Sam was wearing a pair of blue jeans with a simple green T-shirt and a pair of black ballet shoes. Her blonde hair wasn’t slicked back into a braid. Instead, she had it piled on top of her head in a messy bun.
He was overdressed in his black slacks and cream-colored long-sleeve button-down shirt.
“Uncle Liam!” Sophia waved.
He joined the girls. “It sure smells good.” He rested his hands on his hips and looked through the window into the restaurant.
“It tastes even better.” Sam pulled the door open. “Shall we?”
He stepped around her and opened the door. “Ladies first.”
“Since you bought dinner last night, I’m buying lunch.” Sam led the way to the counter.
“That’s not necessary.” She didn’t need to feed him and Sophia when she had so much more to worry about.
“I insist. Please don’t make a big deal of it.”
“Can you do that?” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, you’ve got pretty big expenses coming up.”
She smiled at him. “I’m sure. We’re going to be fine.”
He studied her for a moment. What would she do if he argued with her about it? If they were going to treat this like a first date, then shouldn’t he pay?
She laid her hand on his forearm. “I’m serious, we’re okay. I want to buy you lunch.”
“Okay.” He looked at the menu. “What do you suggest?”
She could buy lunch, but he’d buy dessert later.
FIFTEEN
Sam slid into a booth and made room for Bella. Only, Bella slid in across from her, followed by Sophia. Leaving the space next to Sam as the only available spot for Liam to sit.
Sam swallowed as Liam moved into the seat. Heat radiated from his body. Or was that her imagination? Everything was going to be okay. This was what they wanted. The girls needed to figure out on their own that she and Liam were dating. No better way to start than by sitting next to each other.
The girls chatted away. Completely ignoring the two adults sitting with them.
Liam turned to Sam. “How is it going?”
“I can’t complain.” She smiled. “Not that it would do any good if I did.”
“True.” He unwrapped his straw and slid it into his cup. Then he wadded up the paper and tossed it at Sophia’s head. It hit her on the cheek.
“Hey.” She turned and narrowed her eyes, then stood her straw on end and slowly started pushing the paper from the top of the straw down toward the table. Once the paper was scrunched up, she put the straw to her lips and blew, shootingthe paper at Liam. The wad of paper flew past him and landed on the table behind them.
He looked over his shoulder. “Good thing no one is sitting there.”
He grinned, lifted his left arm, and reached across the back of the booth to grab the paper. The movement brought his chest closer to Sam. All she could do was stare at the pearl-like button on his shirt. Her breath hitched at his nearness. Citrus and sage was quickly becoming her favorite fragrance.
He righted himself and tossed the paper on the table. “Behave.”
Sophia’s mouth dropped. “You started it.”
Sam regained her composure and took a drink to quench her suddenly dry mouth. What was wrong with her body?
“Fine.”
“Sam.” A pimple-faced teenager called her name.
