Friends Without Benefits

by Dena Blake

  Grace tapped impatiently on the bar as she waited on the barstool for Suzanne, the first woman, to show up. She was late, which wouldn’t be acceptable on a date with Dex. She was always punctual and expected others to be as well. When she finally appeared, Grace noticed she was prettier than her profile picture, which might present a problem. But after watching her at the bar, she knew it wouldn’t. Suzanne was skeptical at first, but when Grace held up two one-hundred-dollar bills and offered to pay for the meal, she’d agreed.

  As soon as Elena, the second woman, saw the two hundred dollars, she was all in. She was weirdly happy to be in on the surprise and thought it would be an awesome adventure.

  The third had bailed before she’d gotten halfway through her explanation. So, she was left with only two, quirky and desperate. That would have to do for the first two dates. The third would be Ruby, who Grace knew would turn out to be nothing more than a good time if Dex would let it happen.

  Chapter Six

  It was almost seven when Dex left her car with the valet at Mastro’s Steakhouse. She’d made it with a few minutes to spare. She would’ve liked to be early, but Grace had FaceTimed her while she was getting ready and objected to her first outfit of slacks and a sweater, stating it was too casual. They’d gone through half a dozen more before she’d approved the off-the-shoulder, wide-leg black jumpsuit with minimal accessories. Grace had suggested a drop necklace and earrings as well, but Dex wasn’t a fan of jewelry unless it meant something. Plus, she’d been on the cusp of being late and had been forced to drive like a madwoman to keep from giving Suzanne a bad impression. Nothing was worse than sitting in a bar alone waiting for someone.

  The place was super classy with a sort of old-school, club charm, and as Dex stood waiting at the hostess stand, she noticed diners coming and going. She definitely would’ve been underdressed in the first outfit she’d chosen. The maître d’ directed her to the bar where she and Suzanne were to meet. As she entered, she’d found that her clothing choice had been somewhere in the middle of most of the diners’.

  She spotted Suzanne sitting at the end of the bar. Her red coat was slung over the back of her chair, just like Grace had said it would be. As Dex moved closer, her legs came into view, and she immediately thought the night might be promising. The woman was wearing a black slip dress accented with a long silver drop necklace fashioned with a large turquoise stone at the bottom.

  “Hi. Suzanne?” Dex asked as she approached.

  “And you must be Dex,” Suzanne said as she gave her an obvious once-over and smiled. “Would you like a drink?” She held up her tumbler filled with a small amount of amber liquid.

  “Sure.” Dex slid into the barstool next to her. “What do you have there?”

  “Scotch old-fashioned.” Suzanne glanced around the bar. “It seemed to be fitting.”

  “Agreed.” The bar was decorated with dark walls and leather bar stools and chairs.

  Suzanne smiled and nodded. “Would you like another?” She waved down the bartender. “Another old-fashioned for the lady, and I’ll have the same.”

  They talked mostly about the restaurant and its history while they drank in the bar. It wasn’t long before the maître d’ came to get them and led them to their table. Dex settled up with the bartender for the second round of drinks. Suzanne had already taken care of the first.

  After they were seated, the three-piece ensemble playing in the bar resonated faintly through the restaurant as the waiter brought them menus and recited the specials. Suzanne ordered a nice bottle of Cabernet and asked for sauce recommendations for her bone-in rib eye. The waiter spouted a number of choices that included Gorgonzola sauce, peppercorn, and Oscar, which included asparagus and lump crab meat. She opted for plain, while Dex went with the Gorgonzola and was glad she had. It was like liquid blue cheese dripping from the steak.

  The evening went smoothly, and they had sporadic bouts of conversation about art, current events, and even politics during the meal. The conversation was engaging, but Dex would’ve probably enjoyed Suzanne’s company much more if she hadn’t been looking at her reflection in the mirrors mounted on the wall behind Dex the entire time. Dex felt like the most concealed player in a game of hide-and-seek as Suzanne kept a steady gaze on herself. Dex found herself staring out the window to avoid the discomfort of watching the woman watching herself or whomever else she’d been keeping an eye on all throughout dinner. Reminder, never have a first date at this place again.

