Jake slams his glass down a little too hard, and the clang of the glass makes me jump. “So, Brad. Shari tells me your life aspiration is to open a beach bar.”
“That’s the dream, yes,” Brad’s tone is flat. Normally he’s so spirited when he’s asked about his bar, so I can’t figure out why he isn’t raving about it now.
“Aren’t you worried about how dead it’ll be outside of the peak season? Beaches aren’t exactly packed when it’s cold, you know.”
Brad forces a tight smile that barely curves his lips, but before he can say anything, Larissa chimes in to his defence.
“Oh, his bar dream is amazing! He's written up the most incredible business plan already and is working so hard to save up for it. He has so many ideas of how to get the locals to keep coming during the colder months,” she gushes. “Your dedication is one of the things I love most about you.”
“Right. Of course. His dedickation,” Jake murmurs as I glare at the side of his face. “And what about you, Larissa? Which school do you teach at?”
“I teach at Ivyfields Primary School, and this year I have the youngest class. They're so cute, and just soak up information like a sponge if you present it to them in the right way.”
“The right way being finger-painting and sandpit play?” he arches an eyebrow, and she shrinks in on herself.
“Jake,” I warn. “What the hell?”
“Apologies, Larissa. I meant it as a joke. An ice-breaker, if you will, but I fear it just came out as rude. Forgive me?”
“Yes, of course.”
Thankfully, the waitress returns with our meals at that point and tops up our wine glasses. The food is delicious and we fall into silence as we eat. It's a bit uncomfortable, but an improvement on the weirdly negative attitudes the guys have adopted, so I'll take it.
We eventually take up small talk again, and throughout dinner, Jake keeps taking every opportunity to touch me – holding my hand, playing with my fingers, cuffing the back of my neck, kissing my shoulder. I love that he’s so open with his affection, but I feel Brad’s stare boring into me with every touch from Jake. It makes me feel like Jake’s doing it all for show and that notion makes me uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, Larissa takes Jake's affection as a free pass to innocently PDA all over Brad in return. Hand on his thigh, head on his shoulder, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.
I can't take much more of it from either side, so I blurt that I need the loo and practically run away. Just as I'm about to lock the door, it pushes open and Brad barges in. “What the fuck was that out there?”
“Brad! You can't be in here.”
“I don't give a fuck. What was that? You look like you're trying to crawl out of your skin every time he touches you. Is he hurting you? You promised me that he wasn't, but if anything, tonight makes me think otherwise.”
“No! Don't be so dramatic, there's nothing nefarious happening so you can calm down and go back to your little girlfriend and your happy little bubble of affection.”
He quirks an eyebrow and his demeanour immediately shifts. “That's an interesting way to phrase things. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you sound jealous.”
I scoff, “I’m not jealous, Braddington.”
He takes a step forward with a smirk, “Braddington. That's a new one.”
“Yeah, well,” I cross my arms under my breasts and his eyes drop to my chest. “It just came to me.”
He prowls forward another step, “I can completely appreciate how it feels.”
My eyes are on his lips but I have no idea what he's saying, “Huh?”
“The nickname just came to you. I get it. I'm always coming to you. You're the magnet and the rest of us are all just helpless chunks of metal. Drawn to you against our will.”
Another step forward and he licks his lower lip. I find myself mesmerised by the motion.
Wait, we're here on a double date. With other people.
I throw my hands up between us to stop him in his tracks. “Brad, no. What are we doing? We're on a double date. You have a girlfriend! You were just all over each other and now, what, you're looking for a quickie in the bathroom with your baby mama??”
“Do you really think that's why I'm in here? I followed you because you seemed upset and uncomfortable and I care aboutyou! I needed to make sure you're ok, and that prick isn't hurting you! He seems like really bad news, Blaze.”
“Ugh, Brad, he’s not bad news! You’re just being overprotective, as usual. Look, I know there have been some tense moments, and bad jokes on his part, but he’s just working through some stuff. He’s a good guy.”
