Owen’s right here in front of me, and I don’t feel an ounce of fe=r. Part of me actually wants him to ask for my purse to search it. So, I can prove myself to him. To feel good about it. To not worry about it. I keep my mouth shut, though. Owen’s not on the job right now, and he’s also slumped on the couch, trying to make his hangover go away.
I can’t help myself. I step forward, lingering on checking on him. Devon steps in front of me, barricading my path.
“He’s fine,” he says quickly. “He just drank a little too much last night.”
“Owen doesn’t drink,” I start, but Devon’s staring at me with a frown and lips pursed. “Okay, got it.”
I step back and turn to join Marcy.
“You really shouldn’t go on this date,” Devon says, just repeating his words from minutes before, and stopping me in my tracks. “I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”
I rub my forehead and turn back to him. “Why? Give me a good reason, Devon. Besides anything about my sobriety.”
His mouth opens to say something, to press the subject, but as if he just can’t think of any other logical reasoning, he shuts his mouth again.
“Gracie, come on,” Marcy urges as she pulls open the front door. “We’re going to be late.”
I glance at Marcy and then back at Devon. “I know it’s hard to believe that I’m just going to stay sober, but you’re going to have to trust me some time. I’ve been sober for nine months; I’ll be fine. If I’m not, I’ll call Trish. I promise. Besides, Marcy and Landon will be with us, so I’m going to be fine.”
I don’t wait for him to respond. I know he cares, but there’s still something else that I can’t pinpoint or get my hopes up about. Following Marcy out of the apartment, I shut the door behind us, and let her take the lead to the elevator as she begins to rattle.
I let her go on about her excitement about the date, trying to assess my own feelings. There’s a mixture now, a cloud inside of me. Devon’s distant emotions flit through me as I try and fail miserably to figure it out. All I can come up with is that he’s jealous. But I don’t let myself believe that. I can’t.
We walk the blocks to the restaurant. Marcy bounces at my side. By the time we finally get to it, my feet are throbbing from lack of use of my heels. It’s a good shot of pain, though. It tells me I’m finally doing something more than just sitting on my laptop or watching television all day long.
“They’re here,” Marcy exclaims, the words ringing louder than my rampant thoughts. It doesn’t help that in her excitement, she grips my arm and digs her nails into it when she squeezes hard.
She releases, letting feeling come back to my arm, and waves excitedly before picking up speed, heels clacking on the cement of the sidewalk as she hurries to Landon. He isn’t hard to pick out from the two standing next to the hedges surrounding the restaurant waiting for us. He’s an exact clone of my brother-in-law, which is a little unnerving considering I used to have a childhood crush on that man. As I draw nearer, his friend steps forward to greet me and stops me in my tracks.
He's standing right there. With golden hair and sleeves rolled up to his elbows, dimples cascading when a grin splashes across his face. “Hello, Gracie.” Diner boy greets.
I still don’t know his name.
Chapter15
Gracie
“You two know each other?” Landon asks, surprise in his voice.
It’s so weird to think of Landon as my nephew when we’re only a year apart. I grew up with him. We’re closer to brother and sister, if anything. Which makes this even more awkward. He’s dating my best friend, and now I’m on a double date with him. Marcy hauls herself at him, arms wrapping around his waist as he embraces her. The two hug tightly, and Landon brushes his lips through her hair, laying his cheek on the top of her head.
“Kind of. She knows my grandpa better,” diner boy replies. “I walked her home a few nights ago.”
“I don’t even know his name,” I tell Landon, but my eyes are on diner boy.
“Colton,” he greets. “My name’s Colton.”
I jut out my chin. So, Marcy wasn’t lying when she said his name starts with a ‘C,’ but I know she knew. As Landon and Marcy part, her clinging to his hand, they start for the door of the restaurant. I hesitate. I still have a chance to just turn around and go back home, to forget this whole thing. Granted, I’ll never be able to show my face in the diner again, but hey, it’s better than embarrassing myself in this diner. With a complete stranger that I had no possibility of seeing again, doing so wouldn’t be an issue. In front of Colton, the grandson of a man I admire is a whole different story. If I screw this up, I will never be able to show my face there again.
“After you?” He holds out his hand to let me go first.
I bite my lip and look over my shoulder and behind me before looking back at him. I can still leave. Just turn around and walk away. I don’t, though. Instead, I step forward and go first. His shadow falls over me, molding with mine as he follows. Before I can touch the door, though, he skirts around me and pulls it open.
“What a gentleman,” I tease as I enter the restaurant.
He chuckles, and the sound sends a warm trickle into my stomach. The restaurant is decent-sized inside. It isn’t huge, but it isn’t small either. It's filled with mostly two-seater square tables that dot the flooring. A few booths line the back walls, and there’s at least one long table on each side of the restaurant for big parties. Marcy and Landon are already sitting, with my friend waving to us, pointing at a table just inches from theirs. But they’re still separate, so we have to sit on our own, and I have to somehow keep a conversation going. Marcy apparently has a lot more confidence in me than I have in myself.
Begrudgingly, I push my feet forward to the table we’re offered. As we get to it, Colton pulls a chair out for me, and I take my seat. I’m on the same side as Marcy, which makes me feel better in case I need her, but I hope I don’t. I don’t want to need a babysitter for the rest of my life. I turn to talk to Marcy but stop at the sight of the two kissing over the table, their fingers intertwined. I don’t like the idea of them dating, but I have noticed how happy Landon makes Marcy. She’s had some crappy boyfriends in the past. I’m not going to throw a tantrum over the relationship. I’m not selfish like that. I don’t want to watch them kissing, so I pull my eyes away and drop them to Colton sitting across from me.