Did I just come clean and end this all? Did I tell these two doting hopefuls that it seemed there was already a line for my affections?
God, how strange. It was like when graduation happened an invisible door opened up, and I stepped into a parallel universe where I was the hot chick that the boys wanted.
“Uh... you know, kid’s stuff. Hanging out. Stole some drinks from the principal’s liquor cabinet. Got a little tipsy.”
Brandon looked puzzled for a moment until it dawned on him, and he glanced at Noah. “Oh, you hung out with Ryan and Sam.”
Sure did. And got fucked by both of them too.
“Yeah. That’s all. And apart from that, I’ve been home a couple of days taking things easy.”
“The twins have gone to stay with their relatives on the coast.” Noah gazed at the glass of water in his hand and then took a big gulp.
“Are they?” I pretended like I didn’t know and didn’t care much. Of course I knew.
Noah put his glass down on the table and stared at me with his eyebrows raised. “Didn’t they tell you?”
I shrugged. “Why would they?”
Noah folded his arms and rested them on the table, looking altogether too serious. “I just thought they’d have been in touch, is all. I saw Sam just before they set off,” Noah bit his lip and looked off into the far distance for a moment. “It’s just that he mentioned you.” And then he did a perfect impression of Sam, mannerisms, voice and all. “Maaaan, I’m gonna talk to Gray before we head off.”
I laughed. “That’s so Sam. Can you do Ryan as well?”
“Hey, they’re twins, haven’t you noticed?” he chuckled. “If I can do Sam, I can do Ry.”
“So, are you and Sam seeing each other?” Brandon asked me. It was a strange question to ask out of the blue like that. It wasn’t an unreasonable question, but one I didn’t feel equipped to answer. When I hesitated, he added, “Or you and Ry? Is that a thing?” He particularly emphasized thing.
I shook my head.
“No?” he said. “Then do you want to be? Because, I don’t know, I’m just an outside observer when it comes to your life, Grace. I can’t claim to know you really well, but from what I’m picking up, you’ve got at least four eligible bachelors going after you right now. Probably more.”
I gawked at him, feeling called out and put on the spot.
Noah instead reached across and shoved his brother. “Dude, you’re coming on a little heavy. I don’t know how Grace feels about these questions, but you’re freaking me out.”
“Sorry.” Brandon sat back in his seat and raised his hands as if to surrender.
“Well, yeah. It just seems a bit much. Just let things evolve naturally, can you?”
“Sure.” I thought Brandon was about to drop the subject. He picked up his glass to take a drink, but he replaced it on the table before it reached his lips. “Usually, that’s how romance happens, but we all have our reasons for wanting to date Grace. Do you think it’s more proper that all of us beat about the bush? That seems kinda pointless and childish to me.”
“We could, you know, not force the issue and just be friends and see how it all rolls out,” Noah said sagely. And I decided I liked him even more.
“What and purposely ignore what we all want?”
“Guys, seriously, stop,” I said, very much having enough of all this. “I’m here. Talk to me, not about me. And I can make my own decisions.”
“Sorry,” Brandon said meekly. “I’ll lay off the philosophical rants. And I so wanted to discuss the troubles of monogamy and the human condition...”
“Monogamy and... what? Oh, never mind.” I shook my head. “You can rant about it another time, okay?” I conceded and ran my fingers over my scalp. “it’s just I’ve been fighting off a headache all day.”
“Oh, do you need pills? Or more water?”
Just then, the chef arrived at our table. “I’m fine,” I said, dismissing the attention, and I turned to focus on the man with the knife.
When we’d discussed food options with the chef, Brandon hissed across the table, “Take notes, Noah, you could learn a thing or two for your knife work.”
“My eyes will stay on the knives,” Noah retorted, pointing at his eyes with two fingers. “And I’ll have you know you’re making caring for the poor and needy very tedious,” he added.
The rest of the date-no-date flowed a lot easier as we settled in to order and eat, and both of the guys laid off probing difficult issues.
We watched with amazement as the hibachi chef did his thing, throwing in plenty of showmanship in excess of that required to prepare the food.
The food itself was fantastic.
We all shared a little bit of everyone’s orders, so I got a good sampling platter of what the place offered.