“Wait!What?”
He tilts his head toward Matt and smirks. “Didn’t wanna say anything in case you totally ditched me for the famous guy over there, but I’m pretty sure that’s the bassist from Recoil with the bombshell.”
I sink into my seat slightly and sigh as Logan looks back at me and chuckles. “But hey, don’t worry, you’re way better looking than her. And, to be honest, Recoil kinda sucks anyway. Their music is so… meh. It’s not hard enough for me, you know what I mean?” he asks, and I have to try really hard not to burst out laughing.
I nod and continue to look over the menu, figuring if there’s some type of steak, knowing it’s a safe option.
“God, I hope they have steak. I need some meat.” Logan looks up at me and opens his eyes wide. “Shit! You’re not a vego are you?”
“God, no. I was just thinking the same thing. Steak sounds good.”
“Ha, you and me…” he points to me, then himself, “… we’re gonna get along just fine, Alex,” he says, throwing his hand into the air and looking for the waiter. He comes over and looks at Logan, who smiles at me as if asking for my permission to speak. I giggle and nod as he straightens his shoulders and clears his throat. “Okay, so we’re not fancy people. We’re average run-of-the-mill, so we don’t need bells and whistles. Just a couple of steaks, medium—”
I interrupt, “Can I get mine medium-rare, please?”
“Sorry, medium-rare for the lady, with some awesome potatoes and veggies. Can we get that?” he asks, and I stifle my laugh.
The waiter looks at me, and I dip my chin in agreement with a smile. “Of course, sir. Anything else?”
Logan looks at me, so I blurt out, “And some garlic bread… with cheese!”
Logan’s eyes widen, and he nods. “Hell, yes, I’m loving this idea. And don’t be stingy with the garlic. If we’re gonna stink, we may as well both reek.”
The waiter nods and turns to walk off, but I gain his attention once more. “Oh, and one more thing…” The waiter turns around. “Can you bring us some beer, please? No more champagne.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says as Logan chuckles, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest.
“Ah, Alex, you know me so well already. I’m not sure if we should stay for the steak or whether I should take you home right now.”
I chuckle, rolling my eyes. “Easy, tiger. Remember to keep yourmassiveego in check.”
He grins, unrepentant. “Kidding… ish.”
Shaking my head, I glance over at Matt. He’s watching Jaci, his expression soft, almost like he’s lost in her. Something twists in my chest, a mix of hope and a pang of something else.
Jealousy?Maybe.
It’s stupid, really.
I want them to get along—I should want that.
But a small, selfish part of me can’t help but wonder if I’ll lose the sense of comfort Matt brings me if Jaci becomes his whole world.
Chapter Twelve
MATT
Jaci’s stunning, even more breathtaking than her photographs online. Her face is flawless, her hair falls along the side of her face perfectly, and her figure, well, she’s awe-inspiring. The dress she’s wearing is relatively modest but still very appealing, and she’s everything I want in the girl I’m looking for. She’s ticked so many boxes on my list just from a simple glance.
But in a single breath, things change.
My mind wanders back…
When the waiter introduced us, her eyes went wide, and she stared while I held her gaze. Jaci smiled a little too widely when she took the flowers from me, shaking her head like she was astonished. Then she took a deep breath and chewed on her bottom lip.
“Matt, I know now why you hid your profile picture and wouldn’t send me any others…” her voice is like a fucking angel, but her words cut me like a knife as I tense up while she continues, “… you’re famous. You’re a… a rock star. You’re him, aren’t you? You’re that guy from Recoil?”
My hopes that she wouldn't know, wouldn't recognize me, were crushed the minute she saw me and became like everyone else. Jaci reached out and grabbed my hand to pull me toward the main restaurant, not even bothering to try to control her reaction to me.
