12. Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Of course, Carmie didn’t earn the name for me. Instead, I’d waited the past three days to find out who they set me up on a date with.
Both Carmie and I strode up to the Fusion restaurant with a purpose. Siobhan and my date would be waiting for us since we got waylaid by a team meeting.
The closer we got to the date, the more I realized how much I hated blind dates. It meant that I had no game, and I didn't have a fucking clue who might be waiting for me.
As we walked into the restaurant, it was easy to spot Siobhan and my date.
While part of me wanted to proceed, I realized there was no way in hell we could go through with this. Not with Carter by my side.
Even with her back to me, I knew that silhouette and that blouse anywhere. That’s what I get for crushing on my best friend’s little sister.
I turned Carter around before he realized who was sitting with their back facing us. I held my thumb out towards the door. "You know what, I'm out. I don't need a pity date."
Of course, he turned us right back around to face the table.
"No way, dude. You said that you would do this for Siobhan, and I can't have you making me look bad. Put your big boy pants on, and let's do this."
This was going to end so badly. While I might secretly love the date with Natalie, having our first date with Carter was a recipe for disaster.
He wouldn't let go of my arm as if I was going to bolt, forcing me to walk forward to our personal shit show.
He was full of smiles until he was about a foot away from their table when he realized who my date was. He pointed his finger right at my shoulder, "You knew. You fucking knew."
I looked at him. "Yeah, I figured it out less than five minutes ago."
"You're not staying. You're not going on a date with my little sister."
This was where I was going to be a dick. He made me come to the table, so I was going on a date. "Uh-uh. We're going to make Siobhan look bad. So it's time to put your big boy pants on, and let's do this."
Yes, I threw his words back at him, and he wouldn’t argue with me.
Carter turned to me one more time. "Don't you dare fuck my sister."
The sad thing was that I wanted to make love to Natalie so badly. But I knew that if I did, it would cause so much drama. So I said, "I wouldn't think of it."
The way that both girls blanched, I felt like a dick. Here I was, putting my foot in my mouth. Yet again, since that was the story of my life.
I sat down next to Nat and went to give her a kiss on the cheek like I would do with any other date, but she turned her head to the side. I really fucked it up with her, and I wasn't sure what I did.
Sure, I said I wouldn't have sex with her, but she had to know it couldn't happen. Not when her brother was actually living with me.
Not wanting to make it a big mess, I pulled open the menu and texted Nat.
I didn't mean to offend you. Don't tell me you want me.
I hit send, and then I instantly regretted it. It was just cruel, and I really was fucking up any chance with her.
Almost as quickly as I sent the text, I got a response from Nat.
I did.
Now I really felt like shit. She actually wanted me in the way that I wanted her.
The use of past tense in the text killed me, especially since this was the first time I felt like I could have stood a chance with her. Now, it might be too late to act on our desires.
Instead of looking over the menu to figure out what I wanted to eat, I furiously typed on my phone.
I hope it's not too late, but I really like you too. I have for years. But I can't do anything with you when your brother lives in my house.
I set my phone down and saw that Carter was giving me the stink eye. He must have caught me texting. He'd always hated it when people texted at the table instead of having conversations. But this wasn't a conversation that he wanted to overhear.
Only a month or so and then he's gone.
That was if they got a new contractor and the construction timeline stayed the same. But after all the delays thus far, I would only believe it when Carts moved out.
His moving out of my house was only one solution. He was still my best friend and brother in arms. It would still be messy if I did much with Natalie. But I loved Natalie.
"Enough, you two. Put away the phones," Carter said. "Talk like real people."
"No way in hell," Natalie said with a smile as she drank her wine. "Let me and Spence text each other so we don't get your blood pressure up."
Siobhan and I giggled at that comment. Nat was right. If he knew what we were talking about, he would likely want to kill me even though I didn't say anything crazy. It wasn’t like I was talking about taking her to bed tonight.
"I'm not some old man with high blood pressure," he grumbled. "Besides, I'm not the one who gets their panties in a twist anytime someone looks at Nat the wrong way."
I wouldn't react to the dig. Although he knew why I was always so defensive of Nat. Didn't he? Sure, his mind was focused on hockey and Siobhan right now, but he couldn’t have forgotten why I looked out for his sister.
Hell, he was the only friend who knew that I had a thing for her way back in the day, and that was the reason I had tried to look out for her since college.