Chapter Nine #2
“Obviously,” she smirks, already typing it out like she has zero fear of consequences. She flashes the screen at me, then taps send without blinking. “See?” she says. “Chaos loves me.”
I take a deep breath and clench my eyes shut, wondering if Jaci is now going to think I’m a filthy pervert while I watch those three little balls bouncing up and down.
Jacqueline: What do you mean?
I swallow hard as Alex bursts out laughing, rocking back and forth, clutching at her stomach. “Oh God, she’s so prim and proper.” I type something in to try to backtrack.
Me: As in, do you prefer top or bottom on a bunk bed?
Alex scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Pussy!” She pushes my shoulder as Jaci replies.
Jacqueline: Um… bottom, I suppose. What a strange question!
Alex chuckles as a message from Logan comes in. I look over her shoulder and open my eyes at the tone of the message.
Logan: Depends on the mood. If I’m feeling lazy, then on bottom, nothing better than a girl on top. But if I’m feeling more dominant, then I’m on top, riding it hard and fast in positions you didn’t even know existed, girl!
Alex’s eyes are open wide as she tries to hide her semi-shocked expression. She looks at me like a deer caught in the headlights. I take a deep breath, wondering how she can find someone being overly sexual, whom you haven’t even met yet, attractive. To me, it’s just perverted.
“Wow! Okay! Was not expecting that,” she murmurs once she’s recovered enough to talk.
“Well, the question kinda didn’t leave room for anything else.”
She scoffs and screws up her face. “Jaci found another way to answer.”
“True. Is that what you were doing? Testing him?”
“No, I was just being funny and testing you, really.”
“Testing me?”
“Yeah, you’re not a pervert, are you, Matt?” Alex’s lips turn up in a genuine smile.
“No, generally not.” I chuckle. “I mean, I can be kinky when needed, but a pervert… no.”
A subtle smile catches in the corner of her lips, and I know we’re both thinking of the other night.
Our eyes lock, but neither of us says anything—we just keep staring at each other.
I inhale sharply, my heart pounding in my chest as I begin to inch closer, and it’s like something snaps inside Alex.
She clears her throat, pulling back from me, getting comfortable back on the sofa, effectively ending whatever the hell that was.
“Okay, what’s our next question?” she states matter-of-factly.
I rub my chin, trying to make sense of whatever the hell is going on between us while pretending I’ve got it together.
“All right… what if we go with something chill? Like, I don’t know… dogs or cats? Let’s tame it down a little.”
Alex groans and throws her head back. “Ugh, you’re such a coward. Full-on chicken mode.”
“I wear that badge with honor,” I say, already typing.
Me: So are you more of a dogs or cats person?
I hit send as Alex types it into her cell as well, and we sit back waiting.
“You’re a dog guy, right, Matt?”
“Yeah, you?”
“Yeah, I like the weird ones, like French bulldogs or those naked dogs—”
“Chinese Crested! Yes, I love that breed,” I say, and we both chuckle as the messages come in.
Logan: Dog man all the way. The bigger, the better.
Alex nods, and we look at my cell to see Jaci’s reply.
Jacqueline: Oh, I just love cats. They’re so agile and calm, unlike dogs that are so chaotic and crazy.
“Logan and Jaci seem like total opposites, huh?” I say.
Alex snorts. “Yeah, well, you’re the one who wanted someone all polite and put-together. Looks like she’s checking every box on your little good-girl wishlist, Matt.”
I give her a weak smile as I move my arm out, wrapping it around Alex’s shoulders and pull her to me.
We’ve been going for a few hours when a random message from Jaci makes me sit up taller and let out an audible gasp.
Jacqueline: So, I was wondering if maybe you would like to catch up on the weekend for a date?
I glance over at Alex as she reads the message, and her whole expression shifts.
Her smile fades, eyes blinking a little too fast, breath catching like she’s trying to process.
Then, BAM, she puts on a bright smile like nothing’s wrong.
“Go for it!” she says, voice a little too upbeat.
“You guys vibe, right? Might as well meet up.”
I let out a slow breath, then get an idea. “What if you asked Logan out too? We could both go… same place, same night. You know, moral support.”
She squints at me. “You mean like… a double date?”
“Not with each other,” I say quickly. “Separate tables. Separate dates. Just… knowing you’re there might make it less weird.”
