“That was busy,” I said, and Dillon winced as he looked over at me from the driver’s seat.
“I’m sorry about tonight. It wasn’t exactly what I had been planning. I promise there was supposed to be an actual dinner where we sat down at a table we weren’t also serving.”
I shrugged. “It was entertaining. I’ve never actually waited tables before. I don’t know how people can do that every night, but I had a good time with you.” I blushed. “I mean...a good time in general. And I only dropped one plate, so I can count that as a win.”
“I didn’t think you did too badly,” he added and laughed.
I mock scowled. “I would hit you, but you’re driving. I’ll just have to do it later.”
“That sounds like a plan,” he said and chuckled. He paused then, letting out a breath. “By the way, where am I taking you?”
I looked over at him, anticipation churning in my belly. “Oh. I guess I didn’t give you an address or, I don’t know...”
“I’m sort of on my way to my house because that’s where the campus is, but if you want me to take you home, I can do that. Or I guess I could take you to my place and you could use a rideshare again. Or…I don’t know.”
I looked at him then, the strong line of his jaw, his very sexy forearms as he turned the steering wheel. “We already ate at the bar, but maybe we can still hang out?” I asked, blushing.
He looked over at me as he stopped at a stop sign, smiling. “Yeah?”
“I mean, I’m not actually propositioning you,” I said with a laugh.
He snorted. “Well, shucks,” he said.
“I know. How horrible of me.”
He just drove, a smile playing on his lips. “How could you?”
“But, yes, it’s still decently early since you didn’t have to work the whole shift—or I guess we didn’t have to work the whole shift.”
“Thank God, I wasn’t prepared to work tonight. And I do enjoy taking time off.”
“I can see that,” I said with a laugh. “So, yes, let’s go steal some Twizzlers from Pacey.”
That made him grin, and he turned off the street, headed towards his place. He parked in the back, and we got out. As we did, my stomach clenched.
I didn’t know what I was doing. Was I here for something more? Or just to hang out with him? This wasn’t what I’d expected. I kept telling myself I didn’t have time for this, and yet here I was, figuring it out.
At least, I thought so.
We made our way inside through the back door and into the kitchen. Pacey and Tanner were there, Pacey cutting up fruit for a glass container while Tanner made coffee. It was after nine, but we were in college, so it didn’t faze me. They both looked up at us as we walked in, and I blushed. A small smile played on Pacey’s face, while Tanner just narrowed his eyes.
“Hi,” I said softly.
“Hello there. How did the date go?” Pacey asked, looking at me rather than Dillon.
Tanner just snorted, and Dillon let out a groan.
“You’re not supposed to ask her that when the other person’s in the room,” Dillon grumbled.
“I do believe I can do anything I want,” Pacey corrected.
“That sounds like Pacey,” Tanner said, laughing. “Anyway, I’m headed back to study. You two have fun. Just not too much because then I’m going to get all grumpy.” Tanner took a sip of his coffee, winced—presumably at the heat—and made his way out of the kitchen.
“That wasn’t grumpy?” I asked, knowing Tanner could still hear me. He didn’t turn back, but he did shake his head, his shoulders bobbing slightly, and I smiled. He seemed to be the most serious and scowly of the bunch, and the fact that I could make him laugh like that made me smile.
“Anyway, the date didn’t turn out exactly as we’d planned,” Dillon said, catching my gaze. I smiled, shrugging.
“But it was still enjoyable,” I said quickly.
“What’s going on?” Pacey asked.
“Cameron needed to have his appendix out. He’s okay, thank God, but I had to go in and cover his shift at work. Elise joined me, and our date was spent waiting tables and eating at the bar with my family surrounding us. It was interesting,” he said dryly and looked at me. “I am sorry.”
I shook my head. “No, don’t be. I really did have a good time tonight. I know, I know, that doesn’t seem like it would be fun to anyone else since it was work. But it was different. And I’ve never been there before so…yay. And the food was divine. I had tapas.”
“At a bar?” Pacey asked.
“Yes, at a bar,” Dillon said. “I told you, Aiden is changing up some of the things on the menu and will continue to do so even as he opens his own restaurant.”
Pacey shook his head. “A restaurant in this day and age. I don’t know how people can do that. It’s a little terrifying.”
Dillon shrugged. “True, and that’s why we’re taking our time and making sure we get it right.”
I cleared my throat. “But if the food is anything like he made tonight? You guys are going to be a hit.”
Dillon’s smile was slow to form but wide in the end. “Really? I’m going to have to tell him that.”
“I told him that to his face,” I said with a shrug at Dillon’s look. “He came out to check on me when you were in the back, getting something. I think he wanted to see who you would dare bring into your family’s precious bar.”
“No, he’s just as growly as Tanner is. That’s his normal look.”
“I heard that, asshole,” Tanner said from the other room.
“That’s why I said it so loudly,” Dillon called out, and I just smiled.
“Anyway, you two kids have fun,” Pacey said with a shrug. “Mackenzie and Sanders are in their
