Page 121 of Dr. Brandt

“He’ll be livid if he fails his written test at the DMV tomorrow,” I said with a laugh, realizing my friends were at it again.

My phone buzzed, and I opened it.

The notification was from the group chat, and there was no way I would open that shit with Jessa sitting next to me. The guys took Jacks so she and I could have a night alone together, the first time in a year, and God only knew what they were going on about.

“Okay,” I said, wishing I could mute the chat.

“Okay,” she said, smacking her palms on her knees, “let’s go grab a burger, then. I have to tell you about my day, though. It was so fucking funny…”

Jessa went into an adorable story, telling me all the details with her usual cute animation.

I had to gain confidence with this brilliant and very confident woman.

I had to make something of this. The pressure was on like fucking game day, and if there was one area I did well in, it was sports. I had to keep my focus and stay sharp.

No more of this bitchiness. I’d been wallowing in my pity for nearly a year, waiting for the day Jessa would take me back. Tonight, that all ended.

I just had to find a way to open up things. Drinks and dinner at Darcy’s would loosen us up. I just had to get our asses out of La Habra and back to Downtown LA.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Cam

We walked into Darcy’s, and I was quickly reminded why I’d never taken a woman I was serious about to this place—the ghosts of one-night stands and ex-girlfriends seemed to lurk in every shadow.

“Right this way, Dr. Brandt. It’s good to see you again.” The hostess smiled at me, her bronze eyes peering into my soul. She probably remembered me from the last time I was dumb enough to take a woman home from this place.

I snatched Jessa’s hand protectively into mine and kept her close. I don’t know why I was feeling nervous. Who gave a shit if an ex showed up? It would suck, but not enough to park that concern in my head when I had this beautiful woman walking by my side.

We were seated, and I ordered us a bottle of Screaming Eagle Cabernet, one of the finest wines from Napa Valley. Of course, I had to keep my game smooth, and my woman impressed, so what came out of my mouth after I ordered the wine I never expected.

“So, when will you stop acting like Bella from Twilight and get rid of that piece of shit car?”

“Bella from Twilight?” Jessa said, her head snapping up from where she’d been looking at the candle’s flame dancing in the crystal in the middle of our table. She covered her mouth, rightfully stopping herself from laughing out loud. “Since when did you start reading ladies’ vampire novels, Cam?”

The wine arrived, and I dismissed the waitress after she poured it. That woman had enough dirt on my ass and surely didn’t need this shit, too.

“Since you and I became friends only, and I stopped dating women,” I said, happy I could recover myself.

“You stopped dating women?” she asked, taking a sip, her smile knowing more than she was saying.

“Yep,” I proclaimed proudly. I took a sip of my wine, happy that I could make it clear that I’d locked up Hotel Brandt for good because my heart belonged to this woman and this woman alone.

“So, if you stopped dating women, and you and I are friends only, then I guess you’re into guys now?”

I choked on the wine as it tried to run smoothly down my throat.

“So, did your new boyfriend introduce you to the Twilight series?”

Oh, this was straight-up bullshit. Jessa wore the cute little expression, knowing I was nervous, and she was kicking my balls for trying to be cool. But, hell no, I wasn’t going down this easily.

“First off,” I held my hand up, pausing while the waitress placed hot bread and butter in front of us and then dismissed herself until we were ready to order. “I’m not gay, and one doesn’t have to be gay to enjoy a good vampire book.”

I defended myself against this cute little doe-eyed vixen sitting in front of me.

This book series had better be identical to Interview with a Vampire. It has to be. There’s no fucking way Collin and Jake would know shit about a chick-flick book.

“Really?” she questioned. “So, you like the Twilight series, then?”

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