She's Not a Fan

Chapter 30

Sarah unloaded the groceries and set aside the ingredients for dinner.  Soon she had the meat marinating and the soup on simmer.  A light lemon fragrance filled the air.  The salad ingredients were chopped and ready to be assembled and the dressing made.  The rice was soaking.  Time to go and get dressed.

This time the choice of underwear was much easier.  It was definitely the sexwear with the hope of Mike seeing it.  She wasn’t really into casual sex.  To her there was nothing casual about it.  It was so intimate.  Some of her teenage patients had more sexual partners than her.  And they probably wouldn’t agonize over parking in a spot reserved for pregnant women either, she thought ruefully. 

As she finished touching up her make-up, the phone rang.  Don’t tell me he can’t make, she fretted.  But it was Danni’s number on the call display.

“Hi Danni.”

“Hey Sarah.  Soo...how are things?”

“Good,” Sarah answered slowly, puzzled that she would ask.

“Whatch ya doin’?’

“Umm.. actually, I’m just getting ready.  Mike is coming over for dinner.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.  We ran into each other at the hockey dinner and wanted a chance to talk, so I invited him for dinner.”

“That’s great.” Danni paused.  “Do you have other news for him, too?”

“What do you mean?  About the clinic?”

“No...although did you mention that to him?”

“I did.  He brushed it off.  Almost looked embarrassed.  It was kinda cute.”

“Yeah, he’s like you in that regard.  Doesn’t really like being in the spotlight for all the community stuff he does.”

Sarah’s heart warmed.  It was minor, but hey, something in common.

“But it wasn’t that.  Somebody asked me today if you were pregnant?”

“What?”

“They said they saw your car---”

“Oh, honestly,” Sarah said with a shake of her head.  “Please tell me that it wasn’t someone from the team.”

Danni was silent.

Sarah groaned.  Then went still.  “It wasn’t Mike, was it?”

“No, although he seemed pretty interested in the conversation.”

Sarah sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, and caught sight of her pale face reflected back at her in the mirror.  “Great.  That’s just great.”

“Are you?”

“NO.”

“It’s so unlike you.  I’ve never seen you so much as jay-walk.”

“I know.  I know.  I had to run into the store and parking was a bitch.  The pregnancy space was the only one open so I just parked there.  For like, four minutes.  This town is too small.”

“So just explain it.”

Sarah sighed. “Yeah, obviously that will be on the menu tonight.  Can’t wait.”

“Just laugh it off.  Don’t make it a big deal.”

“Really?”

“You know, people park illegally all the time.  And with a lot less guilt.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“But you might want to stay away from a life of crime.  Doesn’t seem to work too well for you,” she laughed. “Have fun tonight and good luck.”

“Thanks.  I think I’ll need it.”

OK that’s not stressful.  She added more deodorant.  Just laugh that off, no problem.  Maybe she’ll chill another bottle of wine.

Sarah went downstairs and finished the preparations for the meal.  She was lighting the candles when the doorbell rang.  Rubbing sweaty palms on her slacks, she went to answer the door.