Page 11 of Run to Me

The text I received from Lia when I woke up this morning has put a damper on my mood all day. It’s not that I don’t want to date, it’s just that whenever I end up on one of these double dates with my best friend, I end up bored out of my mind all night while Lia enjoys spending time with my date’s friend.

Somehow, her date’s friend always ends up mind numbingly boring and we never have anything in common. So, I end upspending the night drinking tequila and wishing for the night to be over.

I flip the closed sign over on the door and head back through the store. There’s an entrance for my apartment inside as well as the one that’s outside.

All I want to do is curl up on the sofa and binge watch tv. But I know for a fact that if I try and duck out of the date Lia has arranged, she’ll show up on my doorstop demanding I get ready so there’s no point in avoiding the inevitable.

After showering and dressing in a little black dress, I step into a pair of gold heels that match my clutch and spare one last glance in the mirror.

My long brown hair is pin straight, and I’ve changed up my makeup, deciding to add in a little gold sparkle to my eyelids to match my accessories.

I check the time and realize the Uber will be here any moment, so I head outside, locking the door as I go. Just as I’m turning away from the door, the Uber pulls up to the sidewalk and Lia opens the door from the inside.

“Wow, you look fucking hot,” she says with a smirk, and I roll my eyes.

“You’re the one who looks hot, you’ll have your date eating out of the palm of your hand all night,” I say with a laugh.

We’re going to a little Italian restaurant in the heart of Manhattan. We’ve been there a few times, so I already know the food is to die for. The prospect of eating Italian brings my thoughts back to earlier this week, when Enzo Romano came into the store. But Ishake my head, freeing myself of him when I’m about to go on a date with another man.

No good can come from getting involved with Enzo. Hell, no good can come from just thinking about that fine as hell man.

My date sucks.

Literally. He’s sucking the damn life right out of me. Not only has he spent the last twenty minutes droning on about what stocks he thinks are best to invest in, but he also keeps moving his hand on his leg, inching closer and closer to mine.

The looks he keeps sending me are making me feel sick.

Or should I say the looks he keeps sending my cleavage.

The man can’t keep his eyes on my face for longer than thirty seconds without his gaze flicking down to my breasts and I’m a few minutes away from calling him out on it if he continues the way he’s going.

He’s not even nice to look at. Seriously, he just has sleaze written all over him. His dirty blonde hair is styled to the side, not quite a combover but also very close while wearing a lilac shirt and chinos.

I need to get the hell out of here.

How he’s friends with Lia’s date, I have no idea. Her date—Asher—actually seems like a nice guy and is dressed to impress wearing grey dress pants and a black shirt. Where Gary keeps talking my ear off about stocks and bonds, Asher seems to be actually listening to whatever Lia has to say, they’re laughing and joking.

This is exactly why I hate coming on these dates of hers, how the hell does she land a guy like him only for him to have friends like Gary? It doesn’t make sense.

Finally—after what seems like hours—the bill is settled, and Lia informs me that she’s going back to Asher's for another drink.

Another drink my ass,I think but keep my thoughts to myself while embracing her and kissing her cheek.

There are cabs lined up on the sidewalk and I head towards one but just as I reach it, Gary appears and opens the door for me.

“I’ll take the cab with you sweetheart, need to make sure you get home safe.”

I huff out a breath but nod my agreement, knowing it’s not worth the argument with him.

Once I’m settled inside the cab, Gary slides in next to me and I rattle off my address to the driver, hoping like hell that this guy doesn’t turn out to be some sort of creep.

The short drive is spent in awkward silence once my date realized I wasn’t in the mood for small talk. Luckily for me, there isn’t much traffic tonight and we make it to my apartment in record time.

Once we pull up outside my building, Gary gets out of the car and jogs around the other side before opening my door for me.

“I had fun tonight,” he says with a smile as I climb out of the car.

“Me too,” I say, mustering up a smile.