“Right this way,” she said warmly. “Your baby is adorable. Will you need a high chair?”
“Uh, she’s okay in the carrier, but thanks.”
I settled Rory’s carrier between us, angling it so she could see both of us. My hands were fucking shaking as I unfolded my napkin.
“You okay?” Harper asked, studying my face. “You seem tense.”
“I’m fine.” I cleared my throat, adjusting Rory’s carrier for the third time. “Just making sure everything’s…you know.”
“Drew.” Harper reached across the table, covering my hand with hers. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“You’re fidgeting. You never fidget. Even when you’re stressed about Rory or school, you don’t fidget.” She tilted her head, those brown eyes seeing right through me. “You’re acting really weird.”
Fuck. Iwasacting weird.
But it was worse that she noticed it.
Our waitress appeared before I could answer, asking about drinks. I ordered us both Cokes without checking if Harper wanted one, then immediately second-guessed myself.
Double fuck. Did women like when you ordered for them or not? I swore I remembered Ava saying it was romantic when the guy got the order right because it showed that he knew you. But what if Harper didn’t want Coke tonight?
“Actually, do you even want Coke? I should have asked. Or we could get?—”
“Drew.” Harper’s voice was gentle but firm. “Breathe.” She turned to the waitress. “Coke is fine.”
After the waitress left, she leaned forward. “Seriously, what’s going on? You were fine twenty minutes ago.”
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to figure out how to explain this without sounding like a complete loser. “I’m freaking out a little.”
“Freaking out about what?”
“This. Tonight.”
Her face shuttered and she sat back. “Are you saying you’re embarrassed to be seen with me?”
The hurt and confusion on her face confirmed it. I was massively fucking this up.
“No! I meant about taking you somewhere nice.” I gestured around the restaurant. “I wanted it to be perfect, and now I’m second-guessing everything.” Maybe I should’ve gotten a babysitter and taken her out without the baby. But Toscana was listed online as family friendly, and I’d already been asking my friends and family to babysit a ton for my classes.
Harper blinked. “You’re nervous? About dinner?”
I grabbed the back of my neck. “Maybe.”
“Drew Dumontier, who walks into any room like he owns it, is nervous about taking me to dinner? And you expect me to believe that?”
When she put it like that, it sounded ridiculous. Butthat’s because she didn’t know the full truth. “This is different.”
“Different how?”
I looked down at Rory, who was playing with the tips of her socks. Knowing her, she’d have them pulled off and tossed to the side in the next five minutes. I envied her obliviousness at my stress.
“I’ve never done this before.”
Harper stared at me like she wasn’t sure what I was talking about. “Done what?”
“This. Dinner. Dates in general.” The words came out in a rush. “I don’t know what I’m doing here, Harper.”
