Matchmaker (Empire High #4) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,112

would practically swoon.

But Kennedy just laughed. “More like the best date of your life. Because you’ll be eating dinner with the best assistant coach in town, and I’m not even planning on trying to set your dick on fire.”

I really shouldn’t have told her about that.

Chapter 34

Thursday

I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I walked toward the romantic restaurant Tanner had picked. The rose petals all over the marble floors in the entranceway didn’t bother me. And I didn’t care that the hostess practically forced me to take a complimentary rose for my date. Or the fact that the dim lighting was dangerously close to being erotic instead of romantic. Honestly, this was probably a great place for a Club Onyx event. Tanner would be pleased.

The hostess rearranged her bucket of roses to accommodate the missing space, then checked her book for the reservation.

This was going to be epically gay. But I was too happy to care. I’d play along with Tanner’s restaurant scouting tonight to apologize for making him worry two nights in a row. And he could celebrate my good news and commiserate with me on my bad news. I just couldn’t stop smiling. Fuck Poppy. I didn’t even care about that. But I was hoping Tanner would have some advice on how to delicately explain my relationship with Poppy to Kennedy. He was good at stuff like that. Finagling his way out of a crunch. I needed to figure out a way to tell Kennedy that wouldn’t result in her dumping me. I really liked her. I just needed to sort out this mess.

“Right this way,” the hostess said.

Tanner was already seated at our table.

I knew he’d reprimand me if I didn’t pretend we were on a date. For the sake of leaning into the role and tricking the waiters into giving us the full treatment, I handed Tanner the rose that the hostess had made me take. “Your rose, monsieur,” I said in a terrible French accent. Hopefully that was good enough.

Tanner stood up. “You magnificent, secretive beast! I knew it! You’re in love, you’re in love, and you don’t care who knows it!” He grabbed both sides of my face and planted a kiss right on my lips.

What the actual fuck? I made a gagging noise.

Tanner ignored it. He pulled back and patted my cheeks. “I knew it, you scoundrel. Tell me everything.”

I swatted his hands away. I’d seen him mouth kiss random people at bars when he was excited. I preferred he did that instead of planting one on me. I wiped my mouth off with the back of my hand. Sometimes I forgot that he grew up overseas. Or went to school overseas. Or did something overseas for some vague period of time he’d never tell me about. Had I somehow reminded him of those memories? It was probably the French accent. I’d have to make sure never to speak a foreign language in front of him again.

“You’re speechless,” Tanner said. “I understand. Love makes people lose their thoughts.” He leaned forward and hugged me super tight, practically lifting me off the ground.

At least he wasn’t kissing me again. “Tanner, I’m pretty sure you sold the whole dating act to everyone in the restaurant. Let me go.”

“What?” He released me from his embrace. “Sold what? Matt, we’re celebrating the fact that you’re officially in a relationship again.” He picked up a magazine off the table and waved it in the air.

I grabbed it to see what he was talking about. Poppy and I were making out on the front page. Or at least, it looked like we were. I’d gagged as much during that kiss as I had when Tanner just planted one on me. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“I’m going to give you two a moment,” the hostess said and quickly walked away.

“Damn,” Tanner said. “Now she’s going to think we’re not together.”

“Tanner everyone in the fucking restaurant thinks we’re together. You just kissed me.”

“I didn’t kiss you,” he said and sat down like he hadn’t just put his lips directly on mine.

I sat down too and leaned forward, hoping that a lower voice would make everyone stop staring at us. “What the fuck do you mean you didn’t just kiss me? I spoke in French and you literally tried to put your tongue down my throat.”

He laughed. “Gross. I don’t want my tongue anywhere near your tonsils. I was simply congratulating you with a platonic celebratory peck. And