My hands are shaky, and I wonder if I can pull this off. I’m desperate to make this work. Maybe I’m more desperate to make something in my life seem less chaotic. It seems like nothing has gone right. I need this one thing. I need Dax.

The risk is worth the reward. If I can make Ryan forget me, then I don’t hurt Dax, and we can keep being with each other the way we have been. If he finds out I’ve lied to him, he might never want to see me again. It’s at this moment that I realize Stevie had merit to what she was saying. If I were honest upfront, I could have saved myself this embarrassingly desperate adventure.

I’m not sure how Dax would have reacted, but knowing now that I’ve lied all this time to him, when he’s been so open with me. I can’t let it happen, I’m in too deep.

The order is up, and I sigh, looking at their order. Fuck, I don’t know who ordered what. I grab the waitress by her sleeve before she can leave. “What did the younger guy order?”

“The penne alla vodka,” she says, looking at me like I have five heads.

“Thanks,” I say and groan. Of all the things to hide this murky green potion in.

The chef snatches the order out of my hand and looks down at me again. I’m seriously going to set this asshole on fire if he doesn’t stop doing that.

I watch as he makes the dishes, fully intending to make my move when the meal is ready to be expedited. I have the potion lid open, ready to make it work. It takes a good eight minutes before their food is ready. The chef dings the bell as the waitress comes to grab their plates. I’m fast, dumping the green mix into the Penne and mixing it in with the sauce as best as possible.

I grin with satisfaction as the waitress takes his plate and puts it in front of him.

“Does this color of the sauce look a little off to you?” Ryan says to his dad.

“I mean, it still looks good,” Dax says. Thank you, Dax.

Ryan takes a fork full and puts it in his mouth. I feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. Until an enraged frizzy haired Clover storms into the restaurant and smacks the fork out of Ryan’s hand, making it splatter to the floor and catches the attention of everyone eating dinner.

“Clover, where have you been?” Ryan asks.

Dax’s eyes go wide as he looks at Clover and his gaze rakes over the rest of the restaurant.

Clover looks down at Dax and grimaces. “I’ve been locked in Blair’s basement.”

“Shit,” Ryan says.