As long as this didn’t ignite the situation even further.
I caught my breath, prepared to defend our relationship to anyone who asked, but Jason simmered down and shrugged. “Nothing,” he mumbled sullenly. “Anyway, see you tomorrow.”
But the words left unsaid were still growing louder as they bounced around my mind.
It’s nobody’s business who we love. It’s not the 1900s anymore, for crying out loud.
It was more than that, though.
I like Tom. I might even love him. He makes me feel like nobody ever has. I didn’t know what being treated right was until this week. Now I can never forget it.
Reeling and breathless, I watched as the groomsmen and Jason all walked off down the sidewalk, exchanging mean little laughs and elbows in the ribs.
“Well, shit,” Tom murmured, and my gut rolled as I looked at him. His jaw was tight, his lips pressed together. He didn’t make a move to touch me or anything, even now that they were gone.
I tugged my sleeves down like they could cover my hands—like I could disappear into my clothes, and not bring him trouble anymore. As much as I reminded myself it wasn’t either of our faults, it sure felt like it.
Had Tom told Beth that I was coming? Or his ex-wife, Chrissy? Or any of the Walkers?
I couldn’t stop thinking that Dill would want to know about this—and he’d be pissed. Jason would use any avenue to torment him, and he’d been all too delighted to find out that I was with Tom.
Griff cleared his throat. “I’ll try to shut him up.”
“You will?” Tom looked sharply at Griff.
“Yeah,” Griff sighed, sounding apologetic. “The least I can do is counteract his effect on the world.”
Oh, he was too sweet. I relaxed immediately despite all my worries, and I smiled at him. We need more allies like him, I thought. “Thanks,” I told him, hoping my appreciation came through in that simple word.
But I shifted from foot to foot, eager to get inside and try to find out why Tom was so anxious that Jason knew about us.
I needed to make sure he wasn’t ashamed of me.
“Why don’t you grab a table?” Tom asked me. “I’ll be there in a second. Can I talk to you, Griff?”
That was right—they probably had important wedding business to talk about. I swallowed hard and nodded to Griff, heading inside to give Tom’s name to the waiter who greeted me.
“Ah, a table for two. Right this way.”
We passed a large table where two waiters gathered dishes and empty beer bottles, bundling a stained tablecloth into a basket. I was left in no doubt of where the groomsmen had just been.
Apart from that, it was a beautiful, reserved, dinner club-style restaurant. The chairs had high, swooping backs, and the chandeliers overhead were glimmering shards of glass or diamonds, reflecting fragments of warm light.
It was half-full already despite the early hour, and everyone spoke in soft voices.
I swallowed nervously. Tom had brought me to a real dinner date place.
“Right here, sir. Are we waiting for…?” the waiter trailed off politely.
“Yes. Tom’s just outside talking to someone. He’ll be here in a minute.”
“Wonderful. I’ll get you both some water in the meantime,” the waiter promised and vanished, followed by the two who had just stripped the pushed-together tables in the center of the restaurant of the evidence of the guys’ bad behavior.
I felt neither rich enough nor old enough to be here, like I was supposed to be at the kids’ table and had wandered into the wrong part of the restaurant. Already I missed Tom there, guiding me in his matter-of-fact way. Steadying my nerves.
Takeout is also okay, I thought with a rueful smile to myself.
The waiter delivered water in a beautiful flute and I blushed, mumbling my thanks and accepting one menu. He laid the other in the center of the other place and nodded his head before disappearing politely again.
I sat there alone for a few minutes, studying the menu but too intensely self-conscious to really take in what it said.
Oh, thank God, I thought when Tom appeared and strode toward me with his easy smile. I waved slightly and then blushed again. Was this the kind of place where you waved to point to where you were? Was I just overthinking things?
Tom looked frustrated as he sat down, but before I could ask, he sat up straight and smiled at me. “So, hopefully no more interruptions tonight.”
“This is a gorgeous place,” I commented, my voice warbling as I looked around.
Tom smiled at me and reached out, palm-up.
Unsure if I was allowed, I glanced around for others to see if anyone else was doing it, but when I looked back at Tom, he was still patiently holding his hand out for mine.
I laid my hand in his. Just making contact with his warm hand, his fingers closing between mine, made the breath rush out of my body, and I finally relaxed.
“Sorry,” I murmured after a moment. “I’m just not used to being romanced like this. I feel so out of place. Tell me if I embarrass you horribly.”
“You’re so gorgeous I could bring you anywhere,” Tom told me, winking. “And you’re so hot I’ll let you embarrass me, if need be. But I don’t think you will.” His belief in me shone through in his eyes and in his voice.
But, whispered the nasty doubts in the back of my head, where was that belief a few minutes ago?
Only that one thing stopped me from shrugging off the whole incident as a stupid jerk trying to get a rise out of us: Tom had reacted.
Not the time to bring it up, though, I thought, shaking it off as much as I could. “Okay, let’s read the menu,” I said, making sure my voice was upbeat as always.
Tom smiled, clearly fooled by my act, and let go of my hand to pick up his menu. “Yes, let’s. Everything is wonderful here. And don’t worry about prices.”
As if it’s that easy. I made a face at him, but he had his menu in front of his face and didn’t see me. Okay, Rusty, I added, trying to pep myself up again. Let him spoil you.
I might have been anxious and unsure what was on Tom’s mind, but that could wait for later. I wasn’t going to let one asshole ruin the whole night. In fact, I was going to have even more fun because of him. So there, I added mentally.
Jason Walker wasn’t the only one who could fit into a place like this. In fact, I could fit in better.
I grinned and flipped shut the menu, my mind made up. If Tom wanted to spoil me, I’d let him. And later, he’d get his reward. Which was really my reward, but he didn’t need to know that. Both of us would win.
Just the way love ought to be.
Chapter Twelve
Wrinkles with benefits.
Tom, day 6
“Oof! Devastatingly handsome. You look like you’re the groom today. Again.”
Chrissy was the only person who could get away with that joke, and she knew it. But she looked stunning, too, in her pale blue dress, clearly the mother of the bride but also radiant in her own right.
“Me and Jason?” I made a face. “God forbid.”
Chrissy laughed as we hugged and kissed each other on the cheek like always. Then she stepped to one side and welcomed me into the little home she and Kenneth shared.