A Dance Of Crowns & Thrones | Book I

Chapter 130 | The Double Date

"Please, Eko, just go out there and support me," Jesse whined, hands clasped together as if she were in the middle of a dramatic plea. "Tell Matthew to behave and not to say anything to Toni. Then we can all have a nice, romantic evening. Just the four of us."

"Matthew's going to kill you, and I bet he's already texted Toni," Eko replied, shaking her head as she smoothed her hair back into place.

Jesse's whining grew more desperate. "Ek'sssssss...."

"Fine," Eko sighed, relenting. "I'll support you, but this is so not my problem."

With a burst of frustration, Eko spun on her heel and marched back toward their table, Jesse trailing behind her. The two men at the table immediately noticed their return, and an awkward tension settled over them.

As Eko and Jesse slid into their seats, Jackson took a too-loud gulp of his drink and turned to Eko. "Did you fix your hair? I didn't know it was broken."

"What?" Eko's eyebrows knitted together in a glare, making Jackson instantly wish he could be anywhere else. He couldn't really help that he was, well, Jackson.

Under the table, Jesse's hand shot out, smacking Eko hard on the thigh. The slap landed with an audible sound, thanks to Eko's mostly bare leg. "Haha, you're so funny, Jackson," Jesse laughed, her voice tight, as she stomped on Eko's foot beneath the table. The table wobbled slightly from the movement before it fell still again.

The group fell into an uncomfortable silence, each of them painfully aware of the tension. Matthew, more than anyone, silently willed the waiter to return and take their drink orders, anything to cut through the awkwardness.

"So, Jackson?" Jesse piped up, her voice overly cheerful. "What's it like on the administrative side of things? Must be demanding with all the workload, right?" She forced a smile, determined to salvage the evening, even as Eko shot daggers at her with her eyes.

Jackson smoothed a hand over his hair. "Not really, I just handle whatever needs to be done. Some days are pretty demanding with the long hours. The migraines are next level with all the screen time," he said, attempting to flex his muscles, though it was pointless since he wore a dress shirt that did little to show them off. "And on top of that, I do some technician work, but I won't bore you with the details."

Jesse nodded, forcing a smile to keep the conversation alive. Her mind scrambled to find another topic, anything to break the tension that hung over them like a cloud. Matthew and Eko's bewildered stares didn't help her nerves.

Jackson's eyes brightened as he continued, clearly more comfortable talking about his work. "I just feel like my talents aren't fully utilized, you know? But we all have to start somewhere. Allegiant needs people in administration and tech roles, and that's where I fit in right now. I'm committed to helping Allegiant reach its goals."

The silence that followed was almost deafening. Jesse glanced nervously at Eko, then at Matthew, who sat across the table with a look of utter judgment. Jesse knew that look well and the man who was practically her brother, was clearly questioning her choice in men.

What the hell did Jackson mean, exactly?  "Allegiant's goals?" Eko asked, her voice taking on a sharp edge, as if this were a job interview. "Could you elaborate on what you mean by that?"

Jackson scratched the back of his head, his confidence wavering. "I just want to be the best soldier I can be," he replied, his answer generic and lacking substance. Eko's estimation of him dropped another notch.

"So, Jackson," Eko said, leaning forward slightly, placing her elbows on the table and lacing her fingers over the menu, "why don't you tell me more about yourself?" Her tone was polite but probing, as if she were digging for something more substantial. She seemed oblivious to the fact that Matthew, barely containing his amusement, was already on his phone, texting Toni updates about the disaster of an evening they were enduring.