Page 36 of The Playboy's Playbook

“I can tell they don’t want children in this restaurant because why do they not have chicken tenders. Clay and Jen wouldn’t like it here,” I gripe, ignoring Matt.

“Laila,” he says, his voice more serious. I sigh and set the menu down and finally look at him. “Why’d you change your drink?”

I shake my head and look around nervously. I’ve had a hunch for a while, but I didn’t have anything solid to confirm I was right until now.

At Luke’s house, there wasn’t a single case of beer and those two look like they’d enjoy a cold one while watching college football. When I offered him a drink before the fireworks show, he sounded like it pained him to reject me.

Not to mention, at Brody’s, both times he had lemonade when he could’ve gotten anything else.

“Laila,” Matt begins, but Marquis returns with our drinks and asks for our order.

Saved by the waiter.

“I’ll have the steak dinner with green beans. Steak medium well,” Matt says.

“I’ll do the honey glazed grilled chicken with mashed potatoes,” I tell Marquis. He takes the menus from us and scurries off to the server’s area. Without a menu, I have no distraction to avoid this conversation with Matt. Fucking great.

Matt reaches his hand across the table to take mine. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “I’ll be four and a half years sober next month.”

As if he can sense that I’m about to cry, he scoots closer to me, pulling me to him, his arm around my waist. I feel a tear fall and I quickly wipe it away. Matt squeezes my waist gently, holding me in his arms without speaking for a moment while I try to keep my composure.

“I never should’ve offered you a fucking beer. God, I am so stupid,” I whisper as more tears fall from my eyes. Matt wipes a few of them before he kisses me on my temple.

“No, Laila, you’re not. You didn’t know and I wouldn’t dare ask you to change anything for me.”

Matt looks deeply into my eyes before he leans forward and kisses me soft and slow. I relax into his arms and when we pull apart, I lay my head on his shoulder. His hand that’s on my waist traces lazy circles and his other hand is stroking my arm that’s draped over his leg.

“Drinking led to partying and partying led to a lot of problems. It’s not me anymore –he doesn’t exist. Luke’s a hard ass and a grump, but he wants to see me do well. The boys love when Uncle Matty can play with them all day and not get tired, so I’ve done what I can to make sure that I can be the best person for them. Even after so many years, it’s not easy, but I’m making it. I’m good now.”

“I’m sure Luke’s told you plenty of times, but I want to say it. I’m proud of you for being so strong.” I look up at him and his blue eyes blaze into my brown ones. If this is what he was afraid to tell me when we were laying in my bed together, I can understand why.

Just when he’s about to lean in and kiss me again, our food arrives. Matt removes his arm from around me and we both take bites of our food. We look at each other with scrunched noses and start laughing.

“How can a restaurant this expensive have food this disgusting?” Matt asks, drinking water to rinse the taste out of his mouth.

I shake my head and take a sip of my water. “I don’t know, but this is horrible. I know I said Clay and Jen wouldn’t like it, but I don’t think Luke would either.”

“I’ll see about ordering something else.” Matt flags down a passing waiter and asks for the menu in his hands. I don’t think I want anything else from here.

“Hi, excuse me.” I flag down Marquis as he’s passing by. “Could we have this boxed and bagged and our check please.”

Matt looks over at me in confusion while Marquis looks down at our barely touched plates.

“Laila, what are you doing?” Matt asks as I put my purse over my shoulder.

“We’re leaving,” I say as Marquis finishes bagging our food. I reach over and grab Matt’s wallet, handing Marquis a crisp hundred-dollar bill and begin scooting out of the booth.

“Baby, stop. Please, I want this night to be perfect for you,” Matt pleads, following me out of the booth. I pull my dress down a little and turn to him with a smile on my face.

“Then take me to Waffle House.”

Chapter Seventeen

MATT

Hugo’s wasn’t really my scene, but for Laila, I’d sit through a hundred bland steaks and green beans without a second thought. The minute she said she wanted Waffle House, I didn’t argue or try and persuade her to stay. I just nodded and followed her out of the restaurant like Nola follows her around the house.

I can’t tell Luke he was right about going somewhere casual. I told him he was stupid if he thought I was going to take my girl somewhere casual for our first official date. He’d have a field day hearing he was right.

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