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“So, let’s head back in?”

I nod. “You go first. If we arrive together, they might start asking questions. And Elle?”

“Yes?”

“If at any moment you need my help to get out of there, just let me know.”

She smiles. “Like, with a secret wink or something?”

“Or something.”

She disappears around the corner, and when I hear the back door of the diner close, I let out a groan. I promised her I’d take her out on a date, and I will, but not being close to her is driving me crazy. When Ryan entered the diner and had his eyes all over Elle, I felt something I haven’t felt in a long time. Jealousy raced through my veins at the thought of another guy getting close to her. It’s ridiculous and not logical at all, but I can’t help it. I want to spend every waking minute with her, getting to know her, exploring her mind, her dreams, her body.

I realize Maggie has set us both up with people that don’t have a clue they don’t stand a chance. That doesn’t sit well with me. I’m not the kind of person to mislead people. But I can’t act as if Kitty lights a fire inside of me either.

When I slide back into my chair at our table, those worries turn out to be irrelevant. Ryan and Kitty have switched seats so they’re sitting together, and are completely mesmerized by each other. Maggie doesn’t pay us any attention either. A part of me wants to just up and leave, take Elle with me, and go for a walk on the beach. I won’t, of course. The decent thing to do is get through this night without being rude. If anything, I now get to talk to Elle for the remainder of the evening, as she’s seated right next to me, and her date doesn’t pay her any attention anyway.

Our burgers and fries arrive. Elle and I reach for the ketchup bottle at the same time, causing our hands to touch for just a moment. It’s enough to make me ache with longing.

I open the bottle and squirt a big dollop of the red sauce on her plate. “Enough?” I ask.

“A bit more,” she says, her voice an odd murmur.

“Of the ketchup?” I ask, unsure of why that question pops into my head. What else would she want more of?

She nods. “For starters.”

A few of her red curls fall from behind her ears, blocking the right side of her face, but it doesn’t prevent me from seeing the light pink blush creeping up her cheeks.

I look at my burger. How long will it take us to clear these plates? How long should I stay so that I don’t come across as a tool running away from a blind date? How much longer until Elle and I can finally be alone?

I put a handful of fries in my mouth, counting down the minutes until we can get out of here.

“What about you, Colton, are you in?”

Kitty stares at me with an expectant look. I’ve clearly missed part of the conversation while I was munching on fries and dreaming about a date with Elle.

I clear my throat and take a long swig of my beer, to buy time. “Come again?”

She lets out a laugh. “Truth or dare. Are you in or out? Please tell me you’ll join us.”

Elle looks as horrified as I feel. Isn’t truth or dare a game that’s normally played by hormonal teenagers? Or is that a prejudice of mine I didn’t even know I had?

“Come on, it’ll be fun,” Maggie says.

I give her a long look. Why is she okay with this? I know for a fact that she hates this game with a vengeance, or so she told me a few years ago.

My phone buzzes with a text and I gladly welcome the distraction. When I see who it’s from, I snort.

Just say yes, this date is going so well. I might have finally found love – M

“Really, sis?”

The pleading look she throws my way makes me cave.

“Fine,” I say.

She always does this, making me do things I don’t want to do. Like when she asked me to pick Elle up from the airport. But hey, that turned out great, so… Maybe this truth or dare thing won’t be too bad either. Besides, we’re at a diner, it’s not as if we can go crazy in here.