Unofficial

7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

J ess stands outside the steakhouse and lets out a deep breath. What the hell is she doing? She's not even sure she's ready to date after about a month, but she also knows she needs to put herself out there soon if she has any chance of getting over Kade and starting the family she wants on the timeline she has.

The only bright sides to this evening’s festivities are that she drove herself, this Landry guy doesn't know where she lives, and if it's terrible, she can leave. After Kade took her by surprise that night by following her home, she needs to regain control. Even a little bit.

The black dress she wears fits a little better than it used to. One of the few perks of going through a breakup is the fact she lost a few pounds. Not drinking beer multiple nights a week cuts back on quite a few calories, and it's an upside she hadn't expected.

She takes one last breath before straightening her shoulders and walking into the restaurant. If someone would have told her she'd be going on a double date with the woman she caught her ex having sex with on his kitchen counter, she'd say they were nuts. Truth of the matter is, Jess feels almost certifiably insane about this whole situation, so it’s actually fitting.

"Jess!" Lena squeals and jumps up from the table.

Her bright pink dress hugs her curves in a way that even makes Jess appreciate her body. The way she bounces as she runs over surprises Jess. The woman seems to have clung onto her as a newfound friend after their shared experience, and even though she should recoil and stay away, she's oddly drawn to Lena. Her act of solidarity that night won her over in the craziest of events.

"I'm so glad you're here," Lena says and hugs Jess. "I was worried you might've changed your mind."

"Oh, I totally did, but I said I'd be here. I'm a woman of my word, if nothing else."

"You're going to love him," she whispers and guides her to the table.

Two handsome men sit before them, and she can immediately tell which one belongs to Lena. Joe's eyes never leave her, and she can see the unmistakable look of affection. The same look Jess swore Kade had when he looked at her, too.

"Jess, this is my boyfriend, Joe," Lena says.

Jess shakes hands with the man and nods her head while the other man stands and pulls out her chair to help her sit. "Hi, Joe. And thank you."

"And the handsome gentleman who pulled out your chair is Landry Knight."

Jess takes in the man who stands over six feet tall and has about half a foot advantage on her. He's a couple of inches shorter than Kade, but sometimes he seemed too tall. Landry also comes across as the silent but sturdy type, and his blond hair and green eyes fit his strong jaw with light stubble.

"Hello, Jess," Landry says with a voice so deep she swears she feels the vibration from it.

"Hi, Landry. It's nice to meet you."

The server stops by the table with a wide grin. "Welcome, everyone. My name is Mica, and I'll be your server today. Can I start everyone off with something to drink?"

"I'll take a beer," Landry says, jumping ahead of everyone in a way that comes across assertive but also arrogant. "Tap. Nothing light and no IPA. Anything else is fine."

"I'll take a sparkling wine," Lena says with a wide smile.

"Beer for me. Whatever you bring him," Joe says.

Jess glances at the menu even though she knows exactly what she's getting to drink and eat. "I'll take a glass of Pinot Grigio, please."

"I wish I could drink something like that," Lena says. "It's too dry for me."

"I used to drink sweet wines, but I think my tastes changed. It just gives me headaches now."

"I'm just a beer drinker," Landry says. "Wine's too fancy for a guy like me."

Jess smirks. "You'd be surprised. I really got into the different types when I took a tour. They explained the differences and the notes to help pair them with your meal. I always thought it was made up crap, but I gave it a shot. They're actually right."

"Aren't you supposed to drink red since we're at a steakhouse?"

"I plan to get seafood. White works best for that."

He nods his head and licks his lips. A smile appears on his face, and she notices his perfectly straight teeth. Kade has a slight gap between his front two teeth, even after having braces, but she immediately pushes thoughts of him away. Nothing good can come from thinking about Kade Finely tonight.

"If I'm getting a porterhouse, what kind of wine should I try with it?" Landry asks.

Her eyes glance over the drink menu. "Cabernet Sauvignon."

"If I hate it, would you drink it?"

Smirking, she chuckles. "Sure."

The server returns with their drinks, and they place their orders. True to his word, Landry orders the wine, and they all sit back to enjoy each other's company.

