21. Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-One
Amy
“So, you’re into late-night coffee dates, yeah?” Brad chuckles and slides into the opposite side of the booth.
I nod. “I think it’s romantic.” I try to read Brad’s face. He’s got this mysterious edge that I find fascinating—but I also don’t want to run him off with my hopeless romanticism.
“I think it’s sweet that you’re a hopeless romantic.” He picks up his coffee, which just so happens to be nearly the same shade as his hair. “There aren’t many left.”
“Maybe people just don’t want to admit to it,” I suggest, running my finger along the top of my caramel macchiato.
“Ah, that could be true.” Brad gives me a sparkling smile.
Ugh. He’s so freaking handsome.
Suddenly, Parker flashes in my mind at the thought. I push it away. It doesn’t matter that Parker might be more handsome than most—or that I can’t stop wondering what he’s doing... Or if he’s okay after being doused by his date.
“Amy?” Brad’s voice cuts through my thoughts.
“Yes?” I look up from the creaming soft top of my coffee.
He laughs. “You were zoned out for a minute there. Are you tired? We can get out of here if you’re tired.”
I shake my head. “Oh no, not at all. I was just wondering how my friend is recovering after that whole scene back at the bar,” I admit, obviously leaving out the part about thinking how handsome Parker is.
“Yeah, I overheard a little bit of that conversation,” Brad muses, his eyes alight with humor as they stay focused on my face. “I’m pretty sure he got in trouble for checking out another girl.”
My brow furrows. “What? That doesn’t make much sense. He’s always been really respectful of women.”
“Obviously not tonight.” Brad bursts into laughter. “We all suffer from moments like that—trust me. I can be devoted to someone, but if a hot woman walks by... I’m gonna notice. I’m not suddenly blind just because I’m taken.”
I half-smile as my heart sinks. “Oh ... well, maybe that’s true.”
“Of course, it is. I’m not going to lie to you, Amy. It’s better to be upfront than it is to lie.” Brad reaches across the table and takes my hand. “But I have to say, it’d be hard to compare anyone to you . You’re gorgeous. ”
“Thank you.” I blush, letting him hold my hand. It’s warm, but my heart isn’t racing.
In fact, I’m still stuck on the idea that Parker was rude enough to blatantly check another woman out while with his date...
Not cool.
But it doesn’t matter. This isn’t about Parker.
“So, where did you grow up?” I ask, pulling my hand away lightly to pick up my hot drink.
“I grew up in Los Angeles,” he answers with a shrug. “I thought I’d never leave, but then I realized I didn’t belong there.”
“I’ve never been.”
“You haven’t?” Brad looks surprised. “Well, I’ll be honest. You’re not missing out on much these days. When I was a kid, I used to think it was really something to be in the same town as so many celebrities ... but that wore off.”
“I take it you’re not into celebrities anymore?” I give him a playful touch on his forearm.
He shakes his head. “Not really. Once I got into the firm my father started and I had to represent those kinds of people in court, I realized they were just like the rest of us—only a lot bigger handfuls. I don’t know.” Brad pauses, giving me a thoughtful look. “I lost my taste for the city, so I moved here instead.”
“Do you still work as a lawyer?”
He nods. “I’m a criminal defense attorney—the most hated of them all.” Brad flashes another one of those smiles at me, and my stomach tightens .
“Sometimes you help people who are innocent,” I reason.
He hesitates and then laughs. “Yeah, that rarely happens. Most of the time, they’re incredibly guilty.”
I frown. “That must be hard, then.”
“I don’t know. It’s just what I do.” He picks up his coffee and takes a long sip, eyeing me over it. “I don’t condone their crimes.”
A giggle slips from my lips. “I didn’t think you did.”
“You had a very concerned look on your face,” he says, setting his cup down and smiling. “But I’m no criminal.”
“Good to know.” I laugh. “I haven’t gotten my background check back on you yet.”
“Ha ha.” He shakes his head at me. “You know, though, that’s not a bad idea these days. You’d be surprised at what people have done in their past. Sometimes they grow out of mischief, but sometimes ... they don’t.” Something in his voice shifts when he says that, and I find myself on the edge of my seat.
“Do you have personal experience with that?”
He laughs. “Too much. I once dated a woman who stalked me for a few months after we broke up. That was a real ride, but I don’t think you look like a stalker.”
“No.” I giggle. “Definitely not.”
“I mean, we all stalk people to some degree on social media these days, though,” he points out, the humor returning to his gaze. “I’m not so sure that it’s a good thing.”
“I agree.” I sip more on my coffee, noting that it’s losing its warmth. How long have we been here? I glance down at my watch. It’s almost midnight. I look up at Brad, who’s watching me. “I probably should head home now. It’s getting kind of late.”
