Chapter Fourteen
Nick
I change quickly, and even though I don’t put on nasty, wrinkled gym clothes from my locker, I still opt for a very casual appearance. I throw on a pair of black basketball shorts and clean gray t-shirt, dropping my karate top and pants into my bag to be cleaned.
“Where you running off to?” Rhenn asks when he enters the locker room.
“Nowhere,” I answer, tying my tennis shoes.
“I call bullshit. You have this stupid grin on your face that tells me you’re up to something. Plus, there’s a hot brunette waiting by the back door for you. At least, I think it’s for you. I guess Meghan could be waiting for me though, right?”
“Doubt it,” I holler over my shoulder as I make my way to the doorway.
“Have a good night, kids. Make sure to wear condoms.” His laughter is the last thing I hear before exiting the locker room, flipping him the bird as I go, and heading to the back door where Meghan waits.
“Ready?” I ask, taking her hand in my own.
“Yep.” A blush creeps up her neck, and I’m not sure if it’s from the hand holding or the fact that we’re going on a date – even though this isn’t exactly top five date night activities.
The parking lot is well lit as we make our way to my car. We both set our bags in the back seat before climbing in and heading toward the street. I ask about class, what she learned, but never ask what she’s in the mood to eat. That’s a surprise.
“You and Rhenn work well together. I can see why your classes are well attended.”
“Thank you. Rhenn really is a great teacher. I just follow his lead.”
“Well, you guys make a good team. Tonight’s class was very informative. I think even the boob-sisters all came away with something, other than Rhenn’s phone number.”
“I’m pretty sure they already have that,” I say, heading up the road to the Bay. “They’ve all taken the beginners’ class about five times.”
“Five times? Why not just ask him for a date?” she asks.
“Oh, they have. He doesn’t date students or moms of students. I don’t think they’re smart enough to realize that. Plus, he’s an attention whore just as much as a regular whore, so he eats up their fawning like he hasn’t eaten in a week.”
“Do you think he’ll ever settle down?” she asks as we pull into one of the beach parking lots.
“Oh, I definitely think he will. When the right woman comes along and knocks him on his ass, he’ll give up his bed-hopping ways. Underneath the playboy is a good man who will make a great husband and father. He just won’t know it until it slaps him upside the head.”
Parking in the pretty vacant lot, I jump out and meet her at the passenger door. She’s all smiles as she gets out, her hair high on her head in a messy bun and the strap of her navy blue tank top falling off her shoulder. My eyes follow the material until I’m sure she realizes I’m checking her out.
“Hungry?” I ask, placing my hand on the small of her back and leading her in the direction of my favorite food vendor.
“Starving. I’m surprised by how much of an appetite I worked up by kicking and punching you for a half hour.”
Her comment makes me smile. She kicked and punched at me maybe for five minutes, but who am I to argue? Rhenn used us as props for the class, demonstrating the moves he was talking about. It was really just an excuse to have my arms around her or her hands on me – even if they were used in more of an aggressive manner. But hey, I’m not picky. I’ll take what I can get.
We walk down the road until I find the vendor with fair food. “Seriously? How did I not know this was here?” she asks, completely shocked when she reads the menu.
“You have to be in the secret fair food society.”
“I want in!” she proclaims with a laugh.
“Well, there’s only one way to get in the club, Meghan. First, you have to order one of everything on the menu.”
“Done!”
“Then, you have to eat as much grease and fattening food as you can consume in the next thirty minutes.”
“I’m on it.”
“Finally, you have to wash it down with a lemon shake-up and proclaim ‘Nick is a date God!’” I tell her seriously.
She giggles, her cute little button nose wrinkling up in a way I never thought would be sexy. But it is. Totally sexy. “So, taking me to a food truck and ordering a bunch of greasy, overpriced food makes this a great date, huh?”
“You forgot the God part.”
Again, she laughs. “You’re right, I’m sorry. Well, Date God, let’s get some food so I can continue to rain compliments and accolades down on you for the next thirty minutes.”
“Deal.”