  The waiter brought the check, and Suzanne quickly snatched it away from Dex. “I’ve got this.”

  “But—”

  “No. I’ve really enjoyed your company tonight. Maybe we can do it again.”

  The most common words spoken after a date and never followed through. Oddly, Dex felt good about receiving them this time. Suzanne was way more interested in her own reflection all night than she had been in Dex.

  * * *

  Eager to hear how Dex’s date went the night before, Grace raced into the diner. She spotted her sitting in a booth near the window and hurried right to her. She took off her coat and tossed it into the booth before she flopped down onto the seat. “God, it’s getting cold outside,” she said as she crossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders.

  A waitress followed her to the table. “What can I get you to drink?”

  Grace glanced up at her. “Just water, please.” And then she gave her attention to Dex. “So, how was it?”

  Dex bobbed her head from side to side. “The food was spectacular. The girl, not so much.”

  “What do you mean, not so much? Suzanne has an awesome personality, she’s well-read, beautiful, and a great conversationalist.” Out of all the women Grace had interviewed, she’d thought Suzanne would be the best fit for Dex, which was the exact reason she’d set her up as the first date. If they’d hit it off, Grace had planned to cancel the other two.

  “That may be the case, but—”

  “Ready to order?” The waitress set a glass of water in front of Grace.

  Dex peered up and smiled. “I’ll have the special.”

  “What’s the special?” Grace asked.

  “Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans,” the waitress said.

  Grace grimaced. She needed something lighter. “Do you have any salads?”

  “On the back.” She flipped the menu in front of Grace to the other side and pointed to the salad section. “Chef, Cobb, spinach, all the usuals.”

  “I’ll have the chef salad.”

  “Blue cheese, thousand island, balsamic, or ranch?” She spouted the words out quickly, as though she said them a hundred times a day.

  “Is the ranch homemade?”

  The waitress nodded. “Fresh daily.”

  “On the side, please.”

  “You got it.” The waitress went back behind the counter and shouted the order to the cook.

  Grace took a drink of water and let her attention veer back to Dex. “Now what were you saying about Suzanne?”

  “She may be beautiful, have an awesome personality, and be spectacularly well-read, but she was a whole lot more interested in herself than me. Probably where the well-read factor comes into play.”

  “What? That’s ridiculous.” She hadn’t come off like that to Grace at all. She’d found her interesting and downright engaging. “I know she has a strong personality, but she never seems to run out of things to talk about.”

  “Strong isn’t the word I’d use. She was intriguing but, like I said, much more interested in herself than me.” Dex shifted forward. “Did you know they have mirrors on the walls behind the tables there?” She pointed to the wall above her. “Like right up above them.”

  “Honestly, I don’t remember.” It was possible, but it had been a while since Grace had been there. The place was pricey, and she’d stopped doing pricey when she’d started seeing Brent steadily.

  “Well, they do. I thought she was going to end up with food all down the front of her a cou
ple of times because of them. I don’t know how someone can manage to eat while watching their reflection. You’d think that would be difficult, it being backward and all.”

  “Nooooo,” Grace’s voice rumbled. “She didn’t.”

  “Yep. She kept a pretty good eye on herself all through dinner. I’m pretty sure she didn’t absorb anything I said into that self-absorbed brain of hers.”

  The waitress came back with their food, slid their plates in front of them, and asked if they needed anything else. They both declined and she went on her way.

  “Dex, I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay. The night wasn’t all bad. We had a couple of drinks in the bar first. There weren’t any mirrors in there.” She let out a laugh and grinned.

  “I promise the next one will be better. She’s an artist.” She forked a piece of turkey along with some lettuce and ate it.

  “Oh? What kind of artist?”

