Sienna sipped her water.
“You don’t like the fish?” Emily asked quietly.
Sienna’s phone pinged on the table beside her. She checked the message and then clicked it off. “The smell of the oil is turning my stomach. And I’m not sure I can have it because it might contain mercury.” Sienna made a face. “I’m worried because the only foods that smell good to me right now are pizzaand burgers. In our family, this baby had better like the finer things in life or he or she will be in trouble.”
Blair laughed. “I figured your baby would come out of the womb yearning for white truffles and sashimi.”
“It had better!” Sienna pushed a few leaves around her plate.
“When do you think you’ll tell Tyson?” Blair asked.
“Maybe when he gets here this weekend. But when I do, I’m going to have to promise him that, one, I won’t make him get an SUV, and two, I won’t ask him to sell the condo.” For the first time since Emily had known Sienna, she saw a tiny spark of fear in her eyes.
Patrick came in, his muscular arm lined with the sides for the main course. He also set butter and a few condiments in front of them.
Another clap of thunder rang out, but his hands were steady this time.
“There’s a ton of food left, so if you want seconds of anything, just let me know,” he said. “Once everyone’s full, I’ll box up the leftovers and put them in the fridge.”
“How many clients do you have in the area?” Sienna asked him.
His gaze flickered over to her. “A lot.”
Sienna was bent on getting him to talk, but if anyone was going to facilitate a conversation with him, Emily would be the most diplomatic of the three. She could gauge his reactions and keep things light.
“Why don’tyouhave some dinner too?”
Sienna and Blair swapped interested looks, but Emily ignored them.
His brows pulled together. “I’m fine, thank you.”
“We don’t mind,” Blair offered. “If there’s plenty, have some. It’s the least we can do, considering you had to cook for three strangers tonight.”
“Thank you again for the offer, but I’ll pass.”
Blair’s chin lifted. “Why? Is there something in the food?” She looked at Emily as if to say,I told you he was a murderer.
Sienna snorted and covered her mouth with her napkin, pretending to cough.
Patrick wasn’t in on the joke, and he stared at them suspiciously.
“Please,” Sienna said after recovering. “We don’t bite.”
“And we won’t ask you to talk,” Emily said. But as soon as the suggestion left her lips, she reconsidered, the offer sounding more awkward than it had in her head.
But instead of a perplexed response, he seemed surprised and self-conscious. “I don’t make a habit of dining with my clients.”
“Right,” Emily said, “but you’re going to be hanging out with us all week. And if your clients are the kind of people who own houses like this, we aren’t your typical clients. I’m an elementary-school teacher. I usually eat a bagged salad out of Tupperware, or I have lunch with my kids. School pizza is an acquired taste, for sure.”
The corners of his mouth rose slightly.
“And Sienna over there is a real estate agent. She got to stay here as a gift from the owner. Blair works in social media.”
“We really don’t mind if you want to take a load off,” Blair said. “Eat. The longer you stay, the less chance you have of loading your truck in that.” She pointed to the sheets of rain coming down outside.
Emily got up. “I’ll make you a plate.”
“Please—”
