“But severe ogling? I dunno.” Elena shook her head.
I hung on to every word they said as my stomach flipped.How about kissing? How about fantasizing? How about jerking off to the thought of them?
I needed answers.
“Come, lover boy, let’s go.”
Morton’s The Steakhouse was located at Wacker Place in the very heart of downtown Chicago. Elena dropped me off at the curb at a red light, and I jumped onto the sidewalk like a crazy person. Then again, this was downtown. It would take them an hour to find parking, then pay for the hour just for me to walk to the restaurant.
The white tablecloths and fancy decor did nothing to put me at ease. It was not my kind of place, but I was willing to make a sacrifice and pretend I enjoyed sitting among people with a stick up their ass, in the hopes of meeting someone who’d make my life less miserable. Well, okay, I was catastrophizing, but having no one to hug at night and share my life with was bringing me down.
I loitered at the front desk, or whatever that tiny podium was called, until a young man told me to go to table five.
I didn’t manage to sit before I heard a female voice. “You must be Cay.”
I turned to see a tall woman with long, naturally blonde hair falling around her shoulders. But it was her kind eyes that made me smile in return. “Maisie?”
“Yeah. I think we’re the first to show up.”
I pulled a chair out for Maisie and watched her smooth her blue dress before I sat across from her. She glanced at the two empty places and snorted. “I’ll text Alex that we’re in.”
Not a minute passed before a slim woman with short-cropped hair marched into the room. Maisie stood up so fast she had to catch her chair from falling over as she skipped to greet her friend. The women did a half-hug thing, long enough for me to consider sitting back down. When they let go of each other, Alex sized me up as if she was wondering if she could take me in a fight before she offered me a small smile.
I grinned like an idiot and shook her hand. “I’m Cay. It’s nice to—”
The words got stuck in my throat as my eyes landed on a square jaw and full lips I’d recognize anywhere. I’d know, as they’d starred in my dreams and fantasies for weeks.
My heart couldn’t decide what to do for a moment before pumping all the blood to my cheeks.Beck?My mind reeled.
Chapter Five
Beck
Maybe the choice of a fancy restaurant had been a bad idea.
The fancier ones were quieter, which only made me want to be quieter in turn, and I always felt like everyone was listening in on my conversation. Or if I spoke too loudly someone would clutch their pearls three tables over. My skin prickled.
Also, who the hell did a double blind date? I was going to throttle Tai. Or myself for agreeing to this idea in the first place.
I sat at the table alone, first as usual, and the myriad ways this could go disastrously wrong flashed through me. As the time ticked closer to the date, with neither my date nor the other couple showing up, the biggest problem thatflared in my head was the possibility of getting ditched by all three of them. And then I’d tuck into an awkward steak dinner by my lonesome. Hurray.
The server had already brought over some water, so I sipped at that from the glass, hoping it would somehow cure the desert my throat had become. My gaze drifted to the door for the five millionth time, and I kept trying to spot anyone who looked remotely like the women Tai showed me pictures of, particularly Maisie. My type was hard to pin down. Usually, I needed to actually feel comfortable for attraction to spark, so I was better off just putting myself out there.
The door swung open again, and I zeroed in on the woman who walked through.
She was a lanky brunette with short-cropped hair, a leather jacket, black jeans, and red Keds, all of which looked completely out of place for a nice steakhouse. Oddly enough, that set me at ease.
Alex, not my date, but at least one of the women had shown.
Well, I wasn’t getting ghosted, but that didn’t mean I would survive tonight. Besides, Maisie actually had to arrive too. Maybe the other guy who was coming would help ease the tension here. God only knew, with my lack of social graces, I wasn’t going to be much help. Or the guy might be a total douchebag, which wouldmake this night hell.
“Beck or Cayden?” Alex said, marching straight up to me. Even though her straightforwardness was refreshing, I could easily see why Tai hadn’t paired us up together. We didn’t need two control freaks fighting for dominance. “Tai only showed us cosplay pictures.”
“Beck,” I said, extending a hand. Should I get up? Stay seated? Too late now that she was leaning in to shake while I remained rudely seated. “I’m surprised Tai didn’t give you a full dossier on me.”
“I just got a text that our dates are at a different table,” Alex said, lifting her phone and waving it.
Of fucking course they were. I should’ve walked around the place before immediately claiming a seat by the door.
