“You’re a good friend, Charlotte. I hope you know how much I appreciate you.”
She winced. “I hope you still feel that way after your date.”
I knew she wouldn’t set me up with someone awful, so I was unconcerned. “Don’t worry, I’m sure it will be great.”
Chapter 3
Easton
I pulled into the parking lot of Mario’s, the restaurant my sister told me to be at for the blind date, just as my phone rang and Charlotte’s face popped up on the screen. I parked and turned off the engine. “Hey.”
“She’s already there, sitting at a table to the left when you walk in. She’s wearing a white blouse.”
“Oh, that makes it easy,” I said sarcastically. “Like twenty other women won’t have on the same thing.”
“Don’t be a jerk. You’ll know her when you see her.”
“You haven’t even told me her name.” I got out and clicked my key fob to lock the vehicle.
“She’ll tell you her name once you introduce yourself. Call me if you can’t figure it out.”
“Wow, you’re a wealth of information. I’m supposed to look for someone wearing a white blouse, and I don’t have a physical description or a name.” I paused. “Why so cryptic, Charlotte? Is there something wrong with this woman?”
“Not at all. She’s an angel, but if you need a description, she has brown hair and brown eyes. She said no one is sitting around her, so that should make it easy.”
“Just so you know, I’m not in a good mood. Hope this chick doesn’t have high hopes for a flourishing romance.”
“I told her to come with no expectations.” She let out a breath, and I got the feeling I was testing her patience. “Please be on your best behavior. You’ll like her if you give her a chance.”
I grit my teeth and wished I was anywhere but here. “Liking her wasn’t part of the deal. I’m fulfilling my side by showing up.” I ended the call and shoved my phone in my pocket.
How was I supposed to figure out who this woman was? Whatever. If I never found her, that was fine with me.
I walked inside the restaurant and informed the host that my date was already seated and waiting for me. I turned to the left and stopped dead in my tracks.
Oh, no. No, she didn’t.
Charlotte knew better than to pull something like that.
But even as the thought crossed my mind, there was no denying what was in front of me.
Charlotte’s best friend, Maya Anderson, sat at a table, staring at her phone, her long brown hair resting over one shoulder. She wore a white blouse and there was no one else seated in her section. I scanned the room, looking for another woman who might be sitting alone, but it was useless because I knew who my date was. I inhaled a sharp breath, my pulse increasing by the second. She was my sister’s friend, so I’d seen her around from time to time, but we hadn’t had a real conversation since high school.
I’d been into her once. That much was true. Thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. But that felt like a lifetime ago, and a lot had changed since then. She was still pretty. Still quite attractive. But I doubted she knew what she was getting into when she agreed to this blind date.
She hadn’t seen me yet, so I walked out of the restaurant and pulled out my phone, dialing Charlotte.
She answered right away. “Did you find her?”
“You set me up with Maya Anderson.”
“I did.”
“That was a dirty trick and you know it.”
“I didn’t do this to hurt either of you. I love you both and I think—”
“Save it. You knew there was bad blood between us, yet you still followed through with this.” I paused and held back the explosion that was about to take place. “Just answer one question. Did you tell her I’m her date?”
“No.”
I clenched my fist and glanced up at the sky. Why me? “And you expect me to go in there and act like I’m fine with this?”
“Yes.”
“She’ll lose it when she sees me.”
“We’re not in high school anymore, Easton. The two of you have been in the same room before and there was never a problem. Just make the effort. I know you can be charming when you want to be. At least…I’ve heard.” She snickered slightly, but I could sense the uneasiness there. “Think of this as a challenge. You love challenges.”
I closed my eyes and pressed my lips together, hating that she’d put me in this position. “Fine. I’ll go in there and fulfill my side of the bargain, but don’t forget that once this is over, you can’t bring up dating or relationships ever again. The subject is officially barred from conversation.”
“Got it. Now go win her over.”
I didn’t bother telling her that winning over Maya Anderson was impossible, but there was no sense in arguing on the phone while people passed by. I hung up and strode back inside. A few minutes had passed, and now I was late.
That was not how I conducted business, but it didn’t matter. Once Maya found out I was her date, she’d probably get up and leave, and that was fine with me. I felt no obligation to win her over. None whatsoever.
Maya was scanning the front entrance, and her gaze landed right on me. She visibly flinched, and a look of disbelief clouded her brown eyes.
Wow, okay. Figures.
I ignored her apparent repulsion and walked straight to her, taking the seat opposite her.
“Hello, Maya.”
Her mouth dropped open, and the stunned look on her face would have been comical if it had been under different circumstances. “Easton? What are you doing here?”
I sidestepped the question in favor of asking one of my own. “Have you been to this restaurant before?”
“Uh…no.”
“I recommend the filet mignon. The meat is tender and juicy. The lobster is also a great choice—”
“Sorry to interrupt.” Her head jerked back as if none of this made sense. She placed a palm on the table as if needing to brace herself. “I’m expecting someone. He should be here any second, and if he sees us sitting together, it might…you know…ruin things.” She smiled thinly, no warmth in her expression at all.
