Page 13 of The Final Draft

He turns his attention to me. I take a page out of Harper’s playbook. “Surprise me too, but with something different. Thatway you can taste me, I mean, mine too.” Around her, I turn into a bumbling fool.

She snickers at my faux pas. Embarrassed, I down my champagne in one gulp. I’m not a fan of the bubbles and wish I had something stronger to calm my nerves, but I also need to stay sober. I’m acting like a prepubescent boy on his first date. Get it together, dude.

“Can I ask you something?” She’s timid, her tone shy. Her confidence waivers a bit, and I don’t like that at all. Her confidence and boldness are attractive, and I never want to see that wane.

I drop my shields and give her my genuine smile, the one I reserve for my family. “Ask me anything, gorgeous.”

“What’s the story with the Swedish princess?” She winces slightly, obviously embarrassed to ask the question.

I laugh so loudly that a few of the other patrons look our way. “How do you know about that?”

“Well, when you texted last night, the boys being boys took my phone and played keep away. They saw your name, someone mentioned a princess, and I was curious.”

“The boys, huh?” Who the hell are they, and why are they teasing her like ten-year-olds?

“Yeah, I cooked dinner for Zac and some of his teammates last night. I should have known to not have my phone at the dinner table. Rookie mistake.” Her confidence returns when she’s talking about the boys. She said no to me last night to be with Zac and his teammates. Interesting.

“Do you like to cook?”

“I love it. It’s relaxing, and when they ask for seconds or thirds, it’s the ultimate compliment.” She likes praise. Got it.

“What’s your favorite meal to cook?”

“Depends. I can make cooking for two more complex, really spend the time a good meal deserves. When cooking for agroup, especially hockey players in season, it’s protein and pasta. Regardless, I rarely get complaints.”

“Good to know. What would you request for your last meal on earth?”

“I don’t know, maybe this place? Are you planning on killing me today, Julian?” The gleam in her eye is all sass.

My laugh is boisterous again. I can’t contain my composure with her, and I don’t care. “Not today, not tomorrow. Seriously, your favorite go-to meal?”

She looks around the room and leans in conspiratorially. “The number one combo at Chick-fil-A.”

I laugh again. She’s killing me. “Beverage of choice?”

“Oh, sweet tea, to be sure. It only took six months of living in Atlanta to fall in love with that nectar of the gods. Zac scowls when he sees it in the fridge, but he’ll get over it.” She beams at the mention of his name. Fuck.

Back to Zac. “Yeah, sweet tea is hard to find in the city, but if you behave, I’ll let you know where the spots are. Are you and Zac…”

“Are we what?” The playful way she avoids the question is charming, but the uncertainty of his involvement is intensely frustrating. I can get him traded, but I’d rather not cash in chips unnecessarily.

“Are you a thing?”

“A thing?” She sips her champagne, eyeing me. A slight tip of her lips tells me she’s enjoying this way too much.

“In a romantic relationship? Friends with benefits? Roommates? You know, a thing.” The thought of her in his bed gets my blood boiling, so I work hard to push it out of my mind.

The waiter interrupts when he brings our food. Her eyes light up, and her hands come together in a quiet clap. “Oh my gosh, this looks amazing. Thank you.” She has a roasted pear salad with salmon, and I have a grilled apple and chicken salad. I’vehad both and agree the salmon is the best. He’s earning his tip today.

“I hope you like it. Let me know if you need anything else.” He tops off her drinks and leaves after a quick appraisal of the table.

She eyes my salad, debating which one looks best. “Here.” I slide my plate to the middle of the table, offering my meal to her. I want her to always have a choice.

“Oh no, don’t do that. I don’t want to take your food.”

“Try both, and tell me which is the best. I’ll order another.” I’m enjoying watching her eat more than I should. Her face is expressive, all of her feelings right there for me to see. She takes bites of both and decides she likes the salmon with the apple. Of course she does. She likes things off the menu. Check.

We continue mixing our plates through lunch, her combining flavors to create a new and arguably better meal than the original. She’s always on the search for the perfect bite. She’s creative and adventurous. Check. Check.

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