Page 14 of The Valentine's Bet

Where can I get a water?

Stop freaking out.

Everything is fine.

“Hello,” a deep voice says from above me.

“Hi,” I squeak as a short, somewhat stout blond man takes a seat across from me. The guy’s got a beard fordaysand tattoos that cover every inch of his body. Notreallymy type...

But he might have a great personality.

Never judge a book by its cover.

“So ... you must be Amy,” he says with a sigh, glancing down at the sheet he’s been given.

He looks up at me.

I smile.

He doesn’t.

“That’s me. And who are you?” I ask, really wishing the waiter would show up with some water.

“Garrett.”

“What do you like to do for fun, Garrett?”

“Nothing.”

I crinkle my nose just as the waiterfinallyshows up with two glasses of water. “Thank you,” I say, breathing a sigh of relief and gulping it down. As the young man walks away, Garrett stares at me with raised brows.

“Do you always flirt like that with wait staff?”

“I’m sorry?” I feel more confused than ever now. “I was just telling him thanks for the water.”

“It was a joke,” he says, chuckling.

“Right, sorry. I’m just nervous.”

“Is it the tattoos?” He once again looks offended.

“Oh my gosh, no,” I say quickly. “I don’t ... I don’t ever judge anyone based on how they look—not that you look bad. You don’t look bad. You look great. Well, not like if-I-was-trapped-in-a-dark-alley kind of great, but yeah. Edgy. I like edgy.”

Oh my gosh.

I want tofacepalmmyself.

But all he does is raise a brow. “Interesting.”

And for the next twenty-five minutes, I mindlessly try to come up with something to say, hoping that somehow, someway, Garrett might still ask for my number. I mean, he seems nice, and I’ve been told you should never judge anyone based on how a first date goes...

But the moment the bell rings, he leaves.

And doesn’t even say good night.

Ugh.

I slump back in my seat just as my phone vibrates. I look downat the screen.

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