She was still under the impression that another man was on his way, or maybe it was pure denial, but either way, I decided to go along with it for a minute. “You have a date?”
Red splotches broke out over her cheeks and down her neck. “Yes, I do.” Her eyes flickered with vulnerability, almost as if she were pleading with me not to comment.
“What’s his name?”
“Why?”
“Just curious.”
“I…” She glanced down and then picked up her glass of water and took a sip, gulping it down. After a few seconds, she met my gaze, appearing horrified. “Charlotte hasn’t told me yet.” She quickly glanced away as if waiting for me to mock her for not having that information.
“Ah…so Charlotte is the one setting you up. Doesn’t it bother you that you don’t know his name? If it were me, I’d want to know.”
“Charlotte said it was better this way, and I trust her completely.”
“You may be singing a different tune in a few minutes.”
She frowned and brought her gaze back to mine. “Why do you say that?”
I leaned back in the chair and crossed my arms over my chest as if I had all the time in the world and didn’t plan on leaving anytime soon. “Just a gut feeling.”
“Easton…” She didn’t get a chance to finish what she was about to say because a waiter appeared and asked if he could start us off with an appetizer while we decided what to order.
“Sure, why don’t you bring us one of everything,” I said, smirking. “I can’t decide what I’m in the mood for.”
“Very good. I’ll put the order in with the chef.”
Maya nearly jumped out of her seat. “Wait, that’s not necessary. This man is leaving in just a few seconds, and I want to save room for the main meal.”
&n
bsp; The waiter shifted, appearing slightly confused as he looked from her to me. “No problem, Miss. I’ll hold off until you decide.”
I cleared my throat. “Actually, I think I’ll stay, so go ahead and put in the order.” I rested my forearms on the table and smiled confidently.
The waiter glanced between us and then nodded and walked away. I turned my smile toward Maya. “You can always take home what you don’t finish.”
She stared blankly at me, but I could tell by the way her fist opened and closed that she was boiling underneath. A beat passed and then she sat up straighter. “Whatever game you’re playing, I don’t find it amusing. Please leave.”
I could see she was starting to get agitated, so I leaned in and made eye contact, ready to come clean. “I can’t. I promised Charlotte I’d give this date a chance.”
Her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. “No. Not possible. Charlotte would never…”
I smiled, enjoying her discomfort a little too much, maybe because it validated my own shock at being set up with her. At least we had that in common. “Yep, I’m the blind date.”
“No, you’re not. You’re just trying to get a rise out of me.” She opened her purse and pulled out a phone, glaring at me as if I were her worst nightmare, and I probably was.
She dialed a number, her eyes narrowing at me. “Charlotte”— there was extra sweetness in her tone—“you’ll never believe who’s sitting across from me right now. He says he’s my date, but I know that can’t be the case because you would never do that to me.”
Charlotte’s voice rose on the other line, and I knew she was trying to explain herself. The blood rushed from Maya’s face, and she swallowed hard, looking at me with trepidation. Her brows knit together, and she glanced away, dismayed. “How could you? I trusted you.”
Charlotte continued talking, but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. Maya blew out a breath, apprehension sweeping over her features. “I have to go, but we’ll talk about this later.” She set her phone on the table, her jaw tightening with resolve. “It’s true, and frankly, I’m stunned she thought it was a good plan.”
I shrugged. “This wasn’t my idea, but since we’re both here, we might as well enjoy a meal together. It’s on me, of course, so order whatever you like.”
She opened her mouth as if to say something and then promptly shut it. “You…want to stay? Why? You hate me.” Her brown eyes filled with emotion, and I felt myself drawing closer, wanting to set the record straight. Truth was, I didn’t hate her, but I’d never attempted to correct her wrong impression.
“Hate isn’t the word I would use.” I glanced to the side, a little unnerved by her reaction. “To be honest, I don’t think about you at all, Maya.” That wasn’t entirely true, but she didn’t need to know that her face crossed my mind at the most inopportune times.
Her eyes darted around the room as if looking for an escape. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but this is a disaster. I mean…you and me…” She shook her head as if trying hard to stomach something distasteful. “The very notion that…you know.”
“No, I don’t know.” I did, but I wanted her to say it.
“The notion of us together is laughable.”
Laughable. That was how she viewed me. I chuckled bitterly and shrugged. “Do what you want. If you prefer to leave, I won’t hold you back.” A deep sense of disappointment washed over me, strange as it was, and it was like all the worries of the past year weighed down on my chest. What was wrong with me? Why was I having this reaction to her?
Her forefinger tapped restlessly on the table as she considered what to do. “What do you want? Would you feel more comfortable ending the date?”
Great. She was putting it back on me. I was in no shape to make a decision here, but I had to admit that sitting across from her made me think of another time when I’d cared too much.
Much more than was good for me.
That was long ago.
She’d wanted nothing to do with me back then, and I didn’t blame her. I silently hoped she’d get up and leave and I could return to my life. I wasn’t cut out for relationships and being put in this situation was making me irritable.
