Page 42

“We’ll just take two ice waters,” he said, snatching the drink menu from my fingertips. “With lemon on the side,” he added before she could scurry away.

My jaw was still hanging open from the way he’d snatched that damn menu, I hadn’t even had time to register that he’d just ordered water for the table like he was doing me a favor.

Instead of showing my ass, I hid my face in the entree menu and tried to center myself.

And just like that, we were down to zero out of ten points. I couldn’t stop the downturn of my lips or the way my brow furrowed every time he smiled across the table at me.

Averting my gaze, I studied the white table cloth and mumbled to myself. “Noah and Greyson would never do me like this.”

“You said something?” an eager voice called, opposite me.

I peeked around the menu and gave a tight shake of my head before shielding my face again.

This man was already on the fast-track to getting blocked when I left this restaurant, but then he accelerated my decision by uttering his next words.

“You know what? Why don’t we just share two or three appetizers?”

“I—”

“We can save some money…and some room for dessert later.” He waggled his brows at me and I didn’t bother stopping the scowl that bloomed on my face.

The only dessert I wanted from this man was my wasted time back on a silver platter. And since I couldn’t get that?—

“Excuse me, I need to use the men’s room. Don’t order without me.” I felt like his words were a warning and I dropped the menu the second he disappeared.

A few seconds later, my clutch vibrated in my lap, breaking the staring contest I was having with the silverware laid out in front of me.

I pulled out my phone, my frown still in place when I saw the notification on my screen. It wasn’t from the group chat, it was just from “Grey.”

Instant relief flooded me at the familiarity of his name. I wanted to be home with him and Noah, watching a movie and talking to them about whatever mindless thing we wanted. Why I thought of their place as home was a problem for future me to solve. I just wanted something familiar before this date could go further off the rails.

Would it be wrong to ask him to come get me? My car was at my grandma’s house because I was not giving Keenan my address on the first link.

Long-pressing on the text, I waited for the message to appear and my head snapped around the second it did.

Grey:

Tell your date Halloween is tomorrow.

Me:

Greyson, what the hell? Are you here?

I peered around the restaurant, searching for him, but the lighting was too dim for me to see much beyond five feet in front of me.

Grey:

What you think, Red?

Me:

Did you follow me here?

Grey:

How could I follow you if I didn’t even know you canceled on us for a date?

Me: