Chapter 8
“Where are you meeting him?” Maddie’s voice sounds over the phone’s speaker as I pull into the parking lot of Murphy’s Steakhouse for my second attempt at a date with Chad.
“Here.” I tap on my phone. “I sent you my location.”
“Got it,” she says. “One hour. You text me in one hour or I’m coming there in my bathrobe.”
I chuckle. “The only person you’ll embarrass is yourself.”
“Where are you going in a bathrobe?” I hear my brother”s husky voice through the phone.
I try not to gag, but I’m utterly unsuccessful.
“To embarrass Millie’s date,” Maddie says quickly.
“Maddie!” That was supposed to be a secret. Connor hated Justin. I don’t want to give him a chance to hate someone I haven’t even met yet.
“Count me in,” Connor says. “I’ll wear a Speedo.”
I roll my eyes. “Again, the only people you’ll embarrass are yourselves.”
“That’s true,” Maddie says. “You’re pretty fearless.”
“Right. Please remember this discussion if it takes me an hour and five minutes to respond to you.”
I hang up the phone, but not before I hear Connor ask, “Why does she need to respond in an hour?” I’ll let Maddie deal with that. But if both of them show up here, in normal clothes or in costume, I will murder them.
I slam the door and walk across the parking lot, the rhythmic clicking of my heels calming my nerves.
I’m going to be fine.
This time, Chad gave me a much better description. A white dress shirt, and a photo of his actual face. Which is how I know the very attractive man in the corner is my date. For sure this time. Also maybe, unfortunately?
Why do I keep hoping to run into the man who shoved me out of an emergency exit and tied me to a freaking pole? (It took me way longer to get out of that than I’ll ever admit.) Because he made my heart race, that’s why. Call it ridiculous, but I’ve never experienced chemistry like that, not even with Justin. Maybe it was the rush though, the excitement of the moment. And that he’s a police detective. There are so many things I want to know about that man. Starting with a little thing called his name.
Chad looks up and grins when he sees me. I can tell with that one little look this guy is dangerous in a different way. He’s going to be perfectly charming and break my heart if I give him a chance to take it. Good thing I’ve already decided this is a one-and-done kind of date.
At least until I’ve put things to rest with the obnoxious detective I’m still looking for.
“Amelia?” He stands, pulling out the chair for me.
What a gentleman.
He takes my hand and kisses the back of it. “H-hi,” I stutter.
“Wow,” he breathes. “You’re stunning.”
Hold the freaking phone. He’s British.
My cheeks heat up and that little part of my brain telling me this isn’t going to work out is screaming, why not die trying?
“You’re not so bad yourself,” I say. It’s utterly stupid. The man knows he looks like a freaking model.
He ducks his head, scratching the back of his neck like he’s embarrassed by my ogling eyes. I can’t help it. He deserves to be appreciated. Now that I’ve seen both men, I don’t know how I confused the detective for him. They are both brunette, and perfectly tanned, but very different. Chad is more lean muscles and is slightly taller than the police officer who looks like he eats lead weights for breakfast.
Enough thinking about the detective.
“So.” Chad seats himself and picks up a menu. “Shall we order before we dive into the twenty questions?”
“You’re a real thinker. I like you already.”
He shoots me a wink over the top of his menu. “The feeling is mutual.”
Every word coming out of his mouth sounds seductive and beautiful. All men should come with an accent.
I have no idea what I order. I pretty much point and pick because I’m happy to finally be at the correct table. With the correct date. So whatever I get will be a mystery to me. I’ve always loved a good mystery.
“Amelia, tell me about you.”
I blame his bewildering accent for losing all control over my mouth. Whatever comes to mind, I speak it. I might have even told him about my UTI last month. But the whole time he sits there grinning at me like he’s won the lottery.
I am not dominating the dating game. I am crashing and burning. Which is how I know his smile can’t be real, but for now I allow myself to pretend I’m exactly what this kind and attractive specimen of a man would want. What someone might want.
“Now tell me about you,” I say after finishing a story involving Gus and a dead bird.
Somehow, Chad is still eating his medium-rare steak after all the gruesome details I went into.
“Ah.” He leans back in his chair, interlocking his hands over his stomach. “I was hoping you might tell me about me.”
“What?” I cough, choking on an ice cube.
“It sounds like a fun idea, does it not? Tell me who you think I am, and I’ll tell you if you’re right.”
I study his face for clues that this is some kind of joke, but his blue eyes are completely serious. “You’ll tell me if I’m right?”
“More or less.” He straightens in his seat.
