Tinsel (Lark Cove #4)(76)

Still, I owed Landon a debt.

I was lonely and sad. I was missing a piece of my heart. And for the first time in my life, a man’s attention hadn’t filled that void. I hadn’t jumped at the opportunity for another relationship. I was going through a hard time, a man had come along, and I hadn’t fallen in love with him.

Maybe my feelings weren’t as broken as I’d once thought. I’d told Aubrey I couldn’t trust my feelings for Dakota.

I didn’t then. I did now.

I was in love with Dakota Magee. I loved him with all-consuming, steal-my-heart desperation. My curse was falling in love with men who couldn’t love me in return.

“See that man over there?” Landon leaned across the table to whisper, nodding to the man sitting alone three tables over.

I glanced over quickly. “Yes. What about him?”

“He’s going to ask the waitress out.”

“He is? How do you know?”

Landon shrugged. “Just a theory. I’m guessing he comes in here a lot. Alone. He always sits in her section. And he’s working up the courage to ask her out.”

“Interesting.” I spotted the waitress a few tables over, clearing away some platters. “Do you think he’ll ask her tonight?”

“I’d put money on it.”

I smiled. “How much?”

“Winner buys dinner?”

I held my hand out across the table. “You’re on.”

We spent the rest of the meal watching the man, carefully so he wouldn’t catch us staring. Although I’d bet Landon the opposite, I was secretly hoping the man would ask the waitress out.

He had a kind face and looked at her with such adoration. She looked frazzled as she rushed around, her hair falling out of her ponytail. She looked like she could use someone to sweep her off her feet.

By the time our pasta was gone and we’d each had a tiramisu, the man still hadn’t worked up the courage. I was beginning to lose hope.

“Will you excuse me?” I set my napkin on the table as I stood from my seat.

“Where are you going?” Landon asked when I took a step across the restaurant and not toward the restrooms at the back.

I just winked and strutted over to the man’s table.

“Sir?” I greeted the man.

“Uh, yes?”

“Can I offer you a piece of unsolicited advice?” I didn’t wait for him to answer. “Ask her. I’ll buy your dinner if she says no. But I don’t think she will.”

“I, uh . . .” He blinked at me then turned over his shoulder to make sure the waitress hadn’t overheard.

“Just ask her. You got this.” I winked at him too, turned toward the restrooms and walked out of the room. After reapplying some lip gloss and washing my hands, I came back to my table.

Landon was grinning, even though he was shaking his head at me. “Did you forget which side of the bet you took?”

“No. And it looks like I came back just in time.” I slid back into my seat, turned and didn’t even try to hide it as I watched the man flag down the waitress, stand from his seat and introduce himself.

After their handshake, the words coffee and tomorrow morning drifted over.

She blushed, straightening the apron on her waist. Then she nodded, smiling as she rattled off her phone number.

“What did you say to him?” Landon asked.

“Just offered up some advice.” Advice that Dakota had given me not that long ago.

“You realize I’m not going to let you buy me dinner. I don’t care if we made a bet. This was a date, and I’m a gentleman.”

“Fair enough.”

I hadn’t let Landon buy me a thing over the last two months. Never coffee. Never a muffin or bagel. I’d drawn that line so he’d know our Sunday meetings weren’t dates.

Except this was a date. The first. And the last.

Later tonight, when we left the restaurant, I’d have to draw another line. I wasn’t looking forward to that conversation, but I hoped I’d be able to let him down easily.

The waitress came over, her smile brighter than it had been all night, and delivered our check. True to his word, Landon paid for our meal then escorted me outside.

“Care to take a walk?” he asked.

“Sure.” It was dark and the idea of being out in the open still made me nervous. But we were in a quiet neighborhood—the Italian place was a small, local establishment—and I felt safe with Landon.

We set out at an easy pace, enjoying the warm fall evening. Though I made sure to button my wool coat and tuck my hands into its pockets.

“So . . . not to put you on the spot or anything.” Landon looked down at me with a side smile. “But to put you on the spot, what are the chances I’m getting a second date?”

“Not great.”

“I expected that.” His smile stayed in place. “We’re missing something.”

“You think so too?”

“Yep.” Landon held up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong. You’re an amazing woman. But we’re missing—”

“Passion.”

He nodded. “That’s a good word for it.”

“We might not be couple material, but I could use a good friend. Interested?”