IOBJECT – Can we just meet please?
Ugh. As rude as ever.
I glance around my studio apartment. Although I’m not embarrassed about where I live, I can picture him living in some super posh place with a doorman. No way do I want him coming here and seeing that crinkled nose of his on display.
After a quick Google search, I message him an address.
RAINBOW RIDER – 281 3rd Avenue – See you there in an hour.
His response is immediate.
IOBJECT – I’ll be there.
I set down my phone and grin. Oh, he’s gonna hate me when he realizes where we’re meeting. I almost can’t wait the hour.
ChapterSeven
Andrew
Iglance at my phone to double-check the address then look back up at the sign overhead. Sure enough, this is it.
Rolf’s German Restaurant
Christ. It looks like Christmas threw up all over this place. Through the window, I see thousands of Christmas bulbs hanging from the ceiling with garland. Those fake silver icicles hang from the garland, and odd, creepy-looking dolls are stuck in here and there. It’s like a holiday version of hell. My own hell.
“Isn’t it fantastic?”
I turn toward the voice behind me.Fuck me.
Kenzie smiles up at me with her long blonde hair hanging in waves down to her breasts. She wears a cream wool coat that nips in at her waist. Definitely an upgrade from the elf costume. The elf costume didn’t hide her attractiveness, but tonight she looks like a woman that I know beyond a doubt I’ll picture when I’m jacking off again.
I clear my throat. “I assume you picked this place to spite me?”
She grins. “Of course I did. Shall we?” She motions toward the door then skips over there.
She’s obviously still miffed with me and I have no idea how she manages to put a smile on her face and be so jovial.
I follow her into the restaurant and have to blink a few times from being assaulted by the holiday decor. Literally every surface of the ceiling is covered. I almost feel as though I have to duck so I don’t walk into one of those creepy dolls.
Kenzie talks to the host for a moment, and he points at the bar area. She looks over her shoulder at me and motions me forward. “You good if we just sit at the bar? They don’t have any tables available.”
“That’ll do.”
She nods and heads into the bar section, taking the only free two stools at the end of the bar. The bartender walks over to us and gives Kenzie a big smile, leaning in to ask her what she’d like to drink. He’s younger and his Christmas sweater says he’s a fan of the holiday, just like she is.
His blatant appraisal of her irritates me, but I refuse to give any thought as to why.
She studies the drink menu display for a moment before passing it to me. “I’ll have the eggnog cocktail.”
The bartender winks. “One eggnog cocktail coming up. And for you?” He barely spares me a glance before looking back at Kenzie.
“Do you have any beer on tap?”
“He’ll have the Grinch cocktail,” Kenzie butts in, thumbing in my direction.
“Done. Be back in a few.” The bartender takes the drink menu and places it under the bar then walks away.
I’m left staring after him, my jaw ticcing. “Was there a reason I couldn’t order for myself?”