5. Uncomfortable Dinner: Todd

Waiting. Ugh! There was nothing worse.

I sat on my couch and bit at my thumbnail. I'd already showered and dressed in the best suit I owned. It was the one my parents had bought me for graduation. They probably saved up for months for it. It was off the rack, but it was nice. I stood and paced between the couch and the kitchen bar. My nerves kicked in, and suddenly, I felt like this was the worst idea I had ever had.

Then my phone buzzed. I grabbed it off of the coffee table. He was here. In the parking garage. Shit.

I should probably text him that I'd changed my mind while I could still back out. But then, what would that accomplish? I would have to go on that stupid cruise alone with my friends thinking I was a loser. I was not going to be a loser. Fuck!

I texted that I was coming, tucked my wallet in my pocket, and locked the door on my way out.

When I stepped off the elevator, a sleek, black BMW was parked in the visitor spot, and Larry was behind the wheel. He spotted me and stepped out of the car. "Todd. Hi. You look nice." He looked nicer. He walked around the front of the car and opened the passenger door. I'd learned from Jax and Royce what a bespoke suit looked like, and what he wore had to be exactly that, in dark gray with a shiny dark blue shirt and a tie that complimented both. And shiny shoes. So refined.

I bit my bottom lip and got in the car. I was in over my head. But Larry couldn't have done a better job auditioning for this role if he had known he was. But he didn't know. Yet.

"Thanks for picking me up," I said when he climbed back into the driver's seat.

"No problem. I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say." He sounded genuine. He wasn't mocking me at all, which helped ease the worry knotting my stomach.

He pulled out of the garage and headed west down Palm.

"Uh, where are we going, by the way?" He had said to dress up, but not where he was taking me, and now I was curious.

"You'll see." He turned to look at me and waggled his eyebrows.

"Hmm…I'm not very good with surprises. And you don't have to go to all this trouble."

"No trouble. We have reservations, so we're going."

"Going where?"

Larry's laughter echoed through the car, and I smiled, finding it delightful. "Todd…you are a breath of fresh air."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes, but he didn't see it since he was watching the road.

He grumbled a little at the traffic, but soon enough, we got on the interstate. I kept expecting him to get off at one exit or another, but apparently, we weren't going downtown.

"So…how did you meet Levi?" he asked as the traffic slowed. Again.

"Royce. He worked with Levi's sister and helped us work things out so he could move in with me. I needed a roomie."

"Sure. I haven't had a roommate in a long time. I roomed with Hudson in college for a while, though. I think that was the last time." He finally hit his blinker and took the exit at Lois. I still didn't have a guess as to where we were going. "But that was a long time ago. I'm a bit older than you, I guess."

"I think so. I'm twenty-five. How about you?"

"Woo…I'm in my forties, and that's all I'm saying."

I chuckled at his reaction. "Come on, Larry, you know what they say?"

"Uh, no, no, I don't. Who are they? And what exactly do they say, Todd?" He was mocking me but in a playful way that came off flirty. I would allow that. For now.

"Hm…everyone, and they say age is only a number, Larry."

"Well. It's a number, all right."

"Whatever. You look great. I'm sure it doesn't matter." I wanted to say he looked sexy but that would be too much. I wasn't flirting. Not going to flirt. This was business and nothing else. But the longer we drove, the more I had to remind myself he was an asshole.

We finally pulled into International Plaza, which was horrible for guessing where we were going, considering it had multiple nice restaurants. He pulled in near the Cheesecake Factory, so I figured that was it, but I was wrong. He pulled up to the valet parking lot and got out. Great. He tipped the guy and gave up his keys before extending his arm to me. "Shall we?"

I scowled. "How far are we walking?" I pointed at the entrance to the Cheesecake Factory, but he shook his head and led me beyond the restaurant. An outdoor patio area separated the entrances between the Cheesecake Factory, where we were not going, and The Capital Grille, where Larry was leading me. Well, shit. "Capital Grille? Are you kidding me?" That place was described with no less than four dollar signs on the internet.

"I don't kid. Come on. Like I said, we have reservations." We walked to the entrance between two cement lions keeping guard on either side of the awning. It all looked like a very high-end hotel. Inside, he gave his name, and we were quickly seated.

I leaned toward him across the table. "You didn't have to try this hard."

He shrugged. "I figured we might as well enjoy it. Do you prefer wine or something stronger?"

It was on the tip of my tongue to order a frozen daiquiri, but this place was fancier than that. "Wine, please."

"Let's be adventurous and get what they suggest goes with the meal, shall we?" He smiled so sweetly that I found myself nodding along with him. Levi had told me he was a broker of some kind, making deals with Hudson. I could easily see why he was successful at selling. Larry was smooth.

When the server came, we ordered shrimp cocktail and, surprisingly, a riesling to go with it. When the server left, Larry asked. "So, what is this proposition all about?"

