“Yes. You, Ivy. I want to date you.”
“But,” I said, taking a deep breath. I felt like I was standing on top of a roller coaster, staring at the drop before making the step toward it. One wrong move, and I’d fall off the rails and crash. “It would ruin our friendship.”
“We already did that, three years ago.” He reached for my hand and ran a finger over my wrist. The slight feather of a touch had my body tightening with need.
A need for Callum. The guy I’d never let myself even think about that way. Not even for a second. I crossed one leg over the other, trying to ease the growing tension between my legs.
“I told you that I have a whole section of my brain for you. You’re confused how I could have this attraction to you, right? It’s simple. I was terrified of losing you, so I put you in this safe, untouchable box. I never let myself admire the way your lips are so full and curve up on the sides or the way your hair is so glossy and shines when it hangs down your back. Even having those thoughts could threaten what we had. But we broke that. I broke it.” He opened his mouth to continue, but the waiter returned with our wine.
“Are you ready to order?”
“Oh, give me a minute.” Callum plastered on that charming smile, just like that. “We have a bet going on that if I can guess her order, then she has to kiss me.”
“Callum!” My face heated. He was just so open about it. It was refreshing and exhilarating.
“What? He gets to celebrate my win with me if I get this right.” He chewed on the end of his pen and clicked his fingers. “Got it. Okay.”
Callum scribbled on the napkin, a cocky smirk on his face. “Here, you can read it out after she orders.”
“This is crazy,” I mumbled, but the waiter seemed excited about the bet. “Have you had this happen before?”
“Nope. But I’m so curious if he’s right.” The waiter read the napkin and nodded. “Okay, so what are you going to order?”
Here was the moment.
I wanted the chicken and brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes, but that was almost too easy. Callum needed to work for it more. “I’ll take the salmon with a Caesar salad and brussels sprouts.”
The waiter’s face didn’t change at all. The guy was good. “That comes with rice, is that alright?”
“Could I substitute that for…” I studied the menu. “Onion rings?”
The waiters lip quirked. “Yes, and for you, sir?”
“Sirloin, medium, mashed potatoes, broccoli.” Callum leaned back in his seat, his nostrils slightly flared.
Did that mean victory or annoyance? I didn’t know! I knew in that second, I wanted Callum to be right. I wanted to feel his lips on mine, to see how he tasted, to have his large hands on me. “Okay, what did he write?”
The waiter shared a glance with Callum and nodded. “Well done, mate.”
He walked away, tossing the napkin on the table. I snatched it up and about gasped.
SALMON, NO RICE
CAESAR SALAD, BRUSSELS SPROUTS
ONION RINGS OR GRILLED ONIONS
“What the fuck?” I stared at his handwriting, absolute disbelief numbing me. He got it right. He guessed my order. “How… what?”
“You’re a sucker when a restaurant has a recommended item. The salmon has a little ivy leaf next to it.” Callum sipped his wine before continuing. “Anyone who knows you at all knows you have a thing for brussels sprouts. The Caesar was hard though. I know you love honey mustard to dip fries in, but fries don’t go with salmon. And you are so weird about rice ever since that time your mom made you eat burnt rice. And onions would go well with the brussels.”
“Callum. I’m… speechless.”
Shocked. Impressed. Charmed. No one else in my life knew me that well. And after all this time… maybe his words held truth. Hell, he kept tabs on me after our fight where I hadn’t whatsoever.
“You told me I’m not your type, but I really want to prove to you that I can be. You know the real me, but I have my public personality working against me. I lost you once, Ivy, and I don’t plan to again.”
“You don’t even know if you like me like that. What if we don’t have chemistry?”
