The Engagement Game (Book 1)

7. bitter and sweet

I'd already skimmed the thing more than three times while waiting for her. But I'm still not sure what I should get. I look up at her and decide that I'll order whatever she orders on the off chance that it'll cover up the terrible impression I must have just left on her.

She looks up and makes eye contact with me, smiling, "Do you know what you want to get?"

I almost blurt out yes, but I swallow down the lie. "No, not really."

She nods her head and narrows her eyes as me as she observes me, "Do you like black coffee?"

"No. It's disgusting."

She smiles at me, "Good answer. So you have a sweet tooth?"

I nod.

"Alright then," she reaches out an arm to point at something on my menu. I bend down to take a look at what fate she's chosen for me, "Mocha latte with an extra shot" I read out.

I raise my brow at Lacie, "You think I need more than just the normal amount of caffeine in my system right now?"

I feign a shake with my hand and say, "Look, my hands are already trembling enough as is."

Lacie laughs a tinkling laugh and my mouth widens into a large smile. I wonder if there's anything more I can do or say to make her laugh even more, but something tells me that less is better in this case.

A mocha latte? I've actually had one of these before. A few years ago the group had met at a fancy coffee place and Sophia had recommended me the latte. The mix of cocoa and coffee had led to a very bitter experience, and I can't help but feel a bit foreboding as I put in my order for this mocha latte. She can't have asked me to order this to mess with me right?

As I wait for my order, Lacie and I strike up a conversation about how hot it is outside. She walked her from her dorms as she didn't have the luxury of being able to own a car at twenty. We get along quite well, and the conversation never dies down, but I can sense tension between us.

It's the tension of two newly fledged adults nervously testing out the waters as they meet up for their first date. I made it very clear that this was a date, and she also made it clear that she intended on taking the date seriously. But now that we're face to face, it seems as if neither of us is ready to mention anything other than light topics in case we say something we can't take back.

I'll bring it up eventually. But not yet. I want to enjoy some more small talk with her before I bring anything up.

Our orders arrive and I look curiously at hers. It's a pastel green, she catches me looking at it and says, "It's matcha!"

My face must reveal that I have no idea what matcha is because she grins and asks disbelievingly, "You don't know what matcha is?"

"No. Am I supposed to?" I say smiling back at her.

"Yes! Everyone has at least heard of it!" She pushes it towards me, "Try it!"

I take it surprised, try it? Should I just drink from the cup? I look up at her cautiously but she smiles at me so I take a sip of the drink. Its way too hot and scalds my tongue. I barely taste anything but it leaves a creamy and pleasant aftertaste in my mouth.

I hand it back to her, "It's good!"

She puts both of her hands on the cup and goes to take a sip, she spits it back out, "Oh that is hot! How did you not burn yourself?"

I shrug nonchalantly, "I guess I can just handle hotter foods than you." My tongue twinges in pain at the stupid lie.

I pull my mocha latte closer to me. After learning my lesson with the matcha, I carefully blow on it before trying it. It's creamy and chocolatey. Completely different from the last mocha latte I had. I take another sip, the coffee rolling over my taste buds. I look up at Lacie's face and swallow. It's sweet.

Lacie and I sip our drinks in silence for a while. The silence stretches out and I'm about to ask her how she's liking her drink when she breaks it first.

"I've been meaning to tell you." She looks away from me and mumbles, "Thank you for taking me home that night, and I'm sorry about how I acted."

Oh that? "It was nothing."

"I'm really really sorry."

"No it's okay!" I say truthfully.

I really didn't mind. To be honest, I'm glad that everything went the way it did or we wouldn't be sitting here now. She looks up at me, searching my face.

"Really?"

"Yes." I say firmly.

"Okay."

I look at her and feel like teasing her for saying she wanted to marry me. But I can tell from her expression that it'd be too much. I save the idea for next time, if there is a next time, and choose to go with a calmer approach.

"I'm also sorry that Sophia's game went the way it did. I really don't know why someone would pull something like that."

Lacie stays silent for a moment before nodding, "Yes. It is weird."

I sense something in her tone, but I'm not sure what it is so I continue on, "But I'm glad it did because I got to ask you out."

"What, my drunk ass begging you to marry me is something you're happy happened?"

"Yes."

"Liar."

"I'm not lying."

She huffs, "You're weird."

I smile, "Okay, I'm weird.

She opens her mouth to say something but is interrupted by a phone. I feel something vibrating in my pocket and look down to see that its my phone. I throw an apologetic look at her before looking at who's calling me. It's my dad.

"Do you mind?" I say, gesturing at the phone.

"Oh no, go ahead." She says.

I thank her and pick it up.

"Hey dad."

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A/N:

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