Chapter 3: Chapter 3

AVERY

“Is this some kind of date?” Olive asks, wading knee-deep through my wardrobe and tossing out any dresses she thinks I should wear tonight.

She throws a navy-blue sweaterdress and a light-yellow shift I wore to a wedding last year onto my bed. I chuckle at the thought.

~A date? With Reed? I wish.~

“No. Just catching up with an old friend.” I shrug, watching her dive back into my closet.

“What friend? I know all your friends.” She gasps. “Oh my god! Did Devon finally ask you out?”

“Devon? What? No. Devon isn’t interested in me,” I say as I pick at the fabric of a pale-pink blouse. “I guess he’s not really an old friend.”

She emerges from the closet, a black dress in her hand. “Okay. Spill.”

“Not much to spill. We sort of grew up together. He’s Josh’s best friend.” I say nonchalantly, trying to divert her from prying further.

I know it’s pointless. Olive will get to the truth one way or another, but I try anyway. I really don’t want to talk about the major crush I had on Reed growing up, or the butterflies I’m feeling right now as I get ready to go on what is definitely not a date with him.

Her eyes widen. “You’re meeting your brother’s best friend at a fancy restaurant, and you want me to believe it’s nothing?”

“It is nothing, Oli.” I roll my eyes, sighing. “He came into the clinic yesterday and wanted to catch up. We haven’t seen each other in years, and he just moved to New York. He doesn’t really know the city and is just being nice to his best friend’s little sister. That’s all.”

“You have to wear this!”

She thrusts the black satin dress into my hands, the one she encouraged me to buy ages ago and I’ve never worn once. It still has the tag on it.

“Absolutely not.” I shake my head, ignoring the sparkle in her chocolate-brown eyes.

~There’s no way I’m showing up in this. It’s the sexiest thing I own. But… ~I pause, running a hand over the smooth fabric.~ What would Reed’s reaction be if he saw me in it? Would he still see me as Little Avery?~

“Come on, Avery!” Olive tuts. “This dress fits you like a glove. You have to wear it.”

She gives me her best puppy dog eyes. Olive loves to push me out of my comfort zone. But she’s the bold one. Not me. I usually hide in the background, content to let her have the spotlight.

But every now and then, she makes me want to be braver, more confident. And tonight, I love her for it.

***

I walk across the fancy hotel’s monogrammed carpet as I clutch my coat tightly closed to hide what I’m wearing. I’ve never been to this hotel before. I feel out of place as people stare at me, like they know I don’t belong here.

~I can’t believe I caved to Olive again, ~I think, wondering if it would be weird to just wear my coat the whole time~.~

I approach the podium just outside the restaurant’s entrance. The tall, red-headed woman guarding the menus looks me up and down.

“I’m sorry, but you need a reservation,” she scoffs, as if I could never be on the list.

“I have one,” I assert, stepping closer. “It should be under Everett?”

She checks her tablet, face pulling into a tight smile when she sees the name on her precious list.

“Oh. Right this way, ma’am.”

A soft melody fills the room as I follow her. I glance at a couple in a nearby booth, both sipping champagne in their finest attire, before spotting Reed.

He’s sitting alone at a table, engrossed in his phone when we approach. He looks up and quickly pockets it before standing, his smile warm and welcoming.

“Hey, Avery.”

The woman’s eyes linger on him, and I can hardly blame her. Reed looks incredibly sexy in his royal-blue dress shirt, his toned torso straining against the fabric as he watches me. I clear my throat, giving her a side-eye to let her know he’s taken tonight. She gets the hint and leaves.

“Hey, Reed.” I smile softly as I untie the belt on my coat and reveal the black dress underneath. “I didn’t know what to wear, so I hope this is okay.”

Reed swallows hard. The look on his face makes me very glad I listened to Olive. His gaze roams along my body like he’s trying to memorize me, and a blush creeps up my neck.

~Is that interest in his eyes? No, it can’t be.~

“Please, allow me,” he says.

He takes my coat, draping it over the back of my chair before he extends a hand to help me to my seat.

I suppress a shiver when we touch. “What a gentleman.”

His eyes meet mine. He tilts his head, a playful smirk on his lips.

“I’m not known for being a gentleman, Avery. Not usually anyway.”

My knees quake beneath the table, and I’m glad I’m sitting down. I take a sip of water trying to calm myself. When he’s back in his chair, his eyes flicker to my lips.

“You look beautiful tonight.”

I almost choke but manage to keep my composure. “You don’t look too bad yourself, Reed.”

A tense silence fills the space between us. We’ve never really been alone together before. Josh never liked when it was just Reed and I, so he always pulled him away to something I was never invited to.

“So, what have you been up to?” I ask finally, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, I started training for the UFC right after graduation. Spent two years pushing myself, working on my endurance, sculpting my body, and learning discipline. When I started on the circuit, it was clear I was going to be a winner.”

