Page 17 of The Love Comeback
“Maybe.” I keep my reply short and focus on eating for the next ten minutes.
Zena starts rambling about her privileged upbringing and the private school she attended with her four sisters. She also goeson to complain about her Mercedes Benz being cheaply made, her landlord getting mad at her for being two months late on her rent, and the way her dad cut her off from his credit cards this previous month…
It’s exhausting.
I’m down to my last slice of pizza. She’s maybe eaten one slice of her own, but she’s on her second bottle of wine. I watch her curiously as she fills up on alcohol, knowing when this night is over, I won’t be taking my brother up on any more blind date offers.
I may never date again.
“You know, I’m not really feeling like a circus,” Zena says, finishing off her glass and setting it down with a clank on the table. “We should go to a club or something.”
“We should not,” I say carefully. “I don’t do the whole clubbing scene. It’s not something I’m interested in.”
“Yeah, because you’d rather go to a circus.” She burst into a cackle that rattles my chest in all the wrong ways.
I let out a sigh and rake my fingers through my hair, tugging at the strands until it starts to hurt. Clearly, this isnotgonna work, and I need a minute.
“I need to run to the restroom real quick,” I say, eyeing my now-melted milkshake that I’ve yet to touch. As I stand up from the table, my elbow knocks into the glass, sending it flying sideways, spilling all over the table…
And Zena.
Oh no.
Her eyes go wide as the soupy ice cream soaks her black dress and subsequently my jacket. “You’ve got to bekiddingme!”
“I’m so sorry,” I say, reaching for some napkins. “I didn’t mean to do that. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.” I just keep repeating my apology, as if somehow that’s going to make this all better.
“I’m so over this,” she mutters, smacking my hand away and then sliding out the booth. “What a waste of time. I’m ordering an Uber and getting out of here.”
I watch in pure humiliation as she drunkenly saunters, soaked in milkshake, toward the door. The waiter returns with more napkins as soon as she exits, and I let out a pained sigh.
“She wasn’t worth it, dude,” the young guy tells me. “I know her type.”
“Thanks for trying to make me feel better,” I mutter. I grab my jacket, wipe the milkshake off it, and then pull out the circus tickets I took the time to print out. I don’t want to waste the night, no matter how bad it started.
So … I pick up my phone and call the only person I can think of.
“You wanna go to the circus with me? I’ll buy Colton a ticket, too.”
“Your date didn’t go well?” Ella’s voice resounds on the other line.
“Not at all… But I know you love the circus—and I’m sure Colton will, too. So, come with me? I’ll come get you two?”
There’s a pause, then a sigh.
“Okay.”
Chapter Seven
Ella
“I can’t believe Kade invited us to the circus!” Colton chimes, pumping his fist in the air. “You never let me do stuff like this on a school night.”
“You’re right,” I mutter, chewing on the inside of my cheek. “But tonight’s an exception.” I keep a smile on my face as headlights fill the glass of my front door. I normally wouldn’t have agreed to this with Kade, but…
I felt sorry for him.
“He’s here! He’s here!” Colton grabs my arm as he rushes for the door, dragging me behind him. I give into the pull, my Nikes squeaking across the floor. Colton rips the door open and Kade gives us both an amused look, his fist clenched in a mid-knock position.
