Page 28 of One Good Puck (Denver Bashers #5)

Gavin

I look up when I hear the sound of the front door opening. A few seconds later, Abby appears.

“You’re back early,” I say.

She offers a shy smile. “My date stood me up.”

My brow hits my hairline. “Are you serious?”

She nods as she walks into the living room. She drops her purse onto the side table and sits on the arm of the couch across from me.

“So he didn’t call or text you? He just didn’t show up?” I ask.

“Nope.” She lets out a sad chuckle. “Oh well. I guess it was bound to happen. Most of my single friends have been stood up at least once.”

I shake my head, annoyed and angry for her.

“That’s messed up, Abby.”

She shrugs. “That’s modern dating for you.”

She seems so unbothered by what just happened.

She runs a hand over the fabric of her black dress. “So much for getting all dressed up, huh?” she jokes. “I’m going to warm up some leftovers from the fridge. You want any? ”

A restless feeling shoots through me. No way. This can’t be how she ends her night—eating leftovers when she was supposed to be out having drinks on a date.

I take in the sight of her, how beautiful she looks in that dress. That restless feeling sharpens. I think back to earlier this evening, how jealous I felt at the thought of some other guy getting to take her out and make her feel special.

But now that her dumbass date screwed up and blew his shot with her, this is my chance to make it right.

This is my chance to take her on the kind of date she deserves to go on.

I stand up from the couch. “You’re not eating leftovers. I’m taking you to dinner.”

I grab my suit jacket from the arm of the couch and slide it on.

She chuckles. “What?”

I let my gaze run along the length of her dress before looking her in the eye. “That’s not a dress you stay in and wear while you eat leftovers on the couch. That’s a dress that deserves to be taken out.”

A beautiful smile pulls at Abby’s lush mouth. Her cheeks flush. “Gavin, you don’t have to take me out to dinner.”

“I know I don’t have to. I want to. Will you come have dinner with me?”

She bites her lip, a teasing look flashing in those mesmerizing green eyes. “Okay.”

Abby glances around the dining area of Se’bon. “This is where Sophie and Xander had their engagement party, right?” she asks .

“Yeah.”

“It's so different when they’re serving dinner,” she says.

Her eyes glitter as she takes in the sleek, minimalist decor in the dimly lit space.

The color scheme is earthy. Warm hues of brown and gray and cream set a cozy tone.

All the tables are made of dark wood. At the center of the restaurant is the open kitchen.

A dozen chefs and cooks in white coats cook and plate meals.

“It’s my favorite restaurant in the whole city,” I say.

A server stops by our table and pours us glasses of water. Abby takes a sip and then glances at the far wall.

“Oh wow.” She smiles as she gazes at the half dozen paintings hanging around the restaurant. “They have so many prints of Monet’s Water Lilies series.”

I glance around. “Oh yeah.”

“Monet is one of my favorite painters,” she says, her eyes still fixed on the artwork.

“I went on a road trip to Chicago with my parents when I was a kid, and they took me to the Art Institute of Chicago. There was a collection of his paintings featured there. I stood there for hours looking at all of them. I was mesmerized. My parents practically had to drag me away.”

I chuckle. “Really?”

She laughs. “Yup. I wanted to paint like him. I loved the look of those thick brushstrokes in all those bright, pastel colors,” she says, looking at the paintings again.

“I just adore how his brushstrokes make the images in the paintings come to life. Even in the prints, the texture of the paint is evident. Almost like the flowers and the greenery pop out at you.”

When she looks at me, she flashes a flustered smile. “I sound like such a nerd.”

“No, I love it. It’s cool to see how passionate you are about art .

Her expression turns warm when she looks at me. The server drops by and hands me a drink menu before walking off.

When Abby opens her menu, her pretty green eyes widen. “Um, wow. These prices…” She gnaws at her bottom lip like she’s unsure.

I reach over and rest my hand on her arm. She looks at me.

“Don’t worry about that. This is on me.”

She tilts her head at me. “Gavin, come on.”

“I’m serious. Tonight is my treat.”

She hesitates, but I shake my head before she can say anything.

“You’re my friend, and I want to take you out to dinner. Will you please let me?”

She lets another cute, shy smile break free. God, that smile. It makes me weak every single time.

“Okay. Thank you,” she says softly.

I open up the wine menu. “How about some wine?”

“That sounds amazing.”

“Red okay?”

She smiles and nods.

“You’re so knowledgeable about art,” I say after ordering wine and a starter.

She shrugs. “I’d know more if art school had worked out.”

“I don’t mean to pry, but can I ask why you didn’t end up going?”

“I got pregnant with Emma,” she says.

“Oh. I…” I catch myself. I was going to say sorry, but that would come off like it’s a bad thing that she had her daughter, and that’s not what I mean.

She offers a small smile. “It’s okay. Art school would have been amazing, but having Emma was even more amazing.

And I love my job as a kindergarten teacher.

I wouldn’t trade the life I have with my daughter for the world.

And because of your thoughtful gift, I’m able to spend more time painting and drawing. ”

“I’m really happy to hear that.”

The server brings us a bottle of Bordeaux. A few minutes later, he drops off the steak tartar we ordered along with the wine.

“I’m so glad you’re not bothered by raw steak,” Abby says. “All of my friends think it’s gross whenever we go out to dinner together and I order this.”

I shake my head. “They don’t know what they’re missing.”

I watch as Abby spoons the small chunks of beef onto a toasted slice of baguette. When she takes a bite, she closes her eyes and moans.

“Okay, that’s hands-down the best steak tartare I’ve ever had.”

“Good, right? It’s the best steak tartare I’ve had outside of France.”

I serve her another helping of the tartare, then myself. The richness of the beef combined with the tang of the shallots and capers is heaven.

“You’ve been to France?” Abby asks, excitement in her tone.

“Yeah. It was a long time ago, though.” I say, my chest tightening at the memory.

“Epic boys’ trip with your hockey buddies, I’m guessing?” she teases.

“No, uh, it was my honeymoon.”

“Oh…” her smile drops. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up something sad. ”

I offer what I hope is a reassuring smile. “You didn’t. I’m the one who brought it up. And it’s really fine. I just…” I pause and take a sip of wine. “I just didn’t want to be the guy who ruins the mood by mentioning the honeymoon I took with my late wife.”

A soft smile appears on Abby’s beautiful face. “You’re not ruining anything. I think it’s so romantic that you took her to France for your honeymoon. And it means a lot that you feel comfortable enough with me to talk about her.”

I can tell by her tone and the look in her eyes that she’s being sincere.

“You’re my favorite person to talk to, Abby. ”

A soft smile pulls at her lush mouth.

“France is my dream vacation,” she says.

“Oh, yeah?”

She nods as she sips her wine. “I’ve always wanted to go to Paris. See the Eiffel Tower. Have a café au lait at a coffee shop. Eat a freshly baked baguette. Go to the Louvre.” She chuckles softly. “I’m such a cliche, aren’t I?”

“I’m the guy who took his wife to Paris for our honeymoon. I’m a cliche too.”

She laughs. I love the sound when she laughs this hard. It’s so light and melodic.

“Would you ever go back to Paris? Would that be too painful for you?” Her voice is soft and hesitant.

“No, I’d like to. It’s a beautiful city. Nicole would be pretty pissed at me if I never visited again.”

Abby’s smile is warm. “That’s really sweet. I hope you get to visit again soon.”