16. Emma #2
What is he doing here? He knows I have a date. Did I tell him where I’d be? Or did he make an educated guess? It’s not hard to assume in a town this small, I guess. Fifty-fifty chance between the Grill and Beet & Barrel Cafe.
Or maybe it’s a total coincidence and my head is getting too big.
He winks subtly before making his way to the bar.
Really? Did that seriously just happen? Do people under the age of fifty even wink?
Seth starts to tell me about a movie he’s been wanting to see with sheep and their shepherd being murdered.
I can’t take it anymore, so I nod along while I pull out my phone to peek at my messages.
Carson
It was a little slow…okay, a lot slow. No one in this town trusts me with their teeth.
Maybe they all think I’m only good for throwing a football?
I don’t actually think that, Emma.
I get a hot flush from the way he says my name, and he didn’t even say it. He wrote it. I’ve got it bad, which is all the more reason to give this thing with Seth a real chance. I need to redirect my feelings. They’ve gone rogue, and it’s time to rein them back in.
Carson
Well, I’m guessing the date has officially started, and I wish you the best. Send an SOS if you need me to call and tell you your house is flooding.
I smile at that last one and type out a quick reply.
Emma
Stalker.
“What do you think?” Seth asks.
“Sorry, that was rude.” I put my phone away, my cheeks warming. What is wrong with me? I don’t do that. It’s so insanely impolite. Time to focus. “What do I think about the movie? I haven’t seen it.”
“Would you want to?”
“Sure.” When the weather turns crisp, I always go back to Gilmore Girls, but I have a feeling he won’t want to join me in a Rory and Lorelai marathon. Not after the way he looked down his nose at my bulletin board centered on the mayor’s dating life. I’d bet he’d find my show just as obnoxious.
But that’s only a hunch. I should probably give him the benefit of the doubt. Isn’t that the point of this date, to see if I rushed into a verdict too soon with him? To prove to the universe I’m willing to date, that I want a man, and I can put in the work to get one?
Seth keeps talking about the movie. “The main character dies and his sheep solve the murder. It looks like a good snuggle on the couch kind of thing.”
Ah. Okay. We’re back to Make-Out Ridge.
Our dinners arrive, and I glance at the bar.
Carson’s sitting with his back to us. I can see his smiling lines beside his eye and mouth when he turns his head to chat with the other guy at the bar.
He’s pulled a coat over his navy scrubs like he could sense my improper thoughts about his manly back muscles.
Where’s Penny tonight? Why is he eating alone?
“Tonight?” Seth asks.
I pick up a fry and pop it in my mouth. “Sorry, I’m so distracted right now.”
“It’s okay.” Seth takes a big bite of his burger. “Should we watch the movie tonight?”
I take another bite to buy myself time. I’m not feeling any sort of chemistry, but how much of that is because Carson is right there?
He’s not actively trying to sabotage my date, but he’s doing it, anyway.
I can’t think of another man when I know how good it feels to have one hundred and ten percent of Carson Price’s attention.
Seth chokes on his drink. “Isn’t that the guy you made out with at Demi’s party?”
Holy crud, could he not yell that?
Carson definitely heard him, because he looks at us over his shoulder.
I lean forward across the table. “Let’s not go there.”
“It’s him though, right?”
A blush bleeds up my neck, heating my skin. I don’t have to look to know I’m slowly shifting into a tomato. “Why does it matter?”
“Thought so.” He leans back, then looks at Carson. “Where do I know him from?”
“High school, maybe.” I gulp down ice water, but it’s not helping. “You’re a year above him, I think. He just opened the new dental practice.”
Seth snaps his fingers. “Wait, that’s Carson Price? I didn’t even recognize him, and I was talking with his mom this afternoon. Man, he’s aged.”
Like a fine cheese, maybe. Delicious and best served at room temperature. “We’ve all aged. It’s science.”
“Some better than others.”
I’m not about to let this continue. If Seth is fishing right now, he’s about to realize he’s lost his bait. “How’s your burger? Mine’s great.”
“Come on, Emma.” He fans his hands out. “Isn’t this a little awkward?”
“That you keep talking about it? Yes.”
“We have an actual love triangle in this restaurant.”
I choke on my burger, picking up my water and taking a huge swig. When my coughing subsides, I set the glass on the table with a thunk. “Listen, I’m not asking you all about Demi’s sister or how that’s going. Can we leave that night in the past?”
Seth retreats immediately. “Touché. So, about that movie? How’s tonight?”
“I have to be at work early tomorrow. We both do.” He’s so crestfallen I search for a compromise. “I’ll take a rain check.”
“Okay. I’m going to hold you to that.”
He totally will. This is not an idle threat.
When our meal is finished—he insisted on paying, so point to him there—Seth hurries ahead of me and opens my door. “Can I walk you to your car?”
He’s probably hoping for a good night kiss, and I’m not quite ready for that. “I’ll see you in the morning, Seth.”
“How was this, scale of one to ten? No! I don’t want that.
Just tell me if I have a chance.” His brown eyes are imploring, and the date wasn’t horrible.
There was a rocky beginning there, but we ended up chatting about books and how we feel about The Hobbit adaptation versus The Lord of the Rings, both the books and movies, and even touched on the newer TV show.
When Carson finally left with his paper bag of food, I relaxed, and the rest of the night was much better.
But I don’t know if Seth and I will ever be able to step past friendship. I don’t know if I can feel that way about him.
“I don’t know, Seth. We work together, so it might be easier to stay friends.”
“But you had a good time?” He is not to be deterred.
Honestly, I could say I did. “Yeah.”
He nods and the Dumb and Dumber quote runs through my head. I’m sure he’s thinking there’s at least a chance of us working out. Heaven knows why he cares so much. “Then give me another chance. Go to the football game with me next week. My nephew is playing, and it’s a whole thing.”
I know this already. The homecoming game is a big town event every year. “As friends?”
“If that’ll get you there, then sure.” He hesitates. “I’ll be thinking of it as a date.”
I laugh. “Okay, sure.” I start toward my sister’s inn, where my car is parked out front. “Good night, Seth.”
“Good night, Emma.” He watches me leave for a minute before heading off to his car, which is in front of the restaurant.
Maybe my guard is up because I keep expecting him to be bored and ghost me so he can chase someone else, but so far, he keeps trying to get more and more of me. Just me.
Do I need to give this a better chance?
Obviously, that would require a full and complete eradication of my crush on Carson, which is hard when I love being around him. But he’s been clear about where he stands and I completely respect that.
I slide into the front seat of my car and check my phone, finding a message waiting for me.
Carson
Is your kitchen flooding?
He wants to know if the date bombed, if I needed an out and wanted to get away from Seth.
My fingers hesitate before typing. We can talk about these things, but I need to make sure he knows I’m giving dating a solid effort.
He needs to understand I’m not hanging around, wishing he would change his mind.
That would be nice, but I have to be realistic.
Emma
Nope. Totally dry. Thanks for checking in, though. You’re a good friend.
Carson
Is there going to be a follow up date?
Emma
Yes.
He doesn’t reply for the rest of the night.