Chapter 6
Harper
I, Kobe, my latte intothe trash can, while rushing to gather my things. He didn’t give me much time to get ready, and I still need to take a shower. A sigh escapes my throat as I leave the café. I clutch onto my jacket, regretting walking here in these temperatures, and try to pick up the pace before I get sick. This jacket is barely helping, and the wind is cutting through me like a knife.
The sight of cookie-cutter homes grace my presence letting me know I have officially reached my street, and I pick up the pace. My hands are like pins and needles, and snot is dripping out of my nose. Did I mention I despise cold weather? When I reach my door, I glance down at my phone. Well, there goes almost fifteen minutes. There is no time to waste if I want to be ready on time, and I use my foot to close the door behind me as I start taking my clothes off on the way to the bedroom. Thank god for heat and a great thermostat. A messy bun is created after turning on the shower, because I won’t have time to wash it and let it dry before he gets here. I stick my hand inside to feel the temperature of the water which is not quite warm enough, but jump in anyway. My feet hit the arctic bottom, and I start to dance around waiting for it to warm up enough to where I don’t feel like an icicle. Once it does, I lather soap against my skin fast, and wash it off in record time, before turning off the shower and grabbing the towel off the bar. It wraps around me as I stand at the mirror, trying to figure out what the hell I’m going to do with my hair. There is no time to curl it, so I take out my volumizer and weave it through my hair, giving it a little extra oomph and then dart to my closet.
How am I supposed to pick an outfit if I don't know where we are going? Hopefully, it won’t be anywhere too fancy. Maybe this red knee-length dress and a cardigan with some wedges? It needs to be something that can easily be dressed down or up.
The dress slips over my head, and a black cardigan slides up each arm, and then I button it. Black wedges are chosen and slipped on my feet, before I venture back to the bathroom to line my eyes and throw on some light red lipstick. After glimpsing the time, he should be here any minute if he’s punctual. A once-over of my outfit before going into the living room.
Like on cue, the doorbell sounds. He’s here. My eyes get big, getting nervous about tonight. Why? There is no need to be nervous, especially after how we hit it off. But tonight, I’ll get my kiss.
The door opens, and he stands there in a soft blue button-up, hugging his broad shoulders, surveying me, as I ask him to come in. “Let me just grab my purse.”
He glances around the living room, probably seeing the mess I left. “Looks like you’ve been busy. We can go out another night if you need to?”
See, there’s that gentleman quality I like about him so much. “No, that’s okay,” I reply, before walking back into the room with my clutch. “I’m ready.”
He opens the door as I whisk past him, his hand landing on the small of my back as he walks me to his Jeep, and ushers me inside. Hell, when’s the last time a guy opened the car door for me? I could get used to this chivalry. He comes around to his side, slips in, and we are on our way.
“I wasn’t sure where we were going... so hopefully what I’m wearing is okay,” I say, pulling my dress down a bit.
“You look gorgeous. Don’t worry about that,” he says, glancing at me, trying to keep his eyes on the road. “What do you feel like? Italian? French? I’m not a picky eater, so tonight you get to choose.”
There are so many restaurants between Grapevine and Dallas. How the hell will I choose? What if he didn’t like my choice? “Pick a French restaurant. Do you know of a good one?”
“Sure do. I’ve heard L'Astrance is wonderful. Ever been?”
“Sure haven’t. Let’s go there. First for both of us. Only fitting.” I smile.
The vehicle vibrates going over some loose gravel, and when I look up we are on a backroad. He must want to take the long way instead of getting stuck in downtown traffic. Smart man.
“So, are you bummed about break being almost over?” he asks.
I shrug. “Not really. Just nervous.”
He looks over at me. “What do you have to be nervous about?”
“I’m taking over for a teacher who retired. Kids usually give new teachers a hard time, so trying to prepare myself for that.”
The jeep pulls up in front of the restaurant, and there is valet parking. Fancy. Liam hands over his keys, and then his hand falls back on the small of my back. Sometimes when a man does this, it feels uncomfortable, but not with him. It’s like his hand belongs there.
He opens the door for me, and that’s when I see the crowd of individuals waiting to get a table. “We should probably find somewhere else. It’s packed.”
“I’ll go talk to the host, be right back,” he says, his hand slowly slipping off my back.
I watch him, talking with the man, they seem to know each other. He points to the back of the restaurant, and then smiles. The host goes to the kitchen and then nods at Liam.
“Come on,” he says, waving me over to get seated.
“How did you get in without a reservation? Look at this place.”
“I’ll explain in a minute. Trust me.”
When he says that, my heart drops. Can I trust him? Is he going to turn out to be just another player trying to take me home? My heart can’t handle any more of that, and I’m beginning to really like Liam. Please don’t be the case.
We sit down, and he starts laughing. “So, to answer your question. I know the owner.”