Page 4 of One Night Valentine

Cruz looks at me, and I just stare back at him, wide-eyed.

This is crazy, and I should never have let it get this far. He has determination in his eye, and there’s no way we’re getting out of here without telling him now, so I just lean back and let Lexi do what she’s going to do.

I cross my arms over my chest, and as soon as she opens her mouth, it’s like a heat comes over my whole body.

“So….” Lexi starts confidently. “I need you to be Tara’s plus one for her sister’s wedding.”

I’m watching closely, and there’s no change in his expression. Well, at least he didn’t start gagging or anything. He does sit back in his chair and look between Lexi and me. I can only imagine what he’s thinking. I want to run and hide, but I stay in my seat and stare back at him.

Instead of asking Lexi, he turns his perplexed eyes to me. “Explain.”

Oh God. I jut my chin because even though this story is mortifying, I refuse to back down now. There’s something in the way he’s looking at me, and I take it as a challenge. “My ex-boyfriend and my sister are getting married on Valentine’s Day, and I don’t want to go alone.”

He grimaces. “And what? You think showing up with The Cruz Payne is going to take attention off you?”

My mouth falls open. The truth is, I know nothing about football and didn’t realize his celebrity status until I started going to games with Lexi and would see people wearing his number on their backs. But before I can refute his claim that I just want to show up with a celebrity, Lexi laughs and blurts out, “Arrogant much? Really, Cruz? I know you don’t know Tara that well, but it’s not nice to say she’s using you just because you’re ‘The Cruz Payne’—plus this was my idea. Not hers.”

“Look, this is a bad idea. Let’s forget about it and change the subject.”

I fully expect them both to stop talking about it. The servers come and pick up plates and announce dessert is on the way. I’m stuffed, and after Cruz’s little comment, I’m ready to get out of here. At least I was right. I figured he was arrogant, and it seems he is.

Lexi keeps looking between Cruz and me. Cruz is looking down at his plate, and the awkwardness is too much. As the servers bring out the dessert, I try to play it off like I’m not affected by it all and gush over the food. I start to ramble, and when the other two take a bite of their own desserts, I finally shut up.

It’s almost over, and then I can leave. Heck, my apartment above the florist shop is only two blocks from here. I can walk.

“How long were you dating?”

I had just taken a bite of the strawberry cheesecake when he asks, and the sweet texture turns to dust in my mouth. God, I hate thinking about my ex, but I should have known the question would come up.

“Three years.”

Cruz nods. “And he’s marrying your sister?”

I wince. I mean, it’s like just putting salt in an open wound at this point. “Yes.”

He nods again and then waves his fork like he wants me to continue. “And…?”

I set my fork down on my plate and sit up a little taller. “Oh, you want all the sordid details? Right. Well, I caught my ex—of course, he wasn’t my ex at the time—having sex with my sister six months ago. I broke it off with him, and they got engaged two weeks later.”

He’s just staring at me. His jaw is set, and he almost appears angry on my behalf, but I know that’s ridiculous. I break eye contact and pick up my fork again. There’s no way I can force another piece of food in my mouth, so I push the cheesecake around on my plate and then spear a strawberry.

I look to Lexi, hoping she’s going to jump in, but she’s just volleying her head between Cruz and me.

I clear my throat. “Dinner was really good. Thank you both for letting me intrude.”

“How old are you?” Cruz asks me out of the blue.

I roll my eyes. “Well, I’ll ignore the fact that you’re not supposed to ask a woman how old she is, but I’m twenty-five.”

“You’re ten years younger than me.”

I nod. I already knew how old Cruz was, so I’m not surprised by the statement, but it does surprise me that he says it in distaste. He acts like ten years is a big difference.

I lean back in my chair and put a hand to my stomach. “Everything was so good. I can’t eat another bite. Lexi, how is yours?”

I’m trying to get Cruz to focus on anything else besides me. The way he’s watching me is making me crazy, and the need to get the hell out of here is strong.

Lexi is smiling as if she’s not affected at all by the undercurrents. “It was really good.” She holds up the chocolate cake. “Tara, you have to try this.”

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