“I guess that’s why he came to my apartment to talk to me yesterday.”
“Wait, what? I specifically asked him not to do that.” But of course he didn’t listen. Why was Tanner being such a dick?
“I didn’t let him up. I was…getting ready for work. But he keeps texting me with really vague messages about needing to speak with me urgently.”
“That was probably about the surprise date.”
“Wait,” Kennedy said. “He didn’t tell you about what he saw at my apartment?”
“No.” I frowned. “I thought you said you didn’t let him up.”
“I didn’t. I…” she looked over at Tanner. “I don’t understand why he didn’t tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“Wine!” Nigel yelled.
I looked up at him as he searched his apron for a corkscrew. But he sighed when his hands came up empty. Then reached behind himself and pulled out a sword.
Where the hell did he get a sword?!I scooted away from him as he raised it. Had Nigel finally snapped? I didn’t even know what I meant byfinallythere. He was clearly just nuts all along.
But he wasn’t threatening me with his sword. He slashed it across the neck of the bottle and perfectly cut off the top. The cork and a bit of glass fell to the ground and a little white wine spilled out over his hand. He slowly poured us each a glass.
“That was very impressive, Nigel,” Kennedy said.
“Thank you. I mean, no! I’m Francois!” He slammed her glass down in front of her.
She burst out into laughter as he walked away. “I win.”
I couldn’t stop laughing either. “That was actually really awesome.”
“Right?”
“But you didn’t win. He has to actually confess that he’s Nigel.”
“He answered to his name though. That’s a confession.”
“Not technically.”
She gaped at me. “No way. I won.”
“No you didn’t,” I said with a laugh. “Just watch and learn.” I tilted my head to the side and cracked my neck.
Kennedy rolled her eyes at me.
But she wouldn’t be rolling her eyes when Nigel came back over and confessed his true identity.
“I didn’t expect you to show up tonight,” she said. “And I definitely didn’t expect to be laughing so hard the entire time.”
I smiled at her.
“It’s a shame that we’re not a perfect match,” she said. “I pictured it, you know?”
“You’re not seriously believing Tanner?”
“No. I’m not believing Tanner. I’m just…” she shrugged. “Technically I’m allowed to be here. I’m allowed to love you. But I can’t help but think that maybe there is a perfect match foryou, you know?”
“For me? What about you?”
