Page 30 of Falling for Nicole
“Yes. Chris?” I ask, although it’s not necessary. From Lilly’s brief description, I know this is him. She said he was just my type…I wasn’t aware that surfer was my type, but between what’s stood in front of me and my weird fascination with Dec, it seems she may be right.
Once all the introductions are out of the way, we’re shown to our table and handed menus.
“Wow, this all looks delicious,” I say as I read everything on offer.
“The food here is amazing. I would usually recommend a dish or two for you, but honestly everything is incredible.”
“Well, that’s no help,” I say with a laugh, hoping he gets that it was a joke. Thankfully he does, and his eyes crinkle at the sides as he smiles back at me.
“So, Lilly said you work at The Dalton. What do you do?”
“I’m the restaurant manager.”
“Ah, hence your knowledge of the food here.”
“Yeah, I guess you could say I have some kind of obsession with checking out the competition. So what about you? Lilly was very vague.”
I’m grateful she was, but now I’m not really sure where to start. I can hardly kick off this date with talk of cancer and dead mums. “Lilly and I are old school friends. When I needed a fresh start she offered up a room for me. I’ve been working for her brother at his new surf shack.” I see something cross Chris’ face at the mention of Dec, but it’s gone again so fast that I don’t get a chance to read it. “You know him?”
“Just from surfing.” I feel he’s got more to say but he shuts his mouth and turns the conversation back to his work.
Chris is really nice. He’s obviously good to look at—he’s been turning heads in here since the moment he walked in—and he’s interesting, but something’s just not quite clicking for me. Deciding it’s just that I need to spend more time with him, I pull myself from my thoughts and focus on what he’s saying. That is, until someone approaches out table.
Looking up, I see one of Dec’s surf instructors, although, I’ve never spoken to him and don’t know his name.
“Nicole, good to know you’re still breathing. I guess maybe you just forgot to call after our date, then?” He stands at our table, bold as brass, staring down at me.
“Uh…what?” I stare back at him, totally confused.
“I thought we had a connection. We definitely did between the sheets,” he says, dropping his voice so only Chris and I can hear.
Anger gets the better of me. “What the fuck are you talking about? We haven’t been on a date, let alone a roll in the sheets.”
“Oh, come on, Nicole. I’m sure your date won’t mind me taking his place.”
“WHAT?” I’m starting to lose my mind.
“Or I could join you. I’m not against those kinds of things.”
“Fuck off,” I grate out, just about managing not to shout it. My voice must be loud though, because it causes the waiter to come over and ask if everything’s okay. “Yes, he was just leaving.”
I stare daggers into Dec’s employee until he gets the message and starts backing off. “Call me when you’re lonely, sweetheart. I’ll be waiting.”
Shutting my eyes for a few seconds, I try to calm myself down. What the fuck was that? When I open them, I find Chris staring back at me with his mouth hanging open. “Anything you want to add to all that?”
“I swear I’ve never been on a date with him. I don’t even know his name.”
“That’s not always necessary.” I sit up a little straighter in my seat as the meaning of his words hits me. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for. If you say you don’t know what that was about, then I believe you. Let’s not allow it to ruin our night.”
Thankfully the mains arrive and put an end to the awkwardness descending around us. We both sit and eat in silence, occasionally glancing up at each other and offering an unconvincing smile.
While I eat, I can feel my phone vibrating against my foot in my bag. Every time it rings off, it starts again. By the time we’ve both finished eating. I get fed up and excuse myself so I can get rid of whomever it is.
Marching to the toilets, frustration still overpowering most of my thoughts, I pull my phone from my bag and groan.
“What?” I bark.
“The till won’t work.”
