“Then go with Noah.”
“What?!”
I’m not sure which one of us says it louder, Odette or me.
Either way, we’re both looking at Izzy incredulously.
She is officially out of her mind.
Me? Go on a date with Odette? Yeah, fucking right.
Izzy laughs. “You two are acting like I’m askingyouto get married. It’s just a date. One night. I don’t see the harm. Besides, you’ll both be in the same pictures with me anyway. It just makes sense.”
“The harm is that I don’t want to date Odette.”
Odette looks up at me like she’s offended. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I wassodisgusting that you couldn’t possibly fathom dating me.”
That’s not at all what I meant. If anything, the opposite.
But I can’t tell her that. Not in general, but certainly not with Izzy sitting right here. She might think it’s harmless for her brother and best friend to go on a date for an evening, but it’s not as meaningless as she thinks, especially not with my growing attraction to Odette.
So, no, I don’t correct her. I let her continue believing that’s the exact reason I won’t be her date.
It’s safer that way. Smarter. No risk.
“First of all, Odette is a babe, and you’re an ass.”
Odette makes a disgruntled noise. “You can say that again. He’s been one all day.”
Izzy gasps. “Is this because of your ex-wife? I saw she’s marrying that football guy. He’s hot.” She waggles her brows suggestively at Odette.
I hate that Odette seems to agree, and I don’t know why. I shouldn’t care who Odette thinks is attractive at all.
“Why does everyone keep bringing that up?”
“Uh, because it’s sort of a big deal. Chelsea has moved on, but you haven’t.”
I grit my teeth together at Izzy’s comments. “Because there’s nothing to ‘move on’ from. I was over the relationship long before we even got divorced. You know that.”
“Then why haven’t you been on a date since? And why won’t you go on a date with Odette?”
“Yeah, Noah,” Odette says, smirking up at me. “Why won’t you go on a date with me?”
“So you want to go on a date with me?” I toss back at her, enjoying far too much the way her face falls with shock.
She never expected me to turn that back around and put her in the hot seat for a change.
“That’s sweet. I’m touched. No,flattered.” I put my hand over my chest, returning that same cocky smirk she gave me. “But I don’t think of you that way, darlin’. You’re like a sister to me.”
Her mouth drops open, and I can’t help myself.
I reach out, tuck one finger under her chin, and push her mouth closed. “Better close that before you let a fly in.”
Ezra’s smirking at me when I walk back to the bar.
“What?” I bark at him, that same crankiness returning tenfold.
“Nothing.” He shakes his head, still fucking smirking. “Nothing at all.”
