“And your date?” he asks, probably having noticed the way he ran out of the restaurant.
“Here I am! Sorry I’m late.”
His warm voice blankets my whole body, provoking an orgasm of emotions in places I didn’t even know existed.
“You? What…?”
His arrogant, sexy,I’m going to show you the time of your lifesmile tells me that this isn’t just a strange coincidence.
“I’m her date,” he says, sitting in the now-empty chair opposite me. “No one else.”
“Oh…of course,” the waiter says awkwardly.
“What’s this?” he asks, staring at the plate full of vegetables that Luke ordered. “Please could you bring me something edible? Like steak, with a side portion or steak, stuffed with steak.”
“Of course, sir,” the waiter says, taking the plate of vegetables and disappearing.
“What are you doing here?”
“Pure coincidence.”
“Are you following me?”
“I told you I’d find you, even if you tried to hide.”
“What is this? A little game? A challenge for you?”
“Maybe…”
“I’m really not in the mood to talk to you right now.”
“Maybe you should line your stomach with something other than wine.”
“How did you know that…?”
“Intuition,” he says, shrugging. “And honestly, it reallyisjust a coincidence.”
“Mmm…”
“I came here to meet a friend, and I was just about to go home, but then I saw you here on your own…”
I cross my arms and lean back against the chair.
“Come on, eat. I know how much you like meat, and if you wait much longer it’ll be as tough as old boots.”
I smile, in spite of myself. “So youdoremember some things. Just not my phone number.”
“Casey…”
“I’m not having dinner with you, Nick. You had eight years to ask me out.”
“And now I have my whole life to keep asking.”
Don’t fall for it, Casey. It’s just the wine talking: he never really said that. He’s actually not even sitting opposite you, smiling in a way that sends your body up in flames. He isn’t using that seductive tone to make your skin tingle; he’s not looking at you as if you’re a big, juicy steak.
This isn’t happening. It’s all just a figment of my imagination. Actually, no: I’m dreaming. 3, 2, 1, and you’re awake…
“Come on. It’s just dinner.”
