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“Of course. I’ll be right back with your drinks and a menu for the lady,” Mark says before turning on his heel and leaving us alone again.
I smirk at David. “I take it you come here pretty often? Is this where you bring all of your dates?”
David’s shoulders begin to shake and he erupts into laughter. I don’t think I've ever seen him laugh this hard. His head even falls back while he laughs. I watch him in amusement, waiting for him to answer my question.
He quiets down and takes another sip of water. “Isa, you’re the only date I’ve ever brought here. And I probably haven’t even been on a date in at least a year.” He huffs out a laugh.
My eyebrows draw together in confusion. “What? Why?”
“I don’t exactly exude the debonair charisma women like.” He smirks and gives me a look like he’s daring me to disagree.
I giggle at his answer, remembering our interactions before I realized he was actually a decent human. “Okay… but you’re so… “ I stumble over my words and use my hand and wave it around in his direction. “Handsome, and well spoken, and intelligent—”
He cuts me off before I can go on. “Someone would have to take the time to get to know me to know that… well, except the handsome part.” He winks at me and I laugh.
Mark comes back in with our drinks and a menu. We offer our thanks and he exits the room again.
David takes a sip of his bourbon and closes his eyes to savor it. When he opens his eyes again, he pins me with a serious look. “How about you?”
I take a sip of my sangria, which is amazing. David continues speaking, “You go on dates frequently, don’t you?”
His assumption surprises me and my sangria goes down the wrong pipe, making me cough and splutter. I take my cloth napkin from my lap and dab at the corners of my mouth. “Uh, I mean… I’ve been on more dates this last year than you have… but I don’t go out with a different guy every night of the week.”
“I didn’t mean to offend… it’s just that you’re so outgoing, and… well, stunning. I thought you must get asked out all the time.”
My cheeks heat at his compliment. When David gives a compliment, it’s because he’s being honest, not because he thinks it’s expected.
“Thank you.” I smile at him then reach for my menu and open it, covering my blush from his sight as I peruse the dinner options.
The door opens once more, and I expect it to be Mark coming to take our order… but it’s an attractive couple, probably in their fifties. They look strangely familiar.
“David! We’ve missed you!” The woman rushes toward him and places a hand on each side of his face.
“Mom? Dad?” He groans and shimmies out of her hands. “What are you guys doing here?”
Chapter twenty-one
David
I’m staring slack-jawed at my parents, who’ve just interrupted the only date I’ve had in over a year. Do parents have a sensor that goes off about these things?
“We tracked you on the Find My Friends app! Isn’t that neat?” Mom says excitedly.
Dad grins at me, neither of them noticing my date yet, apparently. “Technology these days, it’s incredible.”
I blink a few times, hoping they’ll disappear. “Uh yeah, incredible.”
Mom finally notices Isa and gasps. “Oh my goodness, are you on a date? You’re his neighbor, right?”
Isa looks at me with a mischievous grin and sticks her hand out in front of my mother to shake her hand. “Yes, Isabella. I finally got the nerve to ask this big hunk over here on a date.” She gestures toward me with her thumb.
My mom looks delighted and starts to speak, but I quickly stand from my seat and interrupt. “Isabella, you remember my parents, Ted and Diane? Mom and Dad, this is Isabella. Now that everyone’s introduced, why don’t you guys go find your own table… preferably in a different restaurant.”
I place one hand on my dad’s shoulder and the other on my mom’s and guide them in the direction of the door.
My mother giggles. “Oh, I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to embarrass you!”
“We were just anxious to hear about your trip and couldn’t wait until Sunday to see you,” Dad explains. “We assumed you were dining alone, as usual,” he whispers, like dining alone is horrifying.
