Built for Love

A small line creases her forehead. I start the engine and pull out of the drive. Did she want me to be jealous? I scratch the side of my face. I was trying not to scare her away and play it cool. “Did you give the imaginary boyfriend a heads-up about your, ah, meeting tonight?” I’m not going to call it a date anymore. It was extortion and not a date.

“Yes. He wasn’t happy, but what could he do? A promise is a promise.” She shrugs.

I don’t have any idea what that means. Is she talking about me? Good thing I’m keeping my surveillance a secret. I have a feeling she wouldn’t like that. I’ll wait for dinner to get over, stuff Chad in my truck, and drive him to the nearest sewage ditch and let him drown in his own piss. I cheer up. Always good to have a plan.

10

Pepper

He’s being weird. It’s not only now either. He’s been this way all day. A few times I actually thought I was bugging him. All of his responses were short or to the point. Then when I’d show him a few concept ideas or ask what he thought about a color swatch, he again seemed like he was somewhere else and only giving me answers to be done with the question. It’s not what I’m used to from him. Usually he tries to get me to talk more, not less.

“We’re here.” He gives me a smile. I swear he’s getting more handsome by the second. Which should be impossible because he was already too handsome to begin with. It should be illegal to look like him.

“Okay. So I’ll call you?” I ask when he doesn’t give me any kind of game plan.

“That should work. I’m going to get some coffee or something. Maybe grab something to eat.” I don’t even respond. I open the truck door and hop out, annoyed with myself for being so wrapped up in Abel and why his mood has changed toward me.

I understood that he didn’t want me to go on the date because I was technically being forced to. Yet some small part of me had hoped that he wouldn’t want me to go because he couldn’t stand the idea of me going out with another guy. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I was a little bit disappointed. Even though I shouldn’t be. I thought with how he acted yesterday that I was going to have to talk him down. That he’d be over at the bar with binoculars. Nope. Instead he’s going to get something to eat. Well, that’s great, Abel. So am I.

“Pepper.” I turn at the sound of my name, seeing Chad coming toward me in his standard suit and slicked-back blond hair. He’s so damn creepy. I try not to cringe and force a smile onto my face. The thought of food is the only thing that is getting me through this.

“Hi, Chad.” I fidget with my purse, pulling it in front of me to dig through to avoid the whole hug thing if that’s what he’s planning to do. Chad has the worst cologne. Or maybe it’s the fact that he smells as if he’s bathed in it. I’ll be smelling like it all night if he gets too close to me. He once stopped by my place to look at a light for me. My whole place stank of him for the rest of the night.

“Have you eaten here before?” He motions with his arm for me to walk in.

“No, I’ve never been here.” I look over my shoulder to see Chad is staring at my ass. Clearly it didn’t matter what I wore, he was still going to be a jerk who takes whatever liberties that he wants.

“You’re in for a treat.” He grabs the door, opening it for me. “They have the best steak in town.” It’s on the tip of my tongue to say Abel’s steak was the best I’ve ever had, but I don’t. “Two tonight, Sherly.”

“Back already, West? You can’t quit us.” The cute little redhead bursts into a fit of giggles. “Who is this with you tonight? Mary? Cindy? Emily?”

“Avery? Bailey?” I supply. “If we’re going with all names that end in y.” I shrug. “Just trying to be helpful.” Chad laughs, but she doesn’t find me as funny. I really wasn’t trying to be rude. I thought it was funny she was ruining Chad’s game, but maybe she wants to be on his bench.

“This way.” She grabs the menus and we follow her into the dining area.

“I want the back table,” Chad tells her, pointing to the table that is all the way in the corner with no one sitting anywhere near it. The lights look to be dimmer back there too. No way in hell am I sitting there with him.