Homecoming - Chapter 25
Thursday
Matt
Nigel was pretending to read the newspaper while I watched TV, but I could see him staring at me over the top of it. And he kept sighing heavily whenever he stole a peek.
“Okay, that’s enough.” I turned off the TV. “Just tell me what’s going on, Nigel.”
“Nothing is going on.”
“Then why do you keep sighing heavily and staring at me?”
“I always stare at you and breathe heavily. It’s just how I breathe.”
“Nigel,” I said firmly.
“Fine!” He threw the paper. “I have a secret.”
I just waited, but he didn’t go on. “What is it?”
“A good houseboy never shares his secretses.”
“If you didn’t want to tell me, you wouldn’t have made it so obvious you had one.”
He shook his head. “I can’t tell you. Master Tanner would be very cross with me. And I’m looking to take some vacation days for a renovation I’m doing. I’ll need a month off, so I must be on my best behavior.”
What renovations? “Just spill it, Nigel.”
“Which secret do you want?”
How many secrets did he have? “The one that has you sighing.”
He pressed his lips together. “Okay, fine! But I’m only telling you because I like Kennedy very much after our pizza night and today. And sometimes Master Tanner is wrong. Rarely, but sometimes.”
Every word out of his mouth twisted my stomach into knots. “What’s going on with Kennedy?”
“Tanner’s having someone pick her up and take her to a fancy dinner.”
Oh no. I knew where this was going. And it wasn’t a secret. Tanner had told me it was going to happen. And I’d completely forgotten about it.
“With Felix,” Nigel said.
“Yeah, I got that.” I stood up. “Where are they meeting?”
“Master Tanner’s favorite Thai restaurant.”
“The one he always says is so romantic?” God, why did I even know this information?
Nigel nodded.
Fuck. “Okay. I’m going.” I stood up.
“You can’t go!” Nigel said. “At least…not without…Francois!” He gave me a cheeky little smile.
“Okay, Francois. Let’s go ruin their date.”
“Yes! Just let me go get my Francois outfit.”
“Hurry though.” Felix was not stealing Kennedy from me. He’d done his best to steal Brooklyn away in high school. There was no way I was gonna let that happen again.
***
“The costume doesn’t make any sense, though,” I said for the fifth time. Not that it mattered now. We were already walking into the restaurant.
“But this is Francois’ signature style,” Nigel said.
“Whatever. How are you going to wait on Kennedy’s table though?”
“Watch and learn.” He strutted up to the hostess stand. “Hi, I’m Francois. And I’m handling table…” he grabbed the clipboard right out of her hands.
And for some reason she just let him.
“Table 27. That is mine.”
“Of course. Table 27 is all yours, sir.”
“Call me Francois.”
“Yes, Francois.”
“And don’t let anyone disturb me as I work. It’s very important that I’m not distracted from the task at hand.”
“Very well, Francois,” the hostess said.
Nigel walked back over to me. “It’s done.”
“That was the weirdest conversation ever,” I said. “Why did she just agree to any of that?”
“Because I’m good with the ladies.”
“You are not.”
He looked shocked. “But I just…” he pointed over his shoulder. “It’s a subtle art that I’ve been perfecting for decades.”
“You mean like…two decades.”
“No. Yes. I meant yes. I’m two decades old. I’m practically a child.” He smiled at me.
Why is he smiling at me like that? “Nigel, just focus.”
“That’s Francois to you.”
“Okay, Francois, focus. What’s the game plan here?”
He pulled me over behind a fake plant. “Kennedy has already arrived at table 27.” He spread the leaves so we could take a peek.
Kennedy was sitting all alone.
“You need to get in there before Felix arrives. And act like a proper suitor.”
I stared at Kennedy. She was in a dress similar to the one she’d worn on our date. But this one was olive green and it made her tan skin pop. She looked beautiful. “Does she know?”
“Know what?”
“That this was going to be a date with Felix?” Why was she so dressed up?
“No. A driver was sent to her house with a note letting her know she was being escorted to a romantic dinner. The note wasn’t signed because Master Tanner loves surprises and grand reveals. As all people do.”
Do all people love that?
“Actually, she probably thinks it was from you.”
“You really think so?” Because I really didn’t love the idea of her dressing like that for someone else.
Nigel nodded and pushed the leaves of the plant back in place. “So the game plan is to pretend it was from you.”
“You’re sure it wasn’t signed?”
“I’m positive. I’m the one that wrote it.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, I’m going in.”
“I’ll be by to take your drink order soon. Hut, hut,” Nigel said and then slapped me on the butt.
I moved away from him. “Why did you just touch my butt?”
“I learned it earlier on the football field. That’s what men do to each other after a game plan. And this was a game plan. And I did the hut hut.”
I don’t think he understands anything about football. “Well, don’t do it again.”
“But why?”
“Because I didn’t enjoy it, Nigel.”
“It’s Francois. And I’m not sure you’re supposed to enjoy it. It’s more for the enjoyment of the one doing the spanking.”
“Yeah…don’t touch my butt.”
“Okay, Master Matthew. Francois won’t do it again.”
God, that meant Nigel would. But I didn’t have time to argue with him right now. The only thing that mattered was that Kennedy didn’t have a romantic dinner with Felix.
“I’m going in,” I said.
“Hut, hut,” Nigel said and slapped my butt again.
