Page 17 of Better Together

“Definitely.”

He needed to change the subject quick to steer his mind toward something other than her mouth. “Was that the worst date you’ve been on?”

“Ha! No. Not by a long shot.”

He had to know. “What was yours?”

“Your sister set me up on a blind date during our freshman year. She was dating an art student. Someone in her class.” Alexis paused to take a sip of wine. “His brother was in the city, and she asked if I would double-date with them. I said sure. Since her date was a good-looking guy, his brother had to be decent, right?”

“He wasn’t?”

She tipped her head. “Average.”

“Okay, what was the problem?”

“Turned out he was a divorcé and pushing forty. I was nineteen.”

“Sick.”

Their food came, and the waitress asked if there was anything else.

“I’ll have another glass of wine.”

“Nothing for me. Thank you,” Zeke said.

When the waitress left, he leaned forward. “What did you do?”

Alexis picked up her knife and buttered a slice of focaccia. “What could I do? I couldn’t let Maggie go on the date alone with both guys.”

He chuckled and broke a piece of bread. “How was it?”

“Totally creepy. Maggie had the sense to say we would meet them at the dance club. Her date complained a little, but she gave him her look and he backed down. We thought of not showing up, but we did.”

“And . . .”

Alexis shrugged. “My date was by far the oldest guy there, and his eyes wandered over all the young asses. While I was dancing to a fast song with a group of others, he gyrated in front of me, and I almost lost it. I grabbed Maggie’s hand and tugged her out of there. We laughed all the way home.”

“Thanks for having her back.”

“Of course. We always watched out for each other.”

She went on to tell him about some of the other adventures she and Maggie shared in college, and before they knew it, the server was back to see if they wanted dessert. Zeke ordered a tiramisu to share.

He relaxed back in his chair. “How was your dinner?”

“I can see why this is your favorite place. The walleye was amazing. Even the side salad was above average. I liked the roasted beets and the citrus vinaigrette—delicious.”

“We’ll have to come back here again,” Zeke said.

“Absolutely.”

Their tiramisu arrived and they dug in. Alexis pulled her fork out of her mouth slowly and moaned. “This is to die for. A person could get drunk on all the coffee liqueur.”

“I’m getting drunk watching you.”

She laughed at him, but he truly was getting drunk on thoughts of Alexis.

“Your turn, Zeke. What was your worst date?”