Cafe Oz, with its green awning and expansive outside seating area, is just as I expected. It’s already busy and there’s a small queue. Matt waves us over. As we near closer, I can see his expression more clearly. He seems surprised, and not especially happy. “I’ve brought Oscar and Corrie along,” I announce cheerfully. “We can have a double date.”
He smiles tightly. “Sure, I guess.”
As soon as we’re inside, Corrie and I look at each other and laugh. The place is kitchy as hell. It’s orange and green. Painted corrugated galvanized metal surrounds the bar. There’s a stuffed alligator on the wall, as well as a poster of a kangaroo.
Yeah, we get it… this is an Aussie themed bar.
There’s beer on tap, including Fosters, of course. And the guy at the bar is as creepy as the man at the flea market. But lots of people, lots of tables, and the music is great.
“The food is amazing here,” Matt tells us.
“I heard this was a pick-up bar,” Corrie chimes in.
“Uh… a little, I suppose,” he says with a guilty expression, like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“Everyone around here is young,” she points out. “I feel like an old hag.”
I laugh. “You look great. Hot as usual, and ten years younger than you are.”
It’s true. She looks amazing in her tight little black dress and purple heels. And although she’s in her mid thirties, she looks as young as me.
“You guys want any drinks,” Matt offers. “We should order a Margherita pizza. They’re amazing here.”
And by ‘should’, he means ‘will’. One thing I’ve noticed about Matt is that he’s as controlling and take-charge as his father. I suppose that’s why he’s successful. Charming and take-charge — a winning combination for success.
We take a seat at one of the tables. Matt brings colorful cocktails for the ladies and beers for the boys. We did tell him to decide for us, but I didn’t think he’d be so sexist about it. Nevertheless, I quite enjoy colorful cocktails so I can’t complain. We order a pizza, as suggested, and I have to admit that it’s delicious.
We polish off our meals and drain our drinks. The mood is dark and exciting, and everyone seems to be feeling good, including Matt. He looks into my eyes as he takes my hand in his from across the table. I catch the look in Oscar’s eyes — he’s not happy.
“Uh…” I start. Damn, this is going to be so awkward. And we were all having so much fun.
“I think we need to talk, Matt,” I tell him. “You want to head outside for a bit?”
“If we go outside, they might not let us back in,” he points out. “This place is bad like that.”
“Really?”
“What did you want to talk about?” he asks, intrigued. “I’m sure it’s not anything your friends can’t hear.”
“I suppose…” He’s right. Corrie and Oscar already know everything about it.
“Well, I just…” I falter. This is harder than I anticipated. I should have just turned him down when he asked me out for a second date. I’m so stupid sometimes. “I just… when you asked me out for a second date, I didn’t really want to—”
“You didn’t want to go out with me again?” he scoffs.
“Well…”
“Then why did you say yes?” he snaps.
“Because—”
“You’re really something else, you know.”
Corrie and Oscar are looking away by now, pretending not to listen, completely uncomfortable. Oscar is whistling.
Matt slams down his almost empty pint of beer. His eyes are cold. In the span of a few seconds, he’s become a different man. “You think you’re too good for me, that’s it?”
“No, I don’t—”
