by Amber Lynn
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Somehow I managed to get in the door at Molly's without standing in a long line. I looked around the room quickly for Frannie, but didn't see her. I secured us a table and was quickly brought a glass of water with lemon. I felt a little uncomfortable just sitting there by myself, so I pretended to look over the menu while I waited.
The restaurant was lit by candles and chandelier lights that looked like candles. It had a lot of wood going on, and wouldn't pass for a stuffy dinner, which was one of the reasons I never turned Frannie down when she offered to meet me there. I liked the Irish pub feel, even if I wasn't there for the pub portion of it.
After ten minutes, I saw Frannie walk in with not only Gary, but also Nate in tow. My night got infinitely worse within a matter of seconds. Nate hadn't changed from the tight shirt he'd worn to work, and my eyes were drawn to him as the trio made their way to our table.
"Hi, Peaches. Hope you haven't been waiting long," Frannie said, smiling as she took her seat. "Gary and Nate were going to go out tonight, but I convinced them it would be so much more fun to double with us."
I saw her matchmaking wheels a spinning and mentally rattled through every curse word I'd ever heard. There was some part of not going to happen that Frannie didn't seem to understand. For her next birthday, I was going to buy her a dictionary and highlight every word I thought she needed to learn.
"Well of course, we're so much more fun than a stuffy strip club," I replied. They all laughed and I considered coming up with an excuse to be anywhere but there.
I wasn't able to come up with anything I thought she'd allow, so I sat staring at the menu without reading a single word. After they settled in and looked over the menu, Frannie was ready to get some food on the table.
"How about we get a couple appetizers? I'm thinking the mozzarella sticks and shrimp cocktail. Does that sound okay?"
Everyone answered in the affirmative and she flagged someone down to take our order. A few minutes later, the waitress came back with the food and a pint of beer Frannie had added on. Since we'd all decided what we wanted, we went ahead and placed our entr?e orders. I requested the chicken sandwich, Frannie wanted a chicken salad and the boys both ordered Hanger Steak sandwiches with double onion rings on the side.
As Gary poured beers for Frannie and himself, he asked if Nate wanted some. He knew better than to ask me, but a part of me would've actually said yes in that moment. Sitting next to Nate was getting on my nerves. I didn't have any clue what the woodsy smelling cologne he wore was, but it smelled like heaven to my nose.
"No thanks. I was thinking about hitting the gym in the morning and I want to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for that."
I refrained from asking him if Liz had given him decent directions to her gym because I didn't want him associating the word gym and myself in the same sentence. I had a Spinning class every Saturday morning, and I really didn't want him stepping foot inside my gym.
I should've expected that Frannie couldn't read where my thoughts were on the subject. Sadly, she took the same class as I did, and she had no problem with Nate using our gym.
"Oh really? Avery and I have a Spinning class in the morning. Do you already have a gym picked out? You could tagalong with us and take care of your business while we're in class."
Glancing at me as if he could hear me screaming no in my head, Nate smiled and said, "That sounds like a great idea. Avery had mentioned going to a gym and I was probably going to end up there anyway."
Our food arrived then, thankfully causing conversation to halt as everyone chowed down. When we finished up and the plates had all been cleared away, Frannie had the brilliant idea that we should check out a nightclub that just opened down the street. I glared at her. She knew it was crazy enough for me to be eating outside the comforts of my home, but a nightclub? Honestly the girl was losing her mind.
Being dragged along, literally by Frannie's hand, we made the trek to the club. The line was a little long, so we waited outside, listening to the music that was thumping the ground. When we reached the front of the line everyone had their ID out and ready for inspection. Given the all clear, we entered what surely had to be one of the rings of Hell.
CHAPTER 5
Welcome to Satan's bedroom