Not Quite Dating Read Free

I said,” the man sitting next to Jack told them. “But does anyone listen to Tom? Heck no. You think everything went great and next thing you know your drunk ass is dancing naked on YouTube with some chick you don’t even remember.”
    “I didn’t dance naked with some chick…did I?” Dean rubbed the back of his neck and frowned.
    Jack shot a dimpled grin at his friend. “You were pretty wasted.”
    “I still don’t remember any naked dancing.”
    “Oh, chill,” Mikey told him. “No one was taping you dancing naked.”
    Jessie had to smile. The boys were giving their friend a hard time, and it was fun to watch. From the look on Dean’s face, he wasn’t entirely sure he hadn’t danced in the buff.
    “You guys know what you want, or shouldI give you a few more minutes to decide?” Jessie asked.
    “I know what I want,” Tom said, setting his menu on the table.
    The others chimed in the same. After taking their orders, Jessie left.
    Leanne smiled her way once Jessie gave the cook the order. “Looks like a handful over there. Cute times four,” she sighed with a smile.
    “Two of ’em have accents, too.”
    “Lookie you, checking them out.”
    “I’m not checking anyone out. The last thing I need is another playboy messing up my life.”
    Jessie turned around and refilled the coffee cup of one of her night-owl customers sitting at the counter. “How are the pancakes, Mr. Richman?”
    “Fine, just fine,” he replied.
    When Jessie turned back to Leanne, the other waitress continued talking. “Who’s to say they’re a bunch of playboys?”
    “Frat boys who never grew up, most likely.”
    “Playboys, frat boys, whatever. One of ’em could be the rich guy of your dreams.”
    Jessie raised an eyebrow. “Right.” Grabbing Leanne’s hand, Jessie led her to a far window overlooking the parking lot. “Take a look, sister. See any crazy-expensive cars out there?” Actually, the only cars in the lot belonged to the employees and Mr. Richman. Except for one lone pickup that was new sometime in the mid-1990s. That seemed about the right speed for the cowboys at table twelve.
    “That doesn’t mean nothing.” Leanne pulled away and frowned. “Besides, dating means free meals and a movie. Nothing wrong with that.”
    “Dinner and a movie in my world consist of McDonald’s and SpongeBob on TV. Dating and Danny don’t mix.”
    “Your sister will watch him foryou.”
    “Yeah, but why waste my time on someone dreaming of the future instead of living it? You know my mom isn’t the wisest woman in the bunch, but she told me once that it is just as easy to fall in love with a rich man as it is to fall in love with a poor one.”
    “Yeah, so?”
    “So don’t date poor men.”
    Across the restaurant, Jack with the gray eyes and the Stetson was watching her over his coffee cup. When he caught her gaze, his lips pulled into a grin, dimples and all. Then, without any provocation, he winked.
    “Oh boy.” Jessie lowered her eyes and tried to ignore the flirting frat playboy and the way his attention made her insides squirm.
    “Mr. Cowboy is sexy.” Leanna giggled when she spoke.
    “I’ll bet Mr. Cowboy mooches off one of his friends for the bill.”
    “Oh, come on, he can’t be that bad.”
    “He’s flirting with a waitress at Denny’s, Leanne. His ambitions can’t be all that high.”

    “Dissed!” Mike laughed, punching Jack in the arm. “Doesn’t look like the waitress is taking a liking to you.”
    “Might have something to do with the way you’re dressed, Moore.”
    “There’s nothing wrong with the way I’m dressed.” In fact, he liked the fact that Jessie, the sexy waitress wearing a god-awful brown skirt, had no idea who he was. Jack stayed out of the spotlight as often as he could. Here in California, people didn’t know him by sight. In Houston, the story was entirely different. The thought of charming the waitress without waving his wallet felt like the right thing to do,