My Fingerprint Was Never Saved, but Her Lock Was Always Open Chapter 02

My Fingerprint Was Never Saved, but Her Lock Was Always Open Chapter 02

Before I could reply, Gavin called.

“The thing with the lock was Vanessa’s doing. I already spoke to her about it.”

Then he added, “Ryan and the others are getting together for dinner tonight. Come with us.”

“We’re all friends. You’ll get to know everyone eventually.”

I didn’t want to go, but I agreed anyway.

When I entered the restaurant’s private dining room, Vanessa had already taken the seat at the head of the table.

She patted the chair beside her. “Gavin, sit here.”

I moved to take the seat on Gavin’s right, but another friend slid into it first.

“Come on, I’m sitting next to Gavin. We need to have a couple of drinks.”

Vanessa leaned around him, glanced at me, and smiled.

“Then sit across from him. You’ll have the best view from there.”

That left me in the seat farthest from Gavin.

Through the steam rising from the sizzling platters between us, I watched Vanessa lean toward him as she spoke, her hair nearly brushing his shoulder.

A platter of crab legs arrived.

Vanessa prodded them with her fork and said in a playful, pouty voice, “Gavin, crack these for me. I’m terrible at it.”

Without hesitation, Gavin transferred one to his plate and began cracking the shell.

The steam had turned his fingers slightly red, but he didn’t seem to care.

Vanessa speared a piece of crabmeat, took a bite, then held the rest out to Gavin.

“Try it, Gavin. It’s really fresh.”

He ate it straight off her fork, his lips brushing the spot where she had bitten.

One of their friends teased, “You two have been like this forever. Aren’t you worried his actual girlfriend might get jealous?”

Vanessa laughed. “Gavin’s been cracking crab for me since we were kids. His girlfriend isn’t that petty, right?”

She turned to look at me.

Everyone else at the table followed her gaze.

I stiffened, then forced a smile. “It’s fine.”

After eating for a while, Vanessa pushed her plate toward Gavin.

“Gavin, this steak is too tough for me.”

He glanced at it, transferred the meat to his own plate, cut it into smaller pieces, and slid it back to her.

He never said a word. The whole thing came so naturally to him that it looked like he had done it a thousand times.

One of their friends remarked, “You two are so in sync. Guess that’s what growing up together does.”

Vanessa smiled and turned to Gavin.

“Remember when we were in college and you came to visit me on campus?”

“My roommate thought you were my boyfriend and insisted on buying us dinner.”

Gavin smiled. “Your roommate was certainly enthusiastic.”

“She really was,” Vanessa said. “She kept asking when we were getting married.”

As she spoke, her gaze flicked toward me, carrying the faintest hint of smug satisfaction.

Then she reached over and straightened Gavin’s shirt collar.

Her fingertips brushed his collarbone. “Your collar was crooked.”

Nobody else at the table batted an eye.

I watched her hand linger at his collar for two seconds before she finally pulled it away.

Gavin didn’t pull away. He was already used to it.

Later, Vanessa stood to get another drink.

As she rose, a wineglass slipped from her hand, splashing red wine down the front of my white dress.

Before I could say anything, Gavin had already grabbed Vanessa’s hand and turned it over to inspect it.

“Did you cut yourself? Did the glass break?”

Vanessa shook her head and said she was fine. Then she gave me a wounded look.

“I’m so sorry. Was that dress expensive? I’ll replace it.”

Wine ran down the fabric and dripped onto my shoes.

Gavin never looked at me once.

“I’m going to the restroom,” I said.

When I stepped outside the private dining room, I heard Vanessa lower her voice.

“Gavin, do you think your girlfriend’s upset? Did I make her mad?”

Gavin answered, “She isn’t like that. Don’t overthink it.”

Vanessa laughed. “Good. I was afraid you’d stop talking to me because of her.”