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“I kept it, actually.”
He acts so down to earth that I forget how much money he has. When he opens my door and takes my hand as I step up and into the vehicle, I take in the new car smell. This thing is loaded—the leather seats feel heavenly.
I wait for him to close my door and get in on the driver’s side.
“This is amazing. It’s so big, though.”
“It seats seven. So if all of us wanted to go somewhere, we can all fit in here.”
My heart feels like it skips a beat—or three. “You bought this so you can take me and Cam and all the kids places?”
His grin is sheepish. “Yeah. What do you think?”
I lean over and kiss him, fighting back tears. “I think that’s one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me. For us. Thank you.”
I never thought I’d find anyone who wanted me and my kids, but somehow, I seem to have found someone who wants me, my kids, my sister, and my nephews.
For the entire drive to the restaurant, I feel like I’m on cloud nine. I told Dom steak sounded really good, so he made a reservation at a steak house. I’ve never been, obviously, because I could only afford water at a place like this.
“Mr. Locke, thank you for dining with us tonight,” the host says. “I’m actually the owner here, and I’m a big Coyotes fan. Please let us know if there’s anything at all you need.”
“Thanks, man.” Dom shakes his hand. “I’ve heard great things about your restaurant.”
The owner looks thrilled. He leads us to a private table in a back room, the lighting dim. It even has curtains to give us total privacy when no one’s serving the table.
“May I start you with a bottle of wine?” the owner asks.
“That’d be great.” Dom meets my gaze across the table. “Do you like red or white?”
Ha. When I occasionally buy a bottle of wine, it’s less than ten dollars. And that only happens like twice a year, when Cam and I are celebrating something like her making the dean’s list or getting all caught up on our water bill.
“Red,” I say for simplicity’s sake.
“Very good, ma’am,” the owner says. “I have some fantastic options for you.”
“You choose,” Dom says. “I trust your recommendation.”
The owner’s expression is almost comical—like Dom just offered to jerk him off or something.
“Of course, sir.”
As soon as he’s gone, I lock eyes with Dom across the table. “Hey, he could bring back a ten-thousand-dollar bottle of wine. I know you make a lot of money, but you don’t need to spend it to impress me. I’m impressed with you because you’re you.”
He takes my hand across the table, his gaze warm on me. “I know, and I feel the same way about you. But this is our first date. It’s a special occasion.”
“You didn’t think the hot dogs and tots eaten at my kitchen counter felt like a date?” I tease.
“I loved it every bit as much as this because I was with you.”
I roll my eyes. “Come on. The tots weren’t even crispy.”
“I liked them.”
“You have me on a pedestal. I’m worried I’ll come crashing down at some point.”
He strokes his thumb over my knuckles. “Or not. My parents have been crazy in love for more than thirty-five years.”
The restaurant owner returns with a bottle of wine, a sommelier accompanying him. The sommelier makes a big production of offering Dom the cork to sniff and swirling the wine around in our glasses before giving them to us.
