How nice.
Dating wasn’t something that I found incredibly important before. I’d dated through high school and college, but I’d quickly become known as someone who didn’t put a ton of effort into relationships. No one ever struck me as being worth that much of my energy. I had one boyfriend who had lasted for most of my freshman year of college. He was the first man who’d come along that gave me actual butterflies in my stomach, and when I thought of being with him for the long haul, it made me happy. I extended the effort. I called him a lot, always made time for dates, spent weekends away – all the makings of a happy couple set to go the distance.
I should have known something was wrong when he didn’t want me to meet his friends.
Every time I mentioned getting together as a group so I could finally meet his friends and family, he shoved it off. He said his friends were assholes and his family was really judgmental. He wanted to keep me all to himself. Maybe I’d just been ignoring the truth because I had finally invested in something and I wanted it to pay off. I found out four days before our one year anniversary that I was the side chick. He was ready to propose to his actual girlfriend and had to cut things off with me.
At least I got to blow a hole in that relationship before I left. She was easy enough to find on social media, and the vacation pictures I’d taken, both inside and outside the bedroom, were enough to convince her of his duplicity. After that, I was too jaded to try again. It was just like anything else. Why put in all the effort if it was just going to blow up? It was much easier to do the bare minimum, get what you can from something, and then move on. Much safer. Much less painful.
“Ms. Zenrille, your date.”
I stood up and turned around and felt like I was being pranked. “Is this a joke?” Standing there with just as severe a look of shock on his face as I had, was Andrew.
“No, this isn’t right.” Andrew scowled at the waiter. “I had a date with her last time. I’m supposed to meet someone new this time.”
The waiter didn’t look the slightest bit shocked or uncomfortable. “Ms. Parker Zenrille is your date for the evening, sir,” the waiter reiterated. “This is directly from the top to me.”
“The top?” I looked at Andrew. “Is that it? You know the person who owns this place or something? That’s why everything is free, you just told them to lie and tell me that?”
Andrew scoffed. “Believe me, that is way more effort than I’d ever put in to impress you.” He looked over to the waiter again. “You can tell your boss that I’m done playing games with her, and I’m leaving.”
The waiter grabbed Andrew’s arm. “Please, sir. I do have an additional message.” Andrew turned around and the waiter removed his hand with an apologetic bow. He smiled at Andrew and simply asked, “Are you bored?”
Andrew studied the waiter’s face and I was totally lost. “Are you insulting me to my face?”
“Not at all, ma’am,” the waiter replied, though keeping his eyes dead set on Andrew.
Finally, Andrew let out a sigh. “This is the last time.”
He nodded. “Of course, sir.” He motioned to Andrew’s chair, and Andrew slumped down in it, not aiding me with mine as he had the first time. “May I get you something to drink?”
Andrew glared at me. “A beer. Two.”
He smiled. “Of course, sir.” Then he walked away.
I was still on my feet and considering whether or not I needed to leave. I had no idea what the waiter’s “Are you bored?” message meant, and I was concerned there was something else going on that I wasn’t aware of.
“Are you just gonna stand there?” Andrew asked.
“I’m gonna go.” I reached down for my purse and Andrew reached across and put his hand on top of it. “Let go.”
“Look, I’m just as irritated about this as you are. So let’s just let this not be a date. We’re just two people having a meal. You can insult me the whole time if you want.” I hesitated and he pulled his hand away and shrugged. “Well, I’m staying. Gotta eat dinner somewhere.”
I looked around enviously at all the couples beyond pleased with their choices. Why would I be set up with Andrew again when it had been so awful the first time? He wasn’t wrong, I did need to eat. I was so pissed off after our first date that I didn’t have dinner at all. Besides, when would I be able to indulge in the expensive, gourmet food that the place had to offer again?
I slowly descended back into the chair and Andrew didn’t even look up. “Will you get something nicer than a damn salad this time?”
I rolled my eyes at him. “I’ll get whatever the hell I want.”
“Fine.”
Our drinks were delivered and we ordered food. I ordered the salad again out of spite, but asked if brisket could be added, which they were more than happy to do. I quietly wished I’d opted for the cedar-plank salmon, but it was worth it not to give in to Andrew’s snide comment.
When the food was ordered and we no longer had menus to stare at instead of actually talking to one another, Andrew finally looked at me. “So.”
I nodded. “Yep. Here we are again.”
“I’m hoping I don’t end this meal with wine all over me.”
I smirked at him. “I’m hoping I don’t end this meal feeling like my life is useless compared to yours.”
Andrew recoiled a bit. “I didn’t say anything like that. I just said-”
I held up my hand. “Don’t. Let’s not even go near that topic again.”
He let out a huff. “Fine. Tell me something else about yourself then. Family?”
“Was that a question?”
He let out a long, indignant sigh. “Yes. Can you tell me about your family?” The words were forced, like he immediately regretted asking.
“I have a younger brother. Peyton. He’s fourteen. Our parents died when we were kids.” I took a sip of my wine to force away Peyton’s begging pout to move in with me.
“Wow. Are you raising him?” Andrew asked with the most interest he’d shown in me since we met.
I didn’t even want to answer the question. I knew how it would be received. “No. My dad’s brother took us in when they died, so Peyton still lives with them.”
Andrew nodded, losing interest. “Ah.”
“What about you?”
“Parents are married and I have a little sister. Alaina. She’s engaged to my best friend.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Really? Isn’t that like a violation of the bro code or whatever?”
“Yeah,” Andrew nodded his head. “A fucking huge one.” He took a heavy gulp of his wine. “But they’re really happy together and he takes great care of her. I guess if I were to want something for my sister, it’d be someone like him. I was shocked when I found out because I couldn’t believe he’d do that to me, but once I realized how perfect they were together, I had to let it go.”
It was an oddly sweet sentiment. “That’s nice. I’m sure she was happy.”
He smiled and I was reminded how beautiful it was. “Yeah. We got way closer after that. We were already close, but she was so happy that I stepped aside so they could be together that we became best friends.” His smile grew. “I love that little brat.”