Page 10 of The Disasters of Dating (Love Connections #6)

KEATON

Trust your instincts this summer.

Learn Chinese: 朋友 — Péngyǒu — Friend

I stare down at the fortune on my desk. We’d ordered in Chinese for lunch so we didn’t have to stop working. There are only four of us in the office now. But in a couple of months, I’ll be hiring programmers and office staff. Then we’ll be off to the races.

I tap the edge of the fortune on my desktop.

I’m not a big believer in fortune cookies.

Actually, that’s not true. I believe a great deal in the cookie—what’s not to love?

It’s lightly sweet and can satisfy a craving.

It’s the fortunes inside that I’m leery of.

But for some reason, I can’t seem to throw this one away.

I keep coming back to it. Is it saying I should trust my instincts in my personal life or my business life?

Why do they have to be so vague? Maybe I should check my horoscope and see if it backs up the fortune cookie.

That turns my thoughts to Poppy. I’d like to say it was the first time I’d thought about her since I collected my suitcase from her airport shop.

But that would be a bald-faced lie. I can’t even remember how many times I’ve picked up my phone to text her.

But then I chicken out. What would I even say?

Hey, sorry for the epically horrible dinner last night.

How about a redo? I obviously have not come up with the right wording yet. Hence, no text.

But like the fortune cookie, I can’t seem to stop thinking about her. And it’s not just the kiss. Don’t get me wrong, I think about that plenty. I’ve never had such a short kiss impact me so much. Nor be so memorable—not that I have many accidental kisses to compare it to.

But kisses aside, I liked being with her. Once we got over the weirdness of the false accusations, we had a great time. We have a few things in common. And I’m sure we’d discover more if we only spent more time together.

“Hey, Linc. We’re all going to go to the brewery down the street for dinner. Do you want to come?” Brenden rocks back on his heels.

I cringe slightly at the name. When Evan hired me, we’d both decided it would be best if I went by my middle name—also my mother’s maiden name—rather than my legal last name.

Barrington is pretty well known in the tech world.

So everyone here knows me as Keaton Lincoln.

Yeah, I know. It doesn’t really roll off the tongue.

Not even close. But I don’t need anyone thinking that the only reason I got the job is because I’m Evan’s brother.

Because that isn’t true. I frown. Okay, maybe it’s partially true.

But having a master’s degree from Yale has to hold some street cred, right? It’s what I tell myself.

I don’t know any of the execs very well.

Evan did all the hiring while I was presenting my thesis.

While I’d been conference called in on the interviews, I wasn’t the one doing the talking.

That was all Evan. He is, after all, the owner and CEO.

But once Brenden, Dan, Jasmine, and Claire had been hired, Evan handed the reins of the day-to-day running of the company to me.

He had something else ‘big’ he was working on.

The point being that I’m not buddy-buddy with the other execs.

We have a work relationship, and that is all. And I’m not looking to change it.

I pick up my phone and look at it as if a message from Poppy will magically appear. I mean, I don’t want to make plans with other people if I can hang out with her.

“If you already have plans, it’s no big deal.” He looks disappointed at the prospect. “Or…you can bring them along. Whatever you want to do.” Brenden has an “I-don’t-care-one-way-or-another” look on his face. But I’m not buying it.

“Yeah, I’d like to go.” I set down my phone and face reality. Hanging out with four real people is better than one really cute imaginary person. Okay, she isn’t imaginary. It’s our relationship that is.

“Feel free to invite them along,” he says again. I’m not sure if it’s because he doesn’t believe I have a friend to invite or if he is trying to be accommodating.

“I’m not sure if she is even available. She probably has to work.” I mumble .

Brenden’s lips quirk up slightly. “She? I didn’t know you already had a girlfriend here.

Nice work.” He nods in a total bro way. Is he inferring I have a girlfriend in New Hampshire, too?

Not that I have one in either location. I haven’t had enough time in either place to have that claim to fame.

Not that I’d ever have two girlfriends. I’m not that kind of guy.

I shake my head and raise a brow, hoping he’ll take it as a light reprimand. “She’s not my girlfriend. We only met yesterday.”

His nod only grows in fervor. “Still, nice work.”

I decide to leave it alone. “What time are you meeting there?”

“We’re meeting at 7. That way, we can go home and change out of our suits.”

