Page 95 of The Flirty Forward

“For telling my parents off?” I say dryly.

“For saying what needed to be said,” he corrects. It's quiet for a little bit. “Do you feel better?”

“You know? I do. Maybe that’s terrible, but I really do. I think I've needed to have a conversation with them for a long time. This just brought it all about.” I glance over at him. “I do feel bad about taking six hours to have a five-minute conversation.”

“It’s good you did it in person. That’s the kind of conversation that needs to be done in person. I’m really proud of you for standing up for yourself and for us.” I get lost in my own thoughts and don’t realize that we’ve stopped. I glance out my window and realize we’re at a restaurant.

“What are we doing?”

“We are going out on a date,” he says and then slides out of the car.

He opens my door before I’ve even moved and puts his hand out to me and waits patiently for me to take it. “I don’t get it.”

“I realized recently that we’ve never even been on a date, and I want to rectify that,” he says as we walk towards...I don’t even know what restaurant.

“And you want to go on one, right now, the way we’re dressed?”

He grins and tugs me forward. “You can go out on a date and not be dressed up. It’s called a casual lunch.” He puts his hand on my back and ushers me inside where he tells the hostess that we need a table for two. A few minutes later, we’re seated at a small table.

I glance around the restaurant. “I don’t even know where we’re at.”

“Didn’t you grow up here?”

“I did, but I’ve tried to avoid coming back ever since I left for college. And this restaurant definitely wasn’t around when I was growing up.”

“I looked it up online before we came; it’s got really good reviews.”

“You planned on coming here?” I ask in surprise.

“I figured we’d need to eat, and I already knew I wanted to take you on a date.”

Our waiter approaches. “Welcome, have you both...shut up!” Sebastian and I both look up at him. “You’re Sebastian Hart!”

Sebastian gives him his easy grin. “Last time I checked.”

He looks around, like he’s looking for the rest of the team to appear. “I can’t believe I get to serve Sebastian Hart. You’re like my favorite player!”

Sebastian fist bumps him. “Always good to meet a fan. Thanks for waiting on us. You want a drink or just water?” he asks me, smoothly moving the attention away from himself.

“Just water for me, thanks,” I tell him.

Sebastian smiles at him. “Water for me as well and thanks for keeping this quiet. My girl and I are sneaking in for a date, Randy,” he says, glancing at his name tag.

Randy’s eyes widen. “Oh, right. I’ll take great care of the both of you and keep things quiet.”

“That would be appreciated,” Sebastian says. We both watch him walk away.

“He’s not going to stay quiet is he?” I ask.

“Not a chance,” Sebastian says without looking at me. A few seconds later, no less than four guys peek their heads out of the kitchen. The whole thing just makes me laugh. “What?” he asks me.

“Is this what I have to look forward to for the rest of my life?”

Chapter 37

Stephanie

He smirks but doesn’t respond to my comment. Instead, he picks up the basket of bread and practically shoves it at me. “Eat some bread, Woman.”

---