Chapter 14

Lily

Since Amber and I were going to the party right after dinner with Alex, I doubled my costume and dinner attire. Thankfully the theme of ‘Santa’s Slay’ didn’t require another outlandish costume. I imagined showing up to dinner in an elf costume or something equally crazy. The uniform for the night only required that our outfits were red. That was easy enough. Amber let me borrow a red dress that she said was too small for her. When I put it on, I realized that it was snug on me as well, but in a good way. It hugged all of my curves, and I smiled, knowing how Alex would respond to it. It was a little unfair of me, but there was no reason I had to dress sloppily around him if we were just to be friends. Maybe it would show him what he was missing out on while he attempted to bed every girl on campus.

Thinking of that night still stung. My stomach swooped every time I thought about Bret’s remark when he saw us together. I should have known better, but I wouldn’t have traded our night for anything. I wasn’t a virgin anymore. I didn’t feel much different, but I was glad that my first time was with someone as gentle as Alex, even if he was a player.

I took an Uber over to the restaurant, which wasn’t too far off campus. Alex wanted to meet me there. I wondered if it was another attempt not to see me in public, but I shook away the thought. We were going to a restaurant where there would be plenty of people to witness us together. I had to stop caring whether or not Alex liked me. I was the one who wanted to remain professional with him. Thinking otherwise would prove to be an awful disappointment.

When we arrived at the restaurant, I was surprised at the formality of the place. Inside, the restaurant was lavishly decorated with thick velvet curtains and real tablecloths. Pictures on the walls depicted landscapes in Italy and on one wall was a mural of the Italian countryside as if you were looking at it on your open porch.

“Hey,” Alex said, coming over to me.

I smiled at him. Even though he wore a bright red button-down shirt that was a shade too bright, but it fit him well enough to show off his amazing body. “Hi.”

“We’re over here,” he said, taking my hand and looping it with his arm.

The table was in the back of the dining room, away from the door and other prying eyes. It was a bigger table with six chairs surrounding it. The two place settings were on opposite sides of the table, far enough for me not to confuse this dinner for a date.

I tried to keep the smile on my face as I sat down.

You wanted this, Lily, remember?

Alex helped me with my chair, pushing it in under me as I sat. I stared at the flickering flame that danced on the top of the large white candle in the middle of the table.

“This is a nice place,” I said.

“It’s my favorite,” Alex said. “A hidden gem. Almost makes me feel like an adult.”

“You are an adult,” I said, smiling.

He pressed his hand against his chest and winced. “Don’t make me feel old.”

I laughed. “What’s going to happen when you’re thirty?”

“I’ll be halfway to the grave by then.”

I giggled into my napkin before placing it on my lap. I’d never been to a fancier place before. Grandma loved to cook and thought going out to eat was an unnecessary expense. She left that to special occasions such as birthdays and graduations. Thinking of her made me miss her cooking.

A waiter came over, and we ordered drinks. A glass of wine for Alex and water for me. I needed to hydrate in case I drank a lot tonight. I didn’t plan on it, but my goal was to let loose as much as I could. That didn’t mean I had to compromise my safety, but I found drinking helped lessen the tension in my body. With us getting kicked out at Freaky Friday and me sleeping with Alex at the last party, I wanted to enjoy myself at a party with Amber and not muck it up.

“You never told me how you did on the test,” he said.

“I got an A,” I said.

“Of course you did,” he said with a smile.

“I’m the tutor remember? It was a lot of pressure to get a high grade. You might fire me otherwise.”

“I’d never fire you.”

His gaze locked with mine. There was an unmistakable hint of fire behind his eyes as they moved across my body, well as much as he could see from above the table. I licked my lips, feeling a weight pressing against my chest. With him looking at me like that, I was glad I wore this dress. There was no harm in a little flirting amongst friends.

Alex already ordered fried calamari and eggplant rollatini for appetizers, so those dishes came with our drinks.

“I feel like such a loser, but I’ve never had food like this before,” I said.

“You don’t know what you’re missing,” he said. “Are there good restaurants where you come from?”

“They are decent,” I said. “Grandma prefers to cook.”

“I can see why,” he said, dipping one of the leggy calamari pieces into the marinara sauce. I wasn’t comfortable eating that part of the squid yet. I stuck with the circular pieces. “She’s an amazing chef.”

I laughed. “You only had breakfast and lunch with us.”

He shrugged. “It made an impression.”

He held my eyes, and for a moment, the hidden meaning behind his words caught my attention. Hook. Line. And sinker.

Suddenly, I wished that he would have picked a smaller table. Was I wrong about his feelings for me? Over the weekend, his overwhelming amount of apology texts about Bret made me angry. But were they meant well? Why didn’t he come over and apologize himself? I wished he would have. Though his insistence on continuing our little arrangement made me second guess everything. I wondered if he’d drop our friendship completely once Cost Accounting was over. Other than his parties and studying, Alex and I never saw each other.

“May we join you?” Bret’s voice cut into my thoughts.

I blinked and stared up at Alex’s friend. Two girls were on his arms, both dressed in inappropriate red dresses, revealing enough skin that they should have been at a club and not a decent restaurant.

I glanced at Alex. A frown tugged at his lips. “I guess.” He looked at me and I took another sip of my water.

