Kevin shook his head. “No. I’ll call over the host. I know they have really good security in this place.”
Carter laughed. "I'm going to enjoy this."
Kevin motioned for the host who'd been seating another couple. He came over to the table first looking at Kevin and then at me. He turned to Carter. "Is everything all right here, Mr. Strong?"
Of course, he knew Carter. Carter had money. Carter was exactly the type of person this establishment catered to.
"I'm doing very well, thank you." Carter answered with a nod.
The host studied Carter with an odd expression as if he too was recognizing that Carter wasn't running on all cylinders.
"It seems as if maybe these two patrons are unhappy. There was a time in my life when I made Jess here really happy. Four years ago, wasn't it, Jess?"
I looked down knowing that I was just going to have to endure this. There was a part of me that felt I deserved it, so I let him do it.
"But this time around, no, I wasn't good enough. I was ready to promise her everything. Give her everything I had. But no…"
I looked up when he didn't finish his sentence and I could see profound sadness on his face. I did that to him.
"Mr. Strong. I believe your brother is waving toward you," the host said.
Carter smiled broadly. "It's my brother Hunter. He met the woman of his dreams and they’re happily married, just back from a month-long trip through Europe. Couldn't have happened to a better guy."
"Oh geez," Kevin said. "You're Hunter Strong's brother?"
Carter nodded. "That's right. Looks like he's coming this way. He does really like to spy on the people in his restaurant."
Oh my God. We had inadvertently come to a restaurant that Carter's brother owned. No wonder he was pissed. He probably thought I was on a date with Kevin to rub it in his face.
25
Carter
I was already in a state that was too tipsy to drive when I arrived. Now having been a Cesare’s for an hour drinking and having appetizers in the private room with my brother, Hunter, I was pretty well drunk.
I wasn’t so far gone that I wasn’t aware that I was making a fool of myself, but what the hell? I’d already been a fool in front of Jess over and over and over again. In front of my grandmother. In front of Noah. In front of my father. And tonight, in front of Hunter. So, what was a few more witnesses from San Diego noticing a man who was completely crushed because he loved a woman who didn't love them back.
In my drunken state, I could easily blame her because she'd brought her date to my brother’s restaurant. Did she know I'd be here, and wanted me to see her with another man? Was this her way of putting the exclamation point on her resolve that she and I couldn't be together?
It felt like fucking salt on a wound when I saw her enter and meet with a man. It was like hot pokers gouging out that wound when I saw them talk so easily and laugh together. What did this guy have that I didn't anyway?
Jess.
He had Jess and I didn't.
Jess rose from her chair. "Kevin, would you excuse me for a moment? I'm going to talk with Carter."
I stood my ground. "Whatever you need to say, you can say it here."
"You say that now Carter, but you're drunk. Tomorrow you’ll regret it. Let's go have this in private."
"Not nearly drunk enough,” I muttered as I followed her outside to the sidewalk.
She walked down the street a little bit and then leaned against the building looking up as if she was asking God for strength.
In the back of my mind, I was thinking I probably embarrassed her, but right now I couldn't muster up enough energy to care. I walked up and stood in front of her, my hands on my hips waiting to hear what she had to say.
"Look, I'm sorry that we ended up here for dinner. I didn't mean to hurt you —"