Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
the perfect date
BLAIR
"So, where are we going?" I ask suspiciously, glancing over at Matty from the passenger seat. He looks right at home behind the wheel of this sleek black Range Rover that he somehow convinced Cam to lend him. It still has that distinctive new car smell, blending with the earthy scent of the forest surrounding us as we travel the roads of the six-pack territory. We’ve just turned to head toward Riverton, but Matty still hasn’t given me any hint as to what he’s got up his sleeve for our ‘date’.
I’m not sure whether it’s excitement or anxiety that’s currently winding my stomach into knots.
My knee keeps bouncing, my palms sweating.
I never should’ve agreed to this in the first place, but I’m finding it more and more difficult to say no to Matty.
Even though it’d be stupid to think anything could actually ever come of this, his wide-eyed persistence has chipped away at my resolve.
“Well, I was gonna wait until we got there,” Matty remarks, glancing over at me, “but since we’re almost there, I guess I can tell you. Have you ever been to Level Up?”
I sit up straighter, interest officially piqued. “The arcade?” I ask eagerly.
“Barcade,” he corrects with a teasing smirk. “From what I hear, they’ve got drinks, too.”
Damn, we’re not even there yet and he’s already nailed this date.
I’m a gamer girl at heart, and Level Up has been on my radar since it opened a few months ago.
It’s the perfect mix of nostalgia and novelty, and the thought of finally stepping inside has me practically buzzing with excitement.
Still, I play it cool, reining in my enthusiasm and biting back the grin that’s fighting to break through.
“No, I’ve never been,” I reply casually as I card my fingers through my hair.
Too casually, apparently, because Matty winces in response.
“Shit, don’t tell me you hate arcade games,” he grumbles, his voice a little panicked. “Or do, because if you’re not into it, we can just go somewhere else. I didn’t mean to–”
“No, I love ‘em,” I cut in, putting the poor guy out of his misery. “I’ve been wanting to come check this place out, it’s just… I never have the time, y’know? It’s always work, work, work lately.”
“Tell me about it,” he chuckles, glancing my way with a knowing glint in his blue eyes.
He gets it.
Matty’s one of the rare few who understands and respects the grind.
He didn’t just bring his laptop to my room yesterday as an excuse– the two of us worked for hours, ticking off the last items on our task lists and freeing ourselves up to have Sunday off.
We’ll have to be back in the command center bright and early tomorrow morning, but for now, I guess we’ve officially ‘made time’ for some fun.
Yet another reason I couldn’t deny him this date.
Though admittedly, I wasn’t exactly searching for excuses by that point.
He didn’t specifically ask about taking me out tonight until we’d finished up all our work yesterday, and by then, we’d fallen into a comfortable groove with one another.
Rather than being annoyed at him for invading my space, I was bummed for him to leave.
Matty swings the Range Rover into the parking lot for Level Up, claiming a spot near the entrance.
I’m so caught up in my own thoughts that I barely notice him hopping out and jogging around to open my door.
When it swings wide and what he’s doing finally registers, I blink up at him in surprise, laughing nervously when he extends a hand in my direction.
“Are you serious right now?”
He flashes me a grin, nodding down to his outstretched hand. “Trying to be a gentleman here.”
Ugh, that grin of his is getting hard to resist.
I reach out to place my hand in his, my stomach fluttering as he helps me out of the car.
I’m jittery with nerves and suddenly hyper-aware of how out of place the two of us seem as we start walking from the car to the entrance, a mismatched pair standing at the threshold of something that should feel normal.
Matty’s fitted blue jeans and crisp white polo cling to his muscular frame, while I’m rocking a black mini dress, fishnet tights, and leather ankle boots.
We definitely don’t look like we belong together.
Hell, we couldn’t look more incongruent if we tried.
I feel the stares the moment we step inside Level Up, anxiety twisting in my gut. Not that I see anyone I know, but the fear of being judged for my choices is ever-present, keeping me on edge. My fingers instinctively run through my hair as I pull away from Matty’s side.
“Uh, should we grab drinks?” I ask awkwardly.
“And tokens,” he says with a wink, sidestepping to reclaim the space between us. He brings a hand to the small of my back, guiding me toward the bar.
We order drinks and the bartender delivers them along with a plastic cup of tokens for each of us.
Armed with all we need, we start wandering through the dimly lit barcade, searching for where to begin.
The distant clink of coins and the sounds of arcade machines fill the air, mingling with the upbeat music playing overhead.
The soft beat of the track pulses in the background as we make our way past clusters of people, each absorbed in their own games.
The flickering lights cast shadows on the walls, and the occasional bursts of laughter or cheers from nearby players makes the whole place feel alive in a way that’s almost electric.
It’s sensory overload, but in the best way, and I can’t help but grin, feeling like a kid again.
“So, are you a skee ball girl, or is air hockey your game?” Matty asks, glancing around. “Or maybe pinball?”
“Hmm,” I muse, scanning our options. I spot the Pac-Man table across the room and my heart skips a beat. “They have Pac-Man!” I exclaim, unable to contain my enthusiasm.
“Pac-Man it is,” Matty laughs.
We make our way over to the game and take seats across from one another, Matty dropping a couple tokens into the slot.
I set my drink down so I have both hands free– one to move the joystick, the other to mash the buttons– and as soon as it starts, my little guy starts gobbling up dots like nobody’s business.
“Jeez, save some cherries for the rest of us,” Matty jokes as I beat his player to the fruit.
“Gotta be quicker than that, Isaac,” I tease, sticking out my tongue at him.
“Oof, low blow,” he replies with a wince.
I laugh– a genuine laugh that’s been too rare lately– and steal another piece of fruit from right under his nose, fleeing before one of the ghosts catches me.
