Page 2 of Undone, Love Times Three

He grins, looking a little sheepish. Wow, he has dimples. I’m about to tell him I’m not Alison because I’m not. He’s expecting to meet her, not me. Before I can open my mouth again, he pulls back the chair and sits down.

He holds out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Ryan.”

I have no choice but to hold out my hand. He grins again and I wish like hell I was Alison. She’s a lucky woman.

“Hope you haven’t been waiting long. There was a line to get into the parking garage. I ran two blocks to get here on time.”

And he ran here to meet her. God, I hate Alison. We can’t go on with him thinking I’m someone else. Also, Henry could walk in any second, and he wouldn’t know I’m the person he’s looking for because I’m not a lone woman.

“No, not long,” I say. “Actually-”

“Hi guys, what can I get you?” A young man in an apron is standing beside the table.

“What have you got on today?” Ryan asks, smiling at the server. His dimples are even more pronounced now.

The server reels off the specials. Ryan turns to me, waiting. Oh, he wants me to order first. That is sweet. What am I thinking? I need to tell him who I am. Or who I’m not.

“The lobster rolls are great here,” Ryan says, sensing I’m not sure what to order.

Or say.

“Um, sounds lovely.”

“We’ll take two,” Ryan says to the server. “And I’ll take a hot chocolate. Alison?”

Tongue tied, I nod and give a smile I hope conveys I’ll take the same. Not only am I sitting here lying to this handsome, charming man, I’ve also lost the ability to talk.

The server leaves us. Ryan sets the menus back in the little stand on the table and rests his elbows on the table, looking over at me.

“Sorry about the rose, total cliché, but figured it would make things easier,” he looks around, a little frown marring his brow.

My heart pounds. Shit, was Alison supposed to bring a rose? My head turns left and right as I look for a lone, gorgeous woman, with a rose on the table.

If he was late and she isn’t here yet… No, don’t pretend to be someone else. You’ve done that far too much over the years. It’s time to be me.

“The guys at the firehouse really gave it to me about this,” he says with an embarrassed smile.

“You’re a firefighter?”

He frowns again. “You knew that,” he says.

“I did, sorry. It’s been a day,” I shrug, like it’s just so rough being me.

Oh God, stop talking. Tell him you’re not Alison! A firefighter. She is so lucky.

His frown turns to concern. “It’s not because of the date, right?”

“No… well, maybe a little. Just nervous, I guess,” I trail off. That is not telling him the truth.

He smiles again. Those dimples pop. “You don’t need to be nervous. I know we don’t know a lot about each other. And blind dates are daunting, but this is the fun part. Getting to know one another, enjoying great food and the hot chocolate here is to die for.”

I gulp and nod. The door opens, and a woman comes in. My eyes drop to her hands, but she isn’t holding a rose. A man comes in behind her, putting his hand on the small of her back, guiding her to the counter.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Ryan asks.

I feel sick. Opening my mouth to tell him, I’m foiled again as the server arrives with our hot chocolate. Oh wow, they look good. There is a swirl of cream on top with chocolate dusted over it and small marshmallows.

“This is another cliché, I guess,” he holds the mug in his hand. It takes up most of the surface of the cup. His hands are so big. “But what do you do?”

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