out of his suit and into jeans and a t-shirt. I wasn’t sure which outfit I liked more. “Was just grading papers,” he supplied lamely.
“Well, stop. We’re taking Blakely out to dinner,” Lance said before clapping his hands.
Decker’s face twisted up into a look of agony as he responded. “I’m not sure. I have a lot of work to get done,” he replied. I knew that he didn’t have anything to do tonight, but the idea of sitting with Lance and me while I was wearing this dress would be awkward and torturous. I had to fight back a snicker.
Lance wasn’t easily deterred. “Too bad. We’re going out,” he replied. “Go put on one of those fancy suits you own and meet me here in ten minutes. I have a perfect place.”
Tonight had definitely taken a different turn, but I was excited. I was actually looking forward to a night with both Lance and Decker. Since we got back from Chicago, we’d all kind of separated to do our own things. Decker and I were so focused on keeping our relationship a secret, that we had inadvertently kept our distance from Lance in the process. I decided that this would be very good for us.
“Sounds like a plan,” I agreed readily.
Lance took us to a high-rise restaurant at the top of a five-star hotel. It was fine dining at its best. The waiters put a napkin in my lap and held the chair out for me. It was a five-course meal, and by the third course, Lance and Decker were giggling like a bunch of schoolgirls as they drank wine.
“Do you remember that girl you dated in high school?” Lance asked while taking another sip. “You had me break up with her because you were too scared to.”
Decker stuttered, his voice a little too loud for the fancy setting. I had a feeling that they often got like this when they were together. Boisterous. Loud. Lost in their own world and memories. It was beautiful to watch. “She told me she practiced witchcraft. I didn’t want her placing a curse on me,” Decker explained in rapid-fire.
“Well, we both know how well it worked out for me,” Lance said while rolling his eyes. I took another bite of salad before resting my chin on my fist. I found myself feeling a little jealous of their long-lasting friendship. Would we have had stories like this if I knew Lance sooner?
“Don’t remind me. She set your hair on fire in Mrs. Anderson’s English class!” They both roared with laughter, and I joined in.
As if remembering that I was still there, Lance turned to me. “What is the worst date you ever went on?” he asked with a mischievous chuckle.
I actually wasn’t willing to divulge the details of the worst date I had ever been on. And because it was a lighthearted dinner, I decided to tell them the story that was easier to swallow. “I once dated the quarterback of our football team, and if you know anything about Texas football, you’d know that being on his arm was a huge deal in our tiny town,” I began. I could still remember Kenneth. He was handsome and smart. Kind, but a little odd.
“Oh my gosh, I bet he was hot,” Lance joked.
Beside him, Decker looked like he wanted to punch something. I was enjoying his jealousy just a little too much. “He was very hot.” I made sure to draw my words out for emphasis. Decker rolled his eyes at my antics before slyly rubbing my calf with his foot. I stiffened.
“So,” A cough escaped my chest. “He told me to meet him at his house one time, and I didn’t think anything of it. I knocked on his door, and it was his mother who answered. We hadn’t met before, but we had been going out for a few weeks, so the timing was appropriate. I figured he just wanted me to meet his parents.”
“Why does this sound like it’s going to take a bad turn?” Lance asked. Decker’s foot drifted up, and I parted my legs, but he never touched me there, he kept his exploration of my body limited to my knees.
“Because it is,” I answered Lance. “His parents were lovely. They sat me down at the kitchen table and started talking about their son’s goals for his life. And then,” I began with a long, dramatic, drawn-out sigh. Lance was on the edge of his seat, and Decker was