The Game Plan

Page 20

When she didn’t see his truck parked in its customary spot, she grabbed her bags, stormed into the apartment house, sent a murderous glare at his door and went into her apartment where she spent the next two hours scrubbing every inch of her body until she was sure that every last speck of glitter was gone. Once that was done she threw on her old favorite t-shirt, a pair of comfy sweatpants and decided to get the proposal out of the way and give herself the distraction that she needed. Now, as she faced a long night of paperwork, all she wanted to do was to grab another pint of ice cream, pop a movie in the DVD player and curl up on the couch and pretend that this day never happened.

Except maybe for that kiss…. .

“I’m an idiot,” she declared to absolutely no one as she dropped down on the couch and grabbed the folder closest to her with an overdramatic groan, deciding that after the day she’d had that it was completely warranted.

At least it was almost over, she reminded herself as she glanced down at the notes the Council had handed her and closed her eyes in defeat as someone knocked on the door, destroying all of her hopes for a peaceful night in a matter of seconds. She started to stand up when a thought occurred to her, one that had her sitting back down, picking up her notes and deciding to ignore whoever was at the door. Whoever it was knocked again, more insistent this time, but she wasn’t answering it.

She was done.

More than done actually. As far as she was concerned the rest of the world no longer existed. The only thing that existed tonight was her couch, her television, this proposal and the ice cream in the fridge. Everything and everyone else could go-

“Open up, Jodi. I know you’re there,” Greg announced, but she simply shook her head as she said, “Go away. ”

“Jodi, come on, don’t be that way,” he said with a touch of exasperation that had her shaking her head more stubbornly.

“I’m busy,” she said, spreading the notes before her on the coffee table.

“Are you still mad about the other night?” he asked, laying on the boyish charm that he’d used to get her to go out with him in the first place and then used a week later when he’d decided that she was too sweet to date.

“Uh huh,” she said, set on ignoring him as she organized the notes into some semblance of order.

“It was a busy night at work. I didn’t have time to return your text. ”

“Uh huh,” she muttered, not in the mood to point out that it had been his night off or that she knew the rest of the guys had avoided her texts and calls, terrified that she was under the influence of antihistamine.

They were all cowards and she’d eventually forgive them, but not tonight. Tonight she just wanted to bury herself in her work.

A long sigh let her know that he’d given up. “I’ll call you tomorrow. ”

“Goodnight, Greg,” she said, shaking her head in amusement at just how quickly he gave up.

“Goodnight, Jodi,” he said, not sounding all that upset that she wouldn’t answer.

“I guess it was never meant to be,” she said on a long drawn out sigh before laughing softly and shaking her head in amusement.

That is until he started knocking again.

Sighing in disgust and knowing that he’d give up just as quickly as the last time, she focused on the files before her and ignored him. When a minute went by and he was still knocking, she looked up and frowned. He was being rather persistent all of a sudden.

“Go away, Greg!” she groaned, wondering why tonight of all nights he was being stubborn.

Another knock came, a more stubborn knock and one that had her eyes narrowing to slits. The next knock had her tossing her file aside and getting to her feet and by the time she made it to the door she was ready to kill her best friend with her bare hands. Hands clenching with the need to do just that, she flicked the lock open, grabbed the knob and yanked the door open to-

Stare at the empty hallway.

What…

She stepped out into the hallway and looked towards the front door, expecting to see Greg. When she didn’t see him or anyone for that matter, she rolled her bottom lip between her teeth and looked over her shoulder to find the other end of the hallway empty as well. Shaking her head, she turned around and went back into her apartment. She closed the door and went back to the couch wondering if she had just imag-

Another knock.

This time she didn’t say anything as she turned around, stalked to the door, yanked it open and-

“That’ll be $75. 80,” a man wearing the famous Black Jack pizza delivery shirt said with an expectant smile and his arms piled high with pizza and the small boxes that were normally used for appetizers.

“I’m sorry, but I think you have the wrong-”

“I’ve got it,” the familiar deep voice that normally conjured up fantasies of baseball bats and a good swift kick to the balls, said, causing a completely different and unexpected reaction as it came from behind her.

A shiver tore through her even as she jumped, startled to realize that Danny was in her freaking apartment! She probably would have tripped over her own two feet and fallen on her butt if Danny hadn’t placed his hands on her hips, catching her and gently moved her aside so that he could pay the delivery guy. Stunned, she could only stand there looking from Danny to the rest of her apartment and then back again, wondering how he’d been able to sneak inside without her noticing. That of course brought up one very important question.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, reaching up and rubbing her temples in an attempt to ward off the migraine that she knew was coming.

“Keep the change,” Danny said, shutting the door with his foot as he turned around and headed towards her couch, pausing only long enough to lean down and press a swift kiss against her lips, taking her by surprise as he said, “I’m here for our date. ”

By the time his words sank in, he’d already placed the food on one of the end tables and disappeared in the kitchen. Giving her head a shake and almost positive that one of them had gone insane, she followed after him only to end up jumping out of the way when he suddenly returned, carrying a six pack of Pepsi that she didn’t remember buying, pausing once again to lean down and brush his lips against her as though he had every right.

“Stop doing that!” she snapped, ignoring the way her heart leapt every time he kissed her and focusing on the fact that he’d invaded her apartment and was clearly insane.

His answering shrug wasn’t really reassuring so she focused on the more pressing issue. “Why are you in my apartment?”

“For our date,” he simply said as he picked up a really thick slice of pizza covered in cheese, meatballs and mushrooms, her favorite, and put it on a plate.

“This isn’t a date,” she explained tightly before adding, “Get out. ”

“Yes, it is,” he said with a shrug as he handed her the plate of that incredibly delicious pizza, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since last night thanks to a foolish decision to skip breakfast and Matthew helping himself to her lunch. That pint of ice cream that she’d devoured really hadn’t filled her up either.

“It’s really not,” she said walking over to the couch and forcing herself to place the plate on a stack of folders so that she could gesture for him to get the hell out of her apartment.