Page 97 of Devilry

“I still don’t want to do anything but go to dinner,” I repeat for what feels like the hundredth time. The compromise for doing just dinner tonight was it was my choice of cuisine and, since they insisted on paying, their choice of restaurant.

It was an argument I was never going to win, so eventually I stopped trying.

“We know,” Callie assures me. “But now we can drink saké at Sakéshop.”

“Drink what now?” I ask.

“It’s a Japanese alcohol. Trust me, you’ll love it.”

I roll my eyes, because after the last time we all drank together, my trust in Callie and Aiden under the influence of alcohol was pretty much nonexistent.

Aiden pipes in while furiously typing on his phone. “Should we get going? We don’t want to be late for our reservation.”

“Let me just get my cell and wallet,” I say quickly. Before I shove them both in my pockets, I message Cole.

Me: They’re taking me Sakéshop. If you’re still up when I get home, I’ll call you. I know how you oldies like to go to sleep early.

Cole: Just wait till I see you. I’m going to show you just how ‘old’ this man is.

I smile, loving our easy-going banter.

Me: Can’t wait.

* * *

We’re sittingin the Uber when Aiden says to me, “Hey, man, King Koffee just put up another flyer looking for someone to work there. Did you end up going to see if they’d hire you?”

I think back to everything that has taken place since those early weeks at school. Studying. The Research Project. Cole. “No, I didn’t end up going in,” I say. “I was adjusting to my workload and with the research project, I didn’t want to stretch myself thin.”

It isn’t a lie, but it isn’t the whole truth. However, as my bank account continues to dwindle, I tell myself to go in there the next chance I get. It might mean seeing less of Cole, but I know he’ll understand that I don’t really have any other option.

We pull up to the main street in Georgetown, and the Uber stops in front of a row of fancy restaurants. The sidewalk is bustling with trendy men and women indulging in a night of good food and good company.

I follow Aiden and Callie through a narrow door that leads us to a steep set of stairs.

The light is low and the air around us is tight. “Did you guys bring me here to kill me?” I joke.

“It does make it easy that you came willingly,” Aiden supplies.

I back hand him on the shoulder just as we take the last step. In front of me is one of the busiest restaurants I’ve ever been in. With a low ceiling, decorated in black steel beams and lowly hung black light fixtures that fall directly above each table, it’s the perfect combination of formal and intimate.

“Hello, welcome to Sakéshop.” A short Japanese lady, dressed in a traditional black Kimono with cherry blossoms printed all over it, puts her hands together and bows ever so slightly. “Do you have a reservation?”

“It’s under Jason Deandra,” Callie tells her. I turn to smirk at her, but she’s already got a huge megawatt smile plastered on her face, clearly impressed with herself.

As we begin walking through the restaurant, the waitress shouts loudly in Japanese. I stop in a moment of confusion, but as all the patrons look up at us and shout a loud, different response, I realise they just welcomed us to the restaurant.

“That’s really cool,” I say as the three of us are seated.

‘It’s my favorite part,” Aiden admits. “I love looking up and seeing the reaction of the people walking through. It’s endless amounts of entertainment.”

Callie reaches for my hand over the table. “Do you like this place? Did we pick a good spot?”

I give her hand a firm squeeze. “This is even better than I expected.”

The small dainty woman returns with menus tucked under her arms and bottle of table water.

She pours each of us a small amount in the already provided glasses and then leaves the menu in the middle of the table.

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