She hesitates, chewing on her lip. “I don’t know. What if Logan says no?”
I shrug. “Only one way to find out.”
Alex winces but sends the message asking if Logan would like to go out for dinner on Saturday night, while I agree to meet up with Jaci.
“This is going to be awesome. I can feel it. I’ll be right back. I’m just going to go and book a restaurant now,” I say, getting up from the sofa and walking away with my cell.
Taking a deep breath, I wander over to the other side of her large apartment, wondering what the hell I’m going to organize.
I need it to be somewhere where I can be easily hidden, but the night can still be romantic for both Alex and me, as well as our plus ones.
So I ring a restaurant that I know caters to celebrities.
It has an exclusive venue in downtown LA, and I make sure that the back room is reserved for two tables.
I’m not going to tell Alex I’m doing that, though.
I don’t want to scare her, but I know I can’t be in the middle of a packed restaurant.
I need to stay hidden, even if there will be security with us.
I’m going to try to make the room look romantic for Jaci.
But to be honest, it’s more for my safety and also so I can watch out for Alex.
I don’t know Logan, and neither does Alex.
After all, men online can be far more dangerous than women, right?
I finish making the booking with no hassle and walk back over to Alex, plopping down onto the sofa as she looks up at me nervously. “All booked in for seven. Shall we tell them?” I ask, and she nods like she’s nervous.
“Sure.”
We type a message to Jaci and Logan with the location and time, and they both message back to let us know they’ll be there.
“We should go together,” I say. “Get there early, have a game plan in case it goes sideways.”
Alex raises a brow. “This is totally insane, right? Like… what if they realize we know each other?”
“They won’t, unless we make it obvious,” I say. “We’ll just blend in like two randoms grabbing dinner. It’ll be fine. Trust me.”
But she suddenly looks nervous. “Oh God. What if he wants to leave the restaurant? What if it’s going too well and he tries to kiss me or something?”
I laugh softly. “Honestly? He’d be an idiot not to try. Just roll with it. Be your usual sassy, unfiltered self, he won’t know what hit him.”
She gives me a look, it’s hesitant, almost reluctant. “Are you gonna kiss Jaci?”
There’s something in her tone I can’t quite place.
I shrug. “I mean, if the vibe’s there? I’m not gonna shut it down. Go with the flow, shoot my shot… fly free, little bird. Or whatever the saying is.”
Alex bites her lip. “I don’t know if I’m ready. It’s only been three years…”
I take her hands and meet her eyes, big, brown, and full of panic, and that familiar warmth rushes in as she sinks back into the couch.
“Hey,” I say gently. “I know this is huge for you. It’s scary, yeah.
But you’re strong, and brave, and honestly?
Kind of a catch. You deserve love, Alex.
Real love. And putting yourself out there?
That’s brave as hell.” She swallows hard, still not entirely convinced.
“I’ll be there the whole time,” I add. “If things get weird or you feel off, just come to my table. I don’t care if my date’s going amazing, you sit with us. No questions.”
She exhales slowly. “Thanks, Matt… You’re being really cool about all this. I don’t think I could do it alone.”
I smile. “We’ve got this. Love’s coming for both of us… I can feel it.”
“Okay,” she says, sniffling, then immediately shifts gears. “But just so we’re clear, I’m claiming the remote for the rest of the night.” She grabs it like it’s a trophy, flips to Netflix, and Parks and Recreation starts playing.
Her typical power move.
Chuckling, I pull her legs over mine as we sit, cuddling on the sofa.
Being with her is effortless and uncomplicated.
I can’t help but hope I can have this with Jaci when we finally meet and that I can fall into the same sort of relaxed friendship.
That Jaci accepts me for who I am, and perhaps with a bit of luck, she won’t even recognize who I am.
But with knowing a lot about music, that’s probably highly unlikely.
Relaxing, I enjoy my time with Alex as she chuckles at Andy being a complete idiot in front of April.
Honestly, this is Chris Pratt at one of his funniest. But as I watch Alex giggling away, I smile, taking her in.
I like her just the way she is, and I can’t help but hope Logan isn’t a complete tool.
I’ll have to watch him to make sure he doesn’t hurt her.
My thoughts blur as I close my eyes just for a moment.
Having Alex here with me and the calm of the moment, even with the chaos of Parks and Rec, I’m utterly in my element as everything fades away.