"So, how'd you two meet?" Jess asks, genuinely curious how Lena and Joe found each other.

Joe smiles and glances at Jess before looking back at Lena. Jess notices this happens just about any time he speaks with anyone. A quick glance to let them know he acknowledges them, but his eyes can't seem to stay away from his girlfriend. "We met at a bar."

"I was having a terrible night. I'd been stood up by my date, which is the first and last time I try internet dating. The guy turned out to be married, and his wife found out he was meeting a date, and I'm pretty sure he was bailing her out of jail at the time he was supposed to be there. I read in the paper she took a baseball bat to his Porsche," Lena says. "And Joe was my savior."

"I'd happened to walk into the bar on a fluke. The moment I saw her, I knew I had to talk to her. The rest is history."

Jess smiles. They seem like they truly care about each other, and she's happy for them. "That's sweet."

"It really is," Lena says and kisses Joe chastely.

"How do you know Joe?" Jess asks Landry.

He nods to the server as he sets the salads down in front of them. "High school. We both played football together, and we've been friends ever since."

"What position did you play?"

Landry takes a bite and pauses as he chews. At least he doesn't talk with his mouth full. "I was a cornerback. Good ol' Joe was the quarterback. Had every woman fawning all over him, and he'd be gracious enough to toss a few of his extras my way."

"Sounds like you made your way through the high school female population, huh?" Jess says with a smirk and taking a bite of her own salad.

"I was a typical high school jock. Thought I was something special, but I still only dated one woman at a time. I went to college and realized I was not, in fact, that special. I was the minority, thinking being a one-woman man was what the ladies wanted, and I was wrong. Got my heart stomped on a few times."

Jess can't decide if his constant comments about monogamy are over compensating or not. "That sucks."

"I bet you've been known to break a few hearts," he says and takes another bite of his salad.

The comment comes across more offensive than flirty, and she can't decide if he's a jerk or just aloof. "Uh, no, actually. I was a nerd in high school with braces and thick glasses, and I was the one getting my heart broken in college. Had two serious boyfriends who devastated me. Thanks for asking."

Landry straightens in his chair. "I didn't mean anything by the comment."

Sure. "Okay."

"How do you and Lena know each other?" Joe jumps in, trying to save his friend.

Lena opens her mouth and closes it again, staring hard at Jess. "It's a weird story."

"Like, sexually weird?" Joe asks, his eyes finally turning and settling on Jess.

She gets a weird vibe, and even Lena seems taken aback. Instead of fluffing up the story, Jess decides to put it all out there, and if it ends the date, so be it. "We were dating the same guy."

"And you're still friends?" Landry asks, his eyebrows raised almost up to his hairline.

"We weren’t friends. Didn't even know each other. I was dating a guy for about five months and had no idea he was dating other women. I went to surprise him one night, and I was the one surprised."

Lena swallows and looks at Joe. "Jess walked in on Kade and me having sex."

Joe’s jaw drops, and he looks at Landry before looking back at her. "What?"

"In the kitchen," Jess says. "I got quite the eyeful."

"And you just stood there and stared, which was just as weird," Lena says with a giggle.

Jess laughs with her. "It was like watching a horrific car accident. But the weirdest part was how fixated I was at how close you were to the coffee pot I showed him how to use. And all that stuff with it, yeah, I bought it. You almost touched your butt to my coffee syrups."

"You dated a guy in a relationship?" Joe asks, and for the first time, the unwavering affection seems to waver.

"I didn't know," Lena says. "I would never!"

"She freaked out when she realized he'd been seeing me for five months. He told me she was his cousin, which contributed to the shell shock when I walked in there, and she was not happy about that fact, either."

Landry chokes on his salad. "You thought he was screwing his cousin?"

"I kind of assumed she wasn't really his cousin, but I didn't know for sure," Jess says and laughs.

Lena breaks out into laughter. "I got dressed and begged for her forgiveness. Kade, with nothing else to do, grabbed a pot from the stove to cover his junk. Now that I think back, watching him stand there, like that, is pretty funny."

