“Are you sure you’re not upset with me, because you sound a little bit irritated?” she asked again.

“Do you want me to be upset with you? I said I wasn’t, so let’s just leave it alone.”

She finally toned down. “Okay. Call me tomorrow.”

In your fucking dreams! I told myself. That was exactly why you couldn’t give a woman what she wanted. They started acting like real bitches as soon as they felt like they had the upper hand. Or maybe that was just Danni.

“All right, she just asked for it,” I mumbled to myself. I felt much more relaxed about entertaining Rachel after that. Danni had terrible timing to act a fool.

I ALWAYS LIKED taking women away from downtown Atlanta, because I had no idea who I would bump into, including Danni and her friends. Since Rachel loved Italian food, I drove her out to an Italian spot in Marietta, where I had shot a local men’s clothing store ad. Danni lived on the opposite side of town in Buckhead, so I was safe.

Rachel wore all shiny black, from head to toe, which was in stark contrast to my colorful outfit. I wore dark brown leather shoes, blue jeans, a yellow button up shirt, and no tie with my cashmere sports jacket.

“Well, from an outfit standpoint, we don’t look like we’re together at all,” I teased her.

“We do look good together, though,” she commented.

I didn’t add anything to that, I just smiled at her across our dark table.

She looked around and said, “This is a very interesting place. But it’s so dark in here that a girl may think that a guy was trying to hide her.”

I said, “If you’re enjoying that guy’s company, then does it really matter?”

“You don’t want a guy to feel ashamed of you,” she commented.

“Is that how you feel? I just thought this was a very good private restaurant away from any drama of the city.”

She shrugged her shoulders and dug into her salad and the bread that had been brought to the table. “Would you bring your model girls over here?” she mumbled through her food.

She was beginning to fuck up the mood before the night had even gotten started.

I spoke my part and told her, “Quit while you’re ahead and just enjoy the night.” I had been around Rachel enough to know that you didn’t hold anything back with her; you tell her exactly what’s on your mind or get eaten alive.

“So, are you saying I only get one night with you?”

What the hell was wrong with women? I was trying my best to give Rachel what she wanted, and she was making it very hard for me.

I answered, “If I don’t like how this night goes, then yeah.”

She stared at me. “Is that how it goes with your model women, too?”

I took a breath and said, “Hey, Rachel, why don’t you stop talking about everyone else and everything else, and enjoy your date while you’re having it. Because all you’re doing right now is airing out your own insecurities.”