I sat back in my chair, my shoulders rising to my ears. So much for relaxing tonight.

I eyed Bret. His cocky grin and squinty eyes made me think he and these girls already started their own private party. He snapped his fingers at the waiter and demanded three more place settings for the table.

I sent an apologetic look at the waiter, but I was already roped into this group. I sunk into my chair, wanting to leave. I’d already filled up enough on appetizers I wondered if I could get my dinner to go.

“Eeww, what is that?” one of the girls asked, pointing at the remains of the calamari.

“Gross!” the other one shouted.

I glanced at the other diners, and a few of them looked our way. My cheeks burned.

“Are those legs?” the first one asked. Her pink lips curled with disgust.

“My brother, Alex, loves seafood,” Bret said, glancing at Alex.

Alex’s nostrils flared before his eyes met mine.

I immediately dropped my gaze to my plate, wishing this dinner to be over.

The girls picked up their menus and started giggling about the Italian words. They were an embarrassment to the freshman class. It was as if this was the first time they’ve ever gone to a restaurant in their lives. Didn’t their parents teach them manners?

When Alex and my entrees came over to the table, the girls craned their necks to see what we ordered.

“What is that?” pink-lipped girl asked.

“Risotto,” I said quietly. If I ignored them, maybe they would forget I was at the table.

I shoveled the pasta into my mouth and savored the taste, distracting myself from my embarrassment.

When the girls finally, and loudly, announced they were going to the bathroom together, I was able to take a breath.

“Where did you find them?” Alex asked Bret.

Bret locked his fingers together and clasped them behind his head, leaning back as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Oh, here and there.”

Alex opened his mouth to say something but stopped when his phone blasted from his pocket. I nearly dropped my fork. He looked at the screen and pushed his chair away from the table.

I sat up. He was leaving me alone with Bret?

“I’m sorry, I have to take this,” he said and left the table.

I focused on my meal, for once, hoping those girls would come back and distract Bret. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to him about the other night.

“How are you, Lily?” Bret asked me. He leaned back in his chair as if it were a throne.

“I’m fine,” I said.

“You know I know about this little arrangement you and Alex have.”

“It’s not a secret that I’m tutoring him,” I said.

“And that’s all,” he said.

“What are you talking about?”

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think you have the wrong impression of my brother. He’s only interested in passing this class when it comes to you.”

Heat licked behind my eyes. “I know.”

“Do you?”

“Of course,” I said, trying to hold my voice steady. I wondered what Alex said to Bret about me behind my back. Letting Bret know that I cared for Alex more than I should wouldn’t do me any good.

“Then you’re single?”

“Yes.”

“Great,” he said.

My mouth dropped open. “Why is that great?”

“I’d love to take you out sometime,” he said, leaning toward me. “There is a very expensive place by the water that I think you’d enjoy.”

The risotto felt like an anchor in my stomach.

“What about your girlfriends?” I asked.

He snorted. “Not my girlfriends. It’s rude to show up to a party without a date.”

“Two of them?”

He slapped the table, rattling the silverware. “You’re funny. Now I know why Alex likes using you.”

My throat tightened. Using me?

“You’re serious?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said. “You’re different. Smart, beautiful, the complete package. Alex doesn’t know what he’s missing out on.”

Speaking of Alex. He appeared at the table again, interrupting the strange conversation. I was almost grateful.

“Sorry,” he said, sliding into his chair. “My parents always call at the worst times.”

I was no longer hungry. I placed my napkin on the table next to my half eaten dish. “I should head back to pick up Amber for the party.”

Alex frowned and glanced at Bret. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Let’s get that wrapped up,” he said, indicating my meal. “And I’ll drive you back to the dorm.”

The girls returned by the time the waiter came back with our check.

“Don’t worry,” Bret said, taking the check from the waiter. “I’ll get this.”

“I have the money,” Alex said.

“I have more,” Bret said with a grin.

Alex clenched his jaw as he stared at his friend. A war took place on his face, and I wasn’t sure if there was going to be a fight or not.

Bret’s hand remained firmly on the check. Alex would have to pry it out to get it.

Instead, he said, “Thanks,” and then came over to me and took my hand.

Bret winked at me as Alex and I walked away. An uncomfortable weight settled in my stomach. Neither of us expected Bret to show up with those annoying girls. His presence dragged the elephant back into the room. When we got outside, I was able to breathe again.

“Sorry about all that,” Alex said, holding the passenger side door open for me. “I didn’t know he was coming.”

“It’s fine,” I said, getting into the car.

On the ride to the dorm, I couldn’t help but think about Bret’s words. Going into the deal with Alex, I told myself that I’d keep my eyes wide open, knowing that a hot guy like Alex would never be interested in me for real. But it still stung.

When we arrived at the dorm, I already decided about that night, and it broke my heart enough that I wouldn’t tell Alex.

Like a gentleman, he got out of the car with me and walked me to the front door. Why did all of this have to be so confusing?

“I’ll see you in a little while?” he asked.

“We’ll walk over when we’re ready,” I said, staring at my hands.

He leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I can’t wait.”

He left me to go back to the parking lot. I watched him go with my heart breaking in my chest.