Coincidence

Robin looked from Tom to Kayla and then to Cheyenne. The tension was instantaneous. Even Jeff must have felt it. His shoulders tensed as he stood just behind her, his eyes sweeping over Eric and Tom. Jeff stood close to Robin, which might have made the whole situation worse.

"Hey, Robin," Cheyenne said. She smiled at Jeff.

Tom and Eric said nothing and made no move to greet Jeff.

Robin shifted, wondering where the hostess was. Was she lost?

"Hey!" Jordan called, hurrying up to the host podium. "I'm sorry about the wait. Are you guys all together?"

"No," they all said in unison.

If the situation weren't so strained, Robin might have laughed.

"Just two, please." Robin said, putting her back to Cheyenne and the perpetual scowl on her face.

Maybe she should have felt guilty for being out with Jeff, but technically, they were just friends and Tom was with Kayla, after all.

Well, okay, so Eric and Cheyenne were with them, too, but there was something about Tom and Kayla together that made her suspicious. Maybe it was the way they stood closely together, almost touching shoulders. Or the way Tom glanced at Kayla every few seconds as if double-checking her very existence.

"A table for two, then," Jordan said, scooping up two menus. "Right this way."

She sat them in a booth along the back wall, which gave Robin a good view of the entire restaurant. Cheyenne cam in a few seconds later with Eric, Tom and Kayla. They were given a table in the middle.

"So," Jeff began, "this is a coincidence, huh?"

"Yeah." Robin wasn't sure she wanted to discuss what had just happened.

"At the front." Jeff tipped his head back toward the entrance. "With our friends."

Robin sighed. She leaned over the table and lowered her voice. "I didn't tell them that we are on this date."

Jeff arched a brow. "Oh. That explains it."

"Yeah..." She trailed off, glancing inconspicuously across the room. Kayla laughed at something Tom said. Eric shook his head, clearly annoyed about something.

"But now?" Jeff prompted.

"I don't know. They seen us so now they know." She pursed her lips. There was something there she was missing. She just didn't know what.

"Do you want to go to another restaurant?" Jeff asked. "We could go to Gorsh's. The food there is good. Or maybe something exotic. Want some Thai?"

"No. It's okay. I just..."

Jeff reached over and grabbed her hand. He squeezed. That's all he had to do. He didn't have to say anything.

Robin smiled, thankful she had him as a friend.