Brothers 3

Chapter 13

James had made the effort for his date. He was wearing a nice shirt along with chinos. Admittedly his father's coat looked a little out of place with it, but he wasn't willing to leave it behind. If he was going to pretend to be a whipped mussy guy then he would at least bring something of himself.

Ella drove him to the restaurant that he invited Isabel to. It was trippy to be driven to a date by your girlfriend with a highly trained assassin in the back seat. James looked in the mirror at Skylar. She was stoically scanning the road out the window with her hands folded on her lap. Everything about her implied that she was calm and in control. James wondered if that was true or if she was feeling out of her element playing bodyguard in an unfamiliar environment. James admired the fact that he couldn't tell either way. It was always wise to keep your cards close to your chest.

Ella on the other hand was wearing her distain all over her face. She glared at the road and had her mouth pressed into a thin line. She was holding the steering wheel so hard that James was convinced that her knuckles would pop out at any moment.

"It shouldn't take too long for me to get things on track," he said. He didn't even know what on track would look like, maybe Isabel knowing she was a witch and helping them. But he didn't want Ella to picture this dating thing going on any longer than it had to.

"No, you can be charming when you want to be." It sounded like a compliment but when Ella said it with such venom in her voice James knew it wasn't one.

The rest of the drive passed in silence. When they got to the restaurant James couldn't get out of the car fast enough.

"Wait." Ella was staring at the road ahead, but her voice was gentler than it had been.

James hovered in the door. She licked her lips twice. "Be careful."

James nodded. "I will."

As he shut the door he met Skylar's eyes. She was watching him closely and James could feel her stare on him until he was through the doors of the restaurant. The place was fine, it had red wallpaper and candles in the middle of all the tables. The customers seemed to be exclusively couples, some leaning over the table to talk and others looking at the menus exclusively.

The stench of human food wafted around, and James had to fight the urge to cover his nose against it. It would freak Isabel out if she knew he was a vampire so for now he needed to play human. Unfortunately, that would involve forcing himself to eat.

He arrived early in order to avoid her seeing him with Ella, so he had to wait ten minutes for her to arrive.

She looked lovely, strolling through the door with black boots on and a long-sleeved sparkly top. Her jeans were baggy, and she had her hair down, trailing over her shoulders and carefully brushed.

James put on his best goofy grin and rubbed the back of his neck.

Isabel smiled and blushed.

"You look," James motioned to her with both hands, "Well you know how you look."

She giggled and pushed her hair behind her ear. "How's that?"

"You look beautiful." And hot, he thought.

"Thank you," she said.

They were seated near a window, a nice romantic spot. James took the menus from the waiter and handed one to Isabel. She thanked him and used the menu to hide behind while she fixed her hair. James could smell her sweet sweat and supressed a grin. She was nervous. This might be easier than he had thought.

"I am thinking I will get a salad." She laid the menu down and smiled.

James looked her in the eye to see how long she could hold it. Not long. Another sign that she really liked him.