AllFreeNovel
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The restaurant is packed. The hostess leads us to the bar, where we wait to be escorted to our table. This place is something. All gleaming, shining bright, with twinkling chandeliers. Rich carpeting, the staff dressed to the hilt in suits finer than any I own. I should have worn a suit, but I didn’t think this place was going to be this ritzy. Lacey fits in with her outfit, but my dark blue pants, buttoned-down shirt and vest could use a jacket in a place like this.
She takes a sip of her white wine. “It’s nice in here. First time I’ve been to anything like this. I felt like we should have curtsied when we came in.” She giggles. “A mere thank you won’t do.”
“Thought it was just me.” My brows draw together as I take a sip of white wine, which I hate. “This doesn’t feel right. This is all wrong isn’t it?”
“What?”
“This restaurant.”
“No,” she says, eyes widening. “Curtsying aside, it’s nice. Real fancy, refined and sophisticated.”
I shake my head. “It’s not you—it’s not us.”
She puts her hand on her chest. “Speak for yourself, buddy. I am classy and sophisticated.” She scowls then turns it into a smile, laughing.
“I’m not disagreeing,” I reassure her. “Fact, you are those things and more, but this feels wrong for our first date. We shouldn’t be forced to be this rigidly formal.”
Her eyes pull together, and her bottom lip pushes out. “Mm...”
“Where I went wrong was, I was trying to impress you the way I wasn’t able to do when we were younger and my money flow was going the wrong way. You deserved more.”
“Landon.” She leans forward, touching my arm. “You don’t need to impress me. I’m impressed already.”
Wow. After everything, she can still look at me like this and say this to me? I take a breath, because I need to. I gently touch her cheek; it’s warm and soft, like her heart. “Let’s go.”
I know the perfect place to take her. It’s better than any fancy restaurant. I park in front of what’s the new best eatery I know.
“It’s a pizza parlor. How did you know I would love it?”
“I just knew.” I smile back at her. I wasn’t sure, but I’m happy I was right.
“Come on then, I want pepperoni and extra cheese. Mmm.” She opens the truck door.
“Where are you going?” I lean over her, shutting it back.
“Well, we need to get out to eat.” She gives me the “duh” eyes.
Cute. “No, we don’t. When I left you at the bar to cancel our reservation, I made a call and look...they’re coming out with our two boxes now.”
She looks at the entrance and the delivery guy coming towards our car. “I stand corrected.”
“You do. Don’t underestimate me. I’m a good date.” I wink at her, and her lips press together with a smile. “Delivery over here,” I call to the delivery guy. “Pepperoni, extra cheese, and pineapple, ham, extra sauce.” I flash her a yeah-I-know smile before paying and placing them on the back seat with two cans of orange soda. “Now we’re off.”
“Off where?”
“What, you didn’t think I was going to let you eat in the car, looking as stunning as you do? I think not. Sit tight. Ten minutes away from our dating destination.”
She makes the cutest pout when she whines, “You’re not going to tell me where we’re going?”
“Nope. Sit tight and no talking, because that leads to asking questions. I won’t answer. Enjoy the ride and the aroma of our five-star meal.” She slumps back in the seat, playfully pushing my shoulder as a smile spreads across her face. Yeah, this is the start of the date I envisioned.
“We’re in the park, andthere’s a band, Landon!” she squeals, walking to a nice spot under a tree, not surrounded by too many people.
“Yep, it’s a big band. Oldies night, every Friday, if the weather holds up well.” Thank God it has.
“I’ve never had a picnic in the park.” She takes the other end of the blanket that was in my truck, and we lay it down.
“Glad I could be your first.” I wink.
