Our appetizers arrive, cutting the conversation short—thankfully. We make it through most of the meal without incident, as Lou takes charge of the conversation by sharing several long, hysterical stories about some of her clients. Hunter even cracks a smile or two, and it changes his countenance entirely, his eyes brightening and the sharp press of his lips softening.
When Mark comes to collect our dinner plates, he asks if we want dessert. I’ve never been to the White Chocolatewithout getting one of their insanely good desserts, but I am also eager for the night to end. I’m clearly not going to hear anything about Lou’s date, and I’m afraid we’re tempting fate the longer we keep Hunter and Austin at the same table.
“We’ll have the white chocolate brownie and a bread pudding with extra sauce,” Lou says before I can claim being tired to cut the night short.
Hunter must feel similarly to me because he scowls down at the table when Mark tells us he’ll have those “right out” and whisks our dirty dishes away.
“As I was saying,” Lou jumps back into her story, “after working with these guys forfourmonths and managing to finagle a loan that they can actually qualify for—despite all the lies they told us when we started the process—they backed out!”
“You’re kidding!” I shake my head. “After all that, they saidno?”
Lou nodded. “Crazy, right? All that work down the toilet, and I was this close”—she puts her fingers up less than an inch apart—“to reaching my goal of loans closed in a month so I can get the Louis V purse I’ve had my eye on since last fall.”
“If you want the Louis Vuitton purse that much, why don’t you just buy it now?” Hunter cuts in, his tone clipped. “You have plenty of money.”
Her eyes widen, and her mouth hangs halfway open.
“Just because shecanafford it now doesn’t mean she should buy it.” Austin surprises me by defending Lou. “There’s a certain sense of satisfaction that comes from setting a goal with a reward. The purse will mean more after you close however many loans you set out to do in a month—it will remind you of your hard work and success every timeyou use it rather than having it be an expensive but meaningless purchase merely because youcan.”
Lou’s face transforms into a relieved smile. “Yes,exactly.”
Hunter rolls his eyes and looks away, across the restaurant at the large TVs over the bar, where some basketball games are showing.
“Your desserts!” Mark is suddenly there, setting the two dishes and a handful of spoons down with a flourish. “And here’s your check. No rush.”
Austin and Hunter both reach for it, but Austin is slightly faster, grabbing it first.
“Can we split—”
Lou can’t even finish her question before Austin waves her off. “No need. I’ve got it.” He pulls out his wallet, and Lou shrugs, picking up a fork and pulling the bread pudding toward her.
“Well, thanks. Just for that, I’ll even let you have a bite of the bread pudding before I demolish it,” Lou offers, cutting a huge chunk off for herself.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m going to let you all enjoy dessert. I think I had too many sushi nachos, and that steak was huge. I’m stuffed.” Austin pulls out a black Amex and slips it into the leather billfold.
“Your loss,” Lou says and slides a forkful of bread pudding into her mouth, letting her eyes roll back in sheer bliss.
Austin’s lips purse. “You’re faking to try to get me to eat it.”
“Ineverfake.” Lou points her fork at him.
His eyebrows shoot up, and I bark out a laugh.
“She’s right. No need to fake anything with these desserts.” I lean across the table to snatch my own piece before Lou really does inhale the whole thing. I’m not supposed toeat a lot of sugar, but I was careful at dinner to limit my carb intake so I could have some dessert. They’re downright sinful. When I take my first bite, I can’t help but moan. It’sthatgood.
“Wow.” Austin’s eyes are on my mouth, and his voice is a bit more gruff. He clears his throat. “You sold me. Better try it after all.”
He leans across me, but I push his arm away, bending forward to block him. “Nope! I get your bite now. It’s too late!”
Austin laughs, a low, rumbling sound as he wraps an arm around my waist and tries to pull me back while diving for the dessert with his other hand.
“Just let him take a freaking bite!” Hunter shoves the plate toward both of us, and somehow, it ends up rammed into my chest.
The entire table falls into stunned silence. I stare down at myself in dismay. It’s a dry-clean-only dress, and it’s now coated with bread pudding, extra sauce, and whipped cream.
Hunter stares. “Olivia—I—”
“Shut up, Hunter.” Lou cuts her cousin off with a narrowing of her eyes. “If you ruined her dress, you have to buy her a replacement.”
