Page 31 of Heartless
“Wouldn’t you like that? I’m having a great time,” I lied.
“Seems like George Thompson is quite interesting, then.”
“He is. And he’s waiting. So is your date.” I rounded him and started walking back to my table.
“You don’t have to settle for boring dates, you know.”
I whirled around and continued lying. Somehow, admitting the truth felt humiliating. “He’s not boring.”
“Oh? And what’s so interesting about him?”
I heard footsteps behind me. A woman was going to the bathroom. I waited for her to enter and came closer to Parker.
“Did you follow me in here to ask me that?”
“I didn’t follow you here. I came to take a piss.”
“Do you always have to be so crass?”
“Do you always have to act like you have a stick up your ass?”
I pointed at him. “See? You can’t say anything without dropping the F bomb or talking about rotten penis and people’s behinds.”
“And yet you are here. In the hallway talking to me and not at your table with your interesting date.”
“Because you keep engaging me in a conversation.”
“You find me engaging? Wow! I think that’s the nicest thing you have ever said to me.”
“I think I’ll get back to George now.”
“By all means,” he smirked and turned away from me.
Joining my date again, I forced myself not to allow a single glance in Parker’s direction for the rest of the dinner. But when Jessica Montgomery passed right next to us alone with a cautious smile on her faceand a single nod and murmured a goodbye, I couldn’t help it. My eyes flew to their table. Parker still sat there, looking at us and not even trying to hide it.
Did I ruin their evening by catching them here? I couldn’t imagine Ryan knowing and being okay with their relationship. They would probably leave separately and try to fool me that they had a friendly dinner.
Not long after George and I split the bill, I informed him there would be no second date in our future, and we exited the restaurant.
“Can I call you sometime? Maybe for a coffee?” He asked while I waited for my taxi. I had to rent or buy a car. It would have been so much more convenient if I had a car I could just hop in right now and not have George linger here with me.
“No, George. I’m sorry.”
“It’s just coffee.”.
“Yeah, well. It’s still a no from me.”
“Oh, come on. Can we skip the part where you play hard to get?” I felt my eyes widening in surprise at his sharp tone. Until that moment, he had seemed pretty docile. “Just give me your number.”
“I don’t think so.” I took a few steps to the side, trying to increase the space between us.
“Madison.” Parker called out for me from the restaurant’s entrance and that was the first time since I had met him that I was thankful for his presence. I didn’t feel threatened by George, but I sure as hell preferred not being alone with him and his advances.
So I eagerly turned and faced Parker. “Yes?”
“Do you need a ride back to The Gem?”
“You’re going back to The Gem?”
