Jenni laughed again and nodded. “Fine, dinner it is. Where are we heading?”
“The Red Roof,” Samuel replied, hoisting himself into the driver’s seat as the rest of us got into the truck.
I stood back to let Kelly in and was a little surprised when she opted for the backseat next to Jenni. I gave her a confused look, and she shot me a warning gaze that made me smile.
It looked like I wasn’t the only infatuated with Jenni Wright.
Chapter 8: Jenni
The Red Roof wasn’t the kind of restaurant where you expected to see the rich and the glamorous. But it was one of the best in Kent, and probably the only place you could really take a date to. The owner, a wonderful woman whose mother had opened the restaurant thirty years ago, tried her best to make the atmosphere as cozy and welcoming as possible. Which just added to the appeal. The fact that she had a sort of monopoly on fine dining in Kent didn’t change the fact that she put her heart and soul into the place.
Which was one of the reasons why the place was packed when we walked in. A lot of times, just getting a table at The Red Roof required a reservation, but apparently Samuel Logan was so popular there, they already had a table ready for him. It felt nice to be able to just walk in and eat, and I giggled when Samuel leaned in and told me that he should probably be charged rent for the table he usually occupied.
We were led to a table in the back, close to the window that looked out onto North Main Street, but was far enough to give us more of a woodland view than street. It was a charming little setup, and I slid into my seat comfortably, a little taken back when Alex actually pulled out my chair for me. Whoever had said chivalry was dead, had obviously not gone out with Alex Logan before.
I couldn’t remember the last time I had been to The Red Roof for a comfortable dinner
with friends. The most recent memory of the place was when Garth had brought me here for a quick dinner and a quite memorable fuck out back.
“So, what’s good here?” Alex asked, opening the menu.
“Everything,” Samuel replied quickly. “I’d stay clear of the chicken, though. You’ll probably end up ordering seconds.”
I smiled at that, and turned my attention to Kelly who had abandoned her menu and was watching the other guests. “Not hungry?” I asked.
Kelly jumped a little and looked at me. “It’s just, this place seems a lot like something out of a bad Rom-Com.”
“Kelly, eyes on the menu,” Alex said.
“Seriously,” she said. “Look at everyone around us. I mean, they’re practically making out in public. It’s gross.”
I laughed. “It’s one of the few romantic places in Kent, so you’re going to have a lot of dates here.”
Kelly looked at me for a beat before she shrugged and turned her attention back to the crowd. “There’s really not a lot to do in Kent, is there?”
“You’ll be surprised how much fun you can have outside the big city,” Alex said.
“Sure, dad, if you say so,” Kelly replied. “And what’s up with that guy? He’s staring at us as if he knows us.”
I turned my attention to where she was looking, and felt my heart jump into my throat. Sitting a few tables away, hidden by a table of six, was Garth. I had missed him coming in, and the tables between us would have kept him out of sight if Kelly hadn’t pointed him out to us. Garth was smiling at me, winked, and stood up slowly. I didn’t recognize the people he was with, but one of the women looked like she had just stepped out of a ‘Whores R’ Us’ catalog.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Alex turn just as Garth weaved through the tables towards us. “Is that Liston?” he asked.
Samuel just grunted, and I could see the look of utter disgust on the elder Logan’s face.
“If it isn’t Alex Logan!” Garth greeted, arms wide and voice as loud as ever. I cringed as people turned towards us. It was just like Garth to make a scene. “Heath told me you were back!”
He didn’t wait for Alex to stand up and clapped him on the back, quickly putting a hand on his shoulder and smiling at him like they were old friends. I saw Alex eye Garth’s hand, then shoot him a smile that bordered on discomfort.
“It’s nice to see you, Garth,” Alex said, slowly pulling away from Garth’s hold.
Garth leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. “Hi, babe. I didn’t expect to see you here tonight.”
Marking his fucking territory. Next thing you know he’d probably piss on my leg.
I saw Alex eye us before quickly looking away just as Garth turned to him again. “I was just asking Sam about you,” he said. “Told me you moved out of the old house.”
“Yeah, we did,” Garth nodded. “Got us a nice little place on the outskirts, really sweet deal. You should pass by sometime, let me give you a tour. Maybe I could even convince you to sell that crap hole you’re living in and move into something fancier.”