“Francois, what the fuck?”
“That one was from Nigel.”
I pressed my lips together to avoid yelling at him and drawing the attention of every person in this restaurant. “Don’t throw water at us tonight.”
“Nigel will not throw water at you tonight.”
Okay. So that meant Nigel would keep touching my butt. And Francois was going to throw water at me. Great. I walked out of our hiding spot and right up to Kennedy’s table.
“Hey.”
She beamed up at me. “The car was a nice touch, Matt. But it wasn’t necessary.”
I leaned down and kissed her cheek. I loved that I didn’t even really have to lie. It was just like Nigel had said. She assumed it was from me. “You look beautiful tonight.”
“Thank you.”
I sat down across from her. She was dressed to the nines.
And I was wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.
It was actually just what I’d worn to practice today.
I didn’t exactly look like a guy who had planned a romantic dinner and sent a car.
But…I really didn’t think she cared how I dressed.
I would have changed, but Nigel had changed into his Francois costume in record time and we didn’t want to be late.
“So what’s good here?” Kennedy asked.
“I don’t know, I’ve never been here.”
“The note said it was one of your favorite restaurants.”
Damn it, Nigel! That was important information. “I actually had Nigel send you the note. It must be one of his favorites.”
“You have Nigel running errands for you now?”
“No, but I had to take him to work with me today and I needed to give him something to do.” That was partially true.
“Was it Take Your Nigel to Work Day or something?”
I laughed. “Well he did act like a kid. So…yeah, kinda. I think he’s scared of elevators. And he hit all the buttons.”
“Oh no.” She laughed. “You’re joking.”
“I wish I was.”
“Well that explains why he was at practice too. I thought you were replacing me as your assistant coach.”
“Never.”
She smiled and looked down at the menu. “So…you haven’t gotten any calls or texts recently, have you?” She kept her eyes trained on her menu.
“I get calls and texts all the time.”
“Right…but from someone unexpected?”
This was the second time she’d asked me this weird question. “If you’re wondering if I’ve picked up faxing with Nigel, I promise I haven’t.”
She laughed.
“Kennedy?” someone said from behind us.
I turned to see Felix standing there. I wish I could say he looked terrible.
But he didn’t. He looked almost exactly the same as he had back in high school.
His hair was still longish and pushed to the side.
And I could easily picture a joint dangling out the corner of his mouth.
But he was dressed a hell of a lot nicer than I currently was.
“Oh my God, Felix!” Kennedy stood up and practically threw herself into his arms.
I watched the way his hands slid down her waist. “It’s been forever,” he said.
“I can’t believe you’re here.” She stared up at him.
I hoped I was just imagining the stars in her eyes. I stood up and cleared my throat.
Kennedy stepped back from him.
“Wow, Matt. Hey, man,” Felix said. He went in for a hug and I slapped him on the back. Probably harder than I usually did.
“Good to see you, man,” I said. It actually was good to see him. But not under these circumstances.
“Wait.” Felix looked back and forth between us. “I’m so confused. I got a note saying a secret admirer wanted to take me to a romantic dinner.”
Damn it, Nigel! Why had he not told me that tidbit of information?
Kennedy looked at me.
I avoided her gaze. “Surprise…I’m your secret admirer,” I said to Felix with a laugh. And then I kept laughing while I tried to figure out how to make this less awkward. “Not really. I’m just messing with you. But I can’t believe you got in the car. You could have been murdered.”
“Wait you actually sent that note? Or not?” He looked more confused than ever.
“Yeah, but don’t worry, I’m not your secret admirer. I was just hoping it would freak you out.”
“So you didn’t want me to come?”
“No, I did. Like I said…I was just messing with you.” Please stop asking questions. I slapped him on the shoulder. Again, a little too hard. But it was like he didn’t even feel it.
He just shrugged. “Okay then. So the three of us are having a romantic dinner.” He laughed. “Kennedy, it really is great to see you.” He smiled at her.
And I swore she blushed.
“Yup, surprise, Kennedy! I did this for you.” What was I even saying? “A little Empire High reunion.”
Kennedy’s smile faltered. “Is this everyone? Or is someone else coming?”
“Who else would be coming?”
“Oh…um…never mind,” she said.
“But you guys are at a table for two,” Felix said.
“Yeah, someone must have fucked up. I got it.” I grabbed a chair from the table next to us.
The man frowned at me. “Hey, we were waiting for another…”
I ignored the rest of what he was saying and put the chair down right next to Kennedy’s. “Let’s get to it then.” I sat down.
They both sat down too. And I scooted my seat flush with Kennedy’s.
“So…” Felix looked back and forth between us. “What’s going on with you guys?”
Kennedy said, “Nothing,” at the same time that I said, “We’re dating.”
Kennedy looked up at me.
I put my arm around her shoulders. “We’re dating,” I said.
Felix’s eyebrows pulled together. “The two of you are dating?”
“Um…” Kennedy said. “Kind of. It’s complicated.”
“Yeah, I’d think so.” Felix shook his head. “I mean…what about Brooklyn?”
“I think she’d be happy for us,” I said.
He laughed. “That’s what you think? That she’d be happy that her fiancé is dating her best friend? I think you might have it all backwards.”
Damn it, Felix! The last thing me and Kennedy needed right now was more doubt. I should have never fake invited this guy to dinner with us.