Something Real (Whiskey Men, #2)(15)

“I don’t know what to—fuck, she’s coming this way.”

I sit straighter in my seat as Lilian stops next to our table. “I’m heading home, but I thought I’d say good night.”

“How was your date?” I blurt.

Austin coughs, and I swear I hear him say, “Smooth, bro.”

She looks at her date, who is now sitting with the waitress. “We decided to be friends, and I fixed him up with the waitress.”

My mouth drops open. I wasn’t expecting that, but things are looking up… until I really think about it. “Wait. Did he disrespect you? Did he really hook up with someone else when he’s on a date with you?”

I get up from my seat, ready to go wipe the floor with his punk ass when she stops me. Her hand wraps around my forearm. “No, it wasn’t like that. I wanted… we’re just friends, it’s good. I promise.”

Towering over her, I put a hand on her shoulder. “Do you need a ride home?”

She pulls her phone from her pocket. “No, I’m going to get an Uber.”

“No, you’re not. Austin, I’m heading out. You good?”

He’s smiling ear to ear. “I’m good. See you two at work tomorrow.”

I throw a hundred dollar bill on the table and then put my hand on the small of Lilian’s back. “Let’s go.”

We get outside, and as we’re walking to my car, she says, “You know I could’ve found my own ride home, right?”

“Why would you? I can take you home. I’m happy to.”

I hit the unlock button on my car and open the passenger car door for her. She slides in easily, and I take my time, making my way to the driver's seat. I take a few calming breaths. “Are you really okay with all this?”

“With Ty?”

I nod and pull out onto the road. “Yeah, with Ty.”

She nods, folding her hands together in her lap. “I’m more than okay with it.”

I grip the steering wheel, and we ride in comfortable silence toward her house. I want to ask her if she’s over this whole dating thing and exactly what she’s looking for, but I’m afraid of the answer. I think about the fact that she’s dating now and obviously looking for something. I know I need to take things slowly so I don’t fuck it up. Obviously, Lucas will be pissed if I do.

An idea forms in my head, and before I can talk myself out of it, I ask her, “What are you doing this weekend?”

“Uummm—”

I interrupt her before she tells me that she has another date. “Go to Vegas with me. Lucas was dreading this trip and leaving Isabella. I thought I’d go in his place and take you with me.”

She turns sideways in her seat. “You want me to go to Vegas with you?”

I shrug. “Yeah, it would be good. You said yourself that you want to travel. Have you been to Vegas before?”

“I’ve never been out of Tennessee.”

“See! It would be great. We can get some work done. Do a little sightseeing.”

At a stop sign, I look over at her. It takes everything in me not to insist that she goes with me, but in the end, I know the decision is up to her.

She withdraws into herself the rest of the way to her house, and I figure that she’s going to say no. I want to convince her, but I also know that pressuring her is not the right thing to do. I can’t make her spend time with me, even though that’s exactly what I want to do. I’m tiptoeing around this because I don’t want to fuck this up and lose her at the office.

When I pull into her driveway, I park and run around to her side to open the car door for her. I walk her up the walkway and stop at her front door. She looks at me and worriedly bites her lower lip. I want to reach up and run my thumb across it, but instead I put my hands in my pockets. Obviously, my request has stressed her out. “I’m not ordering you to go, Lilian. It was just a thought.”

She leans her head back to look up at me. “Are you asking me because you want me to go or are you asking me to go because you feel sorry for me?”

“Feel sorry for you? What are you talking about? I’m asking you because I want you to go with me.”

She finally tells me what I want to hear. “Okay, I’ll go with you to the conference. Thank you for asking me.”

I nod to her front door. “Go on in. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She unlocks her door and walks inside. She opens her mouth, closes it, and then opens it again. “Thanks for the ride home, Ford. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I nod, and she shuts the door. I barely make it to my car and I’m pulling my phone out. I call Lucas, and he answers on the second ring. “Hello.”

“Hey, how’s my son?”

“He just went to sleep. How was tonight?”

“Good. Hey, how would you like to skip Vegas?”

Lucas sighs. “You know I can’t. Besides the conference, I’m having dinner with Jim Ogle while I’m there. He’s an ass, but he does a lot of business with us. I can’t cancel now.”

I flip my phone over to the speakers in the car. “What if you don’t cancel, but I go in your place?”

He pauses. “Wait. You’re willing to go to Vegas… to a conference… so I can stay here?”