Page 17 of Unofficial

"Beer for me. Whatever you bring him," Joe says.

Jess glances at the menu even though she knows exactly what she's getting to drink and eat. "I'll take a glass of Pinot Grigio, please."

"I wish I could drink something like that," Lena says. "It's too dry for me."

"I used to drink sweet wines, but I think my tastes changed. It just gives me headaches now."

"I'm just a beer drinker," Landry says. "Wine's too fancy for a guy like me."

Jess smirks. "You'd be surprised. I really got into the different types when I took a tour. They explained the differences and the notes to help pair them with your meal. I always thought it was made up crap, but I gave it a shot. They're actually right."

"Aren't you supposed to drink red since we're at a steakhouse?"

"I plan to get seafood. White works best for that."

He nods his head and licks his lips. A smile appears on his face, and she notices his perfectly straight teeth. Kade has a slight gap between his front two teeth, even after having braces, but she immediately pushes thoughts of him away. Nothing good can come from thinking about Kade Finely tonight.

"If I'm getting a porterhouse, what kind of wine should I try with it?" Landry asks.

Her eyes glance over the drink menu. "Cabernet Sauvignon."

"If I hate it, would you drink it?"

Smirking, she chuckles. "Sure."

The server returns with their drinks, and they place their orders. True to his word, Landry orders the wine, and they all sit back to enjoy each other's company.

"So, how'd you two meet?" Jess asks, genuinely curious how Lena and Joe found each other.

Joe smiles and glances at Jess before looking back at Lena. Jess notices this happens just about any time he speaks with anyone. A quick glance to let them know he acknowledges them, but his eyes can't seem to stay away from his girlfriend. "We met at a bar."

"I was having a terrible night. I'd been stood up by my date, which is the first and last time I try internet dating. The guy turned out to be married, and his wife found out he was meeting a date, and I'm pretty sure he was bailing her out of jail at the time he was supposed to be there. I read in the paper she took a baseball bat to his Porsche," Lena says. "And Joe was my savior."

"I'd happened to walk into the bar on a fluke. The moment I saw her, I knew I had to talk to her. The rest is history."

Jess smiles. They seem like they truly care about each other, and she's happy for them. "That's sweet."

"It really is," Lena says and kisses Joe chastely.

"How do you know Joe?" Jess asks Landry.

He nods to the server as he sets the salads down in front of them. "High school. We both played football together, and we've been friends ever since."

"What position did you play?"

Landry takes a bite and pauses as he chews. At least he doesn't talk with his mouth full. "I was a cornerback. Good ol' Joe was the quarterback. Had every woman fawning all over him, and he'd be gracious enough to toss a few of his extras my way."

"Sounds like you made your way through the high school female population, huh?" Jess says with a smirk and taking a bite of her own salad.

"I was a typical high school jock. Thought I was something special, but I still only dated one woman at a time. I went to college and realized I was not, in fact, that special. I was the minority, thinking being a one-woman man was what the ladies wanted, and I was wrong. Got my heart stomped on a few times."

Jess can't decide if his constant comments about monogamy are over compensating or not. "That sucks."

"I bet you've been known to break a few hearts," he says and takes another bite of his salad.

The comment comes across more offensive than flirty, and she can't decide if he's a jerk or just aloof. "Uh, no, actually. I was a nerd in high school with braces and thick glasses, and I was the one getting my heart broken in college. Had two serious boyfriends who devastated me. Thanks for asking."

Landry straightens in his chair. "I didn't mean anything by the comment."

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