Page 99 of Crimson Promises
“How about you? What big plans do you have in store for yourself?”
I caught myself leaning forward to hear her answer.
She began rearranging the silverware. “Books have been my escape my entire life. My childhood wasn’t exactly…easy. If it wasn’t for reading and a, uh, friend of mine, it would have been a hard go.” Aurora continued, “I’d love to be an editor or do something in the publishing sphere. I’m not sure what that looks like yet, but next summer, I was planning on interning at some of the smaller presses in Portland or Seattle to get a better understanding of the business and see what path I would want to pursue. Traveling is another. I’ve never been past state lines outside of Oregon and Washington State, and I’ve always wanted to see the world. So yeah, those are kind of my plans.”
“Impressive. Vision is an attractive quality in a woman. I’ve gotten to do some traveling with football. Personally, I don’t have much interest in going outside of the US, maybe do an all-inclusive somewhere in the Caribbean, but we have everything we need in the big ol’ US of A.” He stretched his hands to undercut his statement by showing where we are.
Aurora’s smile faltered a fraction.
Point for me.
“Indeed, we’re fortunate to live in a place that offers diverse landscapes and cultures. There’s lots to explore here.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Riley reached across the table to high-five Aurora, his mouth full.
His appeal was waning by the minute.
Riley was shoveling calamari down his throat like he was at a food eating competition. Whereas Aurora was, for the most part, pushing things around her plate, trying to make it look like she was eating.
Riley belched and quickly excused himself.At least he has the decency to cover his mouth with his napkin. Aurora flinched at the sound.
“So, Aurora, do you have any siblings?”
Her eyes narrowed. “I told you last time we went out, I’m an only child.”
“Right, my bad. Must have slipped my mind.”
“It happens.” She slipped her hands beneath the table and started tying and untying her cloth napkin into a knot. Her back was ramrod straight. “How are things going with football?”
A wide grin stretched across Riley’s face. “Great! We’ve been crushing it on the field. The big game against our rivals coming up soon. Will you be there?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Sweet. We’ve been undefeated in our season and primed to make it to the state championship. Coach told me there will be some scouts at the next few games. The next few months could make or break my chance at going pro.”
Aurora’s eyes crinkled in the corners. The angelfucker was endearing himself to her. “Congratulations, Riley. I’m genuinely happy for you. Sounds like you have a lot of things to look forward to.”
The waiter interrupted to clear both of their plates. “Can I get both of you started on your mains?”
Riley gestured for Aurora to go first. “Sure, I’ll have the seafood linguine, please.”
“And I’ll have the veal marsala.”
“Both great choices. I’ll be back with them shortly.”
“Thank you,” Riley and Aurora chorused at the same time. They laughed together as if they were schoolchildren. It made me sick.
The rest of dinner was like driving with someone who got their license for the first time. It flowed at times, and at others, it was stilted and jilty.
By the time dessert came around, I honestly couldn’t tell if Aurora was interested in Riley or if she was friend-zoning him. I’d successfully remained hidden behind the wall, out of sight. Riley reached across the table to clasp Aurora’s hand. At first, her fingers remained clasped in a fist, but slowly, she unfurled them and let him hold her hand.
A low growl loosened from my throat. Reeling, I stepped back and walked into a cart layered with dirty dishes. I hopped out of the way and kept most of the dishes from falling, but a few escaped my grasp and clattered to the floor.
I heard Riley yell “OPA” and rolled my eyes at his lack of class. When I peeked at their table, Aurora’s eyes met mine.
Fuckkk.
“Excuse me, Riley. I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back. Don’t wait for me to dig in.” Her voice was as sweet as strawberries.