The banter between us flows easily as we play, taunting and teasing one another the whole time.
I win, of course– Pac-Man has always been my game– but Matty definitely holds his own.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised he’s a decent gamer, given the line of work we’re in, but it strikes me as just one more thing we have in common, even if we are an odd pair.
We choose a two-player shooting game next, and within minutes, we’re both fully invested. I point at the screen, shouting warnings as zombies rush us. Matty’s reactions are quick, his hands steady as he guns down enemies left and right.
“On the left!” I yell, adrenaline pumping.
“Got it,” he replies, taking them out in one swift motion.
I slide him a grin. “Thanks for the save.”
“Anytime,” he winks.
By the time we grab another round of drinks, we’re laughing, sharing tokens, and sinking into the games like they’re second nature.
The evening becomes a blur of flashing lights, heated competition, and easy camaraderie.
It feels like we’ve found our own rhythm, something simple and natural in every laugh and affectionate touch.
When we finally decide to call it a night and step out into the cool night air, I’m surprised by how reluctant I am to end the date.
I drag my feet all the way to the car, the warmth of Matty’s hand enveloping mine as he walks with me to the passenger side.
I turn to him as we step up, about to insist that I’m a grown ass woman who can open doors herself, when he suddenly leans in, lips descending on mine.
It's slow at first– tentative, like he’s testing the waters– but the moment I kiss him back, his restraint dissolves. He immediately deepens it, hand cupping my jaw and pulling me closer, his broad chest pressing against mine.
I melt into him, the world around us fading away to nothingness as his lips move against mine with gentle urgency. My heart races as our tongues tangle, his fingers diving into my hair and tugging me impossibly closer.
We’re both breathless when we finally break apart, my stomach flip-flopping as I stare into his gorgeous blue eyes. Then he reaches for the door handle beside my hip, popping it open and gesturing for me to get in with a lazy grin.
Talk about leaving a girl hanging.
I have half a mind to go in for seconds, but I quickly think better of it and slide into the passenger seat, buckling up as Matty comes around to the other side and gets in.
The drive back to the squad complex feels too short.
We talk about everything and nothing, just enjoying the easy comfort we’ve fallen into with one another.
By the time he pulls up to the curb to drop me off I’m seriously considering inviting him to my room– but he’s gotta get Cam’s car back to him, and I should probably resist being so damn impulsive.
“Thanks for tonight,” I say, reaching down to unfasten my seatbelt. “I had fun.”
“Me too,” he drawls, hitting me with another one of those sexy grins. “So should we do it again sometime?”
My lips curl into a smirk. “I’ll let you know,” I tease, opening the door and hopping out of the car. “See you tomorrow.”
“I’ll bring coffee,” he calls, winking at me.
I roll my eyes, pushing the door closed, pivoting on a heel, and strutting away.
I feel like I’m in a daze as I make my way around the side of the squad complex to the gate, still giddy over how unexpectedly great tonight was.
I’m floating on cloud nine, not paying any attention to my surroundings while I approach the door to the building.
As I pull it open and step through, I run straight into someone that’s walking out.
Stumbling back in surprise, a strong hand grasps onto my elbow to steady me.
“Whoa, sorry about that,” a male voice chuckles as the guy helps me find my balance. His smile is warm, friendly. Oddly familiar. “Hey, Blair.”
It takes all of two seconds for recognition to dawn on me. I swallow thickly, my smile stiff as I force myself to meet his eyes. “Oh, hey, Caleb.”
Caleb Faulkner was Dylan’s best friend. He stood beside me at his funeral, told me stories about him after. Suddenly, all the lightness from the date feels as if it’s been completely wiped away, replaced by a heavy, suffocating sense of guilt.
“You look nice,” Caleb remarks, eyeing me with a strange curiosity I can’t quite place. “What’ve you been out doing, causing trouble?”
My stomach flips. I can’t tell him the truth– that I just spent the evening with a hunter; someone from the very group that took Dylan’s life.
The thought alone makes my chest tighten with shame.
It feels like a betrayal of everything– of Dylan, of Caleb, of the mate bond… of everything I thought I stood for.
“Nothing, just catching up with some friends,” I say quickly, my voice strained. I shift my weight uncomfortably, the weight of my sins bearing down on me.
Caleb nods, his expression softening. “How’ve you been?”
“Good, you?” I reply dryly.
He pauses for a moment before he answers, like he’s struggling to find the words. “Good. Just… dealing, y’know?”
I nod, my throat tightening. “Yeah,” I murmur quietly. “Well, I’ll see you around.”
I quickly sidestep him, barely holding it together as I try to escape the conversation and the resulting guilt pressing down on me.
My heart races, the sudden urge to flee coursing through me.
I don’t look back, my steps echoing in the hallways as I make my way to the dorms, breath coming out in short, uneven bursts.
By the time I reach my door, my hands are shaking so badly that I can barely grip the keys.
They slip through my fingers, clattering to the floor, and I curse under my breath as I bend to pick them up.
I try again, unlocking it this time, and I quickly slip into my room and close the door tightly behind me.
Everything crashes down on me as I press my back against the wood and slide down to the floor, burying my face in my hands. My pulse is jackhammering in my ears, reality crashing in on me.
Matty is a hunter. A former hunter, sure, but that doesn’t change the implication. And I… I don’t even know who I am anymore. I don’t know what this is. The thrill of being with him, the undeniable pull between us, it suddenly all feels so wrong.
But tonight, it also felt right.
Tears spring to my eyes, the weight of guilt and confusion threatening to crush me. I can’t make sense of this– any of it. I try to breathe, but the question claws at my chest, eating me alive.
What the hell am I doing?