Page 114 of Just This Once

“What? Really?” I said, shifting forward, hoping to get a peek.

He’d probably put me on the permanentlybannedlist.

But the woman only smiled when she looked up at me. “As soon as the last member of your party arrives, I’ll show you up to the VIP lounge where you can get started with your drinks while we set up a table for you.”

My stomach fluttered with nerves, but all I did was nod and answer, “Thank you. That, uh, that would be great.”

Then I turned to both Nina and Xander who widened their eyes at me and mouthed, “VIP?”

“I know!” I whispered, silently squealing along with them. But this was so awesome.

He’d put me on the list.

Parker had actually considered me important enough to add to the list with the rest of his closest friends. My chest went tight, and suddenly I couldn’t breathe so well.

I almost started crying right there in that stupid fancy restaurant.

Damn him. He was supposed to be a jerk all the time. It threw me off track when he did nice shit. It reminded me too much of last weekend when?—

“Hey, we haven’t been thrown out yet,” Alec said in surprise as he joined us.

“We’re getting aVIPtable,” Nina hissed to him in excitement.

“Really?” Glancing at me, he nudged my arm, impressed. “Wow. Did you call that or what?”

An hour later,I nearly gagged as I swallowed a mouth full of wild sturgeon eggs. “Oh my God…” I gulped down half of my glass of lemonade, then turned to my brother who was sitting on my right. “Quick. Let me have a taste of your bisque.”

With a snort, he lifted his elbow and blocked me. “I don’t think so. I warned you the caviar would be nasty.”

“Alec,” I whined, blinking at him pathetically.

He sighed. “Oh, alright.” Lowering his arm, he frowned as I dipped my own spoon into his bowl. “Just don’t take it all.”

“Mmm. Oh God. This is good. This is really, really good,” I moaned, rolling my eyes and reaching for another taste.

Slumping back in defeat, Alec mumbled, “Yeah, help yourself.”

“Thanks.”

To my left, Xander was eyeing my spread curiously. “I’ve never tried caviar either. What’s it like?”

“Oh, you can have it,” I told her with a mouthful of Alec’s soup as I slid the plate her way.

“Can I try a bit too?” Nina wondered.

“Sure,” Xander answered, situating the plate between the two of them.

“Well, I can’t be the only one here who doesn’t try it,” Alec grumbled.

So while the three of them spread a cracker with caviar, I pulled Alec’s bisque over in front of me to eat more.

“Huh,” Xander murmured, replying first after they all took a bite in unison. “It has a nuttier flavor than I was expecting.”

“And buttery,” Alec added with a nod, to which Xander pointed at him in agreement.

“Ugh. It’s disgusting,” Nina exclaimed, making a face before she politely set her cracker down and then wiped her mouth with a napkin.

“Yes,” Alec said, nodding mildly. “That too. With a slight overtone of pond bog.”

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