  “Paint. Oils, watercolors, abstracts, portraits. You name it, she paints it.” At least that’s what Elena had told her. She hadn’t asked to see any of her work. “I think she has some things hanging in one of the galleries in Wicker Park.”

  “Cool. They have a lot of contemporary there. Do you know which gallery?”

  Grace shook her head while she chewed another bite and swallowed. “You know me and art. In one ear and out the other.” It was true. Grace had no interest in art whatsoever. Taking her to a gallery anywhere was the worst kind of punishment.

  “Hopefully, this one will be better company than Suzanne.” Dex took a bite of meatloaf and washed it down with a drink of water.

  “She will be. I promise.”

  “How’s married life?”

  “Not much different than before, except now I have to save all my money.”

  “Really?” Dex raised her eyebrows. “What’s up with that?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Brent wants to keep the money I get from my parents for trips and special occasions.” She pushed what he’d said about unnecessary spending from her thoughts.

  “Sounds reasonable.”

  Grace pursed her lips. “But I like shopping and going to lunch.”

  Dex’s forehead creased. “Did he say you couldn’t do that?”

  “No, not directly, but I know that’s what he meant.”

  Dex scooped a forkful of mashed potatoes and held it up in front of her. “Maybe you should have a conversation with him to clarify that point.”

  “I’m not ready for that yet. If he says he wants me to stop shopping and I disagree, we’re going to fight.” She let out a sigh. “We just got married, and I don’t want to do that.”

  “Hiding it from him isn’t good either, Grace. He’ll find out sooner or later. Just have a conversation with him and work it out before it gets too big.”

  Grace tilted her head back and forth. “You’re probably right. I’ll talk to him about it.”

  They finished eating and fought over the check, and as usual, Grace won out. She didn’t care what Brent said about saving the money she got from her parents. It was her money, and she was going to spend it on what she wanted. Today she wanted to spend it on Dex.

  Chapter Seven

  Dex cursed the heels she’d worn tonight, although they were the perfect height for her flowing black pants and form-fitting coral blouse. It had been a while since she’d worn them, and she’d forgotten how they squished her toes. Every step she took from the parking lot to the restaurant reminded her with a short shot of pain. She couldn’t wait to get seated.

  As soon as she was inside, she spotted Elena pacing in front of the hostess stand and glanced at her watch. Fifteen till—she was early. She took in the view as she moved closer. Elena had worn a chic black dress with a rounded neckline and long fitted sleeves. When she paced away, Dex noted the full skater skirt that had been hidden by the long emerald coat hanging over her arm. She followed the line of her lean legs to see a pair of single-strap, open-toed stiletto heels. She winced. It was a little cold for them, but they certainly increased the hotness of the outfit. She’d also met a fair amount of artists in her day, and the style didn’t fit the majority of them.

  Elena swung around just as she approached, and Dex was met with a dazzling white smile and caramel-brown eyes. She was quite a bit younger than Dex had expected.

  “Hi, I’m Dex.” She smiled and offered Elena her hand. “Sorry if I kept you waiting long.”

  “Elena,” she said as she took her hand and gave it a soft squeeze.

  After a moment or two of chitchat, Dex caught the bar in her peripheral vision. “Do you want to get a drink first?” The bar was crowded and they’d have a hard time hearing each other, but she felt she needed to offer.

  “The table is ready. How about we get a bottle of wine?”

  “Sounds wonderful.” Dex let the maître d’ know they were ready to be seated, and after a few moments he led them to their table. Maple & Ash was a sort of contemporary steakhouse that spawned sheer, forest-like, silk dividers from the ceiling to accent the leather decor, which created an elegant dining experience. The menu included traditional dishes that were morphed into modern cuisine using a wood-fired oven.

  As they made their way through the tables, most of them were already full, as usual. They were seated quickly in a quiet little corner in the back. Dex would’ve preferred to be in the middle of the restaurant where there was more light and distraction, but Grace had set up the reservation, and Dex knew changing tables would mean close to an hour wait.

