Page 17 of The Coach

Beating around the bush wasn’t my style.

I want to see you tonight.

Not wanting to waste time, I take the phone with me to the shower to rinse off the sweat I’d worked up at practice.

We were going to see each other, no matter what excuse she came up with. I was leaving tomorrow for four days; I couldn’t wait that long to get my hands on her again.

I rush through the shower, dry off, and check my phone again.

When and where?

Her reply makes me smile; she wasn’t going to fuck around with this either.

It shows me she wants to see me just as bad as I want to see her.

Yeah, I wasn’t going to waste a minute.

seven

MICK

The moment I pull my car into the parking lot at the address Tanner sent me, I know I am completely underdressed.

There was a valet for crying out loud.

The slimming jeans and cream-colored off-the-shoulder sweater were more suited for a local chain restaurant that not only served charbroiled burgers, but you could have some queso as an appetizer and possibly a margarita. This was not what I expected.

I’m half-inclined to turn around and leave, but I see Tanner standing just outside the restaurant, his eyes scanning the parking lot, his phone in his other hand as he checks it in between looking for me. There’s no way I can leave him standing there.

Pulling my 2000s Blazer into the parking lot, I already dread the judgmental looks from the valets as I pull up to their station. I step out when a valet opens my door, my purse slung over my shoulder, my feet landing steadily on my flats.

Tanner is by my side in the next minute, holding out his hand for me and tucking me into his side. When we’re out of the way of the car on the sidewalk, he turns to me, and his hands land on my jaw, pulling me into him and pressing a firm, chaste kiss on my lips.

I let out a shaky breath and look at where the valet drove my car away then back to the restaurant.

“I, um, think I’m underdressed,” I admit, looking sheepishly down at my clothes.

Tanner looks at me then and smirks, “I think you look good enough to eat.” He punctuates the comment with a goofy lift of his eyebrow, and I smack him in the arm.

“Seriously,” I grouse half-heartedly. “I should have worn something more…” I shake my head, trying to come up with a word for it, and looking down at my outfit.

Tanner looks genuinely confused as he looks me over. “You look amazing, Mick. Come on,” He holds out his elbow, and I grab onto it, holding tight. “Let me go show you off.”

I grumble under my breath, something about a paper bag on my head, only partially enjoying the way he chuckles at me.

The restaurant is beautiful, and even on the short notice that Tanner gave me, he somehow has a reservation waiting and ready to go.

This must be what it’s like to date an adult.

I’m accustomed to the late-night diners, to the pizza joints, to the ‘hey come over’ texts. Not one of my college boyfriends ever planned reservations ahead to take me out to dinner. That’s not to say they wouldn’t. There are probably plenty of guys that I didn’t meet that were likely fine boyfriends.

I drilled it into my brother’s head every time he told me he had a date to treat them right, to make them feel special.

But my brother had the same problem I did. He wanted to find some girl to treat like a princess, but most of the girls that hung around him and the hockey team were…not princesses.

Tanner pulls out my chair for me when the hostess leads us to our table, and I smile up at him, draping my purse over the back of it and taking a breath to settle my nerves.

The hostess leaves us with a polite smile, and Tanner reaches across the table. I place my hand in his, and he gives me a wide grin. “I’m glad you could come out tonight.”

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