Thank God I packed a dress and heels. Who would’ve known that a lodge in the mountains would have such a fancy restaurant? I must’ve gained a few pounds since the last time I wore this dress, though, because it’s a bit snugger than I remember. I tug at the hem, hoping it’s covering all the goods in the back.

“Stop fidgeting. You look gorgeous,” Grant says, tucking my right hand into the crook of his arm.

“Absolutely beautiful.” Ryan kisses my temple and grabs my left hand with his.

The couple in front of us is seated, and we step forward, waiting for the hostess to come back.

“Everyone is staring at me,” I whisper, noticing all the eyes that keep making their way toward the three of us.

Ryan’s grip on my hand tightens. “Because you look amazing, and they’re jealous as fuck.”

“I don’t think that’s the reason.” A lesser woman would probably move away, but I’m strong and proud to be the arms of these two men, even if it is temporary.

Grant opens his mouth to reply at the same time the hostess walks up.

She’s young, beautiful, and her smile is a little too bright for my liking. “Good evening, Mr. Gallagher. Mr. Ford,” she says, nodding at both men. “Your table is ready. Please, follow me.”

With a hand on my lower back, Grant guides me through the restaurant to a round corner booth in the back. There’s a small bouquet of roses and a tiny lamp sitting in the center of the table, and a white linen tablecloth that’s long enough to kiss the floor. The lights are turned low, giving the restaurant a romantic feel, and a fireplace to the right of us ensures that I won’t get too cold. Although I don’t think that’ll be an issue seated between these two men.

Ryan motions for me to climb in first, and then he and Grant slide in on either side of me.

“Can I get you a bottle of wine?”

Grant smiles up at the hostess, and I swear I see her body shiver. “No wine tonight. Thank you, Carrie.”

“Yes, sir. Alex will be serving you tonight. She’ll be right over.”

“I’m guessing you guys come here often,” I say, my stomach souring at the thought of Grant and Ryan coming here with other women.

Ryan lowers his menu. He looks at Grant before looking at me. “Why do you say that?”

“Because you called her Carrie, and she knew you by name.”

Grant clears his throat. “We’ve been here a few times. That’s actually something we’d like to talk to you about tonight. But first, let’s order.”

I study my menu like it’s the freaking Bible, reading it three times yet not remembering a damn thing because my mind is racing.

What do they want to talk to me about? Shit. This is probably the part of the weekend where they tell me they had fun and that maybe we can do it again sometime. I wonder if they do this with all the women they bring here because it’s clear they’ve been here before. Nothing says “thank you for the best night of my life” like a nice Italian dinner.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Get ahold of yourself, Emma.

“Will you be having your usual tonight?”

My eyes pop open, and I look up into the sparkling blue eyes of a gorgeous blonde. Her legs are a mile long, and she’s wearing a black pencil skirt and a black, button-down shirt with red stilettos. All I can think about is how she’s exactly Ryan’s and Grant’s type.

“I’ll have the spaghetti,” I blurt, closing my menu. “And a side salad with ranch.”

“What would you like to drink?”

“Diet Coke.”

She smiles and turns to Grant.

“I’ll have the same. Thank you, Lexi.” Grant smiles at the young woman then grabs my menu, stacks it on top of his, and hands it to her. And did he just call her by a nickname? Because I swear Carrie said our waitress’s name was Alex.

“What about you, Mr. Gallagher?”

“I’ll have the lasagna tonight. And ice water. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She winks at Ryan and then practically skips away. I need air. I need to get control of my thoughts and feelings before the guys have the talk with me.

“I need to use the ladies’ room.” I look at Ryan but he doesn’t move, so I turn toward Grant. “Can you let me out, please?”

Grant tilts his head to the side. “Are you okay?”

“Fine. Why?”

Ryan’s hand finds mine under the table, and I look at him. “You’ve just seemed off since the shower.”

“I’m tired, that’s all.”

“Are you sure that’s it?”

I nod. “And I have to pee.”

“Of course.” Ryan slides out of the booth and offers me a hand.

A couple of women pass by me, smiling and giggling when they see Grant and Ryan, and I can’t blame them because the guys are fucking hot, but I still roll my eyes as I walk into the restroom.

Flicking on the water faucet, I wet my hands with cold water and dab them on my face. A minute later, the door to the bathroom opens, and our waitress, Alex—or Lexi as Grant likes to call her—walks in.

She gives me the same sweet smile she offered the guys and grabs a paper towel from the dispenser. “I was trying to eat in between running around and spilled some spaghetti down my shirt,” she says, dabbing lightly at the stain. “You’re here with Grant and Ryan, right? I’m Alex.”

“Emma. And if you can’t get that out later, try vinegar, it works like a charm.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that.” She tosses the paper towel into the trash and turns to me. “Is it noticeable?”

“Not bad.” I shake my head. “Your shirt is dark, so that helps.”

“Good.” She leans a hip against the counter. “So, you’re a friend of Grant’s and Ryan’s?”

I find it interesting that she calls them by their first names when talking to me, but she addressed then formally with their last names when she waited on us.

“Something like that.”

“Have you known them long?” she asks.

“Since I was five.”

“Five?” Her eyes widen, and she smiles. “That’s a long time.”

“How about you?”

“Just for the last few months or so. They’re here a couple of nights a week.”

I nearly choke on my own spit. “A couple of nights a week?”

“Oh, yeah. They’ve been spending most of their time in the presidential suite with Louisa and Elena.”

My stomach rolls. That’s exactly what I was afraid of. I’m nothing but another warm body in their bed. “Is that so?”

Alex nods. “Oh, yeah. I hear it’s nice in there. The perfect lovers’ getaway. Have you seen it?”

“I have. It’s gorgeous.” There’s no way I can sleep in there tonight. I need to get my stuff and get out. Quickly.

“I’d love to keep chatting, but I need to get back to work. If my bosses see me, I could get fired,” she says, winking. “It was great meeting you, Emma. I’ll get your food out to your table right away.”

“Nice meeting you, too.”

I watch Alex walk out, and I can’t even hate her the way I initially wanted to because she’s so sweet.

But I can hate myself for believing I could be more than a fling for Grant and Ryan. Suddenly, I’m not hungry. My heart races, my palms are sweaty, and there’s a familiar pressure building behind my eyes. If I don’t get out of here soon, I’m going to burst into tears and make a complete ass of myself.