“Great. I’ll see you then.” There’s still enough time for me to go over a few more things before I go back to the hotel and change, too.

Brenden stands awkwardly in front of my desk for a minute longer before he mumbles, “Cool,” and then backs out of my office.

I release a breath and rotate my shoulders.

Picking up my phone, I open my contacts.

I’m going to text her. This dinner with the guys from work is a great excuse, and it won’t have to be just the two of us.

There will be others to fill in any awkward moments that are certain to be there, especially at the beginning.

I find her number and start typing.

Hey, you probably didn’t expect to hear from me again. But some guys?—

I pause. Friends? That doesn’t feel right. But if I say guys, will she be weird when Jasmine and Claire are there too? I backspace the guys.

Work associates are going to eat at Black Strap Brewery, and I wondered if you wanted to come along? We’re meeting there at 7.

My fingers hover over the phone a moment longer before I suck it up and press send. I’m not a hundred percent happy with the title of work associates either, but I don’t know what else to call them. I don’t want to set a false expectation.

I drop my phone on my desk as if it’s on fire and stare at it. Okay. I made the first move. I guess the ball’s in her court now.

I walk into the restaurant and see Jasmine first. She’s sitting at a high table back in the far corner.

Her dark hair, which is usually in a tight bun on the back of her head, is flowing down her back and over one shoulder.

I internally shrug. She’s prettier than I had originally thought.

Not that she’s my type. Besides, I don’t like mixing business and pleasure. It’s never a good idea.

“Can I help you?” The hostess at the front desk asks.

I smile and nod toward the back. “I’m meeting some friends. I see them back there.”

She nods. “Okay. You can head on back.”

I head back toward the table. I wonder if Poppy is here yet?

I push that thought away. If she were, she would probably be out in the front area waiting for me.

Or she would have texted me to ask where I am.

It’s not like she has the names of the other people or knows what they look like.

I frown. I don’t even know if she’s coming.

She didn’t respond to my text. I’m not sure why I thought it was a good idea to text her in the first place.

She had made her stance on the matter rather clear.

As I get closer, I see Dan and Claire also.

Like Jasmine, Claire’s hair is down. She isn’t as much of a bun wearer as Jasmine is, but her hair is usually pulled back off her face with a clip or something.

She and Jasmine are complete opposites as far as looks go.

Where Jasmine has dark hair, dark eyes, and tan, Claire is red-headed, blue-eyed, and fair—like lily-white and freckled, fair.

They are both pretty in their own way. But I am not in the least attracted to either of them.

Which seems fortunate as I work closely with them.

I lift a hand as I come to the table, only then seeing Brenden hanging out in the chair in the corner.

Has he been banished or is that his preferred seat?

“Hey, it looks like everyone made it,” I say with a smile, and settle into one of the two empty seats.

Great, they’ve saved a seat for Poppy, who, in all likelihood, isn’t coming. This won’t be awkward or anything.

Dan looks behind me. “I thought you were bringing a date?”

I bite back my initial response for him to mind his own business. “She has to work,” I say instead. “But if she can get off early enough, she’ll stop by.” Man, I’ve become my junior high self. Lying about a girl so I don’t look like a loser. I’ve reached a new low.

“Oh, okay. Then I guess we can order?” Brenden looks around at everyone, as if someone else might have an imaginary date they’re waiting for. I consider faking sick and getting mine to go, just to end the awkwardness I’m feeling .

“I’m starving, so I’m ready to order whenever everyone else is,” Claire says with a smile.

If I’ve noticed anything about Claire, it’s that she’s usually happy.

I’m not sure if that is good or bad for your HR manager.

But I’ve decided to reserve my opinion until we actually hire more people who need HR-ing.

“I’m with you. Chinese food never seems like it has any staying power. If I hadn’t eaten a protein bar at 3, I’d be about to eat this table,” Jasmine says with a laugh. The others join her. I smile big, but I’m not feeling it. It’s not her, it’s me.

Dan raises his hand as a server walks by. “We’re ready to order,” he says.

The server nods and mumbles something about being right back.

“Have any of you eaten here before?” Claire asks, still looking at the menu. Dan may have been a bit premature in summoning the server. I haven’t even picked up the menu yet.

