Rate a Date by Monica Murphy Page 0,16

could probably make that happen,” Paul says, sounding vaguely perverted and arrogant all at once, and Kelsey laughs.

Ew.

“I know the owner,” Paul tells me, and clearly he’s flexing. Bragging men are the worst. “He owes me a couple of favors.”

He winks at me.

Double ew.

“What are you thinking of having?” I ask Theo, who’s blinking rapidly as he reads the menu.

Something clicks in my brain. This guy reminds me a little bit of Ross from Friends. Yes, definitely the sad-sack Ross, pining for his Rachel.

Oh. Shit. Let’s not forget Ross pined for his Rachel the entirety of the series. He tried to move on multiple times. He married another woman and said Rachel’s name in the wedding vows.

Clearly, I am not this man’s Rachel. I’m one of those other women he’s trying to move on with.

“I think I’m going to have the filet mignon,” Theo says, his gaze skittering my way for the briefest moment before he returns his attention to the menu. It’s giant. If he held it in front of his face, I wouldn’t be able to see him. “How about you?”

“I want the chicken,” I tell him, shutting my menu. When I’ve gone to French restaurants, I always enjoy the roast chicken. Plus, it’s not very expensive. My gaze drops to the sides section of the menu, realizing that when I order chicken, that’s all I’m going to get. “Should I get the pomme frites or the whipped potatoes?”

“I’m having the brussels sprouts,” Kelsey says. “Along with the steamed mussels. I can’t do potatoes, El. Too many carbs.”

That makes me want to order both the frites and the whipped potatoes. “How about I get the pomme frites and we’ll share?”

Kelsey smiles. “Perfect.”

“You like clams? I didn’t know you went that way,” Paul says to Kelsey right before he cracks up. Classy. I wonder if he’s already drunk.

Kelsey sends him an irritated look. “Don’t be crass.”

“What? I was just teasing.” The innocent look on Paul’s face is complete bullshit. “Though you do seem to be a little too abnormally into your friend Eleanor here.”

The tension ratchets up between Paul and Kelsey, just like that. Huh. I thought they got along so well and he was sending her dick pics. Maybe there’s already trouble in their dating app paradise.

Deciding to let them be, I turn my attention onto Theodore. “So Kelsey never told me what exactly you do.”

“What I do? You mean for a living?” He grabs the white cloth napkin from his lap and dabs at his sweating forehead. “I handle investments at the Bank of Monterey.”

“Oh, nice. So you could give me some investment advice? I’ve always wanted to dip my toe into the stock market. I just didn’t know how to start,” I tell him, which is all true. I have a savings account that is actually more than the five-dollar minimum they require we keep. I have a 401k account too, but I’d love some financial advice.

I never thought a banker would be what I consider a sexy profession, but someone who knows how to manage your money and help it grow? Let’s be real.

That is hella sexy.

“Sorry little lady, but he probably can’t help you. Theo here only deals with million-dollar accounts,” Paul interjects, like he was spying on our conversation. Not that he can help it—the table is very small.

But still.

Did he really just call me little lady?

“Don’t listen to him.” Theo laughs nervously, his attention only for me, and there’s an apologetic glow in his sad eyes. “If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. I actually like talking about my job.”

Well, he told me I could, so…

We start talking money and investments, and this keeps Theo going and going like the Energizer Bunny. He only breaks to place his dinner order, to request another bourbon on the rocks—such a grownup man drink—and when our dinner finally arrives.

He didn’t bother eating the appetizer, and neither did I, we just kept talking. Pate is not my favorite thing. It looks like a block of weird meat and I’m not feeling it. Apparently, Theo isn’t either.

But when our plates are placed before us with a flourish, I dig right in, Theo not even missing a beat as I fork up a bite of chicken that falls right off the bone.

Mmm, just as delicious as it looks.

“I’m rambling,” Theo says once everyone at the table starts eating. His cheeks turn the faintest shade of pink, and it’s rather sweet, how embarrassed he is. “Sorry, guys.”

“Eat