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The host nodded. “It’s ready. One minute, Mr. Winters.”
“What are you doing?” I grabbed his hand and tugged. “Tell me.”
He was grinning as he shook his head. “I’m not telling you. It’s a surprise.”
I sighed. This wasn’t fair. What had he planned?
“Here you go, sir.” The host returned with a pizza box and a cloth bag bulging with things.
“Thank you.” He nodded, shaking the guy’s hand before he took the box. “Come on, Red.”
I caught the host discreetly put his hand in his pocket. Had he just done that fancy handshake-tip thing? “Did you just him in your handshake?”
“You noticed.”
“I notice everything.”
“Sure you do. Come on. This will be the quickest date ever.”
Following him outside, he took a sharp turn to the steps to the beach. “This is a date is it?” I asked.
“You bet. And we have to eat pizza, talk, and make out all in…” He glanced at his watch. “Twenty-five minutes.”
I laughed. “You’ve got this all down, haven’t you?”
“Planned to a T. Will you hold the pizza?”
“Sure.” I slid my sunglasses down and took the box.
We walked a few feet onto the beach. Adam selected a spot close to a palm tree, giving us some shade from the hot sun. I stayed back as he put down the bag and pulled out a huge blanket, laying it on the sand in front of us.
He moved his arm in a sweeping motion, gesturing for me to sit with the pizza. My lips curved as I slid off my flip-flops and stepped onto the towel, making sure to set the pizza box down carefully.
Nobody wanted their pizza with a side of sand.
Adam pulled a half-sized bottle of wine out of the bag and two plastic glasses. “Voila,” he said, setting the bag down and kicking off his shoes with expert balance.
If I tried that, I’d be dropping the wine. And I’m not gonna lie, my heart did have a little extra beat as I watched him do it.
Wine was important.
He sat down carefully on the blanket and handed me the glasses. I took them, watching him with a small smile as he pulled the cork from the wine and went to pour two small glasses. When he was done, he turned and carefully wedged the bottle into the sand.
“Now, we can eat.” He grinned, taking his wine.
“This is perhaps the strangest date I’ve ever been on,” I admitted. “But I think I like it.”
“Of course you like it, Red. You’ve got pizza, wine, and a hot guy. It could be worse.”
I snorted, and wine went up my nose. Adam laughed, and I couldn’t even flip him the bird because fuck, my nose burned.
“I know it could. I’ve been on worse dates. I’m not single by accident, you know.” I raised an eyebrow and reached to open the pizza box. The smell of the cheese and the sauce was making my stomach rumble, and I didn’t even realize I was hungry.
Of course, it was mid-afternoon, and I hadn’t eaten since that super-early breakfast, so it wasn’t really a surprise. Not to mention I’d been running around like a headless chicken all freakin’ day long.
I was more than ready to lie on a beach for twenty-five minutes and do nothing.
“I’m sure you’re not,” he said with a light chuckle. “Is everything done?”
I nodded, chewing. I swallowed and said, “Rosie’s getting her hair done now. Her other bridesmaids are getting a bit of an ass-kicking from Mom for letting her out of their sight this afternoon, which was when I took my cue to leave.”
“Why is your mom kicking their ass?”
“Honestly? I think she’s one conversation away from losing her mind and having a breakdown, so we’re letting her get on with it at this point.” I shrugged and tore a bite of pizza off. “I ran away.”
He laughed and licked sauce from his finger. “Do you think everything will go right tonight?”
“Absolutely not.” I shook my head.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s my family. I have full confidence in the ceremony, but after it? Not a chance. It’s a miracle they managed to set it up without something going wrong?”
Adam leaned to the side and looked down the beach. “That it? In front of the bar?”
I nodded.
“Nice. What are the lights?”
“Lanterns. They’re positioned all down the aisle and around the arch. They’re all over the bar, too, for the party after.”
“It’s all outside?”
Another nod from me. “Rosie had her choice of inside or out, and since the wedding is so late, there’s no need for a sit-down meal. There will be speeches,” I rolled my eyes, “But it’ll all be informal.”
“And you have to make a speech?” His eyes twinkled.
“If you laugh at me, I’m never having sex with you again.”
He held up his hands. “I promise I won’t laugh at you. Know what you’re saying?”