"Maybe we could have the wine first?" I asked, actually wishing for a shot of something stronger. A lot stronger. But no. I needed to do this sober. I shook my head. "Seriously…" I took a deep breath. "You know about this cruise? Jax's cruise?"

His brows furrowed. "Jax…You mean Jaxson Hoadley, right?"

"Yes…"

Larry nodded. "I recall something about a cruise. They mentioned it at the dinner." He unfolded his napkin and put it in his lap, along with his hands. "Honestly, I didn't think much about it since. Why?"

"Well, Jax and Royce are my best friends, and I'm expected to go." I held my hand up as if that explained everything, but I knew damn well it didn't. I would have to elaborate, but how did I do that without spilling my entire life?

The server showed up with two glasses and a bottle. He opened it and poured a bit for Larry to sip, and when Larry nodded, the server poured the other two and left the bottle on the table. Larry held his glass up. "To new propositions. Cheers."

I tapped my glass against his and took a sip. It was sweet. "Nice. I don't think we should drink the entire bottle." He waved me off, so I sat my glass on the table. "Anyway…they have dates. I don't."

When I said nothing else, he asked, "Do you need a date?"

"Sort of…" I tilted my head back and forth. "More like a pretend date."

"To go on the cruise?" His expression was blank, so I had no idea if he was following me or what he thought of it at all. I figured I was going to have to spell it out.

"Yes. I need someone to pretend to date me, go on the cruise, and then break up." There. I said it.

Larry leaned back in his chair and looked at me for a moment. "You want me? You want me to be that pretend date?"

I bit my lip. And nodded.

He exhaled loudly, but then the shrimp came. We ate and drank wine, and he ordered lobster bisque and Rib-eye, as well as a different wine for every part of the meal. And I stuffed myself. But we didn't talk about it again until all the food and wine had been cleared and the server asked if we would like dessert.

"Coffee?" I asked. "With cream, please."

Larry nodded and held up two fingers. The server took off to fetch the last of our meal, and when he was out of earshot, Larry leaned forward. "Okay. What's in it for me?"

I pursed my lips together. "The rules are no sex and PDA kept to a minimum and in front of my friends or in public, or on the cruise only."

"I repeat. What's in it for me?"

I hadn't thought of that. "It will be fun?" And my friends will think I'm cool. They'll think I'm one of them. Of course, I didn't say that. He didn't need to know that much. "The cruise is free, not that you need a free cruise, but…"

"How many dates?"

"A few. Three or four before the cruise. On the cruise. At least part of the cruise. We could stage the breakup on the boat." Then, avoid each other.

"I supposed this is date one? W-Would the pup stuff be involved?"

"Well, only on the cruise, but you don't have to be involved with it there either. You can watch. If you wanted." I left it open, hopeful he would be interested to find out more. "Or not or whatever."

"Let me think about it?"

"Sure." I brought my hand to my mouth to bite my thumbnail but remembered where I was and who I was with and put it in my lap instead. That coffee couldn't get there fast enough.

We finished dinner civilly, though I wanted to kick Larry under the table. Was he seriously thinking about it, or was he stringing me along before he said no? Was he disappointed that I took sex off the table? There was no way I was having sex with him. He was an asshole.

A sexy, rich asshole, but an asshole, nonetheless.

Larry paid the tab and walked me out. He tipped the valet while I got in the passenger seat. The drive home would be uncomfortable, and I had half a mind to grab an Uber instead. But then he was climbing into the driver's seat and pulling away. I bit my lip.

Eventually, he broke the silence. "Your proposition is interesting, Todd. I'll be honest, you completely surprised me, but…I promise I'll think about it."

"You sound sincere."

"Ha. And you sound surprised."

"Well…" I turned to look out the window and watch the streetlights go by. It had gotten dark while we ate.

"So, the elephant in the room it is…I'm sorry."

"What?" I sat up straight and looked at him.

Larry sighed. "I was a jerk at the birthday party. I, well, I was surprised. You have a way of doing that to me. But I admit. I don't know anything about the pet play, and I shouldn't make judgements."

"Okay…" I could work with that.

"And we don't really know each other at all."

"No, we don't."

"So, sincerely, I'll think about all of this and let you know. I won't take too long."

What had he done with the asshole frog? I hadn't even kissed him, and he was already acting like an unexpected prince.

Larry dropped me off at home, and I went upstairs and changed. I couldn't get out of the suit fast enough. I groaned as I hung it up, knowing I had to have it cleaned soon. It needed to be ready if I actually landed an interview at some point.

Since it wasn't terribly late, I grabbed a bottle of water and settled down in the living room to do some gaming. Maybe Justin was on again and up for another Mario Kart ass whopping.

Before the system powered up, my phone dinged with a text. It was Larry. He agreed.

He fucking agreed.

Then, before I even answered, he requested a second date. Well, okay! Maybe this would work out after all.