Page 37 of Ordinary Secrets

Do I want that?If we’re going to Long Beach, the likelihood of us running into my ex is low. One would think that with living in a big city like Los Angeles, he’d be harder to run into, right?

Wrong.

Living on the other side of the city doesn’t stop him from showing up behind me at the grocery store. Or getting gas at the same time and station I’m at. Or “coincidentally” going to the dentist at the same time too. Yes, I can’t even get my teeth cleaned without him following me there.

“Actually, Trey, I think Long Beach sounds wonderful!”

11

TREY

The restaurant hostleads us toward an outdoor corner table under some twinkling string lights. The other tables are occupied by people sipping from wineglasses. From a small stage at the front of the patio area, a violinist in a flowy dress plays an enchanting upbeat melody. Couples dance together in the grass, their energies full of warmth and lust.

“Your waitress will be here shortly,” the host says as she sets two menus onto our table, then leaves.

Almost everyone here is horny. I sense it from most of the men and plenty of the women. I need to be careful about not letting their emotions control me. If Victor was here, he’d tell me to embrace it. He seems to think that having sex with Arella as soon as possible will get her to trust me faster, which will get her to tell me her secrets. I don’t know Arella very well yet, but I know her well enough to know that Victor’s method is more likely to scare her away.

“Wow,” Arella says with her jaw slack. I pull out her chair, and she accepts it without making another comment about how tonightisn’ta date. “This place looks way too romantic for afriendlydinner.”

And there it is.After draping my leather jacket over the back of my chair, I sit on the other side of our cozy table. Whether she considers this a date or not, I’ve already told Victor it is.

“You’ve been here before?” she asks.

“Yep. This was one of the first places our band played at. We did acoustic covers of lovey-dovey songs all night.”

“Hi.” Our waitress sets two glasses of water onto our table. Her exasperated energy shoots at me while her cheerful tone comes out through a smile. “Would you like to try our house wine?”

I turn to the exquisite woman sitting across from me. Before I can ask her if she prefers red or white, she smiles and says, “Water’s fine. Thank you.”

I guess getting her tipsy to talk is out of the equation.“Me too, thanks.”

“Awesome. I’ll give you a moment.”

Once the waitress leaves, I take the silverware out of my cloth napkin and drape the napkin over my thighs. Liz taught me to do this the first time I ever ate at a fancy place. I hope it makes Arella think that I’m a proper guy and that I know shit.

I pick up my menu and pretend to read it. “Are you sure you don’t want any wine? I’m treating.”

Arella responds sweetly yet firmly. “I’m sure. And no, you’re not treating. I don’t want this to be a date, remember?”

Of course I remember.She’s reminded me so many times now, I’m beginning to think she’s trying to convince herself, not me. “Friends are allowed to treat each other.”

Ignoring me, Arella flips over her menu to read the other side. I already know what I’m getting, so while she chooses what she wants, I keep my menu in my hands and concentrate on trying to sense her. With all my might, I narrow my eyes on her and fire every ounce of my mind power her way. My energy tightens in on her body, straining to latch onto something,anything. The only thing I get is the sexual tension of the man behind her.

After a full minute, all I’ve accomplished is a headache.

“Do I have something on my face?” Arella asks when she sets her menu down.

“No. You’re just beautiful and easy to stare at.”

“So . . . you admit you were staring?”

I chuckle, nodding. “You’d do the same if you were in my shoes.”

We make small talk for a bit before our waitress comes back. Whatever upset her before is passing, because her mood is calmer now. Arella and I place our orders, then the waitress takes our menus away.

Leaning forward, I rest my arms on the table. “So, tell me more about your grandparents.”

Arella unfolds her cloth napkin, then sets it onto her lap the way I did. “What would you like to know?”

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