Page 23 of Let It Be Me
Me: Maybe…
Me: I’m in Columbus for work.
Emmy-Lou: If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were dating someone.
Me: He’s my client.
Emmy-Lou: Yeah. And Adam was my student's parent.
Me: Our situation is 100% different.
Emmy-Lou: For now.
Shaking my head, I put my phone in the back pocket of my jeans right at the moment Riley strolls down the hallway with a duffel slung over his body.
“Are you hungry?”
I look at the watch on my wrist and realize I haven’t eaten in hours. My stomach responds before I have a chance.
Riley’s laugh at my expense is a far cry from the man who sulked into my office those months ago. “I know a couple of places. I take it you don’t want to work at my place?”
I give him a look like,be serious.
“Okay.” He holds his hands up. “Follow me.”
Riley and I walk out of the arena. Our cars are one of the only few left in the lot, so it’s easy to see one another's cars. The late summer heat has heated the inside of my car and I pull off my sweatshirt before falling into my car. With how nice it still is, I hit the button to roll the top down and wait for Riley to lead the way to food.
10
RILEY
Thank goodness I put my sunglasses on as soon as I got in my car. I almost swallowed my tongue when Sarah took off her sweatshirt. I’m intimately familiar with what’s under all of the clothes. But the innocent reminder was enough to make me want another go with her. Here. In the parking lot in broad daylight.
And despite feeling more at ease with her than anyone I’ve ever spent time around, that’s a no-go as we both know the consequences if we do cross the line. But the more time we spend together, the more I want to ignore the main reason we’re in each other's lives. Which is my career and what I need to focus on.
I adjust myself and start my car, pulling out of the spot towards the exit. I watch in amazement as Sarah drops the top on her BMW and pulls her hair back. Her sunglasses slide on her heart shaped face and I can see her gaze fixated in my direction, silently waiting for me to make a move. Pulling out of the lot, Sarah follows behind me and I think of what brands I want to work with so that I’m not coming to this work-lunch empty handed. To be honest, I never gave itmuch thought. Would it be food related? Hockey related? I just don’t know. I always assumed my publicist would put me with the first brand that reached out regardless if I aligned with it.
When we pull into the restaurant's parking lot I get out and round the front of my car as I wait for Sarah to gather her things. I don’t expect the place to be too crowded. But as it’s still summer break, and lunchtime for those in office jobs, you never can tell. I move around Sarah and open the door for her and I follow in closely behind her, very reminiscent of that night at the jazz bar.
“Hi, welcome to Evan and Cody’s. Just two?” The hostess greets and asks us.
“Yes, please,” Sarah responds.
The hostess grabs a couple of menus and rolls of silverware before she motions us to follow her. As we walk towards our table, I see we’ve garnered the attention of a few of the patrons. I’m not overly known as I’m still in my rookie contract. But even die-hard fans would recognize rookies.
She sets our things down then backs away from the table. “Your server will be right with you.” She tells us before heading back up to the front.
We slide in on either side of the booth and get settled in. Sarah grabs for a menu and opens it up without a word.
“I hope you’re not vegetarian. If you are, I think they have a few safe options,” I tell her as I grab my own menu.
“I grew up in the south eating pork rinds. I think I’ll be good.”
“What are those?” I crinkle my nose because those just sound odd.
“Deep-fried pork skin.” Sarah laughs when my face turns to pure mortification. “They’re an acquired taste, that’s for sure.”
Our server comes over, interrupting us to take our drink orders. I look at Sarah over the top of my menu. Her furrowed brow as she thinks of what to order is a common look when it’s aimed at me, but one I like seeing on her nonetheless. From what I’ve gathered, she’s always on and so sure of what she wants. Side effect of her job, I’m assuming. So to see the quirk, whether she deems it one or not, is refreshing.
