by Ali Parker
Every time her name crossed my mind, my stomach flipped. Thursday seemed so far away. As I walked to the Romeo Rebound office on Wednesday morning, I willed time to speed up. My date that night was going to feel endless, but I was ready. Ready to work. To fall into my usual routine if only because it would put me one step closer to Candice.
I pulled open the door to the lobby and stepped inside. For the first time in days, my shoulders were squared confidently as I breezed across the room.
A few of my fellow Romeos were in the office, sipping coffee and pouring over client files. I smiled and waved at them all, not stopping to chat as I hurried to B’s office and wrapped my knuckles against the wood.
“Come in!” she called out.
I stepped inside and waltzed over to my usual chair. Sitting down, I flashed my most charming grin and waited for B to look up.
When she did, she jerked her head back and eyed me suspiciously.
“What’s with the smile, baby?” she asked. “I haven’t seen you look this happy in a while.”
“Just needed a good attitude adjustment.” I shrugged. “I’m all better now. I’m ready to get back to work.”
B nodded appreciatively and slid a folder over to me. I picked it up but didn’t open it. It didn’t matter who the woman was. All the clients were the same. All except Candice.
“Her name is Samantha,” B said. “She’s younger than most. Her college boyfriend just dumped her two weeks after proposing.”
“Damn.” I whistled softly. “That sucks.”
“Yeah.” B nodded. “She’s in need of some serious attention.”
Grinning, I tucked the folder under my arm and said, “I can do that.”
“I know you can, baby.”
B beamed as I got to my feet. I reached for the door, then remembered the other reason I stopped in.
“Oh,” I said, spinning back around. “I almost forgot. I can’t work tomorrow night. Something came up with my brother, so I don’t have a sitter for Paisley.”
“That’s fine.” B waved her hand. “I don’t have you on the books tomorrow. Kason’s out with Candice tonight, so he’ll be free tomorrow night to cover.”
My light mood crashed down around me. A dark cloud formed over my head, raining down over my head and soaking me through until I was shivering with angst.
“Tonight?” I asked weakly.
“What?” B blinked, distracted.
“Kason and Candice,” I said. “They’re going out tonight?”
“Yup.” B looked down at her desk. “I guess he was up for the challenge after all.”
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “Yeah. I guess so.”
I didn’t wait for B to speak again. Turning toward the door, I stepped into the lobby and marched outside. The hot sun did nothing to warm me as I turned toward home.
When I made it to my neighborhood, I thought about pulling Paisley out of school. I needed the company, and one day wouldn’t kill her.
But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how selfish it was. Paisley loved school. I couldn’t pull her out early just to satisfy my own need for a distraction. Instead, I made it home and collapsed on my couch.
Without thinking, I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I scrolled to Kason’s name and pressed the call button.
His voice mail clicked on and I glared at the wall.
“This is Kason,” the message said. “Leave a message or just text me like a normal person.”
The beep sounded. My anger poured from my lips uncontrolled, flying off my tongue like sharp-tipped daggers.
“I asked you for one thing,” I growled into the phone. “One thing, Kason. And you couldn’t even do that.”
I always knew Kason wasn’t going to sacrifice the job for me, but part of me had held a faint hope that our friendship might mean something to him. I was wrong.
“She doesn’t deserve this,” I said. “If you won’t leave her alone for me, then just do it for her. She’s been through enough, man. The last thing she needs is you pretending to be into her.”
There was so much more I wanted to say, but I knew it was pointless. With a sigh, I hung up and tossed my phone onto the couch beside me.
The screen was still lit up, the time blinking up at me. I still had an entire day to kill before Paisley got out of school. And then, I only have a few hours to spend with her before my date. Rolling my head back against the couch cushions, I thought about canceling on Samantha. B would be livid, but I didn’t care.
I picked up Samantha’s file and flipped it open. Her picture smiled up at me, young and innocent. She was barely twenty-one, a recent graduate of NYU. According to B, her fiancé had dumped her only two weeks after the proposal.
Staring at her face, I knew I couldn’t cancel.
Samantha was just a girl, a kid. Her heart was broken at an impossible time in her life. The real world was bearing down on her with its teeth exposed and threatening. All she wanted was a nice guy to build up her confidence and send her back into the dating pool. It was the job I signed up for and one I couldn’t shy away from now.
“Okay, Sam,” I said to her picture. “Tonight is about you, but tomorrow—tomorrow is about Candice.”
***
Samantha met me outside the restaurant. In her file, it said she loved sushi. B made us a reservation at the finest sushi place in the city.
I stepped out of the cab. She was scanning the street for a sign of me, her pale blue eyes alive with anticipation. I watched as she tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear and shuffled her feet.
I slowed down. From where I stood, I could tell she was freaking out. Every time a man walked by, she jumped. Her eyes widened fearfully as she wondered if that man was the one she was expecting.
Watching her, my desire to leave grew stronger. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to help someone so fragile. What if I made things worse? What if, instead of building her confidence, I tore it down?
I was about to dart across the street when her eyes met mine.
Recognition flashed across her face. She giggled nervously and inched forward. I took a breath and plastered on my most charming smile.