  When the waiter came to take their drink orders, they decided to skip the cocktails, and Dex ordered a nice mid-range bottle of merlot on which they’d both agreed.

  Once the waiter left them alone, Elena started the conversation. “What do you do for a living, Dex?”

  “Custom landscaping.”

  “That sounds interesting. Do you create your own designs?”

  “Most of the time. Sometimes people come to me knowing what they want already.”

  “Seems to me either way would be expensive. That must be challenging. I mean creating something affordable and eye-pleasing.”

  “It can be, depending on the greenery they choose. Some trees can cost thousands of dollars. The ones who can afford those kinds of trees usually want irrigation as well.” Elena’s brows came together, creating a tiny crease between them, so Dex continued. “You know, underground sprinklers, soaker hoses, drip irrigation for the flower beds.”

  “Sounds messy.”

  “Yes. It’s definitely messy, but it’s the best way to go for people with time constraints.”

  “And you do that yourself?”

  “With my crew. We have a ditchdigger that creates the path for the PVC pipe. After we lay that and connect it all together, we put on the sprinkler heads.” Dex stopped when she noticed Elena’s attention swerve to the couple at the next table. “But you don’t really want to hear about that.”

  Elena’s gaze snapped back to Dex. “Do you take the winter months off? I wouldn’t think you’d have much business then.”

  “Starting in mid-October through December, I create and install holiday displays for homeowners.”

  Elena’s eyes lit up. “Like those beautiful decorations in Oak Park?”

  She nodded. “I have a pretty good clientele in that area. I do most of those.”

  “Wow. You’re an artist in your own right.”

  Dex had always thought her art skills showed up more in landscaping than in Christmas lighting.

  “How do you come up with your ideas? I’d love to use those vibrant colors to bring more vision into my art.”

  “I can’t really explain it. There’s no formula. They just show up in my head.” Dex took the opportunity to steer the conversation to Elena. “So, tell me about your art?” Grace had mentioned a few things about it already, but Dex had been waiting for the right moment to move the conversation from herself.

  “I dabble in paint here and there. Mostly abstracts.�
� She picked up her fork and set it on the inside of the rest of the silverware and then seemed to absently continue moving each piece in a repetitive pattern.

  Dex hoped she wasn’t making her nervous. Most artists enjoyed talking about their work. “Modern art is my favorite. Are you being shown anywhere currently? I’d love to see your work.”

  “I’m kind of in a slump right now. Nothing’s really selling.”

  “Oh. Grace told me you had art in a gallery in Wicker Park.”

  “That’s been sold.” She glanced away. “I need to replace it with something new.” She sipped her water. “I’m actually on the hunt for a new studio. You know, one of those lofts where I can paint and sleep all in the same space. Do you know of any place like that?”

  “Not off the top of my head, but I can keep an eye out for you.”

  “That’d be great. Even a guesthouse in Oak Park or anywhere close would work.”

  The waiter approached the table, and Elena relaxed into her chair. “Welcome to Maple & Ash,” he said as he handed them the dinner menus. He then proceeded to recite the dinner specials before leaving them to read over their choices.

  Elena focused on the menu as she opened it. “Everything here looks so yummy.”

  “You’ve never been?”

  Elena shook her head. “My first time.”

  “Oh, well, you’re in for a treat. I’ve only been here a few times myself, but I’ve never had anything that wasn’t absolutely wonderful.” Dex had been here exactly twice before with Grace.

  When the waiter reappeared to deliver the bottle of wine and take their order, Elena went first. “I’ll start with the Maple and Ash Wedge, then the Twenty-Eight Day Dry-aged Bone-in Rib Eye with the Roasted Autumn Vegetables and the Whipped & Buttered Potatoes.” She handed the waiter her menu. “Oh, and can we start with a Prawn Fire Roasted Seafood Tower?” She glanced at Dex.