“It’s just off of Main Street, so we can all leave together.”
“Oh, wait—is it Penny Larkin’s place?” Izzy nodded, and April gave a small smile. “Right opposite the bar. Familiar territory, then.” She hadn’t been back to the bar since Monday’s visit, and with her swirl of nerves about seeing Luke already feeling disorienting, she wasn’t sure if being so close to the bar would throw her off even more. But it was too late to change plans now, so she simply forced a smile and said, “I better get going.”
“We’ll walk with you,” Izzy suggested, giving Em an unsubtle look, as if they thought April might chicken out if they didn’t escort her to the restaurant’s doors. Which, honestly, might have been a fair assessment before she’d put on that outfit and done her hair and make-up.
She looked … good. Really good. And more like herself than she’d felt in a long time.
Tyler, eat your heart out, she thought and followed her friends down the stairs.
The Garden Table was busy for a Wednesday night. Maybe it was because it was something new in a townwhere that was a novelty, or maybe the food really was as good as Izzy had claimed on the walk over. April supposed she’d find out for herself soon enough.
The evening was mild, if a little heavy, but the forecast had promised dry weather so April had risked the walk without a jacket. It was quiet outside, but inside the restaurant was thriving. The facade had been painted a gentle sage green around a large window framed with the ornate scrollwork sculptures that lots of the buildings in town had.
Emma and Izzy had left her once they’d hit the town, going off to Emma’s apartment together while April headed in the other direction to meet Luke. Admittedly, she was still half expecting to walk in and discover she’d been stood up, so it surprised her when she peered through the window and spotted him almost immediately amid the small crowd.
The door opened smoothly, a sweet bell jingling to announce her arrival as she stepped in and took in the warmth of the space. Dark wooden floors and intimate lighting ran throughout the open room, golden lights dangling from the ceiling giving everything a glow that felt almost magical, like electric candlelight. Hints of the sage-green color from outside were reflected in the tablecloths and seat cushions, as well as in the fresh greenery that decorated the corners between tables and draped across the ceiling. The effect was lush, romantic, and cozy.
An interesting choice for Luke to have made.
April made her way over to his table, clearing her throat awkwardly as he watched her for the entirety of the walk to him with an intensity that made her mouth go dry.
He smiled when she got closer and she hesitated, half expecting him to stand and kiss her cheek or something equally date-like, but he remained seated. “Hey.”
“Hi,” she rasped and pulled out her chair to sit quickly. Water was already at the table and she poured herself a glass, drinking it down too fast and nearly choking. At least the dryness in her mouth had abated. “How are you?”
“I’m good. A little surprised you showed.”
It was the same thing she’d been thinking about him, and she laughed. “It was a close call.”
“Well, you won’t regret it. I can vouch for the food at least, if not the company.” He was also dressed more casually than she’d seen before, in dark jeans and a deep-blue pullover that matched his eyes almost exactly.
“You look nice,” she said, avoiding his eyes. It had been a long time since she’d been on a first date, but compliments were customary, right?
“Um, thanks.” Luke hid his face behind the menu, but not before she saw the tinge of pink on his cheeks. “You, ah, look nice too.” For a second, things almost seemednice. “I think I preferred your other outfit, though. There’s something to be said for booty shorts and cropped tops.”
Of course, he had to ruin it.
“Really?” She rolled her eyes but otherwise kept her expression blank. “Well, I’m glad my runaway-fiancée chic worked for you.”
He muttered something in response that she didn’t hear and, before she could question him, their server walked over to take their orders – chicken arrabiata for April, and a steak for Luke. As the server walked away again, Luke turned his blue eyes back to April.
“So what made you change your mind?”
She shrugged. “Moment of weakness.”
Luke laughed, the sound warm. “Fair enough. You were always the weaker of the two of us back in high school.”
They watched each other in silence, the chatter in the restaurant filling the space between them as they assessed each other. A hint of a smirk showed faintly on Luke’s mouth and she clenched her jaw, wondering what he had to be smug about.
“Funny, I seem to remember it being the other way around,” she said stiffly as she reached to sip at her water. “Remind me, who did you share valedictorian with? Who beat you out for Debate captain?Andled the high school’s first win as girls’ tennis champion? Oh, that’s right. Me.”
April leaned back in her chair, feeling like she’d just let a mic drop, but her frustration only grew when Luke chuckled.
“What about since high school? What have you been doing?”
Food arrived at the table next to theirs and for a second she was distracted by the smell of garlic and tomato, her stomach growling. “Oh, I get it. I moved to New York but couldn’t make it work, so now I’m back in my hometown after breaking things off with Tyler, and that makes me—what? Less than?”
He raised one brow. “You said that, not me.”
