Page 31 of Rebel Secrets
Probably should’ve picked another place to eat.Outside of town.
Everyone in town knew Erin and I weren’t exactly besties, as Brian’s niece, Maddy, would say.Which was why Mike and Rosie looked at us like they were caught between two stray cats fighting over turf.And that was just ridiculous.Where the fuck was my brain right now?
Still trying to figure out why I’d never noticed how adorable those freckles made her look.
Shit.
Finally, I shook my tongue loose.“We’re going over some stuff for the wedding.”
And that apparently made everything right in the world again.
Rosie nodded as if, of course, that was the reason, and Mike slapped me on the back.
“Coming up soon, yeah?Rosie and Raffi have been working on the rehearsal dinner with Tressy’s mom for weeks.You two must have a lot to talk about so we’ll get out of your way.Rosie, let’s feed these kids.Come on, you two, I reserved your regular table in the back, Reb.Should be quiet enough for you to talk.”
Considering tonight’s crowd, that would be a good thing.I’d thought the restaurant wouldn’t be so crowded on a Monday night, but I’d thought wrong.
“It’s family night, so we get a bigger crowd, but you should be able to hold a conversation back here.”
Mike led us through the restaurant, Erin trailing behind me.Of course, she had to stop and say hi to someone every couple of tables, which made the walk across the room take twice as long.
Another night that might’ve annoyed me.Tonight, it gave me a little time to chill.The few people I knew by name I waved at but didn’t stop.Most did a double take when they saw Erin trailing behind me.
We lived in a too-fucking-small town.By tomorrow, the book club and the garden club members would all know Erin and I had had dinner together.Which meant I’d get a call from my mom tomorrow morning.And Rain would either call or just knock on my door and demand to know why I’d forced her best friend to go out with me.
Mike finally showed me to the table at the back of the small connecting dining room.The building had previously been a duplex home that the Benantis had converted into the restaurant by cutting two archways in the wall to create one large kitchen at the back and several separate dining areas.
We were in the only room that didn’t have anyone else in it tonight.
“How’s this for you?Quiet enough to talk, yeah?”
I nodded and forced my lips into a smile for Mike.“This is great.Thanks.”
He slapped me on the back again, his smile genuine.“Good to see you, kid.You’ll have to tell me how the big boys are treating you another night.”
After I promised Mike I would absolutely be back another night, he left, and I waited for Erin to finish making her rounds.Through the widened doorway, I saw her talking to a family with a couple of kids, one of which she picked up when the little girl held out her hands.
Leaning back in my chair, I watched her listen intently to whatever the little girl was saying then respond with an animated smile.When the little girl clapped her hands, Erin threw her head back and laughed then set her back into her seat, waving goodbye.
She looked happy.And when she caught me watching her, for a split second, she smiled at me the same way, wide and uninhibited.She lost it a second later.Too bad.It was a really nice smile.
And it was my fault.As my sister said, I had resting grump face, whatever the fuck that was.Rain had told me I should work on that.I hadn’t felt any need to.Until this second.
Now, Erin picked up the pace to get to the table.
“Sorry, I just had to say hi to Caroline.She’s the sweetest, and she hasn’t been feeling well.The doctors don’t know what’s wrong and?—”
“Erin.It’s not a problem.Seriously, you don’t need to apologize to me for anything.”
“Oh.”She slid into her chair, her quick smile a ghost of the one she’d had for the baby.“Anyway, sorry to keep you waiting.I’m sure you want to get this out of the way as quickly as possible.”
My brows rose as that flush burned her cheeks again.“Sorry.That didn’t come out right.I didn’t mean—I don’t mean to imply—Just forget I said that.”
“I think I’m the one who should be apologizing.”
Now her gaze met mine head on, eyes wide and her lips parted slightly.She had a really nice mouth.Something else I’d never noticed about her before.And shouldn’t be noticing now.
“I know I can be…” I considered using grumpy but knew that wasn’t the right word, “difficult and hard to talk to.I don’t want that to affect my brother’s wedding.And you and Erin are practically attached at the hip.I don’t want you think of me as the enemy.”
