“You look great,” I told her as soon as I was done. “Not in the least bit haggardly.”
“It’s just drinks. So I’m not going to worry about the fact that I haven’t shaved my legs in two days and I’m wearing underwear that comes up to my chin.”
“There’ll be alcohol involved. It’s going to be fine. Tell me everything when you get home. If you get home.”
“I’ll get home. We have court tomorrow!”
“Okay, remember what you told me.”
“Never trust a guy who brings a roll of quarters on a date?”
“No! It’s okay to want him to bang you until you can’t walk straight.”
“I never told you that.” She looked confused.
“Oh, I must have imagined it. Anyway, good luck!” I patted her on the back. She gave me a slightly baffled look, shook her head and left to go back to our office. We heard Cam and Braden talking as we got closer and we gave each other a silent nod. It was Go Time. We walked into that office like we were walking the catwalk in Paris. At least Jess did. I accidently slammed my shoulder in the doorframe but I recovered quickly.
“Hey gorgeous,” Braden said, making me feel all fluttery as usual. “Are you okay?” He winced.
“I’m good! No worries! Hey Jess, look there’s a sexy guy sitting in my chair.” I was so glad that he hadn’t seen the incident with the chair earlier.
“Hello, Braden. She’s all yours. Are you ready to go, Cam?” she asked with a smile. How did she manage to be so cool like that?
“I am. See you tomorrow, Gabrielle. Talk to you soon, Braden.” With that the two of them left to go have drinks. I watched them walk down the hall together and get on the elevator then I turned back to Braden.
“Are you happy now?” he asked, getting up and coming over to put one arm around my waist and gently rub my injured shoulder with the other. He looked down at me with a smile.
“What do you mean?” I asked innocently.
“You wanted them to get together, didn’t you? You’ve certainly had them on enough stakeouts together looking for our shadow.” I couldn’t hide anything from this man anymore.
“Yes, I want them to get together because I know that they’re attracted to each other and they have fun together. I think they would make a great couple but I’m not positive that anything will happen just because he asked her out for drinks. They’ve gone out for drinks before and nothing did.”
“I’ll let you in on a little family secret. Cameron does more soul searching than f**king Hamlet, but he’s finally done dicking around. He’s going to ask her out this time.” I had definitely wound up with the right cousin for me. I didn’t have Jess’s patience.
“He is? That’s great!” I looked up at him with barely contained excitement. “She’ll be so happy! They really do make a nice couple. And then you won’t worry anymore!”
“Gabrielle.” He gave me a look that seemed like a combination of amusement and affection. “I haven’t been worried in quite a while. You and I belong together and nobody’s going to get in the way of that.” He pushed a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. “I suppose you want us to stay at your place tonight so you can hear all about it when she gets home?”
“You know me so well.”
“I know you intimately,” he said with a naughty look, squeezing my bottom. There was a reason I kept him locked in my bedroom, you know.
That evening I finally convinced Braden to watch the first couple of episodes of Downton Abbey with me. I owned all the previous seasons so far. Even though he was kind of grumbly at first he actually started getting into it.
“You know, you’re right, this show’s pretty good.”
“I knew you would like it! It’s kind of hot too, all that repressed sexuality.”
“Yeah, maybe we should play rakish aristocrat and sexually curious daughter of a wealthy landowner,” he joked, and raised his eyebrows provocatively.
“Braden, we play that all the time. That’s us you’re describing.”
“Oh yeah.” He laughed. I heard the front door open. Bruno raised his head and yipped.
“Don’t worry, Bruno, it’s just Jess. Now Mommy’s going into the other room to beat information out of her, so you hang out with Daddy.”
“I’m going to read. Is that okay or do you want me to leave the TV on?” Braden asked tactfully.
“No, honey. We’ll be in the next room. Do whatever you want and I’ll be back shortly.”
I went out to get the scoop. Cool collected Jess was gone. This Jess was so happy that she was almost vibrating. Immediately, easily excitable Gabrielle showed up to keep her company.
“Gabrielle! He asked me out!” She looked like she wanted to jump up and down. Hell, I wanted to jump up and down. And I was home now and no longer wearing heels. So I did! I jumped! Up and down!
“Tell me everything!” I demanded, grabbing her by the arms and shaking her as I hopped up and down like a crazed bunny rabbit.
“Okay, stop assaulting me and sit down,” she instructed. We went over and threw ourselves down into a couple of armchairs and sat forward in full attention information sharing poses.
“Tell me what he said word for word or I’ll have to hurt you.”
“Okay, he told me that he found me very attractive and that he felt like the two of us had a lot of chemistry,” she began.
“Yes!” I interrupted her and pumped my fist in the air. Then I rubbed my shoulder, because it was still kind of sore from the door thing already and I might have just dislocated it.
“He said that at first he worried that if it didn’t work out he would wind up making you and Braden all pissed off at him again because you and I are such good friends but that now he was pretty sure that it would work out!”
“Oh Jess! That’s so great! I’m getting all verklempt,” I said, feeling teary-eyed. I loved it when a plan came together.
“I don’t know what that means,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it. Neither do most people who aren’t Jewish and over the age of sixty. Just keep talking.”
“Um, he also admitted that at first he was jealous of Braden being with you. He realized, though, as time went on that the two of you were developing really deep feelings for each other and you just seemed right together. He’s been thinking about asking me out for a while.”