Page 208 of The Bluffing Game

“Good. I’ll be waiting for you outside,” I say. “And, Sandra?”

“Yes, Dalton?”

“Remember, this is a double date and not anything crazy special.”

“Sure thing, Dalton. This is going to be so amazing.”

“Yeah, it will be.”

I hang up the phone and feel guilty for using Sandra in this way, but I’ll make it up to her. I’ll send her flowers, chocolates, and a card tomorrow, apologizing for using her. She’ll understand. She’ll have to.

All is fair in love and war. Even if this is neither love nor war.

Sage and I are not in love, but there is something between us. Even though I know I should allow her to have this date to flirt with Parker and get to know him, I can’t. I want to be there to make sure she’s okay, to make sure she isn’t making any poor decisions. She has no one in this town other than her sister, and I know what men are like in this superficial city. I want to be her protector. I want to make sure she finds a good guy.

And maybe, if I am honest with myself, I want to make sure she doesn’t find a guy who isn’t me. Which doesn’t even make sense, because I am emotionally unavailable. I don’t want to think about my reasoning too deeply because then I’ll have to answer questions I don’t even want to think about right now.

Chapter 21

SAGE

“I hope you like the roses and that they’re not too cliché,” Parker says as we sit down at a table in the middle of the restaurant. He offers me a sincere smile, his blue eyes kind, as he nods toward the bouquet on the chair next to me.

“Oh, flowers are never cliché. Thank you. They’re beautiful.” I lift them up and sniff them. The fragrant smell tells me that they’re freshly picked. “You really didn’t have to, but I really appreciate it.”

“I was very much looking forward to our date,” he says as he leans back.

I notice he’s dressed very smartly. He has an air of sophistication and charm, and I feel like I’ve won the lottery. He almost seems too good to be true.

“I hope you like this restaurant. I’ve only been here once before, but the food was amazing, and I thought to myself, if ever there was a place I wanted to take a first date if I wanted to impress, this would be it.”

“Oh, you don’t need to impress me.” I giggle shyly and look down.

My heart races as he leans over and grabs my hand and squeezes.

“Oh, I very much did have to impress you, Sage. I want a chance at a second date after all.”

“Well, let’s get to the end of the dinner first. You might find you don’t want one after this.” I titter, but I can’t help but think of how poised he is, how he says just the right words. I should be happy, but I miss the banter that I have with Dalton.

Get him out of your mind, I lecture myself internally.

I do not need to think about Dalton, or his offer of a kiss, or the way his eyes stared at my lips. My heart almost jumps out of my body as I think about him, and I pray to God that my face is not turning red.

“Did I make you blush?” Parker says.

Guess my prayer wasn’t answered.

“I just go red sometimes,” I say, because I surely can’t tell him that I made out with my boss recently and that I’m thinking about how amazing it was.

“So,” he says, “you can look at the menu, and if you want, I can make a few recommendations on some of the items that I have previously had …” He scowls as he looks toward the front of the restaurant. “That’s odd.”

“What is?” I ask.

“There’s a couple pointing at us and heading our way.” He looks confused. “I don’t know them, but …”

I look over my shoulder, and my heart races. I don’t know why or how I knew it, but as soon as I see Dalton, I’m not surprised. He’s here with a pretty lady with long, dark hair. She reminds me of Jennifer Coolidge, but as a brunette; even the way she’s laughing as she heads toward us has that loud, uncomfortable feeling.

Dalton hurries over. “There you are, Sage. I’m so sorry we’re late.”