“Yeah, of course. I’m ready to get out of here, too.” He gives me a wink before standing to his feet. “Let me just go pay for the coffees.”
I smile and take the moment alone to check my phone. There’s one notification from Eliza asking how the date went. I text her back quickly, letting her know that it’s still going. That’s a good sign, right?
It has to be.
I’m pretty sure this is the longest a date has gone without something major happening—usually involving Parker.
“You ready?” Brad smiles and offers a hand to help me out of the booth.
“A true gentleman.” I smile in return and take his hand. His fingers don’t let go of mine as we walk out of the coffee shop, and he holds the door open for me.
He really is a gentleman.
“Lead the way to your place,” he says, still flashing me that heart-melting gaze.
“It’s super sweet that you want to make sure I get home safe, but...” My voice trails off as I glance down the street. “I don’t usually let people know where I live on the first date.”
“Ah, smart move.” Brad doesn’t sound put off at all. “Then I guess we can just go to mine. I’ll grab an Uber. It’s too far to walk from here. ”
“Oh ... Um...” I begin, meeting his gaze with uncertainty. However, he must read it the wrong way because before I know it, he presses his lips to mine.
His breath tastes like coffee and his cologne is suffocating .
And I don’t feel anything .
Well, nothing positive .
I press my hands against his chest, breaking off the kiss. “Sorry ... I mean, I don’t do this kind of thing—definitely not on the first date.”
“Technically this is the second date,” Brad says through a gritted smile, leaning back down to kiss me again. I back away. I can tell he’s offended. His eyes darken as he looks down at me.
“It’s really just an extension of the first,” I say curtly, pulling out my phone and ordering my own Uber home. “I think I’ll get a ride home.”
His brows shoot up. “Are you serious right now? I just bought your coffee, sat there, listened to your spiel about romance—and you’re bailing on me? What did I do wrong?”
I look up from my phone, confused. “I don’t understand what that’s even supposed to mean. I had a nice time.” Well, until that kiss. “I just don’t go home with someone on the first date. I already made that clear.”
“But it’s technically—”
“I don’t go home with someone on the second date, either,” I level with him, growing irritated. “I don’t go home with someone at all . I’m not a one-night stand kind of girl. ”
“You could’ve fooled me with how eager you were.”
I drop my phone to my side, thankful my ride is only a few minutes away. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Uh, don’t act like you weren’t just all over me. You really made it seem like you wanted—”
“I don’t want anything from you.”
Great, now I’m mad .
Maybe Parker is right. Maybe I am bad at love.
“Come on.” He steps toward me, his model-good looks suddenly not all that charming. “You’re beautiful, smart, and you deserve a night of fun. I can give that to you.”
I curl my lip in disgust. “No thanks.” My eyes flicker away from him as a black Tahoe pulls up to the curb.
Get me outta here.
Brad takes one more step toward me . “Don’t leave.”
“I have pepper spray,” I warn.
His features contort in confusion. He lifts his hands. “Never mind. I obviously read this all wrong. I thought we were actually going somewhere.”
I gape at him. “Well, we could’ve had you not been so pushy.” I turn away from him to rip open the Uber door and slide inside.
Jerk.
Letting out a sigh, I watch as Brad storms away, shaking his head. I don’t even know how that went as wrong as it did.
Was I really coming across like I wanted to go home with him ?
“Rough night?” the driver, a young woman around my age, asks, meeting my gaze in the rearview mirror.
“Something like that,” I mutter, pulling my seatbelt across my body. I already know I have questions for Eliza—like how the heck do I make sure I’m not coming across like a one-night stand kind of girl?
“Men in the city can be real jerks.” She gives me a sympathetic smile and then turns up the radio, some kind of industrial rock filling the car. Frustration thrums through my body as I replay my night with Brad, racking my brains for any red flags I may have missed. His comment about checking out women while being in a relationship was a little off-putting, but was there anything else? Am I just blind?
Ugh. Maybe he’s just a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
I lean back against the headrest for the rest of the drive, trying to focus on anything other than Brad. Parker immediately comes straight to mind, and I cringe. He’s going to laugh his face off when he finds out that this was another date wasted.
Maybe I will be going to that jazz show, after all.
“Here,” the driver chimes as the car comes to a stop. “I hope you have a nice night.”
“Thanks,” I say, forcing a smile and climbing out into the night air. It’s really freaking cold, and the moment the icy air hits my lungs, they burn. I trot into the building, slipping through the empty lobby in a rush. Fatigue hits me as I ride the elevator to my floor.
I can’t wait to go to bed .
My mind fills with images of my warm flannel sheets, fluffy duvet, and my body pillow tucked around me. It’s going to be heaven when I get there.
Maybe I don’t like late-night coffee dates...
I punch the code into my door, swing it open, and then gasp. “This cannot seriously be happening right now.”