“I don’t know…maybe someday?” It comes out as a question, but I can tell from the sparkle in her eye that she really means it. She saw the little boy and I want to give that to her so she can be happy every day for the rest of her life.
“Someday,” I promise her and I look at her seriously so she knows I’m not joking. I want nothing more than to make love to her right now until she’s screaming my name.
I smile at her devilishly so she knows what I’m thinking and by the way her eyes glaze over in lust, she totally gets it. “Let’s go shower…..I want to take you out for dinner later.”
Much later. This shower is going to take a while.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Nicole
We head to Rue21 for dinner. Apparently, it’s some fancy restaurant where everyone who wants to see and be seen goes to be, well, seen, I guess. I look around the magnificent restaurant nervously. A few paparazzi photographers were outside when we entered and yelled at Zack and me questioning our relationship and his with Rachel. Just one night. I want to go one night out in public without her name being thrown out there. I try to brush it off like it’s no big deal, but truthfully, I’m still not over her ridiculous shenanigans she pulled just over a week ago. If I think about it, I can still feel her evil claws on my shoulder. The thought alone makes me shudder.
“Are you okay?” Zack asks me as we wait for our meals.
I glance around the restaurant again recognizing several familiar faces, mostly from films. I also notice several sly glances cast our way and the whispers that follow them. I assume they’re trying to figure out what Zack Walters sees in a no-name like me. I quit asking myself that question the minute I realized I loved him and he loved me because I could never come up with a good answer. Maybe they could give me one, I think sarcastically.
“Just nervous, I guess.”
“About eating?” Zack’s crystal green eyes dance in a teasing way.
“People are looking at us,” I say as I fidget with the napkin in my lap. “Probably trying to figure out what in the world you’re doing with someone like me.”
“You mean a beautiful and intelligent woman? Yes, I could see how they’d be confused by me keeping such company.”
“Funny.” I roll my eyes. “You know what I mean. Why did you bring me here? This place is a far cry from SportsPro and Brian’s Place. There isn’t even a burger on the menu - it just doesn’t seem like you.”
“Because they have the best steak.” He knows, based on my doubtful expression, I don’t believe him for a second. “And because I knew there would be lots of photographers here tonight. I’m not trying to thrust you into the tabloids, but I figure that the more likely people see us together, and the more we’re photographed now, the less they’ll follow us around later. Eventually, someone will end up in drug rehab, or get busted drunk driving, or have an affair, or whatever, and the interest in us will die down. I just figure we can get it out of their system while you’re still here.”
It makes some sense, I guess. Although I still would have preferred to go somewhere and play pool with a beer than sit in a fancy restaurant with white tablecloths and crystal water glasses. I also don’t particularly enjoy feeling like a piece of cattle, someone to be stared at and picked apart when out on a date. I may have to toughen up my skin a bit if I want to survive in L.A.
“What should I do with my condo?” I ask hoping to change the subject.
“Whatever you want to do with it,” he answers after thinking for a minute.
“You wouldn’t care if I kept it?”
“Not really. It could be a good place to stay when we visit.” I smile at the thought of us visiting Minnesota. Me and Zack together. We are actually talking about this – hell, we are actually doing this. The thought causes a warmth to spread throughout my body. This is really happening, and I realize that I’m no longer scared.
I consider what he said. Zack is right, it would be an easy place to keep for when we went back, but it also had never been my home. I had only moved