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Her empty car was in my driveway by the time we made it there. Not surprising since she and Duke were both prone to using their keys nearly as often as I used mine. Flashing a quick, awkward smile for Duke, I led the way up the steps to my little cottage of a house. The door opened, since Sadie never locked the damn door.
Sadie had her ass planted on one of my bar stools at the island, as she flipped through the notes, I made for the next few recipes I'd be sharing on the blog. "I want to eat this one," she said, stabbing a finger into the page for my swiss chocolate mousse cake. It wasn't uncommon that she and Duke would call dibs on specific recipes, as if there wasn't always plenty of food for both, anyway.
"It will go straight to your ass," Duke smirked, ducking when Sadie hurled the binder at him.
"Hey!" I protested, scurrying to pick it up and shoving loose pages back in - praying to all that was holy that they weren't mixed up. I did not have time for that shit.
"You! What was so important, Miss Cryptic Phone Call?" She spun on the stool, jabbing that finger in my direction.
I chewed on the corner of my mouth, casting a glance at Duke out of the side of my vision. His jaw tensed, that strong, angular bone structure of his highlighted in the light flooding in my windows. "Why don't we sit?" I sighed, making my way over to the couch. Sadie hopped off the stool, plopping into her favorite armchair dramatically.
"Will there be yelling?" she asked, eyeing Duke where he stood too still. I knew he'd be pacing back and forth any second.
I nodded. "Safe bet."
"Oh, for fuck's sake, Ivory. What did you do?" I paused before answering, considering my words carefully. Perhaps there was a way to get through the coming storm without mentioning Matteo's name. Duke dropped his head to his chest, mumbling under his breath. "Why? Just why?" I knew he wasn't talking to me; his mumbles were always directed to himself.
I ignored them.
"I uh, just need advice. Best way to get out of a date."
"Just text him and say you changed your mind," Sadie answered, scowling at me like I'd lost my marbles. I'd canceled plenty of dates in the past.
"Well, I don't have his number, actually," I pointed out, wiggling my toes in my heels. The polish on one of my toes was chipped, and I immediately scowled at it.
"Please tell me you're kidding me," Duke hissed, and the telltale sound of his shoes thudding over my hardwood floors announced the pacing had begun. "Why exactly are you going on a date with a guy if you don't even have his number?"
"Well, I mean—" I paused with a sigh. There wasn't much to be done for avoiding his frustration. "I didn't exactly agree to go on the date at all." I drew out the first words of the statement, rushing the rest out in a mumble in a pathetic hope it could somehow be misinterpreted.
No such luck.
He froze, and Sadie turned wide eyes his way. As irritating as his pacing might have been, we both knew it was terrible when he was still. "Excuse me?" That voice was a deadly whisper, and while my friend was volatile and emotional, quiet was something he rarely ever achieved. When he was silent, it was just bad.
"Honey—" Sadie tried to soothe him, sensing the shit show hovering just under the surface.
"Why is there a date in the first place if you didn't agree to it, Ivory?" he asked.
"He told me we were going out. Said he'd pick me up at seven," I whispered.
His eyes closed, and his voice remained a whisper for the next words. "You told him where you live?"
“No! Don’t be ridiculous," I protested.
"Then what is the problem?" Sadie asked. "He can't exactly pick you up if he doesn't know where you live." Her voice melted into a laugh, but Duke's face didn't change. He knew I wasn't quite so dramatic that I would risk his anger for no reason.
I winced, twisting my lips into what I knew was a very unattractive grimace. "I'm not so sure that's true in this case."
"What does that mean?" Duke's voice dropped further, and he crossed his arms over his chest as he strode over to stand in front of me.
I tilted my face up to look at him fully, giving him my best innocent expression to placate him. "I—well, he's probably capable of finding out where I live pretty easily," I admitted.
"Who?" Duke's voice trembled, and I knew he had a very good idea.
"Duke—" I started.
"Who is the fucking date with, Ivory?" he warned.
"Matteo," I whispered against my better judgment. Duke's body went taut, and he stared down at me in disbelief before storming through my living room and out my back door to the yard.
