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“What does BRT mean?” I asked Isaac.
He eyed me over the top of his glass and took a long sip, enjoying whatever joke I wasn’t in on. “It means be right there. Congratulations. You’ve summoned him.”
“I have not.” I started furiously texting back and forth with Denver, trying to talk him out of it, but he said he was getting in his car and therefore, wouldn’t be available to read any texts uninviting him until he got there. Oh, he was infuriating. Now I’d have to wait for him and stay long enough to not look rude. Like I was starting this night over. Not that I wasn’t enjoying myself right now, but I didn’t like losing my option to bail as soon as I wanted to.
“It really is rude to uninvite him,” Isaac pointed out, reading over my shoulder.
I put my phone away and crossed my arms. “You are way too invested in me and this other guy. And I have a theory about it. Wanna hear?”
Isaac smiled. “I thought that was my pickup line.”
“Was it a pickup line though? I’m sensing only friendship developing between the two of us. Or am I reading this wrong?”
Isaac stared me down with a look that would have set any other woman on fire, but only made me laugh.
He threw his hands up in surrender. “Okay, you’re not wrong. I really just want to pick your brain. I have since the moment I saw you sitting there uncomfortably. Please be my friend, Sadie.”
“Be still my heart.”
“That’s me. I’m such a charmer. I’m so charming I’m going to pull out my phone and make you put your number in it. I’m afraid you’ll throw out my business card and never call me.”
He was not wrong about that. Only I wouldn’t have thrown it away. I would have put it in my wallet to occasionally come across and look at before sliding it back in, telling myself I’d call when I had a reason to.
I put my number in his phone, which was a lot less nerve-wracking knowing we were on the same page as far as interest in each other.
“So, what’s this theory you have about me?” he asked.
Darn. Now I was reluctant to call him out on his scheming to get close to Carmen. Maybe I was wrong about that. Or maybe I’d save that for later if our friendship lasted longer than being seat mates at a restaurant.
“My theory is that…” I trailed off as I looked up and saw Denver staring at us from the doorway of the restaurant. Somehow, he managed to smile while also looking grumpy. Denver was rarely grumpy, but I definitely had a knack for bringing it out in him. Right now, he looked like he wanted to throw me over one shoulder and carry me out. Maybe give me a stern talking to. The intensity of his gaze sent my heart beating faster and faster. Every time I closed my eyes this week, I felt the weight of him on me, around me, the scent of him, and the sound of his relaxed breathing. Like the dream of perfect sleep I’d never have again.
Denver had no right to look at me like that. He was a serial dater, and we were only friends. Yep, only friendship going on between us. Just like me and Isaac.
I dragged my eyes away from Denver and looked at Isaac. He was laughing at me. “So that’s the guy.”
“You’re enjoying this way too much.”
“Like you said, I’m invested now.”
“Well, uninvest.”
I tried not to squirm in my chair while Denver made his way over. The watermelon-smashing-video guy had left, and Denver slid into his seat on my other side, tucking away his grumpiness like it never existed. He said hello to Carmen and everyone else before turning back to us, full of friendly curiosity. He held out his hand for Isaac to shake, and they did some weird bro special handshake that would forever baffle me. It looked so unpracticed, but how could that be when they’d never met before?
“Hey, I’m Denver.”
“I’m Isaac. What brings you here?”
Denver slid my lemonade closer and took a sip. “So, I’m doing laundry when I get this text saying Sadie needs me.”
I shook my head. “That’s not what happened.”
“I was reading between the lines.”
“Well, you read them wrong. I’m fine.”
Denver studied my face. “I’m glad I was wrong.”
He did seem glad. And now I had no reason to be mad at him. Texting him a picture of me and some random guy was very out-of-character for me. He came in case I needed protection. In case I was in trouble and couldn’t say. And in Denver’s easy-going way, he’d admitted it out loud to Isaac without making it awkward. Soon, the three of us were chatting like old friends. And then we were talking to the whole table. Denver just had that skill.