“Samantha,” I said. “You look incredible.”
Her cheeks flushed as I pressed my lips to her temple. She giggled again and pulled away. Her hands were shaking as they clutched her purse.
“You look just like your picture,” she said.
I smiled kindly. “That’s a good thing, I hope.”
“Oh, yeah,” Samantha said. “It’s a great thing.”
Offering her my arm, we stepped inside the restaurant. The hostess seated us immediately.
“Saki?” she asked, looking from me to Samantha.
“Sure.” I nodded. “Why not?”
Samantha giggled again, her cheeks still flushed from my kiss. Everything about this girl screamed naivete. I knew just from looking at her that every single one of my lines would work like a charm. All I had to do was fade into my Romeo-persona, and she would be happy.
But as the night progressed, it was impossible for me to do that.
Right that second, Candice and Kason were eating dinner. They were staring at each other across a table, wine glasses in their hands. Candice would have ordered red, her favorite. And Kason would pretend to like it, but really, he was wishing for a beer.
The sly grin I knew too well would be sliding on to his face. Candice would ignore it at first. But it wouldn’t take long for his practiced charm to wear her down.
“What’s it like being a Romeo?” Samantha asked, snapping me back to reality.
“What?” I blinked. “Oh, um. It’s okay.”
“Just okay?” Samantha pressed. “Sounds like the perfect job for most men. You get to spend every night with a new woman.”
“Not always.” I shrugged. “Sometimes, we see the same woman for a while.”
“You do?”
Hope bloomed on Samantha’s face, and I immediatel
y realized my mistake. I was off my game, and if I wasn’t careful, I was going to blow the entire date.
“Only when it’s serious,” I said softly. “Like, when a woman is widowed. Something really devastating.”
“Oh, wow.” Samantha’s forehead creased. “That would be so sad.”
“Yeah.”
My voice trailed off into nothing. Samantha watched me closely, waiting for me to say something else.
I could see Kason’s hand slide across the table, his fingers inching toward Candice’s. Knowing her, she would hesitate at first. Her suspicions would heighten. Her heart rate would speed up as she tried to figure out whether Kason was genuine or if he was like me.
I closed my eyes and shook my head.
“Are you okay?” Samantha asked.
Platters of sushi were laid out in front of me. I didn’t remember the waiter bringing them over. Smiling at Samantha, I popped a piece in my mouth.
“You gotta try this.” I swallowed hard. “Go on, don’t be shy.”
Samantha giggled and reached for her chopsticks. While we ate, I was overwhelmed by just how young she was. Everything about her was uncertain. Nerves poured off her, and every time she opened her mouth, she sounded like she was asking permission to speak.
Candice was the opposite. She would challenge everything Kason said, making him work for it in a way he’d never done before.
The restaurant was a blur. I didn’t know where Kason took her, but just knowing they were together was enough to twist my insides.
My mind came back to reality with a jerk. Samantha was giggling again, a huge bite of sushi in her mouth. I forced out a laugh, but it sounded harsh even to my own ears.
Samantha frowned and swallowed. She knew something was wrong.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I can’t do this right now.”
Getting to my feet, I pulled out my wallet and dropped a wad of cash on the table. Samantha’s eyes fell on the money and then slowly rose back to my face.
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked.
“God, no.” I bent down and reached for her hand. She looked surprised to find me so close. I squeezed her hand gently and said, “Samantha, you are beautiful and funny. I can already tell that there’s an entire world of wit lurking just beneath the surface.”
“I don’t know about that.” She blushed.
“I do,” I said firmly. “Your heart is broken right now, and honestly? That might be a good thing. It’ll make you stronger and braver as you move forward.”
Her eyes widened as she took in every word I said.
“I don’t want to leave,” I said, clearing my throat. I stood up and searched for a suitable excuse. “But I’m afraid that if I don’t, I’ll only ruin your night.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Because I can’t stop thinking about my daughter,” I lied. “She’s four, and it’s really hard for me to be away from her.”
“Oh.” Samantha nodded and jumped to her feet. “I totally understand. We should go.”
“No.” I touched her shoulder gently. “You stay. Enjoy dinner.”
“But—”
I pointed to the money. “That should be enough for dinner and to reimburse you for whatever fee you paid Beatrice.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Samantha said quickly.
“I do.” I nodded and turned to leave. “You’re an amazing girl, Samantha. Try not to forget that, okay?”
She smiled shyly and lowered herself onto the chair. I waved once before hurrying across the restaurant and disappearing onto the street.
Chapter 38
Candice
Kason met me outside the restaurant. He was right on time, standing off to the side with a big bouquet of flowers in hand. I rolled my eyes and walked over to him. When he saw me, his face split into the same charming smile I’d seen before.
“Hey, there.” He grinned and leaned in to kiss my cheek.
Putting my hand on his chest, I stopped him and took a step back. My eyes flickered to the flowers in his hands and then back to his face.
“Slow down, cowboy.” I laughed lightly.
“Sorry.” Kason shuffled his feet. “I just couldn’t help myself. You look incredible.”
