“Do you care if I smoke? If it bothers your contacts, I won’t.”
“Will it make you less jumpy?”
“Yes.”
“Please do.”
“I’m sorry…it’s just that I’m so out of my element. What if Rob doesn’t like me?”
“He’ll like you. What’s not to like?” Adam realized how much he had just sounded like his father. “He doesn’t know you, and I don’t know his date, so we’re even. Please have a drink,” he said, reaching for her hand.
Looking over toward the door, Adam caught a glimpse of a girl with the fake breasts in the silver sequin top. He thought it might be Rob’s date, and surely enough, Rob appeared at the host stand about 30 seconds after the woman had arrived. He smiled and whispered something into her ear. Holding her hand, Rob and his date joined Adam and Tracie at the bar while their table was being set. Adam had warned Rob that Tracie was a bit stressed by the idea of the whole evening and asked that he be extra warm.
“Hi, Tracie,” Rob said, extending his hand to shake hers. “It’s nice to see you again. I was at a party at your house a while back,” he said, reminding her in case she had forgotten. “Tracie and Adam, this is Casey,” Rob announced gently, sliding Casey in front of him.
Rob had warned Adam that Casey had been a stripper in her early twenties and was still sensitive about it. Adam promised he wouldn’t tell Tracie about Casey’s past or bring it up at the dinner. Casey was sharp and self-confident.
“Rob tells me you’re working on your master’s,” Adam said, making conversation.
“Yes, in psychology — specifically in the area of emotional addiction.”
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