Chapter 15 #2
Her hair is longer than the last time I saw her. It used to stop at her shoulders, now it tumbles several inches past them, brushing against her tanned skin.
I avert my gaze from her and head inside.
Carly is working tonight. She’s been with me for years. I’ve tried to get her to take on more of a management role, but she’s happy where she’s at. She’s a single mom juggling online classes, so I get it.
“Hey, I didn’t see you come in, boss,” she says with that bright smile of hers. She knows I hate it when she calls me that.
“Came in around back,” I explain. “Just going to grab a couple menus if you don’t mind.”
“I do mind! That is my job.”
I hold my hands up. “Okay, well, I’m already in here, so…just let me grab those and we’ll be out back. No rush.”
“We?” she asks, quirking an eyebrow. “Are Liam and Layla here? Or your parents?”
“No. They are not. I know other people, you know.”
Carly looks far too curious. She peeks past me to get a better view of the outside, and then her smile returns. But this time, I don’t like what that smile is insinuating .
“Ooooh. She was in here the other night, you know.”
“Nope. Didn’t know that.”
“Yeah. Picked up some food, then ordered a boba to-go—which, by the way, she was very excited about.”
“That’s great.”
“Uh-huh.” Carly’s still wearing that smug expression.
“It’s nothing. We were just hungry and happened to be in close proximity to each other.” I grab the menus and turn away.
“Okay,” she hollers after me, far too damn chipper for my liking.
Daniela still looks lost in thought when I step back outside, but as I approach, she snaps her attention to me.
“Sorry about that,” I say, handing her a menu as I take my seat.
“No worries. Just enjoying the view. And the quiet.” She side-eyes me.
“Want me to go sit over there so you can be alone with your riveting thoughts?”
“No. Don’t be silly, Dex.”
“Okay, fine. But don’t tempt me. I love eating alone. It’s peaceful. You should actually feel honored that I’m letting you join me today.”
A hint of a smile creeps onto her lips. Apparently, matching her sass finally gets her attention. I’m not complaining—it’s fun. Daniela rolls her eyes, ready to fire back, but before she can, Carly appears .
“Hey, welcome back,” Carly greets us with a smile that’s too friendly. To Daniela it probably seems normal. I know better. She’s enjoying this way too much. I don’t know why everyone thinks there’s something between us just because our best friends are together. It’s ridiculous.
“I’ll have a glass of cabernet—whatever you recommend,” Daniela says, flashing Carly a polite smile. A real one. More sincere than she’s possibly ever directed at me.
“Same,” I say, watching as Carly nods and walks off.
Daniela glances at me. “Not a beer guy, huh?”
“Not really.”
“Hmm.” Her expression is thoughtful. I have no idea what that’s about.
I smirk.
“What?”
“You were just…so polite to her.”
Her expression turns into a scowl. “I know how to be polite to people. Who do you think I am?”
“You’re…you.” I shrug as I glance over the menu—though I know it by heart. I can’t help myself. I’m having way too much fun poking the bear now.
Her eyes narrow. “What’s that supposed to mean, Dexter ?”
“Oh man. That kid is going to regret the day he let that information out,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m just saying…I’ve never been on the receiving end of it. ”
She ignores the comment. “I have no reason to be rude to Carly. Layla says she’s a good one.”
“And I’m not?”
“I didn’t say that. You’re just…”
“What?”
“Nothing,” she shifts her focus to the menu, clearly done with the conversation.
But I have a mission now.
“Look, can we just cut the bullshit?”
That gets her attention. Her eyes snap to mine.
“What do you mean?” she asks, but she knows exactly where I’m going with this.
“I mean, our best fucking friends are getting married. You’re here for most of the summer.
We’re going to be crossing paths—constantly.
I don’t want to kill the mood or ruin any of their events just because we can’t seem to get along.
You obviously aren’t a fan of me, and that’s fine.
I got the message a long time ago. But we can at least act like adults and try to be friendly. For the summer, anyway.”
“You haven’t exactly been welcoming, you know.”
“I know,” I admit. “I’ll do better.”
There’s a long pause as she studies me, and I meet her gaze without wavering. On the inside, though, there’s a storm.
“Okay,” she finally agrees, then picks up her menu.
“That’s it? ”
“What else do you want me to say? You’re right, okay? I’m in.” Her eyes narrow on the menu. “And I don’t blame you for not greeting me with open arms. I get it.”
Her green eyes catch the golden light of the setting sun. They almost look translucent. The storm continues to fester.
I look away, gazing out onto the water.
After a few moments of silence, she sets her menu down. “I know what I’m getting.”
Right on cue, Carly returns with our glasses of wine.
“There she is,” I say, giving her a look.
“Oh, well, you two looked deep in conversation, I didn’t want to interrupt.” She waves a dismissive hand, setting our glasses down before turning to leave. “You guys enjoy!”
Daniela watches her go, smirking. My eyes catch the movement of her fingers as she absently rubs her tanned shoulder, brushing a strand of hair away from her neck.
“So, I heard you stopped by for a drink the other night,” I say.
“Gosh, this is a small town.”
“Yep.” I grin. “Gets crowded with tourists in the summer months, though.”
“I’m sure that’s good for business.” She glances around, as if just now noticing the scattered patrons. The dinner rush hasn’t fully hit yet, but it’s getting there.
“It is. July and August get pretty packed. Don’t even try to go to Commons Beach. ”
She nods, taking it all in again. “It’s beautiful here. I didn’t fully get it in the winter, but…now I do.”
“Not a cold-weather person?”
“I don’t prefer it,” she muses. “Who wants to freeze their tits off for five months?”
A laugh escapes me. “What about snuggling up by a cozy fireplace, drinking hot chocolate, watching the snow fall through the window? Don’t girls love for that stuff?”
“That’s nice. But you have to go outside eventually. Unlike you three, I have a normal day job. I’m not out here living my dream, making my own hours.”
“Hey, I work hard managing this restaurant! Not to mention managing the logistics of a dozen other businesses.” I clutch my chest in mock offense. “And Layla has been busting her ass trying to get clients for her new business. Liam’s been working on developing some projects again, too.”
“I know, I know. Calm down. I was only joking. Sorry. I know Layla has been working hard, she’s my best friend.”
“Do you enjoy it?” I ask her as she skims the menu again.
“What, teaching?” She nods. “Yeah. For the most part. It obviously comes with struggles and could pay better, but…I love algebra, and I enjoy teaching it to those little buttheads.”
“You love algebra?” I ask.
“Yeah,” she replies .
“Why?”
“Just because.”
“Because why?”
She huffs out a breath in surrender. “I don’t know. It’s simple. There’s almost always just a single, definitive answer. It’s not up for interpretation. It just is,” she says simply.
I study her for a second, realizing how much I don’t know about her. Just when I think she’s impossible to figure out, she drops little surprises like this. I’m intrigued, but part of me also doesn’t want to know more.
“Wow. Never thought about it that way,” I admit. “I did okay in math, but I always knew I’d end up working with my parents, so I didn’t take it too seriously. Majored in business management.”
She nods but doesn’t say anything else. I get the feeling she wants to—but stops herself.
The sun sinks lower, setting the sky ablaze in streaks of orange and pink, its reflection shimmering over the lake. We fall into a quiet spell, but it’s not awkward. We sip our drinks, letting the view do all the talking.
Dinner is easier, with small talk about the wedding and the upcoming festivities. Nothing too deep.
Afterward, I drive her back to Liam and Layla’s. When we pull up, she thanks me for the ride.
“You’re welcome,” I reply, keeping my eyes mostly forward.
The second I see her step inside, I drive off.