Page 54 of Demon Dating Service

A Date to Remember

LUKE

It was here.

Date night.

Theirfirstdate night.

And if he was lucky, this was going to be the first of many dates that he and Matteo had. Things had been going well. Working around the house meant he was a lot less stressed about paying the bills and had more time on his hands for both school and Matteo.

Since that initial hangout at his house where they’d shared their first kiss, they’d begun meeting up for quick midday snacks most days between classes, and Matteo usually popped up before Luke’s first class each morning to wish him a good day. And just maybe they’d sneak kisses in the stacks when one of them was studying in the library.

But things felt like they could just be close friends with some benefits. He talked to and saw Harper almost as much as he saw Matteo. Of course, he did cuddle Harper a hell of a lot less. He’d also never kissed Harper.

Still, the important thing was that they were going on an official date that would launch them—hopefully—into a full-blown, actual relationship.

Luke couldn’t be happier about it. He had a crush on someone he’d thought was unattainable and so out of his league. Not only had Matteo turned out to be as kind and funny as he was hot, but he was attracted to Luke as well. Part of Luke still thought this was an elaborate prank. Any moment now, Matteo would laugh and shout “Gotcha!” and prove that he’d never cared for Luke at all.

Yet, Luke knew that couldn’t be possible. Matteo’s kindness had never wavered once. Plus, he’d survived Harper’s insane and threatening shovel talk. If anyone could scare him away, it would be Harper and her promise of dead bodies buried in places that would never be found.

After changing his clothes three times, Luke ran out the door and made it to the restaurant just at six o’clock for their reservation. Ravens replaced the butterflies in his stomach when he saw Matteo wasn’t there yet.

It didn’t help that as he peeked in the front window, the restaurant was empty. At six in the evening. On a Saturday.

Were they closed? They couldn’t be closed!

Panic made his heart race. It was impossible for them to be closed. He’d called four days ago to get a reservation. They wouldn’t have put his name down in the system if the business wouldn’t be open.

As he stepped up to the door, he inspected it for signs announcing an outbreak of the Spanish flu or Ebola that forced the restaurant to close, but nothing.

As he stepped inside, the hostess jerked her head up, relief instantly visible on her face.

“Welcome! Welcome! Please come on!” she greeted with over-the-top enthusiasm.

“H-hi,” Luke stammered, his eyes straying from the dark-haired young woman to the restaurant filled with empty tables. The servers stood in the back chatting with some of the kitchenstaff, looking a mix of panicked and bored. “Um…you’re…open, right?”

“Yes, yes. We’re open and happy to serve you. Will it be only you dining or maybe you’re meeting a bigger party?”

Luke’s heart squeezed at the hopeful note in her voice. “I’m meeting someone. My date. He should be here soon.”

The door whooshed open as he finished speaking, and Matteo rushed in, windblown and somewhat out of breath. “I’m here!” he wheezed. “I’m—whoa…” His eyes caught on the empty restaurant.

“Wonderful,” the hostess continued, seeming to ignore their wide-eyed gazes as she snatched up a pair of black leather-bound menus. “If you’ll follow me, we can offer you…any table you wish.” She paused for a minute, looking around. “My personal favorite is the table by the window. You’re away from any kind of draft from the front door, and you get a splendid view of the street.”

Luke bit the inside of his cheek. That spot also gave the illusion of lots of people in the restaurant. Not that Luke could blame her. He glanced at Matteo, who eagerly nodded.

“Sounds great to me,” Matteo agreed.

The hostess left them at a cozy table covered with a heavy white linen tablecloth and shining water glasses. She’d barely finished wishing them a good meal while the server approached to provide water, a basket of fresh bread and soft butter, and a list of the evening’s specials. It might be eerie to be the only diners in a restaurant, but it guaranteed them fast service.

“Have you been here before?” Luke whispered the moment they were left alone, his mouth blocked by the open menu so the staff couldn’t read his lips.

“Yes!” Matteo replied in a harsh whisper. “My parents treated me to dinner here at the start of the semester. The foodis excellent. There should be an hour’s wait for a table right now. This is so weird.”

Luke regarded the adorable Italian restaurant with its watercolors of Tuscan hills and vineyards next to the exposed red brick walls. There was a rich scent of oregano and cheese hanging in the air. The place looked clean and elegant. No, the place looked fucking expensive, but he wasn’t worried about that. He’d saved up more than enough to pay for the somewhat extravagant date with Matteo.

It was just that the restaurant was suspiciously quiet, but there was no overt sign of the demons or demonic magic, so he let his worries slip away. He chitchatted with Matteo as he reviewed the menu. They debated their preferences and whether to order something to share. By the time the server returned to take their order, a few more people had trickled into the restaurant, allowing Luke to relax. While it was nice to know they had the attention of their server, it was also unnerving to know that they had his full and undivided attention.