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A small crowd gathered outside the Thai restaurant, half the people with their gaze locked on their phone rather than talking to their companions. At least he’d been smart enough to make reservations. The food was excellent and since Noah had talked about Thai food while they were at Lucas’s, Ian was sure he’d like this place.
Nervous anticipation made his hands sweat. He surreptitiously wiped his palms on his pants as he walked to the restaurant. He hadn’t been on a date in so long, he wasn’t sure he even remembered how. Not that this was necessarily a date. He’d phrased the invitation as a way to give Noah a break from Rowe, but he’d been clear that it would be just the two of them. That was a date, right? Maybe it was best if it wasn’t. He didn’t feel the gut-deep burn he’d felt around Detective Hollis Banner. On the other hand, he was attracted to Noah and the man made him laugh. Having Rowe’s complete trust in him made him the perfect date material, too.
Who knew? If dinner went well, maybe he’d get laid soon.
Pausing at the corner, waiting for the light to change so he could cross the street, Ian straightened his beige Dries van Noten silk jacket, smoothing his hands down the black trim. He’d saved for a long time for it and it made him feel confident and sexy. He’d paired it with black jeans and his favorite black Chukkas. As he walked toward the front of the restaurant, he felt eyes on him and looked toward the crowd of people milling under a streetlight. When he spotted a tall man with messy, blond hair, his heart clenched and he picked up the pace, sure that was the missing detective in the back of the group.
But when he reached it, the man was gone. Ian stood there, staring into the shadows, feeling the burn of hot eyes on him as the hair stood on the back of his neck. Once again, he felt anger laced with regret. He should have just asked the detective out, and he would have if that accident hadn’t happened. Not that it had been an accident. He realized he was rubbing his thigh. Phantom or real pain—he didn’t know anymore.
“Hope that frown isn’t for me.”
He looked up and dropped the frown when he saw Noah standing close. His eyes widened because the man looked fantastic. His hair lay in a mass of curls that fell half over the right side of his face. He’d shaved, leaving his square jaw clear. He wore jeans and a navy blue shirt under a brown leather jacket. He had the kind of wide shoulders and arms Ian loved, nice and big. Like the detective. “No,” he finally answered. “That frown was for someone else. Bad memories.”
“Then let’s make some new, good ones.” Noah turned and placed his hand on Ian’s back to lead him into the restaurant. “I can tell I’m going to like this place already just by the smell. You eat here often?”
Nodding, Ian smiled at the hostess. “Reservation for two under Pierce.” He turned to Noah. “I do. They serve traditional dishes from north Thailand, so there aren’t a lot of the sweeter choices. My favorite is the nam phrik oong.”
“So you like the hot food.”
“I do.” Ian smiled up at him as they followed the hostess around the small, wicker tables. “You mentioned you like Thai food the other night.”
“Love it.”
After they were seated on the floor mats, their waiter showed up and asked if they wanted drinks right away. Noah ordered an American beer and Ian a Thai one. Noah grinned at Ian after the waiter left. “I thought you’d take me to your restaurant. From what I’ve eaten at Rowe’s, I can tell you I wouldn’t have minded.”
“I’m there all the time and this place takes care of my craving for hot peppers. But I’d love for you to come by and try the food. Rowe has been eating there often since—” Ian stopped talking, his gut twisting up.
“Since his wife passed?” Noah nodded up at the waiter when he set his beer in front of him.
They placed their food order and Ian reached for his Singha, and took a long swallow. Way to start a date off right, Ian. Talk about one of the worst things that had ever happened to Ian. He missed Melissa badly and felt the deep stab of survivor’s guilt every time he was around Rowe.
“How has he been? Really?” Noah shifted on the mat. “It’s been a long time since I spent any time with him in person and he’s changed, of course. Thirteen years will do that. But he’s changed a lot.”
“He has. He’s quieter and before that happened, any time he was quiet, the rest of us got nervous.”
