“You’re impossible.” She leaned back, folding her arms acrossher chest. “Fine. Whatever. Call me your girlfriend.”
I smiled.
“Stop smiling so hard. You’re not supposed to be happy aboutthis. It’s weird.”
“It’s not that weird. But is this better?” I gave her anexaggerated frown.
She reached out, touching the corners of my mouth. “No. Ichanged my mind. Keep the smile.”
I smiled and her hands slid to my neck.
“Okay, we made it exclusive,” I said.
She rolled her eyes.
“How is your ankle doing?”
“What? Oh.” Her cheeks turned rosy. “It’s doing a lot bettertoday.”
“Really? Wasn’t it still hurting pretty bad last night?” I’dbeen wondering about this all day. She’d run away from me this morning withouta single grimace. I was starting to think she was a dirty liar. A very sexydirty liar.
“Yes,” she said. “It hurt a lot last night.”
“Are you sure about that? You didn’t just want me to comeover?”
“You texted me.”
I stared at her.
“It did hurt last night still. But fine, I may haveoverexaggerated slightly. Because I like hanging out with you. Is that a crime?”She lightly shoved my shoulder.
I was smiling so hard it hurt.
“You already asked me to be your girlfriend and there’s no takesie-backsies.”
I laughed. “Get in the car.”
She turned around. “What are you doing driving in the city? There’sa subway. And taxis. And no reason to own a car. It’s one of the best parts ofbeing here.”
“Do you want a ride?”
She smiled. “Yes. I was just kidding. I hate the subway, itsmells like pee. And taxis are for people who aren’t assistant coaches.”
I laughed and opened the passenger door for her. “The teamhas a bye this week. But next week be ready to take that title seriously.”
“Oh, I’ll take it very seriously. I promise.” She smiled atme and ducked in.
We were quiet as I pulled out of the parking lot.
“It’s too weird,” she finally said, breaking the silence. “Wecan’t date.”
“You already said no takesie-backsies.”
She smiled. “Fine. But we need a test drive. Where are wegoing for dinner?”
Oh. Shit. “I have dinner with a friend tonight. Buttomorrow?”
She nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine.” But her face didn’t scream “it’sfine.” She looked worried. Like she’d just made a deal with the devil. YesterdayI’d had a business dinner. Today I had dinner with a friend. I knew what wasgoing on in her mind. And she didn’t have a thing to worry about.
“Tomorrow,” I said more firmly. “It’s a date.”
She smiled up at me. “Okay then.”
“Our first official date. The pressure is on,” I said.
“Don’t make it even weirder.”
I smiled over at her. “I promise there will be nothing weirdabout our date tomorrow. It’s going to be the best date of your life.”
Normally when I said stuff like that, women would practicallyswoon.
But Kennedy just laughed. “More like the best date of yourlife. Because you’ll be eating dinner with the best assistant coach in town, andI’m not even planning on trying to set your dick on fire.”
I really shouldn’t have told her about that.
Chapter 34
Thursday
I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I walked toward theromantic restaurant Tanner had picked. The rose petals all over the marble floorsin the entranceway didn’t bother me. And I didn’t care that the hostess practicallyforced me to take a complimentary rose for my date. Or the fact that the dimlighting was dangerously close to being erotic instead of romantic. Honestly,this was probably a great place for a Club Onyx event. Tanner would be pleased.
The hostess rearranged her bucket of roses to accommodate themissing space, then checked her book for the reservation.
This was going to be epically gay. But I was too happy to care.I’d play along with Tanner’s restaurant scouting tonight to apologize formaking him worry two nights in a row. And he could celebrate my good news andcommiserate with me on my bad news. I just couldn’t stop smiling. FuckPoppy. I didn’t even care about that. But I was hoping Tanner would havesome advice on how to delicately explain my relationship with Poppy to Kennedy.He was good at stuff like that. Finagling his way out of a crunch. I needed tofigure out a way to tell Kennedy that wouldn’t result in her dumping me. Ireally liked her. I just needed to sort out this mess.
“Right this way,” the hostess said.
Tanner was already seated at our table.
I knew he’d reprimand me if I didn’t pretend we were on adate. For the sake of leaning into the role and tricking the waiters intogiving us the full treatment, I handed Tanner the rose that the hostess hadmade me take. “Your rose, monsieur,” I said in a terrible French accent. Hopefullythat was good enough.
Tanner stood up. “You magnificent, secretive beast! I knewit! You’re in love, you’re in love, and you don’t care who knows it!” Hegrabbed both sides of my face and planted a kiss right on my lips.
What the actual fuck? I made a gagging noise.
Tanner ignored it. He pulled back and patted my cheeks. “Iknew it, you scoundrel. Tell me everything.”
I swatted his hands away. I’d seen him mouth kiss randompeople at bars when he was excited. I preferred he did that instead of plantingone on me. I wiped my mouth off with the back of my hand. Sometimes I forgotthat he grew up overseas. Or went to school overseas. Or did something overseasfor some vague period of time he’d never tell me about. Had I somehow remindedhim of those memories? It was probably the French accent. I’d have to make surenever to speak a foreign language in front of him again.
“You’re speechless,” Tanner said. “I understand. Love makespeople lose their thoughts.” He leaned forward and hugged me super tight,practically lifting me off the ground.
At least he wasn’t kissing me again. “Tanner, I’m pretty sureyou sold the whole dating act to everyone in the restaurant. Let me go.”
“What?” He released me from his embrace. “Sold what? Matt,we’re celebrating the fact that you’re officially in a relationship again.” Hepicked up a magazine off the table and waved it in the air.
I grabbed it to see what he was talking