If I was honest with myself, I’d admit that the idea of a do-over wasn’t so bad. The thought lingered for a solitary moment, and I shook my head to clear it. “I don’t care either way.” She grimaced and was just about to rise from her seat when I added, “But we might as well stay and eat.”
Her eyebrows flew up. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” I hesitated. “For Charlotte’s sake, of course. I hate disappointing her.”
“Right. For Charlotte’s sake.”
“It’s settled then.” I picked up the cloth napkin in front of me and opened it on my lap. “Tell me, Maya, what have you been up to the last few years?”
Chapter 4
Maya
How did this happen? How did I get stuck on a blind date with Easton Radcliffe, the man who recently took over his father’s billionaire empire not even a year ago? Yes, his sister had been my best friend for as long as I could remember, but Easton and I had always kept our distance from one other.
After all these years, I was still angry that he’d sabotaged my opportunity to go to the prom with Liam, and maybe it was juvenile to care so much about something like that, but I couldn’t help it. Some things impacted a person long after they happened, and that particular incident had left inner scars.
Sure, I’d been a sophomore at the time and made it to my senior prom two years later, but that wasn’t the point. The real issue was that he had no right to get involved. It was cruel and unfeeling, and I’d never gotten closure as to why he’d even done it.
All that to say, it was unthinkable to have to sit across from him at this fancy restaurant and pretend we were on a date. I still couldn’t get over how strange it was.
Easton leaned forward on his elbows, watching me intently, and I realized I hadn’t answered his question yet.
“I asked what you’ve been up to, Maya. Just making conversation. No need to look at me like I have two heads growing out of my body.”
“Sorry.” I sucked in a breath and let it out. “I’m trying to get used to the idea of the two of us here. Together.”
Charlotte would get an earful when I walked out of here. If this was her idea of a joke, it wasn’t funny.
The corner of his mouth tipped up in a lopsided grin. “Most women don’t find me so abhorrent.”
“Most women don’t have to go out with the bully who threatened their prom date.”
He lifted one eyebrow and started to reply, but the waiter walked up at that moment, carrying several dishes of what appeared to be flavorful foods. He spread them across the table and gave us both smaller plates.
“Here are some of the appetizers. I’ll bring out the rest in a couple of minutes.”
The dishes included salmon, mini shrimp tartlets, steak and prosciutto skewers with a creamy sauce on the side, and tomato bruschetta with slices of avocado and crumbled bacon.
I tried the bruschetta, and my eyes widened as I chewed. “This is wonderful.”
“Wait until he brings out the stuffed mushrooms. I love those.”
“I’m not a fan of mushrooms.”
“Oh…” My admission appeared to take him by surprise. “You might prefer the beef and spinach turnovers. They’re tasty as well.”
“Hmm…spinach isn’t my favorite.” It wasn’t all that bad, and, normally, I wouldn’t be that contrary on a date, but it was Easton, and he didn’t deserve my goodwill.
“I’m sure you’ll find something you like.”
The waiter appeared a minute later with more dishes, and there was so much food, I wasn’t sure we could finish it all. There was a chicken dish in a red sauce that looked particularly delicious, and I wondered if it was spicy.
“This looks amazing,” I said.
“Would you like to order a main dish?” the waiter asked.
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“No, thank you.”
Easton held up a finger. “Actually, bring us both the cranberry duck.”
I cleared my throat, eyes lingering on the freshly baked bread twists he’d set down next to my plate. “That’s not necessary—”
“I just want you to try a bite,” Easton said with a peculiar expression on his face, almost as if he wanted me to like something he liked. “If you don’t care for it, you don’t have to finish the rest.”
I narrowed my eyes, wondering what he was up to. “How nice of you to let me off the hook.”
He smirked. “Didn’t you know? I’m a nice guy.”
Before I had a chance to think, I threw my head back and laughed, unable to contain myself any longer. It was as if all the tension from the past twenty minutes released itself, and my laughter sounded almost hysterical. I wiped my eyes with the corner of my cloth napkin and let out a breath. “Sorry. That was just…funny.”
The waiter looked from Easton to me, confusion in his eyes. He was probably trying to figure out how we knew each other and why we were here together if we didn’t particularly like each other. “Two cranberry ducks. I’ll put in the order.”
Once he left, I turned back to Easton. He was staring at me with a straight face, not finding my amusement about his “niceness” humorous at all. I shrugged it off. He could think whatever he wanted, but I didn’t care. He’d never apologized for what he’d done to me in high school, and I doubted he ever would. Apparently, he was too above asking for forgiveness. He was wealthy and powerful and insanely good-looking. And I was no one to him, so why should he bother apologizing?
That didn’t mean I couldn’t demand an answer, though. I planned to, now that I had the chance. Sitting up straighter in my chair, I squared my shoulders. “Why did you do it?”
He raised lazy eyes to mine, appearing as if he didn’t have a care in the world, but it was all an act. I knew that much. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, regarding me with an air of condescension. “If you’re speaking of the duck, I just thought—”
Blind Date with my Billionaire Boss (Blind Date Disasters Book 5) Page 3
