I got up and took out forks and plates to set on the kitchen island where we usually ate. Filling up two glasses with ice and water, I plopped down and waited for him to finish serving two big slices of lasagna onto plates and adding salad onto the other side. Tristan slid a plate toward me while he sat down. He looked at me and then down, before hooking his foot around the supporting piece of metal between the two front legs of the stool under me, pulling me closer to him.
We grinned at each other but didn't say anything while we ate in silence. Halfway through our serving, Tristan started clearing his throat while looking up at me from under those borderline girlish and insanely long eyelashes. "I was thinking..." he trailed off.
"That's rare," I snorted, only to have him flick my arm in response lightly.
The minute he opened his mouth to respond, my phone began to ring obnoxiously loud from the living room. I shot him a look before hopping off the stool and running to answer the call before the caller hung up. Fishing it out of my purse, I made a face at the screen when I read 'Kieran' displayed. It's been days since our date, and with the newest and biggest distraction in my life‚ I hadn't given much thought to the cute Irishman. Well, when I thought about it, I hadn't given him a single second of my mind since then.
Pressing the button to answer the call, I glanced in the direction of the kitchen before speaking. "Hello?"
"Hey, it's Kieran," the smooth voice on the other end replied.
"Hi Kieran, how are you?" I looked toward the open layout of the kitchen to make sure that Tristan wasn't eavesdropping even though I was positive that he was doing so.
"Good, thank you. I'm sorry I haven't gotten a chance to call you sooner—," he said.
I smirked to myself before sitting on the couch. "It's fine."
"Oh, okay," he paused for a moment, allowing me to imagine him blushing on the other end. "I was wondering if you were free anytime soon?"
Ohhh. While my stomach didn't drop at his question, I felt bad. He seemed like such a nice guy, and if the jackass in the kitchen hadn’t have gotten his shit together since our last fated date, then I would probably be heading on another date with Kieran. But I wasn't. No square inch of me wanted another date with him now that Tristan and I seemed to be somewhat on the same page. I didn't want to be a bitch, or string him along just to avoid telling him that I was seeing someone else just a few days later. Ugh.
"Umm," I giggled nervously, wracking my brain for ideas and coming up with nothing. "I know we just went out, but..." I groaned, feeling like a huge bitch. "I started seeing someone."
"Well," he chuckled but I could hear the tension in his voice. "I understand."
Silence ensued for too long.
"This is so awkward. I'm sorry. It was nice meeting you. I think you're a great guy...." Jesus, I was a blabbering mess.
"It was nice meeting you too. Take care," he said.
I made another face at the phone. "You too. Bye," I squeaked out.
Kieran murmured a goodbye in response before we both hung up. I groaned and tossed my phone back into my purse, shaking my head to no one. Slapping the top of my thighs I stood up and marched into the kitchen to find Tristan sitting on a stool with his arms crossed over his chest. I raised an eyebrow in his direction before sitting on the chair opposite his. "Yes?" I questioned him.
"If I wasn't so irritated that you went on a date with that guy, I'd probably tell you that that phone call was one of the most awkward conversations I've ever heard in my life," he snickered.
I scoffed, kicking away the thought that he had done so much worse than going on a simple date that didn't even end with a kiss. "You're nosey."
His eyes widened in amusement. "I don't think you're one to talk, goldie."
"Oh, shut up," I laughed before flicking his earlobe, hoping to steer away from the previous conversation. "What were you telling me before you eavesdropped on my conversation?"
Tristan shifted forward in his seat and smiled. "Do you remember me telling you I have a convention to go to next week?" he asked.
I nodded because I did remember him mentioning that he only had one more engagement before Robby was officially retired. Hallelujah. "Yeah."
"Come with me," he said in a voice that was entirely too insecure to be normal for Tristan.
My eyebrow rose on its own as I took in his suggestion. He wanted me to go with him to a porn convention? "You want me to?" I asked slowly, just to make sure I understood correctly.
"Yes. I only have to be there for an hour to do a signing, and I'm getting my hotel room and flight paid for by my sponsor, so we'd have time to go do things," he said with a waggle of thick, dark eyebrows.
Instantly, I felt terrible. With Nicole's wedding coming up, and the expenses I knew were tied with having to pay for my bridesmaid dress, hotel, food, and travel for her wedding in Vegas, it was swallowing up the money in my savings. I tried not to let the smile on my face show my disappointment, but I'm pretty sure I failed miserably. "I can't, I'm sorry. I'd like to, but I don't have the money with Nikki and Calum's wedding next month," I explained to him honestly.
He frowned and shook his head. "I'll pay for your ticket, Kat. It'll be my treat."
I narrowed my eyes in his direction and shook my head, too. "That's too much, Mag. I can't let you do that."
