Yeah, no, this isn’t just “two workplace friends getting something to eat,” this is more than that.
This is me getting close.
This is me getting closer than I should be.
Chapter Ten
Landon
“Oh, hi Mr. Reece!”
Lauren, the hostess at Tap & Vine, blushes flirtingly at me as we step through the doors. Instantly, I know it was a mistake coming here. Instantly, I have no idea why in a city full of places to eat and drink, I took Serena Roth here.
Habit, I guess.
Lauren bites her lip coyly. “Usual table?”
“I- uh, sure,” I mutter.
For the record, no, nothing has ever happened with Lauren. Not for lack of trying on her part, but there are some lines you don’t cross. Nineteen-year-old hostesses at your tried-and-true spot would be the definition of one of those lines.
She leads us through the place, and I groan as two of the wait staff, the bartender, and one of the busboys greet me by name in the twelve whole steps it takes us to get to the low-lit booth in the corner.
Over the years, Tap & Vine has sort of turned into my date spot. It’s the place I bring women who I’ll only know for one night, and it’s perfect for that. It’s classy but easy, expensive enough to impress, without being so fancy that it seems like an occasion. Low lights, fantastic wine, smooth music.
Why the hell did I bring Serena Roth here.
I need to think of her as a coworker - a rival even. Hell, anything but a date. Seriously, it’s downtown Denver, and there are about a hundred other bars and restaurants near work we could have gone to. Out of habit, I’ve walked us right into this place.
She’s smirking by the time we take a seat.
“Come here often?”
“Often enough,” I say casually, glancing over the menu as if I don’t already know what’s on there by heart at this point. “It’s near work.”
“Right, right.”
She’s still grinning, but she seems to drop it as we put in an order.
Workplace banter and me filling her in on some of the office politics gets put aside as the food comes. And when we come back to conversation, it somehow changes.
“So, what’s your story?” she asked, popping a bite of plank-grilled salmon into her mouth.
“My story?” I frown. “No story.”
She rolls her eyes. “Master of secrets, huh? No girlfriend?”
A strange part of me perks up at her asking about my status, but I push it aside.
“Why do you ask?”
“I’m just curious. You’re not wearing a ring.”
Looks like I’m not the only one who looks.
“Nope.”
I leave it at that, turning and shooting a look at the sports highlights on the screen by the bar as I take a sip of beer. She’s quiet another second, and I’m wondering if she’s decided to drop it. But when I turn back, she’s still looking at me with this expectant look.
Damn she looks cute with that look.
I clear my throat.
“I date.”
“Not going to give me an inch on this are you?”
I smile, putting my beer down and steepling my hands in front of me. “What about you?”
“Is that the master boardroom negotiator coming out? Turning the tables on me?”
I laugh. “Sure.”
“Well, what do you want to know?”
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
She blushes at my directness, her cheeks going this adorable pink color as she drops her eyes to the table.
Good.
I like that my being direct trips her up. I like it, even though I know damn well I shouldn’t. I shouldn’t be playing these sort of games with her. These are date games. These are “let’s have one more drink and then go make some bad decisions” games.
These aren’t Serena Roth games, and I know better.
“No,” she finally says, this time looking up and holding my gaze. “There was someone, but, that’s done.”
I nod. And it seems like that’s probably all I’m going to get before she frowns and opens her mouth again.
“He told me-” she shakes her head and takes a big sip of her drink.
“What?”
She shrugs. “It’s nothing.”
“I thought we were going to work on being a team here?” I shoot her a needling grin.
“It was this whole thing with kids and me not…” She doesn’t finish, she just looks away.
“You don’t like kids?”
Her head jerks back. “Oh, no, I do, I just…” she trails off. “I think we just had different opinions on the subject. Anyways, he decided to cheat on me.”
My brow furrows as I take a sip from my beer. “Sounds like a prize.”
She snorts a laugh. “Oh, trust me, he was.” She arches her brow as she shakes her head. “He also immediately knocked the other girl up, so, opinions on kids aside, case closed.”