“Come on, it’ll be fun. Even if nothing pans out.”
I don’t think I can talk her out of it. “Okay, fine.” Diana is going to love this.
Chapter 18
I meet Marcus, Caroline, and Kade at Murphy’s and it all feels a little like déjà vu, except this time I’m not the third wheel, though strangely I wish I were, especially if it meant Blake were here.
Caroline introduces me to Kade, a decent-looking guy with a forgettable face and a very expensive suit. I notice when he shakes my hand he glances down at his Rolex, forcing my eyes to follow. “Nice to meet you, Kade,” I say.
“You as well,” he replies. No kiss on the cheek, no gesture of warmth.
We all sit down and Marcus calls the waiter over and orders a nice bottle of wine. Murphy’s isn’t that fancy. Marcus and Kade both seem out of place in their suits and ties, but Caroline doesn’t seem fazed by it. She’s much more comfortable in her skin now, sporting an infinity scarf, rocker tee, ripped jeans, and booties. I think Marcus likes that about her. She now has her own style that isn’t just office wear 24/7.
We make small talk. Kade asks how I know Caroline, and I tell him the long story that has been the last few months of my life.
I ask what he does and he replies, “Law.” Simple as that. “So you shop for a living?” he asks. Here we go.
“Well, I actually own a styling and matchmaking business with Caroline’s aunt.”
He chuckles. “Matchmaking, huh? Do you have a back-up career?”
I don’t reply. This guy is already irritating me. I order tequila because the wine and/or maybe Kade are giving me a headache.
Marcus and Caroline are giggling and hitting it off naturally right next to me, while Kade and I are searching for something to say to each other.
“So you’re single but you own a matchmaking business?” Now he’s really pissing me off.
I order another tequila. “Yeah, I had a long-term boyfriend. Since then I’ve been dating nothing but moronic apes.” Oh my god, did I say that?
When our food arrives, it finally occurs to me that we both ordered the salmon. It reminded me of that night with Blake—except Kade is already complaining.
“Fish is dry. Nothing worse than dry fish,” he says.
I think it’s delicious, but don’t say that. “You can send it back,” I tell him.
He smirks. “I know I can send it back. Thanks, sweetheart,” he adds with condescension.
I’m trying so hard to keep from screaming. “So, Kade, where did you go to college?”
“Harvard.” He doesn’t look up when he says it. He’s still eating his dry fish.
“Of course,” I say but he doesn’t catch my sarcasm.
“What about you, Hayden, where’d you go to college?”
“Emory.”
“Aw, good school. What was your major?”
“Sociology. But then I dropped out to become a person who shops,” I launch at him.
“That where you picked up the tequila habit, at old Emory?”
I start chuckling loudly, as if I think he’s the funniest person in the whole world. “Oh, that was funny. You are a clever man, Kade.” I notice that Caroline is finally catching on.
“Well, I’m going to have to ask you to excuse me, gentlemen and Caroline. I must go powder my nose.” Never in the history of the world would Hayden Fox ever say powder my nose, but I just did.
As I get up, I scan all the exits for an inconspicuous escape route. Caroline is close behind me when I head to the restrooms. “I’m so sorry, Hayden. I had no idea he was such a pompous ass.”
