend a little time together in a low-pressure situation.  Maybe I wouldn't make a fool out of myself on Saturday.

When I starting yawning every couple minutes and sagging further against him, he stretched and said, "I think I'd better let you get some sleep."  I nodded and we stood.  At the door, he turned to me.  "Thank you for taking me up on my sort-of crazy request to come over at the spur of the moment.  I was having a hard time waiting until Saturday to see you again."

"I tend to have that effect on people," I replied, grinning.   Wow, his cockiness was starting to rub off on me.  He laughed.  "Seriously though, thank you for the pizza and the company.  I had fun."  He hugged me, then kissed my cheek.  He paused after the kiss, with his lips still just barely touching my cheek, as if he was considering actually kissing me, but then he pulled back.

"Goodnight, Olivia," he said, but he made no move towards the door.   I looked up at him, considering my options for a second, then stepped closer to him.  He put his hand on my waist and said, "Has anyone ever told you that you could get a priest to rob a bank for you by looking at him like that?"

"Could I get a gorgeous guy standing in my living room to kiss me by looking at him like this?" I asked, my eyes locked on his.

In response, he leaned down and touched his lips gently to mine.  I slid my hands up his arms, letting them rest just below his shoulders.  He pulled away briefly, then took a half step closer to me, slipped one hand behind my neck, and kissed me again.  My lips parted and this kiss was longer, deeper, more intense. 

"Will that work?" he asked softly, when the kiss ended.  I nodded, slightly breathless.  "Good," he said, running his thumb along my cheekbone.  "I'll see you on Saturday."

I smiled.  "I'm looking forward to it."