Page 96 of Break

“Why don’t you head upstairs while I let the guys know I’m taking you out?” I stretch up to my full height and hold my hand out to help her up. Her hand sliding into mine feels right, and I hold tightly as I pull her up to her feet.

Staying where I’m at, I let her go as she goes straight toward the stairs to get ready. Stopping herself before she leaves, she turns around, giving me a wobbly smile. “I’ve never been on a date before.”

My smile drops when my brows furrow in confusion. “How have you never been on a date? You and Danny were together for a year before you got married.”

Her smile is sad when she says, “Danny never took me out on a date. You know that our relationship was more arranged than anything.”

Evenifit was arranged, I would have expected him to take her out at some point. “What about before him?”

She laughs like I’m being ridiculous, then covers her mouth to stop the sounds from escaping her. “No. Never.” Her truth rocks me to my core.How the hell hasn’t anyone ever seen her for the incredible person she is and wanted to get to know her better?

Swallowing deeply, I run my eyes over her body. Excitement is starting to swell in her over the prospect of having her very first date. “I’m honored to be your first. Go. Get ready.”

“What should I wear?” she whispers, bouncing slightly on her toes.

Walking toward her, I place my hands on her shoulders and turn her toward the stairs. “Something you’ll be comfortable sitting outside in, but nothing extravagant.” With those words, I urge her up the stairs and wait until she shuts her door before putting together a small bag.

“Fuck you, Ethan. I’m so goddamn jealous of you right now I could spit,” Vincent says as I walk into the kitchen to grab some bottled water.

Smirking at him, I raise a brow. “You were listening?”

“Of course he was.” Max scowls without looking up from the documents in front of him.

Sighing, Vince drops into the chair next to Max and taps his fingers on the table. “Never been on a date before. How the fuck does that happen?”

I don’t have an answer for him, so I stay silent as I pack a cooler.

“I’m not surprised. She was reserved in school because of her parents, and then Danny happened. Ofcoursethat asshole never took her out. Why would he? The work of wooing a woman wasn’t necessary with his and Mina’s parents’ asinine matchmaking.”

“Fucking bullshit and a goddamn shame,” Vincent growls.

Grunting in agreement, I zip up the bag and head out. Before I leave the room, though, Max stops me.

“Did you already confirm with Cooper that you’ll have someone with you today? I don’t want to encroach on your date, but if you need us there, we would.”

Vincent perks up at that idea and I feel no shame breaking his heart. “I did, and we’ll be fine. We’re going to be out in public, so I don’t foresee any issues. I’ll call if something changes.”

Another ‘fucking bullshit’ escapes from Vincent as I leave them to grab one more item from the office. A moment of worry skates through me that I’m not doing enough, especially considering this became more significant than just our first date. Then I remind myself that I know enough about her to feel reassured that she’ll love what I’ve planned.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Monopoly?”

Mina is helping me set up the blanket and food for my impromptu picnic and seems surprised by the board game.

I didn’t cook food for us because there’s an incredible food stand here at the park that has some of the best shawarmas around. After traveling overseas and to the middle east, it quickly became one of my go-to favorites. I’m also excited for her to try them since she hadn’t heard of them before today.

“Yep. You’ve played before, right?” I ask, worried about how that sounded. I’ve been surprised before by something I would assume she’s done but hadn’t because of her circumstances. Making her feel uncomfortable on our date is the last thing I want.

Nodding quickly, she smiles up at me as she takes the game out of the box and begins to set it up. “All the time when I was growing up. My parents volunteered at our church a lot. There was a set of twins that were brother and sister a year younger than me whose parents helped along with mine. We’d set this up and play until everyone was ready to go home.”

Winking at her, I tease, “So you’re going to kick my ass?”

“Most likely.” Her teeth dig into her lip as she checks to make sure I’m okay with her teasing.I’m more than okay with it, darlin’.

There’s no eating first with this woman, and she wasn’t wrong that she was going to kick my ass. Mina is like a fucking Monopoly savant.

“How do you land in every single squareexceptwhere I’m the owner?”

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