His icy blue eyes traveled down my body, resting for a second too long on my breasts. I cleared my throat pointedly, drawing his attention back to my face.
“Thank you,” I said. “Should we go inside?”
“These are for you.” Kason held out the flowers with a flourish.
I grimaced, but he mistook it for a smile. Taking the flowers, I held them awkwardly in my right hand while Kason slipped his fingers over my left. He led me inside, chatting in my ear the whole way.
“This place is great,” he said. “All the reviews have been incredible. It’s a little edgy. Modern, you know? But I think that’s what makes it stand out so much. The last time I was here –”
He kept talking, but his voice seemed to fade away as we wandered through the restaurant. It was a seat yourself place. Tables were crowded together haphazardly, giving the area a messy feel that I hated.
I stayed close to Kason’s side as we slid between two tables, weaving a path toward the back of the dining room.
“You’ve been here before?” I asked, trying to keep the disgust out of my voice.
“Oh, yeah.” Kason grinned over his shoulder. “Don’t you love it? It’s different. New-age in a really exciting way.”
Glancing around the restaurant, I could kind of see what he meant. For certain people, this place was intriguing. It was a haven for the radically adventurous. When I first met Kason, I didn’t peg him for the type, but the way he coveted this place told me I was wrong.
“It’s definitely interesting,” I admitted.
Kason pulled out a chair for me to sit down. I plopped into it and laid the flowers beside me, my eyes still roaming around the restaurant.
From what I could tell, there were no servers. Everyone just seemed to mill around aimlessly until someone wearing street clothes finally wandered over to them with a platter of some unidentified food.
“Is there a menu?” I asked nervously.
“No.” Kason shook his head. “No menus. No ordering. They just bring food out randomly throughout the night.”
“So, you have no idea what you’re eating?”
“Nope.”
Kason’s eyes were on fire with excitement. He was practically vibrating out of his chair as he twisted around to soak up the ambiance.
Within minutes, I was miserable.
I tried to hide it, but I failed. Every time a new platter of food arrived, I wrinkled my nose automatically and shied away.
“I’m sorry,” Kason said. “I thought you would like this place.”
“Why?” I asked.
He shrugged. “You seem like you could use a challenge.”
Laughing, I looked around. Kason wasn’t wrong. Everyone here seemed to be pushing their limits, trying things they’d never experienced before. In a way, it was exhilarating. If my mind hadn’t been completely occupied by Ryan, I might have been able to enjoy it.
“Hey.” Kason slid his hand across the table, his fingers inching toward mine. “Just let go for one night. Lose control a little bit.”
“You say that like you know me,” I fired back.
“I feel like I do.” Kason’s fingers touched mine. I didn’t pull away immediately, but I wanted to. Staring down at our hands, I felt my stomach twist into a guilty knot.
I pulled my hand back and cleared my throat. “Fine,” I said. “You win. Let me try one of those eel looking things.”
Kason glanced at his plate. “Eel? You think?”
“Definitely.” I nodded. He slid his plate over and I popped a piece into my mouth. Chewing slowly, I tried to ignore the rubbery texture. I choked it down, gagging as I swallowed. “Ugh. That’s terrible.”
“You’re so rigid.” Kason slid his chair around the tab
le, so we were sitting side by side. “Close your eyes.”
“Excuse me?”
He rolled his eyes and put his arm around my shoulders. “Just do it.”
My eyebrows shot up. Who did this guy think he was? I glared at him and shrugged his arm off. He sighed and sank back against his chair.
“I’m disappointed,” he said playfully. “I really thought you were the type of girl who would enjoy an adventure or two.”
Everything he said was designed to push me, to create a wild streak inside of me that only he would benefit from. I knew what he was doing. Part of me hated him for it, but a bigger part wanted to prove I wasn’t boring.
I closed my eyes dramatically. “There,” I said. “Now what.”
“Open your mouth.”
My stomach tightened, but I did what he said. His arm slid back around my shoulders. I could feel his other hand moving across the table. Something hovered in the air near my face.
“Now.” His lips were pressed close to my ear. “Just taste. Don’t think. Don’t even breathe.”
Kason slid something inside my mouth. His fingers lingered for a split second, grazing my tongue gently before pulling away.
It was another piece of eel. This time, the rubbery texture didn’t bother me. I chewed slowly, flavor washing over my taste buds. Kason was right. It was delicious.
Laughing, I swallowed and opened my eyes. Kason stared at me, his head cocked to the side and an arrogant expression on his face.
“Don’t get cocky,” I said. “It was just one bite.”
“And you loved it!”
Kason clapped his hands enthusiastically. He let me feed myself the next round of food, and this time, I actually found a way to enjoy it.
As the night progressed, I relaxed. Kason was fun and funny. He was charming and yes, a little cocky, but buried beneath that was a kindness I hadn’t seen before. He was trying too hard, making jokes when they weren’t appropriate and pushing compliments on me that we both knew weren’t true, but despite that, I found myself having a good time.
Then, the guilt set in.
Ryan had drifted to the back of my mind, but he never left it. He was there, lingering in the recesses, just waiting for a chance to break free again.
