Read Online To See You by Rachel Blaufeld - Free Book Online Page B

as I approached, and had also waited for me to come back before eating. The food had arrived and was displayed around the table.
    “Good thing none of it’s hot,” he teased.
    “Looks amazing,” I said, and picked up my chopsticks to place a few rolls and pieces of sashimi on my plate.
    “I guess we’re not at that stage in our relationship where we can just pluck off the serving dish. Not that we’re in any kind of relationship . . . I just meant, you go ahead and take what you want.”
    Layton’s cheeks pinked as he stumbled over his words, and the sight of it made my heart thump a rapid pace again. I’d never made anyone nervous before.
    Was it flattering? Or was it a turnoff?
    I moaned over a piece of salmon, my stomach thanking me for some food. I left the rice and moved on to the tuna.
    “It’s good, really good. I was starving,” I said to fill in the silence.
    Layton had busied himself with a shrimp tempura roll. At my comment, he looked up and nodded.
    “It’s living up to all the hype. This spicy sauce is the bomb,” he said after swallowing.
    “Why have you never been here? I’d be here all the time if I lived here.”
    The back of my neck was beginning to feel damp. I didn’t know if it was nerves or excitement or both. Where the heck was Janie?
    “I don’t know. Like I said, I’ve heard of it. It’s the hot place right now, but I usually do sushi takeout near my house . . . and then pizza delivery,” Layton said with a stilted laugh.
    “Really?” I chuckled politely, but really? Is that what he did?
    “I guess I shouldn’t admit to it.”
    “I’m sure a lot of people do it.”
    “You don’t.” He raised an eyebrow.
    “Well no, but I’m not a big eater.”
    Geez, this whole conversation and evening just took a bad turn. What the hell did I know? Men probably couldn’t survive on sushi alone.
    “And you’re a fitness editor, so pizza is probably a no-no.” He tried to say it lightly, to make it a joke, but his words came out tense.
    “I like pizza . . . on special occasions.”
    Layton laughed, and it felt like it was directed at himself. My heart sank.
    “Hey, it’s no biggie. And you went out of your way to show me LA, so let’s not ruin this evening.”
    My heart broke for this guy. Everyone probably judged him the way I first did when I sat in seat 2C, and here I was doing it all over again.
    Just then, my purse began buzzing on the table. Janie .
    Huh. I wasn’t sure I wanted her to rescue me anymore. I held up a finger to Layton, signaling him to give me a sec.
    After digging my phone from my purse, I swiped a finger over the screen and turned my head to the side. “Hello?”
    “Oh, thank God, Char, you’re there! Poppy died! Waaahhh,” Janie screamed through the phone, loud enough that the whole restaurant probably heard.
    “Slow down, Janie.” We had a well-oiled routine when it came to bad-date rescues. It was always Poppy or Nana and included a lot of tears.
    “Popppy diiied,” she wailed, sounding convincingly pitiful.
    “I’m in LA, sweetie, but I can take the red-eye home . . .”
    Her wails turned to stuttering sobs. “R-r-really?”
    Layton stared at me. His hair had fallen a bit on his forehead, and he pushed it back so he could give me his full attention.
    “Hold on one sec, Janie,” I said into the phone and twisted my body back toward Layton. Cupping my hand over the microphone, I spoke to him in a hushed tone. “My friend’s grandfather died. Janie, the one I told you about. I have to go.”
    He nodded, his face stoic.
    Disappointment flooded every inch of my body. This was what I had wanted, to get out of this evening, and now he was letting me go without a protest.
    “Janie, I’ll text you when I know my plans. Take a warm shower and relax,” I said soothingly into the phone and disconnected the call.
    “Too bad,” Layton said, his face still expressionless.
    My belly ached from a weird hunger—and not for food.
    “I’m