“I have,” Jasmine says. “The fish and chips are delicious. And I enjoyed the mac and cheese.”

Claire gives Jasmine a look. “You had to pick the most fattening things on the menu.”

Jasmine shrugs. “My date said the salmon was good. But I don’t do salmon. I don’t do much fish, actually.” She grins. “Unless it’s beer-battered and fried. Then I can manage it.”

I look over the menu. Several things look good, but I decide to try the Philly cheesesteak.

The server hurries over, looking slightly frazzled. The chatter in the restaurant continues to increase as the tables fill up. “What can I get for you?” He asks.

Claire points to Dan. “Why don’t you start with the guys first?” Her eyes drop to the menu, and her lips push out in thought.

Everyone orders—Claire finally found something to eat— and we all settle back to wait. Several sporting events are playing on various TVs around the room.

“Do you know when Mr. Barrington is planning to come out?” Dan asks me.

“Hey, this was supposed to be a no-business-talk dinner,” Jasmine scowls at him.

Dan holds his hands up. “Sorry.”

I lean toward him and whisper loudly. “Evan’s scheduled to come out in October. And he’ll be here for all the interviewing.”

Dan nods. “Thanks,” he says with a quick look at Jasmine .

“So, Brenden says you have a girlfriend here?” Claire asks as she takes a sip of her drink.

I shoot a look at Brenden. It was not his place to say anything about my girlfriend—or not girlfriend, as the case may actually be.

I shake my head. “Nope. I don’t. There’s a girl that I met at the airport last night when I flew in.

But I’d hardly call her my girlfriend.” Why am I even telling them this much? It’s none of their business.

“You are dating a tourist?” Jasmine eyes me, like she is seeing me in a new light…and she doesn’t like what she sees. “What, are you a love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy?”

I’m only slightly mollified by the thought that she seems disappointed with this new revelation. I’m glad her first impression was that I am a stand-up guy. “No. She works in one of the shops at the airport. She tried to have me arrested for shoplifting.”

All the eyebrows at the table shoot up, and Jasmine looks at me in a completely different way.

Still disappointed—not because I’m a player but because I’m a thief.

I think I might prefer for her to think I’m a player?

I take a sip of my Dr. Pepper and shake my head.

“I wasn’t shoplifting. But she saw me slip my lip balm into my backpack pocket and she thought it was a pack of gum. ”

Brenden grunts. “She was going to arrest you for a pack of gum? Uptight, ever?”

Claire smacks him in the arm. “Stealing is stealing. It doesn’t matter if it’s a million dollars or a pack of gum. It’s still wrong.” I’ll admit to liking that response from my HR manager. I’d guess she has similar feelings where company items are concerned. I nod in agreement.

Dan looks conflicted by her example. Does he not think they are both wrong? “Yeah,” Dan says hesitantly. “But I’m not sure the penalty should be the same. I mean, he should still get in trouble for stealing the gum. But he should get in more trouble for stealing a million dollars.”

“Just to be clear,” I interrupt. “I didn’t steal a pack of gum or a million dollars.”

Jasmine laughs. “We didn’t think you did. You’re way too straight of an arrow for that.”

Really? Judging from the look she was throwing my way, I’m not buying it. I think there might be a little CYA going on.

“If she tried to have you arrested, why are you dating her?” Brenden asks in confusion.

I’m now hoping Poppy doesn’t show up. She may not get the kindest reception from these guys.

“First of all, we aren’t dating.” Geez, how many times do I have to say that before they clue in?

“We went to dinner last night at the airport so she could apologize for the arrest thing. But that is all. So no girlfriend. Not dating.”

“But you like her?” Claire asks with a penetrating stare.

When did these people decide we were besties and should share our deepest, darkest desires with each other?

Actually, let me amend that. When did they decide I should share my deepest desires with them?

They have yet to share a single personal thing with me, unless you count Jasmine’s aversion to unfried fish.

News flash. They’re going to be disappointed.

“I haven’t spent enough time with her to know if I like her.” I put my glass to my lips, hoping that will end the conversation. I glance toward the door, the thought of faking sick looking more and more appealing.

“So…who do you think is going to make it to the World Series this year?” Dan gives me a look and then nods. It’s the male-to-male equivalent of a wink. I think Dan might be my new best friend.