Page 14 of Game Over

This night was going amazingly so far. I was trying to keep it cool and not show how nervous I was or push things too far too fast. We walked into the restaurant, and the waiting area was packed. Thankfully, I secured a last-minute reservation, so hopefully, we shouldn’t have too much of a wait. I headed toward the host stand through the sea of people, keeping Allie tucked close to my back as we made our way through.

“Hi there. We have a reservation for two under Spencer,” I told the hostess.

“Two for Spencer? One second, let me look. Okay, yes, I have it here. If you’ll give me a moment, I’ll make sure the table is ready for y’all!”

“No problem, thank you.” I turned to Allie. “Let's step over here while we wait.” There was a small bench in the corner that was free, so I placed my hand on her lower back and led her over.

I had never been happier to wait in a restaurant than I was right now. The energy between us seemed to crackle like a live wire. It took so much restraint to not pull her into me or run my hands along her upper thigh. Her eyes were so warm and hypnotizing, and she smelled faintly of coconuts and pineapple. It was hard to be this close to her and think straight.

“Alrighty, y’all, we have your table ready if you’ll follow me, please!” The bubbly hostess called to us once she made her way back to the stand.

We followed her to a small booth in a semi-quiet corner of the restaurant and sat down. I was glad it wasn’t as loud back here, so we could properly talk to each other without yelling over the other patrons. The restaurant was busy, and I could hear country music playing lightly over the speakers.

“Man, this all looks good. Do you know what you may get?” Allie asked while she looked over the menu.

“Oh, I can think of one thing I’d like,” my voice sounded husky as it came out, which I hadn’t intended. I wasn’t even sure why I said it, but the statement was true. I’d like to explore where all those tattoos I couldn’t see were, and feel her skin everywhere against mine. I heard her sharp inhale as the words registered, and her mouth popped open. “I think to start, though, I’ll have a glass of whiskey and maybe an appetizer.” Our waiter came by to take our order and then brought back our drinks. I took a few deep sips of the whiskey to try to calm my nerves.

“So Spencer, why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself?”

“My least favorite topic.” I chuckled because it truly was. It usually didn’t end well when I talked about myself, so it was a topic I usually avoided when I could. “I should probably save the heavy stuff for the second date.”

“Oh, you’re already so sure there’s going to be a second date, huh?”

“More like manifesting it’ll happen.” I shot her a wink, and that blush slowly crept across her face. “Well, let’s see, we’ll play it safe to start, I guess. My favorite color is blue, but more like a cyan shade of blue. I like to game with my friends when we have the time, and as you know, I work out. I’m the middle child of three siblings, but I don’t really talk to my family. I, uh, went no contact with them, and although it’s brought me a lot of peace, sometimes I still grieve what I could have had and how alone I feel.” I rubbed my chest to ease the knot there while the small admission came out. “Sorry, I said I’d keep it light and then drop that. I’m not usually good with this small talk stuff if I’m being honest. I’ve got two settings: sitting here quietly or oversharing my entire life. How about you talk so I don’t embarrass myself anymore.”

“Fair enough, and I’m the same way, don't worry.” She chuckled. “Hmm, well, let's start with some basics. We moved here when I was ten. My favorite color is green, but like a forest or emerald green. I love dogs, I have a younger sister, and my parents are divorced. Dad’s out of the picture and has been for a while. Which is fine, he was an awful person, and our lives are much better without that piece of shit around. That probably makes me sound awful, though.”

“No, it doesn’t make you awful; it makes you real. Gotta love family trauma, huh?” We both laughed and kept talking till our food arrived. She shared that she has her Bachelor’s in marketing with a minor in business, she has been going to therapy to work on herself, and she bought her house a few years ago. I could tell she took a lot of pride in all she had done for the house on her own. She was fiercely independent, and I loved it. More than anything, though, she was so happy about everything, even the bad stuff, and it was infectious.

Our waiter had given us room to breathe throughout the night, letting us talk without multiple interruptions, which was nice. They made one last round, and I quickly paid before we made our way out.

The air had cooled down a little bit while we were eating. The small summer breeze felt good against my skin as we stepped out. Allie tipped her head back and leaned into it, the wind tangling her short curls as she did. She truly was gorgeous, especially as the moonlight shone down on her. I took in the small details of her side profile, like the way her nose was slightly upturned at the end and how the gold hoop that hugged it glinted in the light. Her mascara-coated lashes were fanned against her cheeks while her head was upturned with a small smile playing on her lips.

We reached the car, and I opened her door once more for her. After getting in, I turned the music on low. We had pulled out when Allie spoke first.

“Okay, so more random questions time. What's your sign?”

“My sign?” I asked, slightly confused.

“Yeah, like your horoscope sign. I don’t think there’s much to them, but they’re still interesting, I'm a Leo!”

Keeping my eyes on the road, I tried to think back to what I knew about astrology. “I think mine’s like an Aries or something? My birthday's March twenty-third if that helps anything.”

“Yep, that makes you an Aries, meaning we’re both fire signs! Okay, next, what’s your favorite season?” She angled her body toward me, and glancing out of the corner of my eye, I could see her taping her manicured nails against her chin as she prepared the questions in her head.

“Oh, winter time for sure. I hate the heat, and I thrive in the cold.” My body was basically a portable heater, so I loved the cold weather.

“Ew, I don’t know if we can continue this friendship. Really? Winter?”

“Okay, okay, there’s nothing wrong with liking winter time, I’ll have you know. The snow, the lights, the decorations? I mean, come on! What’s your favorite season then if winter is so wrong?” I volleyed back to her, liking that she could dish out the sarcasm but take it too.

“Obviously, the correct answer is fall—the elite season. Also, we live in the south. When do we ever really get snow?” I shook my head and laughed, because she wasn’t wrong. It was usually a couple of inches of slush at best, and then everything shuts down. Everyone flocks to the nearest store to stock up on bread and milk. Schools shut down. Paranoia ensues.

“Fall time. Really? You’re gonna tell me I’m wrong for having winter be my favorite while yours is fall.” I tsked and shook my head. “You’re right, I don’t think we can continue this. It was fun while it lasted.” She threw her head back and laughed, placing her hand on my thigh.

“I’m glad you can keep up with me being dramatic. God, it would’ve been boring otherwise, but yes, fall is the right answer. All the pretty leaves, the yummy treats, not to mention going to all the orchards and pumpkin patches. There’s just so much to do,” she said, talking animatedly with her hands.

She had leaned over into me, and I held my breath because I didn’t want her to move. She fit so perfectly against me in the car, and the argument back died on my tongue. “Fine, you win. Fall can be the best season.”