He smiles at the memory, running his fingers along the tablecloth. “I thought I’d be able to do it for years, basking in the glory of victory until I was at least thirty, but…I got hurt and it all went to hell.”

“What happen—”

Our waitress arrives before I can ask more, interrupting me and flashing her flawless white smile at Reed.

“Good evening,” she says. “I’m Claire. I’ll be taking care of you tonight.”

She stands straighter, pushing her chest out and tucking her hair behind her ear as she leans toward him. Reed remains engrossed in the menu, his hazel eyes darting across the pages.

“What can I get for you?” she purrs, swaying from side to side and trying to catch his attention.

I roll my eyes as she flutters her long eyelashes, a surge of annoyance bubbling in my stomach.

~I’m not jealous~, I tell myself.

Reed doesn’t seem to notice anyway. He’s either completely oblivious to her obvious advances, or he simply doesn’t care. Either way, she sighs in frustration and leans closer, placing her hand on the table to look over his shoulder.

“I’ll have the steak, please,” Reed finally says, closing his menu and turning to find her uncomfortably close.

I watch them lock eyes for a moment, my irritation flaring, and clear my throat.

“I’ll have the risotto. Thank you,” I say sharply, handing her my menu.

The waitress finally pulls away, shooting me a glare for interrupting them, but I don’t care. I refuse to sit back and watch Reed flirt with someone else. He invited ~me~ here tonight, not her.

“And a bottle of your finest white wine, please,” Reed adds, his brows shooting up as he notices my sulking.

Once the irritating waitress leaves, I cross my arms and fix Reed with an annoyed look.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“Really, Reed?” I huff. “It’s bad enough I had to watch you flirt with all those girls in high school, but to have it right in my face when you’re at dinner with me? You and the waitress were practically having an eye affair.”

“We were what?” he laughs.

I roll my eyes. “You know exactly what you were doing.”

Suddenly, his laughter ceases. He pins me with a serious gaze.

“Avery, are you jealous?”

I scoff at his ridiculous assumption, looking away so he won’t see the truth in my eyes. “No, Reed, I’m not jealous. It’s not like we’re together. We’re not even friends.”

“Why did you agree to come out with me tonight if we’re not friends?” he asks, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

“B-because you asked me to,” I reply, taking a sip of my water. “And it’s the nice thing to do.”

He shakes his head, his eyes darkening as they meet mine. “You like me. Admit it.”

A sudden heat flares up in my stomach as his intense gaze locks onto me, his attention briefly dropping to my slightly parted lips as he waits for my response.

“I-I don’t,” I stammer, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he raises an eyebrow in disbelief. “I don’t like you, Reed.”

A smile spreads across his face, amusement sparkling in his eyes, “You must like me, at least a little, to agree to a date.”

“This isn’t a date.”

He laughs, a deep, sexy sound. “Guy asks a girl to dinner, and they aren’t old friends catching up? Sounds like a date to me. Especially when she wears a dress like that.”

~All right. I see what he’s doing,~ ~teasing me again like I’m just Little Avery. What would Olive say? “Make him regret it, you sexy beast.” ~

I bite my lip teasingly, and his eyes flicker down to the movement, his chest rising and falling with a heavy breath. I trace the rim of my glass with my fingertip, a half-smile playing on my lips.

“Mmm, maybe you’re right,” I purr. “Honestly, Reed, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drool like that before. All because of little ole me.”

His mouth falls open, but he quickly recovers, flashing me another cheeky grin that brings out the dimple in his chin.

“I don’t think I ever have either, to be honest.” He chuckles, a low sound that sends a wave of tingles up my legs. “You look incredible in that dress, Avery.”

I’m playing into his game. I can tell by the mischievous glint in his eyes, but our conversation has never been this relaxed before, and I don’t want to lose it. I’m enjoying myself too much.

~I can play…just a little bit longer.~

”What did you think when you saw me tonight?” I ask, a wave of confidence rushing through me.

He considers the question, and something unfamiliar flashes across his face. Something electric and full of want that makes me clench my thighs together.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”

He rubs his stubbled chin thoughtfully. “I had to remind myself that you’re my best friend’s little sister because I couldn’t stop thinking about how those red lips would feel wrapped around my… Well, you get the idea,” he finishes, a suggestive smirk sending a shockwave to my core.

I shift in my seat, that familiar ache back as I uncross and recross my legs, trying to keep it from spreading. I want to respond, but he’s left me speechless. He knows it too.

He laughs, and I can’t help but think about how carefree he seems. Like he’s finally free to do and say what he wants. No overprotective shadow to tell him to keep it in check around me.

This reckless side is wildly attractive, and the danger of playing with fire makes it even more enticing.