Page 36 of Ten Rules for Faking It
Owen laughed and stepped back, rubbing his chin while Everly pressed her feet firmer to the marble lobby floor and counted silently to stave off passing out.Awesome.
“Off to a good start. Sorry about that,” he said.
She flinched. “No. I’m sorry. I tend to be awkward in new situations. Which I probably shouldn’t say, but I made it pretty obvious, so it seems better that you know, I know. That I’m aware of it. I’m not oblivious or anything. Honestly, you can run if you want.”
Could she turn around and just walk out? Owen took it in stride, laughing at her rambling, earning him about a dozen checks in the pro column so far. The hostess smiled at them.
“Oh, good. Your party has arrived. Come this way,” she said, turning to walk through the rows of tables.
“I’m rarely ever called apartyall by myself,” Everly muttered jokingly. The hostess didn’t hear, but Owen clearly did. His lips twitched, and she shrugged. “Just don’t want you to get your hopes up.” Owen’s hand came to her elbow, not grabbing or holding. Just guiding. He leaned down just a little. “I’ll try to keep my expectations realistic.”
Everly laughed, surprised and a little relieved. Maybe this would be okay. They stopped at a booth at the back of the restaurant. Tiny votives were arranged in a circle in the center. Everly’s breath came easier. She’d already gotten the make-a-fool-of-herself portion of the evening out of the way. They were set apart from the busier part of the restaurant, and she couldn’t help but wonder if Chris had requested that. To anyone else, it would seem romantic, but for her, it helped her relax.
“Your waitress will be with you in just a couple of minutes,” their hostess said.
To his credit, Owen waited for her to slide into the bench seat before he sat across from her. A gentleman. A handsome, easygoing one. Not exactly a hardship. She looked around, noticing how busy the restaurant seemed and again wondering if Chris had gone the extra step to ensure her comfort.
“Are you okay?” Owen shrugged off his jacket, tossing it on the seat beside him and leaning back against the padded booth.
Soft music played from the speakers, dishes clangedsomewhere beyond them, and the scent of bread and flowers wafted through the air. She focused on those sensory things for a moment, tapped her fingers against her thigh.
“I am. I’m sorry. I get pretty nervous. I just… well, this is all a bit overwhelming.” Honesty worked. They were adults.
“I get that. A couple of the guys at my work told me about the contest. Three of us from the company entered. I was pretty stoked when I got chosen. But I was nervous, too.”
It was strangely soothing to know he hadn’t been 100 percent worry-free. Not that she wished nerves on anyone, but clearly she wasn’t alone. If she shifted how she approached this—treated it more like a work thing—maybe she could get to a point that she relaxed entirely. She did preinterviews for the station all the time, and it’s not like she was totally inept at talking to people. She just froze under pressure. Around strangers. In large gatherings.Stop.
Everly smiled brightly. “You work for a brewery?”
He nodded just as the waitress approached. Red hair tied back from her face, she smiled at both of them and placed ice water on the table.
“Good evening. Welcome to Antony’s.”
She went through the specials at Mach speed, but they went with items off the menu—linguini for Everly and seafood manicotti for Owen. He ordered a wine, but Everly stuck with water. Leaving them with bread to snack on, the waitress promised to put their orders in right away.
Owen waited a beat before he returned to their conversation. “I’m senior manager of product development. I’ve been there since I was nineteen. I interned before I ever got hired. How about you? What’s being a producer like?”
She found her footing and settled into the evening. There were a few moments where she was able to drop her guard enough to laugh and have fun. The meal was delicious, and Owen was funny and charming. Could she open up to him? It was the first date in a long time that she enjoyed. That was something.
The one time their fingers touched over the bread, she felt a small spark of warmth—like putting her hand too close to a match. Not that bread was an aphrodisiac or anything, but it was a good sign. She wanted that moment, that pause where her heartbeat sped up. Like when she was a kid and she had a crush on Jamie Steiner. They’d had to hold hands in square dancing, and her fingers shook before he’d even slid his sweaty palm into hers. Her heart had stuttered.
So, basically, you’re waiting for a man to make you feel like you’re thirteen again? No wonder you can’t find happiness, Everly. Give it time. You expect too much, too fast.
“Your bill and gratuity have been taken care of,” the waitress said when she returned after clearing their plates.
Owen walked her out to her car, and there was a moment she thought he might lean in to kiss her, and her body braced, readied for impact. Her breath froze in her lungs, and she had an image of not being able to breathe right at the moment their lips would touch. It surprised her when Owen stepped back with a half smile, giving her space as if he realized she needed it. The gesture made herwanthim to kiss her—almost. It definitely made her curious about what it would be like to have those very nice-looking arms pull her close.
“Guess I’ll know how it went when I read Facebook, huh?”
Everly laughed, running her fingers over her key chain. “I had a really good time. You’re easy to talk to and spend time with.”
“Same with you, Everly. It was a really good night. For the record, I’d like to kiss you, but I should probably give the other guys at least half a chance, right?”
She liked his confidence and that he could make her laugh. “It’s not a bad idea.”
“One more thing?” He stepped closer, and Everly’s breath caught in that way it did when she was anticipating something good.
“Hmm?”Thank goodness you didn’t have garlic. Wait. He did.Her mouth went dry.