“Okay.” I eye his fitted shirt and his muscled forearms. He may be strong, but his hands are perfectly smooth, no chips in his nails. His face is smooth too and he sits with the ease and confidence of one used to getting what he wants. “Let’s see, you were born in London, the second son of an Earl. You were jealous of your older brother and often misbehaved to gain your parents” attention. But it didn’t work; they sent you to boarding school instead.”
His smile freezes in place but I continue.
“And that’s where you learned how to be a spy and you’ve since taken down thirteen and a half bad guys.”
His eyes light up. “What is the half?”
I lean forward and lower my voice. “Well, yourself of course. You’re still trying to decide if you’re good or not.”
He’s quiet for a moment before he breaks into a laugh.
I scrunch up my nose. “Did I get anything right?”
“Yes,” he says after a moment. “I went to boarding school.”
“Darn, I was hoping I was right about the spy thing.”
He raises his glass, tipping it toward me. “I’m sorry to disappoint you. I fear my life is far too dull to provide you with a taste of danger.”
The face of a man I don’t even know flies through my mind. I want adventure. I may have to call it quits on Mr. Tall, Dark, and British and go in search of the detective. “A real shame.”
“Perhaps I could impress you with a fancy yacht?”
“You have a yacht?” Totally back in.
“And a beach house in Turks and Caicos.”
Interesting. He’s young, easy on the eyes, and rich while somehow humble enough to like. I want to be his friend. And not just for the yacht.
While we finish our meal, he regales me with stories from his youth that make me feel like I was there, pranking the headmaster and almost getting kicked out of school. He also tells me about the underfunded school for disabled kids he’s in town for. And the forty-three, yes, forty-three other schools his family heads up across the globe. Either he’s a great liar, or he’s an amazing human. I haven’t figured out which yet.
“There is one other thing you may have been right about,” Chad says, as he stands and comes around to help me out of my seat.
“What’s that?”
His hand brushes the small of my back. “I’m still trying to decide if I’m good enough for you or not.”
Tiny butterflies fly up my throat.
Oh, he’s good alright. Good at charming women into submission.
“May I call on you again?” he asks.
He may not be the man I want to be asking me out. But he’s here, the other guy isn’t. We have some chemistry, maybe he could be the real deal. Only one way to find out. “I suppose that can be arranged.”
His eyes light up and he leans in. For a split second, I’m worried he is going to kiss me. I don’t want to get a reputation for being a first-date-kissing floozy. But he presses his lips to my cheek instead, so soft it sends a pleasant tingle down my spine.
He pulls back and extends an arm to me, to escort me to my car I assume.
“I, uh, need to run to the restroom,” I say suddenly, unsure why. I’m not used to men being overly sweet to me. I almost prefer it when they make me chase them a little, or…tie me up. Goosebumps break out over my skin at the thought.
There is something seriously wrong with me. And I need a minute alone to figure out what it is.
“I’ll message you,” Chad says, giving me a half bow before turning and walking away. The second he disappears around the corner I sprint to the bathroom. Well, as fast as I can sprint in four-inch heels.
I stay in the bathroom for five minutes, giving Chad plenty of time to leave before exiting myself.
My phone buzzes as I take the back exit out of the restaurant, and I slip it out of my purse.
“Are you still alive?” Maddie asks the second I say hello.
“If I wasn’t, what would you do?”
“Burn the place down,” Maddie says immediately.
“Does Connor know you’re a bit of a pyro?”
“You know I’d do anything for you.”
“Good thing you don’t have to. The real Chad was as sweet as it gets. Now stop worrying and go make out with my brother or something.”
“Well, if you insist,” Maddie says.
“Gross. Bye!”
She hangs up and I shake my head. She had nothing to worry about. My date was attentive and kind. Everything I’ve ever wanted, yet way too good to be true. Which means it’s a lie. I’m not bitter. I’ve let go of the past Justin and I shared, but who”s to say the next man I meet won’t lie to me too?
Somewhere down the line, the other shoe will drop. And I hope it doesn’t crush me when it falls.
I hear a scuffle behind me a split second before two beefy arms wrap around my middle and I’m smashed against a chest so solid it might as well be a wall.
“Help!” I shove against the wall holding me, dragging me deeper into the back alley. Whoever’s got me is severely mistaken if they think I’ll go easily. “Siri, call the police, The Rock is trying to kidna—”
A hand clamps over my mouth, right before I’m shoved into the back of a pitch-black van. I fall straight on my face in the darkness. My knees and cheekbone sting.
I think the other shoe just dropped.