forth with Ashley until she was ready to block my phone number. Did he give me the wrong number on purpose? And if so, what was that all about? Why was he so weird about his phone number? Something just wasn’t adding up.
I’d had a sinking feeling in my stomach all day, which I chalked up to nerves about the date. Ever the glass-half-full kind of girl, I’d strapped on my best heels, layered on three kinds of deodorant, and escaped off to the date with only a single wolf whistle from Frank. I told myself over and over that the phone number thing was just a mistake. A simple error writing down the number. Boston had looked into my eyes outside the restaurant and I’d settled down. Everything was fine.
And then Chad walked in.
Seriously? Could I not catch a friggin’ break? My heart dropped to my adorable peep-toe shoes. There wasn’t enough wine in this bistro, or even Napa County, for this situation.
Chad ran a hand through his perfect hair and leaned his elbow against the high back of the booth we sat in. “Imagine finding you and my broski Boston all cuddled up.”
My face drained of color and those dragons began breathing fire, heating up my core and starting a situation in my armpits. Chad looked younger than I remembered, like he was still just a college kid running through life like everything was one big party. I glanced over at Boston, whose jaw had gone hard as granite.
“What are you doing here?” I asked lamely, my brain still coming to terms with my two love interests converging. This. This was exactly why I couldn’t handle dating two men at the same time. I wasn’t cut out for the duplicity lifestyle.
Chad winked at me. “El, right?”
Oh. Okay. We were going to pretend not to know each other now? I could get on board with that, if for no other reason than to save me from having to tell Boston I’d been flirting with his friend.
“Yes, good memory.” I smiled faintly and reached for the glass of wine.
Chad straightened on a chuckle, clapped Boston on the back and leaned in. “You two look pretty serious over here. Who would have thought this would be how things played out, huh?” He nodded that goofy grin repeatedly at Boston, who stared back at him stone-faced.
I felt like I had been dropped into a play and didn’t know my lines.
Boston shook the table as he abruptly stood up and grabbed Chad’s arm. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Sure, sure, broski.” Chad twisted back to give me another wink. “Looking good, El-Bell. I almost regret--”
“Come on,” Boston pulled him away, interrupting whatever he would have said.
Which was just as well. I didn’t need him telling Boston he regretted brushing me off via text. I took another slug of wine and realized I’d finished the glass. I lifted my arms out to the side and did a seated chicken dance, hoping to air things out and calm down before Boston came back. The server came around with the calamari we’d ordered. I asked her for more time before we ordered our entrées. Her smile seemed a little more forced, probably imagining all the tips she’d miss out on as we hogged one of her tables with only two appetizers on our bill. Pretty sure I’d be drinking enough wine to make her happy. I tapped my empty glass and she nodded and poured from the bottle on ice at the far side of the table.
“Sorry about that.” Boston slid back into his side of the booth, tugging at the collar of his shirt, not quite meeting my eyes.
I managed a laugh that sounded more like a cough. Great. I was turning into my mother already. “No worries. Chad is such a hoot.”
Boston flinched, but nodded. “Yeah, about Chad. There’s something I need to tell you.”
I swallowed hard and saw my life flash before my eyes. I needed to come clean, or my conscience might not let me live past thirty.
“Wait. Boston. There’s something I need to tell you first. Chad and I have been texting since the wine festival, but nothing happened. In fact, I tried to meet up with him earlier this week to let him know that he and I couldn’t continue, because I wanted to date you.” I nearly strung the whole thing into one sentence of rushed admission. Phew. There. I felt so much better.
Boston’s jaw clenched over