Page 26 of Revived

“Uh, thank you?” I say more as a question because I’m not sure I should accept his words as a compliment.

“You’re easily an eight… your boobs are a little small, but I can handle that as long as you have a nice ass. Do me a favor, stand up and turn around so I can check you out.”

I feel like my eyes are about to pop out of my head. “Excuse me? I don’t know who you think you are…” I start, but before I can finish my sentence, a man wearing a suit with a radio in his ear comes over and yanks the man up by his collar, escorting him out of the club.

“I’m so sorry, Rachel,” the woman in charge scurries over to my table and whispers to me. “The last two women he sat with complained about him, so I stood by to overhear the conversation so I had reason to remove him. Although we rarely have any problems, we can’t control how people behave once they’re in here.”

I flash her a small smile and relax back in my chair. “It’s okay. I understand. Thank you for removing him quickly though, because if he sat there for much longer I was contemplating inflicting some physical damage,” I joke, but internally I’m screaming. If the next guy that sits down is anything like the last two, I’m leaving at the break.

This wasn’t my idea anyway. I came tonight as moral support for Jess. Besides, the only person I seem to want these days is the college professor, loving father, and genuine man I’m currently living with and working for. Even after talking to two guys entirely, and another one for a few minutes, I can safely say that no one compares to him. He’s everything right on paper, but I know he’s got more baggage than the suitcases I packed when I moved out here.

As I wait for this round to end and my next date to appear, I twist in my seat to observe the club. I can’t see any other people obviously since they’re immersed in their dates behind the privacy screens, but the buzz of conversation and sound of glasses clinking behind the bar keeps me entertained until the buzzer sounds, ending that round.

Turning back to the table, I set my glass down and stare at my hands in my lap, mustering up the courage to at least make it through this fourth date. I can handle one more fifteen minute sprint and then I’ll check in with Jess to see how she’s doing, fake a headache if necessary, and leave during the break.

I can see the man sit down in front of me from the ground, his large loafers sliding under the table and taking up ample space, a pleasant sign that at least he has some fashion sense. But when I lift my eyes to take in his face, nothing could have prepared me for seeing the man who occupies more time than deemed appropriate in my mind, staring wide-eyed back at me.

???

Luke

“Rachel?” I manage to say as I stare at her, the dim lighting in the club making her seem darker and more mysterious than normal. I’m used to seeing her in jeans and sweaters, or yoga pants and t-shirts, which are far more enticing than the denim.

But tonight she’s dressed up and radiant in a way that’s brand new to me, clad in a black sleeveless dress that offers just a slight hint of cleavage, her long brown hair down in soft curls, her make-up heavier than I’ve ever seen it, her lips a deep red that screams sexual desire. She’s breathtaking, and also clearly looks as confused as me.

“Luke? What… what are you doing here? Where’s Grayson?” She asks, looking around like he’s going to pop out from his hiding place at any minute.

“Obviously not here. He’s with Clara and Cooper,” I reply, moving to run a hand through my styled hair, still perplexed that we ended up in the same place tonight.

When Cooper and Cash convinced me to attend this event tonight, I remembered Rachel telling me she had plans this evening, so I asked Cooper if he and Clara would be up for taking Grayson for a few hours. My mom is still fragile and I didn’t want to add more stress on my dad, so they really were my last option. I can’t expect Rachel not to have a life outside of taking care of my son, so I knew I’d have to ask someone else to watch him so I could participate in this little experiment—the chance to determine if my attraction to Rachel is just because she’s around me every day. Little did I know that the woman in question would be here, putting herself out there as well.

My first three dates were nice, but that’s all I felt. Diane was a single mom, so we obviously had things to talk about, but I didn’t feel anything for her physically. Tiffany was beautiful, but too young. In fact, I think I’ve seen her around the college. And Brooklyn was a little too sexually aggressive, shoving her toes up the leg of my pants, making her motives clear as day, especially when she asked me if I wanted to meet up later.

They were all lovely women. Questionable in sanity at moments and interesting enough, but none of them held a candle to Rachel, only confirming what I suspected— that this thing I feel for her isn’t just a physical attraction. It’s becoming more than that.

As she shakes her head and reaches for her martini, the smile that graces my lips comes out so naturally. A fan of irony, I can’t help but wonder how the hell we both ended up in this situation?

“So… what made you come tonight? No offense, but you never really get out of the house,” she asks before taking a sip of her drink.

“Yeah, well, I thought maybe I’d try something new. Honestly, Cash and Cooper convinced me to come.” I avoid her eyes with my answer, trying not to let her see the real reason why I’m here. “What about you? I didn’t know you were dating.” The instant the words leave my mouth, I regret saying them. This is not an appropriate topic to be discussing with my nanny, let alone a woman who is living with me and slowly making her way into my life.

“Well, I’m not really. I came more as support for Jess, Pfeiffer’s friend,” she says while glancing up at me.

“So you’re not looking to fall in love?” Seriously, Luke? Did you not just chastise yourself for being inappropriate, and then you ask that?

Her lips tip up playfully. “Not right this moment, but someday, yes. I want a family, a husband. I want what Cash and Pfeiffer have, or Cooper and Clara. I want to find my forever.” Her words resonate with me because I thought I found my forever with Hannah, and then fate dealt me a nasty hand.

“You deserve that, Rachel. You’re an amazing woman.” I don’t even have to embellish because the more I’ve gotten to know her, the more I realize every word I just spoke is true.

Her cheeks flush as she smiles across the table at me. “Thank you. You’re a great guy too, Luke. You deserve to meet someone as well.” She stops there, and I appreciate it, because if she brought up Hannah right now, I’d probably run out the door.

She’s been in the back of my mind all night, a slew of questions popping up as the evening unfolded. Would she approve of this? Would she be proud of me for coming here? Or would she be smacking me upside the head for being ignorant enough to realize that none of the other women in this room make me feel anything, except for the one sitting right in front of me.

“Thanks. Unfortunately, I just don’t think that this method is going to make that happen.” I gesture around the room with my hand.

“Yeah, I agree. I see the thrill in this, the efficiency if you’re looking to find someone in the least amount of time. But I think something is to be said for relationships that form naturally, that build over time and form a solid foundation. I don’t think that can happen in fifteen minutes,” she declares.

And just like that, our fifteen minutes are up, the buzzer ending our conversation as the woman in charge of the event signals the start of the break. Why didn’t the other dates go by that quickly?

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