“Is everything okay?” he asked, glancing behind him.
I forced a smile. “Yeah… I just need to use the restroom.” I slipped back inside.
The waitress was at the bar. When she saw me, her eyes widened.
“What is this?” I whispered, holding up the receipt.
She leaned in. “You don’t know him, do you?”
My stomach twisted. “What do you mean?”
She looked around. “He brings all kinds of women here. He always pretends to be broke. Some end up paying. One came back crying last week—she said he robbed her. She let him stay with her. Her laptop and jewelry are gone.”
I looked at her without saying a word.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know how else to warn you.”
I thanked her, left, and got into Deacon’s car.
He didn’t notice my silence. He just kept talking—about his training plan, his startup idea, how his ex was “too pushy.” I nodded, watching the city fade away outside the window, wondering how much of it was learned.
When he dropped me off, he leaned over and asked, “Second date?”
I smiled slightly. “I’ll send you a text.”
He drove away, still smiling broadly. I stood on the porch, my heart pounding. Part of me wanted to block him out and forget it had ever happened.
ADVERTISEMENT
