Thisis the restaurant where she works?
I blink rapidly, trying process the fact that she works here. Out of all the restaurants and bars in Chicago, we just happen to end up in this one.
The one that Logan chose for us.
Fuck.
I hate the way she’s looking at me, the hurt evident in her eyes which even from this distance, I can see are pooling with unshed tears.
Tears thatIput there. Tears I desperately want to erase.
I’m about to jump up and go to her when Jennifer places a hand on my arm. Quinn tracks the movement, her eyes flitting between Jennifer and I, and she turns on her heels and storms away into a room in the back.
“So, I hear you’re a professor,” Jennifer says.
“Um… yes. I teach English Literature.” I force a smile. “What do you do?” I ask, though I don’t really care, I only asked out of politeness.
She begins to tell me, but I zone out, not hearing a single word that comes from her mouth.
The evening drags.
We’ve been here for an hour and a half and it feels like a lifetime. We sit and talk in between our meals, and as the night wears on, Jennifer inches closer and closer towards me. Every time she goes to cross her legs or to find something in her bag, any movement has her closing up the space between us on the seat.
It’s getting annoying, and not to mention she’s coming onwaytoo strong. Surely a woman as attractive as she is, couldn’t possibly be so desperate. And that laugh… it’s like sitting next to a hyena.
I’m not usually so intolerant, with teaching comes a need for patience, but the fact that I’ve caused Quinn pain and that Jennifer hangs all over me, it’s the last thing on my mind.
Even though I should be engaging with Logan and the women, my attention is elsewhere. I’m too concerned about Quinn and how she must be feeling. I’ve spent half my time glancing around the restaurant in search of Quinn, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, shoot her a look that tells her how sorry I am, and every time I see her, I keep hoping that she’ll look my way, but she never does.
I hate that I’ve hurt her, but it wasn’t intentional.
I see how it looks. I shoot her down, tell her that kissing her was a mistake, and not even a week later and I’m here on a double date, flaunting it in her face.
She must hate me. And with good reason.
I never even wanted to come on this stupid double date anyway. I knew deep down that it was a bad idea, I should never have given into Logan.
Logan.
He insisted I come here, all but got down on his knees and begged me to.
This was him.
He set me up. All of this was planned. He knew Quinn worked here and he did this on purpose.
But why? Why would he do that?
“So, Mel and I are gonna head out. Dwight, you’re okay to see Jen home, right?” Logan asks with a wink.
He’s leaving?
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Awesome, don’t wait up for me,” he says, taking Mel’s hand. “Come on, babe.”
They shuffle out of the booth and Mel says goodbye to Jennifer and I before the two of them leave.
We sit in an awkward silence for what feels like forever. My leg bounces under the table restlessly as I catch sight of Quinn heading into the corridor that leads on to the restrooms. This is my chance.
