Page 209 of The Bluffing Game

I frown at him. “Late?”

“The double date you suggested.” He grins as he turns to greet Parker. “Hi, Parker. I’ve heard so much about you. I’m Dalton, Sage’s friend.”

“You what?” Parker looks shell-shocked now as he shakes Dalton’s hand.

Dalton takes a seat next to me, and the lady standing there sits next to Parker.

“Sorry, I’m a little bit confused as to what’s going on.” Parker looks over at me.

“Oh, Sage, you didn’t tell Parker that you’d invited me on this double date?”

“You what?” I stare at Dalton, shock on my face and in my tone.

He looks at me with a genuine, perplexed expression on his face. He almost makes me doubt myself.

“When we were in the car, you said this was a great place for a date, and I suggested it was a great place for a double date. And you said, ‘Yeah, it would be.’ And I said, ‘Oh, so should we do it?’ And you were like, ‘Yeah.’”

“I said that?” I rack my brain to think of the conversation in the car, but as we were talking, I was checking my messages from Parker. “I don’t actually recall.”

I see Dalton’s lips twitching. The jackass was lying to me. He winks slowly, and I’m about to say something when Parker looks over at me and nods.

“Was this because you were worried? I know, sometimes, women get a little bit nervous on a first date. And you are Sage’s good friend?”

“I’m her boss and her friend, yes. Sometimes, I think I’m a little bit more, but I think that’s in my head,” Dalton says. “And this is my good friend, Sandra.” He nods over to the lady sitting next to Parker.

“She’s your date?” I ask him. I’m not sure why I’m feeling a little uneasy and slightly jealous.

“Yeah. Sandra, this is Sage, and this is her date, Parker. They’re on a first date and⁠—”

“Oh, I just love going on first dates,” Sandra says as she fixes her eyes on Parker. “And you look absolutely delicious. Let me tell you, if I were on a date with you, that shirt would be off by the end of the night and … ooh la la, is that a Rolex on your wrist? You didn’t tell me the man had money.” Sandra looks over at Dalton.

“Well, I’m sure that’s not why Sage is on a date with him, is it?” Dalton looks down at me, his eyes dancing.

“We literally don’t really know much about each other, and this is our first date, and we’re trying to get to know each other, and that’s why I don’t actually think I …” Ugh, I sound like an idiot.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.” The waiter comes up to the table. “My name is Pierre. I will be your host this evening. I’m not sure if you’ve had a chance to look at the menu. We have an extensive wine list and a cellar, so if you would like to have a bottle of wine tonight, I can take one or two of you down to choose one. Do we know what we would like to drink?”

“I’m down for whatever the table’s down for,” Dalton says, looking over at Parker. “Peter Parker, what do you suggest?”

“Well, depending on if we get steaks,” Parker says, “then a nice red. A Malbec maybe or a Cabernet.” I wonder if he missed Dalton’s comment.

“Oh, I love me a Cabernet,” Sandra says, “but I’m not picky. Cabernet, Zinfandel, Riesling, or champagne.”

“Okay, Sandra, we get it,” Dalton says with a smile. “You’re down to drink anything.”

“I’m just saying, I haven’t been to a place like this in a while.” She looks over at Dalton. “You spoiled me too much.”

“How exactly do you two know each other?” I turn to Dalton.

I can’t help but notice the familiar look that she keeps giving him.

“We’re old friends,” he says, emphasizing the word friends. And I wonder if friends is the right term. Are they friends with benefits? Did they used to date? Do they still date? I’m not going to ask him, of course.

“Why? Did you want any specifics?” he asks.

He reaches his hand under the table, and he places it on my thigh. I shake my head ever so slightly, and he removes it.

“Let’s look at the menu, and then we’ll let you know, Pierre,” Parker says.