"He said it wasn't a clean pot, either," Jess tells her. "And that's the story of how Lena and I met. By all accounts, we should hate each other, but I couldn't be angry with her. She stood defiantly with me in a show of female solidarity, and that's a girl's girl right there. It wasn't her fault we both were seeing a jerk."

"You're an evolved woman," Landry says.

She narrows her eyes at him. "I can't tell if you're trying to be a dick, or if it's just your natural personality."

Lena's jaw drops, and Joe chuckles. Landry appears taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"You're difficult to read, and you say things that come out so jerk-like. But I don't know if you're actually trying to be one, or if it's just how you talk."

"I'm not trying to be a jerk. I guess it's just my natural personality," Landry says with a shrug.

At least he's honest. "No one's ever told you that you sound like a jerk, have they?"

"A few people have, but they were very different situations. Never on a date."

The server stops by with their orders, and she lets the man swap out her salad for the seafood dinner she's been craving ever since she found out they were meeting here. She nearly melts as the delicious scent of butter and garlic wafts into her nostrils. Even if she has to pay for her own dinner, this is worth it.

They all make small talk as they eat, but Landry surprises Jess when he takes a drink of his wine with the steak. His mouth turns downward into a frown, and she expects to have to drink the red wine. Instead, he says, "That's not half bad."

"Really?"

"It does pair well. Who would've thought?"

"I don't know... the experts?"

Landry smirks. "And white wine goes with seafood?"

"Are you asking me to try my dinner and wine?" she asks, unsure if she's willing to share with a man who comes across as a Class Act Ass.

"If you wouldn't mind."

She can't take the offer back now, even though it wasn't an official offer, and she pushes her plate towards him slightly. He takes a scallop and plops it into his mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, he nods his head, his eyes locking with hers, and she hands him the glass of wine.

Taking a sip, he swishes it around in his mouth. "Not bad."

"Am I changing your mind on wine?"

"I still think beer pairs better, but I can appreciate the sophistication."

The comment makes her smile, and she just shakes her head. "You're such a dick."

"So you said," he replies and chuckles. "I am who I am, I guess."

"I can appreciate that."

A fter dinner, Landry walks Jess to her car. He'd paid for her meal even after she told him it wasn't necessary. He holds the car door open for her, and he leans on the top of the frame, boxing her in.

"Can I have your number to do this again? Maybe without Lena and Joe?"

"You didn't like their company?" she asks.

"Oh, they're good people. I was just getting really sick of the mushy looks Joe gave her. I get it, she's hot, but we were at the table, too, you know?"

She looks at the ground. "You don't think it's sweet?"

"I think there's ways to do it without making others feel uncomfortable."

"Yeah? How's that?"

"If you weren't busy calling me a dick, you might've noticed the way I was looking at you tonight."

Her head snaps up, and his gaze lights a fire in her belly. "You were looking at me a certain way?"

"I think you're gorgeous, Jess. And I kind of like how you called me out on my shit. I don't really think about how I come across, but you put me in my place. Most women don't do that, which is probably why they don't really last."

"I'm sometimes too honest," she says, her heart racing.

"Would it be too forward for me to kiss you right now?"

Landry's face inches closer to hers. "Yes, but I don't think I'd mind."

When his lips touch hers, she feels a mixture of emotions. Passion. Guilt. Need. Betrayal.

He pulls back and looks into her eyes. "What do you say?"

"About what?" she asks, blinking as she looks into his eyes.

"Can I have your number?" he asks with a smile. "I'd really like to see you again."

"Sure," she says and waits as he digs his phone out of his pocket before reciting her number to him.

It feels wrong being with someone who isn't Kade. He doesn't want you. She repeats the thought over and over in her head. If Kade can and does see other women, she can see other men. He's not the only one out there who may be good for her. She just needs to get past the initial awkwardness before it feels normal. As normal as it felt with Kade.

Landry kisses her cheek and steps back. "Have a safe drive home, Jess. I'll be calling you."

"I'll be waiting," she says and lets him shut the door for her.

This is the start of moving on, and Jess can't decide if she likes it or hates it.